By Patricia Earnhardt Tyndall
Duane Grooms' love and loyalty for his alma mater meet the call of the university's first president, Robert H. Wright, who hoped for "every student . . . to go out from here literally afire with enthusiasm for East Carolina."
After earning two degrees from East Carolina University, Grooms '80 '82 set off on a professional journey that crisscrossed the state and much of the southeast. No matter where his career took him, one thing remained steadfast, Grooms is a Pirate at heart.
"Wherever I was in my tour of campuses when I came back, it was always, 'Oh look, Duane's back!'" Grooms said, with a nod to the classic television show Cheers.
"This is home," he said. "The draw of being part of this city and this school, it's just a big part of you." Grooms credits ECU for lifelong friendships, good connections and two degrees that have "paid off." ECU has been an integral influence on Grooms' life. The forever Pirate is paying it forward to ensure future Pirates have opportunities to learn and grow at ECU.
"East Carolina did such good things for me and formed my life. How can I help somebody else feel the same way?" Grooms said. "You always feel like you want to pay it forward. You always want to give back."
Grooms has committed to two planned gifts totaling more than $50,000, which will endow scholarships through the College of Health and Human Performance and the ECU Baseball program. Grooms hopes the endowments will help students graduate without debt so they can hit the ground running after graduation. The gifts are also a tribute to his family.
"It leaves a legacy for our family, which is nice," he said. "The Grooms name will be out there."
For Grooms, the gifts are meant to inspire other alumni, especially those without heirs, to consider their own planned gifts. "Hopefully, it leaves a legacy of giving and triggers others to do the same thing," Grooms said. "I hope that people see that and say, 'If Duane can do it, we should think about it also.'"
Grooms has planned his future support for ECU, and he's continued to give back annually in addition to his endowments.
"There's a need for all of it," Grooms said. "Planned giving helps down the road. Annual giving is still important - that helps now. That's the discretionary money, the operational support the university needs to handle the things that come up."
"This place, this school, this city, the people have made such a big difference in my life," Grooms said. "I don't know of a better way, other than serving, to honor your legacy than to give back to East Carolina University."
Grooms first felt the influence of ECU as a high school student in Jamesville, N.C. ECU was a big deal in the community and with his friends, who he followed to Greenville. The people and the place continued to influence Grooms throughout his life and career.
His first stop after graduation was a job at ECU, working for campus recreation. He headed across town to the City of Greenville for a stint with the Recreation and Parks Department before departing Greenville for the first time.
From there, his career voyage took the forever Pirate to Barton College, Georgia Southern University and UNC-Wilmington, where he oversaw student activities, intramurals, facility operations, special events and campus activities. Grooms returned to Barton to lead student development and career services and then an advancement program. Another hop took him to Methodist University to return to his roots in student life.
Grooms returned home to ECU, where he served as a major gifts officer for the College of Health and Human Performance. A longtime ECU friendship lured him to the University of South Carolina, where he served as Assistant Athletics Director for Facilities Services.
Semi-retirement took Grooms back to UNC-Wilmington just before the pandemic shutdown began. Grooms took another brief voyage to Barton College before the due East pull tugged at him once more. "Duane's back," again, working in the place and with the people who have shaped his life.
Grooms retired long enough to know he was ill-suited to the pace and quickly found his way back into action, working part-time for ECU Athletics. Grooms keeps operations and facilities going working events, pre-event setup and game preparation.
While he may be a semi-retired, part-time employee, Grooms is as much "afire with enthusiasm for East Carolina" as ever. Grooms beams when he talks about ECU's mission and the university's impact on the region.
"Think of where eastern North Carolina would be without us and how can you help keep that going," he said. "Look at all those great degrees, dental school, medical school, the ROTC programs and athletics. East Carolina is everywhere."
"Duane's back," serving his alma mater and planning for its future success.
ECU is in the public phase of the Pursue Gold campaign to raise half a billion dollars. This ambitious effort will create new paths to success for Pirates on campus, across the country and around the world. Donor gifts during the campaign will keep us constantly leading and ready to advance what's possible. Learn more at pursuegold.ecu.edu .
