Welcoming Future Pirates | Eastern North Carolina Now | The East Carolina University fall Open House brought approximately 4,700 guests to campus Oct. 24, including more than 1,500 prospective students.

 Publisher's note: The author of this post, Nicole Wood, is a contributor to ECU News Services.

Open House draws prospective students, families to ECU campus

 The East Carolina University fall Open House brought approximately 4,700 guests to campus Oct. 24, including more than 1,500 prospective students.

 Presented by the ECU Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the event gave future Pirates an opportunity to gather information on admissions, financial aid, campus living and dining, as well as the academic and student life aspects of campus. Visitors enjoyed guided tours, a peek inside residence halls and lunch at one of several campus eateries.

 The smartphone app Guidebook assisted guests in planning their day and navigating campus. Nearly 1,400 downloads of the app implied visitors were using the technology to find their way between sessions and make choices about how to spend their time.

 "At first glance, the wealth of information available to our prospective students at Open House can be a bit overwhelming," said David Meredith, director of undergraduate admissions. "The Guidebook app allowed guests to plan their day, view campus maps and share their experience on social media.

 "Additionally, we can make updates to the schedule which are then updated on the app — a big improvement from a printed schedule that would have been printed weeks in advance," Meredith said.

 Open House concluded with academic units holding sessions for students interested in their specific majors. ECU Transit took guests to sessions held on the health sciences campus.

 In 2015, spring Open House was replaced with Pirates Aboard! Admitted Student Day, an event targeted toward admitted students. The next Pirates Aboard will be held April 2, 2016.

 For additional information about Open House and Pirates Aboard, contact Tarrick Cox, senior associate director of admissions, at coxta@ecu.edu.


Campus visitors used smartphone apps to help plan their day during Open House 2015.


Prospective ECU students and their families gather at the Trustees Fountain before a tour of campus during fall Open House, Oct. 24. (Photos by Patrick Fay)