Dixon presented Friday Lifetime Achievement Award for student advocacy

Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon has been presented an award named for a longtime University of North Carolina System president and presented to UNC faculty members and administrators who advocate for students.

Dixon was presented the William C. Friday Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments during the group’s luncheon on Friday. Dixon was presented the award for her “lifetime of exemplary service to the students of the University of North Carolina,” according to a press release.

“Chancellor Dixon led ECSU back from the brink, making a significant impact on the student body by creating a student experience worth investing in and equipping the campus with the necessary resources to enhance the professional experience of past, present, and future Vikings,” said Dayana Garza, ECSU student leader and member of the student government association who nominated Dixon for the award.

The Friday award is typically given to an administrator or faculty member who has been an advocate for students throughout their career. The students nominate and the association as a group votes on the recipient.

Garza said Dixon, ECSU’s chancellor since Dec. 14 2018, has an “unwavering commitment to her students” and it is demonstrated through her “consistent efforts to address issues and provide solutions.”

“She actively engages with students by attending events of all sizes, hosting luncheons with various student organizations representing diverse student populations to better understand their needs and collaborating closely with student leaders to develop solutions from a student-centric perspective,” Garza said. “Her efforts have left a lasting impact on students, faculty, staff, and alumni at Elizabeth City State University.”

Dixon said it was a “great honor” to receive an award named for “one of my higher educational heroes.” Friday served as president of the UNC System for 30 years and during his tenure pushed for “greater access” to higher education for North Carolinians, the release states.

“The work I have done and continue to do is because I believe in the future of each and every student, here at ECSU and every institution in the UNC System,” Dixon said in the release.

Prior to being named ECSU’s interim chancellor on April 9, 2018, Dixon served for about a year as the co-lead on the ECSU New Directions Phase 2 Operational team.

Prior to coming to ECSU, Dixon served for nearly a decade in the UNC System in various capacities, including vice president for academic and student affairs. In that role, she provided oversight to the Division of Academic and Student Affairs for all 17 UNC system schools.