NOMINATIONS FOR THE EPSILON COHORT ARE NOW OPEN!
ABOUT 40 UNDER 40
Established in 2017, the Office of Alumni Relations and Engagement recognize 40 emerging leaders under the age of 40 biannually who have made significant impacts in business, research, leadership, education, public service, or philanthropic endeavors. Join 120 Viking Alumni who have connected their achievements back to their ECSU roots.
40 UNDER 40 SOCIETY
Submit your nominations (self-nominations are welcome) for individuals to receive the honor of being named to the Elizabeth City State University 40 Under 40 Society. The purpose of the 40 Under 40 Society is to honor and engage forty (40) Elizabeth City State University young Viking Alumni who are making strides in their careers, contributions to their communities, or impressions on the ECSU campus and beyond.
ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA
Alumni must have received their undergraduate or graduate degree from one of Elizabeth City State University’s campuses and meet the following:
- Applicants must be under the age of 40 as of December 31, 2025
- Alumni with any degree from ECSU are eligible
- Must be making a significant contribution to their field, career, society, or community
- Must be willing to be featured in alumni and university publications and marketing materials
- Graduates from all ECSU campuses are eligible
- Be committed to raising and/or giving at least $1,000 to support a special ECSU initiative to benefit current students prior to March 27, 2026 (with Signed Pledge agreement)
It is very important to enter each nominee’s correct email address as additional required
information will be requested from nominees using the email address submitted in the
nomination form.
Nominations will remain open from Thursday, August 21, 2025 until Sunday, September 21, 2025. All nominees will be contacted via email on or before October 3, 2025 for additional information. For more information, please email ecsualumni@ecsu.edu or contact us by phone at (252) 335-3498.
FORTY UNDER FORTY SOCIETY BENEFITS
Honorees join a Society of Viking Alumni who are emerging leaders across various fields. Therefore, gaining access to a network of Young Alumni who will:
- be committed to raising at least $1,000 to support an ECSU initiative that benefits our current Viking students;
- be recognized through the University, local, regional, and national media outlets;
- be honored during the 2026 40 Under 40 Awards Ceremony;
- be pictured with Chancellor Hargrove and ECSU Administrators during the 2026 40 Under 40 Awards Ceremony; and
- be selected on occasion to serve the University in various capacities at institutional initiatives such as Open House, Homecoming, Viking Fest, Founders Day Convocation, etc.
Submit Your Nomination
IMPORTANT DATES
|
DATE |
DESCRIPTION |
|
August 21, 2025 |
Nominations open |
|
September 21, 2025 |
Nominations close |
|
October 3, 2025 |
Nominees contacted for additional information (resume/CV, bio 250 words or less), professional headshot (solid background, no “selfies”, etc.) |
|
October 16, 2025 |
Nominee's deadline to submit additional information |
|
October 23, 2025 |
Nomination committee convenes to select top Honorees |
|
October 29, 2025 |
40 Under 40 Honorees notified |
|
November 12, 2025 |
Officialinformation required from Honorees |
|
December 10,2025 |
40 Under 40 Honorees Unveiled |
|
January 30, 2026 |
40 Under 40 Society Awards Ceremony Tickets on Sale (Honorees and Invited Guests Only) |
|
March 17, 2026 |
Ticket Sales End |
|
April 10, 2026 |
40 Under 40 Society Awards Ceremony (Time & Location TBA) |
AWARDS CEREMONY
The 40 Under 40 Society Awards Ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2025 on the campus of Elizabeth City State University. Honorees will be allowed to bring up to two (2) guests to join the ceremony at the ticketed price of $75 per person (Ceremony meal and Football Ticket included).
TICKETS
Tickets will be available for purchase on January 30, 2026. The ticket link will be located here. Please check back for details.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations and Engagement at ecsualumni@ecsu.edu.
Sponsorship & Underwriting Opportunities
- Ten (10) Luncheon tickets with seating in a prominent location
- Brief speaking opportunity during the 40 Under 40 Luncheon
- On-screen recognition at the luncheon
- Recognition on the website and in the luncheon souvenir booklet
- Verbal recognition from the podium during the 40 Under 40 Luncheon
- Sponsorship can be purchased here.
Per the IRS, only the portion of the contribution that exceeds the fair market value of benefits received is tax deductible.
- Four (4) Luncheon tickets with seating in a prominent location
- On-screen recognition at the luncheon
- Recognition on the website and in the luncheon souvenir booklet
- Verbal recognition from the podium during the 40 Under 40 Luncheon
- Sponsorship can be purchased here.
Per the IRS, only the portion of the contribution that exceeds the fair market value of benefits received is tax deductible.
- Two (2) Luncheon tickets
- Recognition on the website and in the luncheon souvenir booklet
- Sponsorship can be purchased here.
Per the IRS, only the portion of the contribution that exceeds the fair market value of benefits received is tax deductible.
- Full Page Ad – 8” wide x 10.5” tall
- Print-ready ads must be electroincally submitted to blspence@ecsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 to be included in the souvenir booklet.
- Refunds will not be provided.
- The sponsorship and operations committee reserves the right to refuse publication of any ad.
- Ads can be purchased here.
Ad Specifications:
Color and Ink
- Convert all colors to 4-color process (CMYK) — all photos, logos, graphics and type
- PMS/spot and RGB colors are not accepted. Convert all color elements to CMYK.
