6 Questions With the Chancellor-Elect | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of ECU News Services.

What was the last thing you read?

    Besides Twitter? The last book I read was a book by the name of "Range." (Editor's note: New York Times bestseller "Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World" by David Epstein) And it was about the importance of being a generalist in the world. There's lots of folks who are specialized but being a generalist has its advantages.

Do you hit the snooze button or wake up immediately?

    You want to answer that question? (Editor's note: The other Dr. Rogers — Philip's wife, Rebekah — takes lead on this one)

    Rebekah: Yeah, I'll answer that. This morning the snooze button was pressed a couple of times because we are so tired with having our young children at home and waking up in the early morning hours.

    Philip: Two and a half and five years old will exhaust you more than anything else in the world.

    Rebekah: Especially during a pandemic.

    Philip: So we're well equipped for long days and exhausting hours of work.

    Rebekah: Yep.

    Philip: We've been trained.

    Rebekah: Bring it on.

What are three words to describe Pirate Nation?

    Passionate. People-first. Servant-oriented.

What is one thing that you still have from your childhood?

    I still ... actually, I saw it last night when I was laying our 5-and-a-half-year-old down to sleep. It was a small teddy bear and it was a little bit surreal for me to lay him down to sleep in my childhood bed with my childhood stuffed animal and think about what the future will hold for all of us.

What is your favorite family tradition?

    You know, I was born in Raleigh and grew up my entire life in Greenville. One of the things I loved most over the holidays is getting in the car and driving up to our old family farm in Creedmoor, North Carolina. And just walking around the farm, being out in nature and being a part of that community that shaped me in so many ways.

What does ECU and Pirate Nation mean to you and your family?

    ECU and Pirate Nation is my family. ECU and Pirate Nation is why I'm here. ECU and Pirate Nation is why I went into higher education in the first place, and so to say I owe my life to ECU and Pirate Nation would be an understatement.