Study room named in Laupus Library

Laupus Library held a ceremony Feb. 14 to celebrate the naming of a study room by ECU medical alumnus Dr. Joseph ‘West’ Paul Jr. and his wife Sheri.

The Pauls made their financial gift to recognize how much the library benefited their son, Joseph West Paul III, an EC Scholar and 2016 ECU graduate in biology.

“We are very happy that Joseph pursued his education in research and has done exceedingly well,” the elder Paul said. “We were so surprised when Joseph walked in the door one day and said he was going to be an EC Scholar at East Carolina University. So, I came with him to ECU not knowing anything about that particular program and was just blown away… the program gave him the confidence and social skills that he didn’t have in the past that propelled him into being a really great researcher.”

As an ECU student, Joseph developed new tools for plant biotechnology and spent his summers researching the cause of ALS – or Lou Gehrig’s disease – a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells that control muscles throughout the body. He carried this love of research to the west coast and is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, in their Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.

“There are some obvious reasons why a student like Joseph would be so successful in his education,” Laupus Library Director Beth Ketterman said. “Personal drive and motivation are key, as are having mentors, educators and family who provide support during challenging times. So, it is a credit to Dr. and Mrs. Paul that they also recognize the role the library has played in Joseph’s academic success. The value of the expertise of librarians, the access to and availability of collections that illuminated Joseph’s studies, and the space itself all played a critical role in supporting his research.”

Ketterman said she also appreciated how the Pauls’ gift reflected their family’s legacy at ECU.

The Dr. Joseph West Paul Jr. and Sheri H. Paul study room is located at 3508A, on the third floor of Laupus Library. Contributed photo.

Paul Jr., an Ayden native, graduated from the ECU School of Medicine (now the Brody School of Medicine) in 1992 as the first and only student to earn a dual Ph.D./M.D. degree and completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic. He currently serves as the senior vice president and chief quality officer for the WakeMed Center for Patient Safety in Raleigh and lectures regularly at Brody.

Sheri grew up in Greenville. Her mother, Glenda, graduated from ECU’s library science program in 1961, and her father, Curtis, is a long-time supporter of ECU athletics.

“I find it a point of pride that now Laupus Library is a part of the Paul legacy at the university,” Ketterman said.

“We hear Joseph is known as the walking, talking Index Medicus now at Berkeley, and believe his success is a testament to the education offered at East Carolina,” said Paul Jr. “Laupus Library is a shining star for eastern North Carolina, serving not only eastern North Carolinians from Ayden-Grifton, but people from all over the country.”

The Dr. Joseph West Paul Jr. and Sheri H. Paul study room is located at 3508A, on the third floor of Laupus Library.

By: Kelly Rogers Dilda
University Communications