Elizabeth City, N.C. — When Allen Thomas, interim director of auxiliary and business services, learned he was one of only 10 people nationwide selected for the National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) Developing Impactful Auxiliary Leaders (DIAL) scholarship, one word came to mind—honored.
"I was honored to be one of 10 people selected for this cohort. It was the fact that not everyone got picked and I did," Thomas said.
The DIAL scholarship, funded by the NACAS Foundation, supports a two-year leadership program that runs from Nov. 2025 through Nov. 2027. The scholarship covers travel and registration to the organization's national conferences, quarterly virtual training, mentorship and financial support for professional certification.
Thomas said the encouragement from his supervisor, Sherron White, associate vice chancellor of financial services, played a key role in his decision to apply. “My supervisor, AVC White, believed that this would be a great opportunity for my personal development and encouraged me to apply,” Thomas said. “This opportunity means a lot to me, both personally and professionally, as the knowledge I gain will help ECSU grow and foster connections and relationships that will last a lifetime.”
For Thomas, leadership development is at the heart of the program's appeal. "The skills to foster greatness in both professional and personal interactions and pass those skills on to my team at ECSU," he said, are what excite him most.
A graduate of ECSU's class of 2008, Thomas earned degrees in accounting and business administration with a concentration in management. He said his current role feels like a dream fulfilled. "One of my dreams after graduation was to work at my alma mater, and 15 years later that dream came true," he said. "The Auxiliary and Business Services department aligned perfectly with my degrees and my passion for leadership."
Thomas returned to ECSU in 2023, a place he says will always feel like home.
"The transition felt like returning home. ECSU is where I held the titles of Mr. Laboratory in 1991 and Mr. ECSU from 2007 to 2008. It is also where I became a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., spring of 2006, Lambda Gamma Chapter. Additionally, I had the honor of speaking on behalf of my senior class at our graduation in 2008. For me, ECSU will always feel like home."
Since assuming his interim leadership role, Thomas has navigated the challenges of overseeing a department with seven distinct units. "Finding balance has been my biggest challenge, especially when it comes to work-life balance and managing over seven different areas," he said. Yet, he counts building a supportive and invested team as his greatest success so far.
"Having a strong team that believes in both me and the vision I have has been invaluable,” said Thomas.
Thomas credits his father's work ethic and his family as driving forces behind his own motivation. "Just seeing the hard work of my dad, even at 75 years old, gives me motivation to work hard and provide," he said. He added with a laugh, "The fact that I have four children and a wife, I have no choice."
If he had to sum up his entire ECSU experience in one word, "Transformative," Thomas said. "ECSU is the place where I became who I am, and as I continue to evolve, it's still shaping who I am."