ASCEND
Message from the Chancellor
Dear Viking Community,
It is with great humility and excitement that I write to you as the new Chancellor
of Elizabeth City State University, a university with a proud legacy and ambitious
direction for the future. I am honored to join this exceptional community at such
a transformative time in our history.
We launch ASCEND 2030, our five-year strategic plan, with a shared belief in the power of education to uplift individuals, communities, and entire regions. This plan is more than a set of goals. It is a collective commitment—to advance learning, engagement, and innovation—in ways that honor our legacy and shape a stronger, more consequential ECSU.
We are growing in graduates, in academic distinction, and in regional and national impact. This plan reflects that growth. It challenges us to be bold, imaginative, and relentless in our pursuit of excellence. It charts a course to expand workforce aligned academic programs, invest in high-impact student experiences, and deepen the university’s value to our region and beyond.
Our future direction is not built in isolation — it is deeply informed by the voices of our community. Faculty and staff, students and alumni, military and industry partners, local leaders and cultural institutions all shared their aspirations, their ideas, and their belief in what ECSU can become. It is through their insights that this roadmap was shaped. The call was clear and powerful: ECSU must remain accessible, responsive, and forwardlooking. We must prepare students not just for the jobs of today, but for leadership, service, and opportunity in a rapidly changing world.
To ascend is to rise with purpose. It is not just about expanding our physical footprint or program offerings. It is about lifting every member of the Viking family through transformative education, excellence, and unwavering support. It is about meeting students where they are and helping them rise economically, academically, and personally.
As we launch this strategic plan, I invite you to journey with us - to build, to innovate, and to ascend.
With Viking Pride,
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, Sr.
Chancellor, Elizabeth City State University
“We’re only as great as we allow ourselves to be.”
-Chancellor Hargrove
Living our Values to Achieve our Vision
As we exemplify our values, ECSU is building a culture of high performance, belonging, and forward-thinking transformation that prepares students to thrive in a rapidly changing world and equips graduates to lead with the vision and character. This culture is essential to realizing our strategic plan and to securing a brighter future for our university, our region, and the communities we serve.
Elizabeth City State University will empower students to achieve social and economic mobility through innovative learning, scholarly inquiry, and meaningful engagement that strengthens communities.
Elizabeth City State University is a nationally recognized, transformative institution renowned for cultivating graduates who excel in leadership, lifelong learning, and driving solutions to global challenges.
LEADERSHIP
Inspire others through responsibility, service, and action
Elizabeth City State University develops principled leaders who embody responsibility, resilience, and a commitment to serving others through positive action. We preserve the traditions that define us and guide students to lead with integrity and uplift their communities.
EXCELLENCE
Pursue high standards to elevate our institution
Elizabeth City State University fosters innovative learning and provides rigorous instruction with a deep commitment to student success. We uphold high expectations for academic achievement and intellectual growth, build strong relationships, and create opportunities that enrich students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the broader community.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Embrace our duty and build trust
ECSU upholds a culture of shared responsibility where administrators, faculty, staff, and students honor commitments, operate with openness, and continually improve our institution. We champion accountability as the foundation of trust and excellence.
BELONGING
Foster respect, connection, and shared growth
Elizabeth City State University fosters an environment rooted in trust, respect, and care for one another. We honor the unique perspective of each individual and ensure meaningful participation—collaborating side by side to share ideas, offer support, and uplift our campus and community.
COMMITMENT
Champion progress with integrity and purpose
Elizabeth City State University demonstrates unwavering dedication and integrity in advancing student progress, community vitality, and institutional growth. We prioritize student impact, act with honesty and transparency, engage meaningfully with all stakeholders, and foster creative collaboration that drives shared progress.
TRANSFORMATION
Drive bold change through innovation
Elizabeth City State University leads bold change through forward-thinking solutions, adapting to the evolving needs of students and society, strategically leveraging technology, and continuously improving how we teach, advise, and serve. We build modern systems, processes, and practices guided by data, feedback, and a commitment to quality and transparency.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
ASCEND 2030 embodies a shared commitment to invest in the people who define our strength
and the purpose that fuels our momentum.
We heard our students: they seek learning that is rigorous, relevant, and responsive to their lives. We listened to our faculty and staff: they seek a university culture that nurtures professional growth, belonging, and excellence. We understood our stakeholders: they see ECSU as a driving force for regional transformation and national distinction.
The theme of Viking Pride rang clear. A pride that calls us to elevate ECSU from within, by those who know it best. A pride that grows stronger with each degree earned, every innovation launched, and every community strengthened by our graduates. This plan honors that spirit—fueled for ECSU, built by ECSU, and fulfilled with ECSU. The four strategic priorities outlined here focus our collective energy on what matters most: student success, growth, a campus culture that centers belonging, and transformational partnerships that sustain our growth.
Together, they form the foundation of a bold new era, where Viking Pride is not only celebrated, but realized in every classroom, every collaboration, and every corner of our region.
