Mr. ECSU Quaysan Miles Brings Vision of 100 Men in Suits to Life
Elizabeth City, N.C. — Suit jackets replaced everyday campus attire. Ties completed the look. But this was no fashion show. Beyond the polished appearance of the men who attended ECSU’s inaugural 100 Men in Suits walk, spearheaded by the university’s 26th Mr. ECSU Quaysan Miles, was a message that reached deeper than the fashion statement a suit carries. The real message of strong leadership, brotherhood and excellence took the spotlight.
The walk began at the Willie and Jacqueline Gilchrist Education and Psychology Complex and continued to “The Egg,” at the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center Amphitheater, giving the gathering a visible presence on campus. While other institutions have done the 100 Men in Suits concept in different variations, Miles organized the initiative to promote professionalism, confidence, leadership and brotherhood on his own campus, and the university is preparing to launch a larger vision for male student success.
“As Mr. ECSU, I felt like I was always the person putting on a suit. There are others, but I know what the rest of us can do. I know our heights, and I feel like this event can help us reach those heights. I see all these men in suits and I believe we can go higher. The next time we do this event, there will be 250 men. And the next time after that—300. This event is how you change the culture,” Miles said.
The gathering also drew support from student leaders and community figures who joined in celebrating the initiative and its message. Fourteen student ambassadors representing various campus organizations and groups, along with Elizabeth City Police Chief Eddie Graham and Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools Superintendent Keith Parker, were present, showing the event’s purpose was bigger than a coordinated look or a memorable campus photograph. It created a moment of connection among students from different majors, backgrounds and campus organizations, united with the community for a shared identity as Viking men.
Damian D. Thomas, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said, “We do understand that a lot of institutions are holding their 100 Men in Suits event, but it’s not just about putting on a suit. There’s more.”
A Community Investment in the Next Generation of Leaders
Macy’s department store made the event even more meaningful by donating professional suits to ECSU students.
“We recognize that a lot of people don’t have suits, but we were able to provide that for some of the students, and we encouraged them to just come,” said Thomas.
Lauren Pruitt, senior director and store manager at Macy’s Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, N.C., and an ECSU alumna, was recognized for her generosity and support in making the suits available.
Access to professional clothing can remove a practical barrier for students preparing for interviews, internships, career fairs and the transition from college to the workforce. For students still building their professional wardrobes, that support can make a meaningful difference. Macy’s contribution to the 100 Men in Suits cause shows the lasting impact alumni and corporate partners can have when they invest in the next generation’s success.
Pruitt’s involvement helped bring Miles’ vision to life and reinforced the message that ECSU students deserve opportunities, resources and encouragement to recognize their potential and prepare for what lies ahead.
A moment of Brotherhood. A movement for Success.
While male enrollment in higher education has declined nationally, ECSU is experiencing a different trend. For the past three years, male enrollment at ECSU has remained strong and continued to grow. This trend is also reflected within our residential community. As of August 2026, 58% of students living on campus were male, compared to 42% female.
“This presents both an opportunity and responsibility. As the university remains committed to the success of all ECSU students, we must also respond intentionally to the unique needs and experiences of our growing male student population. Increasing enrollment is only the beginning; we must ensure these students are supported, engaged, connected, retained and ultimately prepared to graduate and succeed beyond ECSU,” said Kevin J. Wade, Ed.D., vice chancellor for Student Affairs.
The goal is not simply to enroll more men at ECSU; it is to create the environment, relationships, and support systems that help them thrive.
100 Men in Suits matters beyond a single walk. Under Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove’s leadership, the Division of Student Affairs has developed the Viking Ascent Male Student Success Initiative to increase male student engagement, academic achievement, retention, mentorship, leadership development and overall well-being.
The initiative seeks to create intentional opportunities for male students to build relationships with faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders while developing a stronger sense of belonging, accountability, professionalism and personal growth. Additional programming and engagement opportunities are anticipated throughout the academic year.
Addressing the crowd, Chancellor Hargrove said, “I say to you, ‘Are you ready?’ And I would say the answer to that is, ‘yes.’ This is a beautiful picture I’m looking at: the intelligent, responsible and accountable men of ECSU. My advocacy as chancellor is of accountability, responsibility and excellence. My challenge to you is to demonstrate those three things in everything you do—in your attitude, your behavior and even how you dress.”
Miles’ vision aligns closely with that challenge, proving how student leadership can help shape a campus culture where young men feel connected, supported and encouraged to succeed.
The Suit is Only the Beginning
For the men who participated, the walk offered an opportunity to represent ECSU with confidence and pride. For the university community, it reminded everyone that student success grows when students, university leadership, alumni and community partners work together.
Superintendent Parker said, “What really hit me today was the incredible talent, genuineness and professionalism of the young people that are in the city. This university is a national leader in the standards we set for the kind of people we want to build here. As I spend time with the university and talk to students, I’m constantly reminded that our young people are intelligent; they think deeply about the world; they think about what they want their world to look like.”
The suit may symbolize professionalism, but the qualities that give it meaning—integrity, discipline, responsibility, confidence and respect—are built through everyday choices.
Those are the qualities Miles challenged his fellow Vikings to embody, not only during the walk but in their classrooms, campus organizations, future careers and relationships with one another, as his invitation stated, “Academics come first. If the event overlaps with a class, communicate with your professor in advance and obtain approval before participating.”
As ECSU advances its Viking Ascent Male Student Success Initiative, 100 Men in Suits shows how a student’s idea can complement the university’s overall commitment to helping young men thrive.
Leaving the walk, first-year student Terrance McCormick, a Warren County native from New Bern, N.C., said this isn’t his type of attire and that he prefers a casual look. He then added, “This event made me get out of my comfort zone.”
One man in a suit may turn heads. A hundred can change a campus’s atmosphere. Miles and ECSU leaders called for 100 men. In ECSU’s inaugural walk, 200 showed up.
