East Carolina University Chancellor Dr. Cecil Station is set to visit Washington Thursday for the October Power Series luncheon.

The Power Series is a program hosted by the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce, and it features monthly speakers who provide insight on a certain topic for the Chamber’s members and others in attendance.

Thursday at the Turnage Theatre, Staton will discuss: “research initiatives, expansion of internationalization programs, renovation of the football stadium, a $500 million university advancement campaign, recent additions to leadership and a new marketing and branding campaign,” according to Tom Eppes, chief communications officer.

Staton will also address some of the requests before the North Carolina General Assembly and recent trends in higher education, Eppes added.

Catherine Glover, executive director of the Chamber, said organizers felt inviting Staton to speak was important, given ECU’s proximity to Beaufort County and many residents’ relationship with the school.

“I think it is beneficial for everyone to understand the importance of ECU in eastern N.C. ECU is a major university that is educating the future workforce and an economic engine that extends to Beaufort County and beyond,” Glover said. “The medical school and the dental school are huge assets to our region. They play a major role in eastern N.C. and (are) beneficial to future growth.”

According to data from ECU, there were 366 students from Beaufort County enrolled at the university last year, accounting for 60 percent of Beaufort County students enrolled in the UNC System.

There are also 257 ECU employees who live in the county, along with almost 2,500 alumni, according to the 2016-17 data.

“Beaufort County feels closer than a next-door neighbor; it’s more like family. Our financials are closely linked,” Staton said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to spending time with the community leaders who are so important to this very special relationship.”

Glover said the potential for building a stronger relationship was a motivation for inviting Staton, and building those community bonds is the overarching idea behind the Power Series, as well.

“It is a way to inform local business representatives/owners about what is going on in our region. It is a way to highlight the different entities of our area and their impact on local businesses,” Glover said. “We thought it would be important to hear from the chancellor regarding the future of ECU and potential future partnerships.”

Those who wish to attend Thursday’s Power Series luncheon should RSVP Monday by calling the Chamber at 252-946-9168, or emailing rmckeithan@wbcchamber.com. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members. The luncheon is scheduled for noon Thursday at the Turnage Theatre.