Accepted Formats
Portable Document Format (PDF) – Preferred
- PDF images with 300 DPI resolution
- All fonts embedded
- Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG or JPEG)
- JPG with 300 DPI resolution
- CMYK color mode
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG or JPEG)
- JPG with 300 DPI resolution
- CMYK color mode
Microsoft Publisher (PUB, PUBX), Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX) and Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX) files will not be accepted. Please Save/export PUB, DOC and PPT files as PDF for submission.
Note: Faxed ads will not be accepted.
- Full Page Ad – 8” wide x 5.125” tall
- Print-ready ads must be electroincally submitted to blspence@ecsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 to be included in the souvenir booklet.
- Refunds will not be provided.
- The sponsorship and operations committee reserves the right to refuse publication of any ad.
- Ads can be purchased here.
Ad Specifications:
Color and Ink
- Convert all colors to 4-color process (CMYK) — all photos, logos, graphics and type
- PMS/spot and RGB colors are not accepted. Convert all color elements to CMYK.
Accepted Formats
Portable Document Format (PDF) – Preferred
- PDF images with 300 DPI resolution
- All fonts embedded
- Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG or JPEG)
- JPG with 300 DPI resolution
- CMYK color mode
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG or JPEG)
- JPG with 300 DPI resolution
- CMYK color mode
Microsoft Publisher (PUB, PUBX), Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX) and Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX) files will not be accepted. Please Save/export PUB, DOC and PPT files as PDF for submission.
Note: Faxed ads will not be accepted.
Past Honorees
|
Gregory Ackles, Jr. ’03 Branden Germaine Anderson ’03 Sheba Starlette Andrews ’03 General Irvin Barrett ’03 Karman Lee Battle ’11 Jeffery Billups, II ’05 Tanya Marie Blackshear-Arellano ’03 Andrew Robert Brumfield ’13 Garry Cameron ’08 Tony Lee Coley ’12 Javon Cordell Copeland ’16 Darrin Corbin ’16 Alesha J Covington ’08 Constance Fleming Davenport ’06 J'Vonn Davis ’11 Krystal Michele Harris ’03 Valerie Edwards Henderson ’14 Marcus Andre Hilliard ’04 Marion Hudson ’12 Gerry N. Jackson, Jr. ’08 |
Brandon Dean Johnson ’12 Wade Javon Johnson ’06 Brandon Jones ’15 Aletea Joosten ’04 Courtnay Jordan ’05 Corey Kellam ’13 Julian M. Lee ’09 Brandi Nicole Matthews ’09 Jason A. Mitchell ’02 Micaela Morris ’07 Torrey B. Nowell ’09 Ronald Q. Nixon, II ’06 James Donte Prayer ’20 Keith O. Richardson ’03 Malone Cortez Silver ’12 Rena Spellman ’11 Bryan Spence ’09 Quinnesha Staton ’03 Jessica D. Tabb-Jones ’12 Shante Nicole Trumpet ’07 |
| Mikel Brabham '01 | Julia Madison '08 |
| Sabrina M. Brown '04 | Joshua Mallory '07,'13 |
| Demetrius Deloatch '15 | Kevin Marshall '09 |
| Kodi Fleming '04 | Jaime Mercer '06 |
| Trevei Foreman '12 | Kristynna Oliver-Smith '08 |
| James Futrell Jr. '10 | Brian Overton '04 |
| Jason Griffin '13 | Tania Overton '08 |
| Michael Hoffler '09 | Adriane Patterson Walker '01 |
| Sherri Horner Lawrence '02 | Jonas Pope, IV '02 |
| Damika Howard-Wayne '11 | Nadia Rhodes '09 |
| Taneshia Jernigan '15 | Jason W. Richardson '01 |
| Nina Jones Griffin '01,'18 | Ja'Naye "Jay Cee" Ruffin '14 |
| Richard Jowers '12 | Barbara Sutton '04 |
| Tre'ona Kelty-Jacobs '05 | Crystal Waters '09 |
| Kevin Leonard '07 |
| Shekeria Smith Barnes '00 | Brian Keith Phelps '00 |
| Emanuel L. Basnight Jr. '02 | Alysha K. Purvis '13 |
| Enoch D. Bond '04 | Glasher S. Robinson '11 |
| Mike Brown '09 | Lionel Ray Robinson '10 |
| Gregory Burgess '03 | Lance N. Sanders '11 |
| Bryce Lennon Carmichael '09 | Lia Scott '12 |
| Steven D. Carter '09 | Shakia O. Seabrook '11 |
| Brandon La'Mont Cobb '11 | Jenelle Simpson '02 |
| Lynell Patrese Coston '99 | Courtney Slaughter '14 |
| Peter M. Eley '00 | Ebony Sneed '00 |
| Charity M. Fisher '08 | Alicia Nicole Clayvon Stokley '14 |
| Jasper L. Fleming '09 | Mckinley Strother '16 |
| Anthony B. Garrett '10 | Timothy C. Summers '06 |
| Julian Hoggard '08 | Illiana Thomas '10,'12 |
| Natasha Coley Holley '03 | Justin L. Waddell '14 |
| Oliver Andrew Holley '01 | Kevin Jemar Wade '02 |
| Darrien J. Jerman '08 | A'Lelianne Warren '08 |
| Jeremy T. Jones '13 | Jeremy Lionel Whidbee '10 |
| Tremaine Kwasikpui '08 | Darrius Devon Wiggins '03 |
| Trequita D. Overton '99 | Canisha L. Young '15 |