Jane Tripp . . . A 'people person' to retire

Biographical sketch of Jane Tripp. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.

The citation for this article is: "Jane Tripp . . . A 'people-person' to retire," Pieces of Eight, April 15, 1989.

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Ten years before East Carolina attained university status and became ECU Jane Tripp began her long career of employment -- and enjoyment -- on the campus. That was in 1957, and it was a hectic, excitement-filled first decade.

The college was astir. Enrollment leapfrogged and the campus was pulsing with energy and growth. Yet, there was an atmosphere of a small, close-knit community with everyone working together, she remembers.

"There were six of us, in addition to the registrar, doing all of the work in registration and admission," Tripp recalls. "We typed every grade, checked and posted every grade and registered students at night for two weeks every quarter."

The college community was sort of a family affair -- a rapidly-growing family -- and Jane Tripp, now the grandmother of three, loved it. Among her most cherished office posssessions is a framed photograph taken years ago of a group of university administrators and key staff personnel of those years.

"It was like being a part of a small family, a community," she recalls. "I'm a people person. I love it. Still do."

The 'Think Tank'

In the 1960s registration and admissions became separate offices as the college's amazing growth continued. Tripp was assigned to help individual students with scheduling, transfers and probation problems and later shifted emphasis to the unique scheduling situations involving international and military students.

When Robert L. Holt was appointed dean and vice president, the top assistant to President Leo Jenkins, he selected Jane Tripp from his staff to become his secretary. She remained in this post until Holt stepped down in 1978 shortly after Jenkins retired.

As Holt's secretary, Tripp found herself in the center of what was known as Jenkins' "think tank," a group of his top assistants and advisors.

She found herself taking notes and minutes during their meetings to map out the future of the university. "Dr. Jenkins would call in all of his top men and discuss situations and strategies. It was so exciting to be a part of it -- you could see the growth and expansion taking place right before your eyes," she says.

This continued through the better part of the 18 years of the Jenkins-Holt leadership. Their office were across the hall from each other in Spilman Building.

Changes and Surprises

"As the university grew, I missed the personal contacts that we had enjoyed earlier," Jane Tripp says. But faces were not the only things changing. "The first computer on campus was quite a shock for us," says Tripp, who uses a personal computer daily now and has become quite proficient in computer communication.

"We didn't have PC's then. In fact, the computer system filled one tremendous room. They doubled the size of Spilman Building. We just couldn't believe it -- all campus registration was going to be done by a computer.

"I especially remember the expansion of Spilman. We were posting grades one Thanksgiving and there was nothing but a temporary wall in the hallway. It was so cold!"

New Assignment

In 1979, when Holt returned to his post as a professor of philosophy, Jane Tripp transferred to the Division of Institutional Advancement and Planning as an administrative assistant. And for the past 10 years, she has found satisfaction in regaining her former personal contacts.

"In this job, I've got that again -- faculty and staff coming in, asking questions and seeking help. And alumni." She notes that many of the alumni she meets and works with are the same students she helped years ago while working in admissions.

Retirement Plans

Jane Tripp will retire no May 1 with 33 years of university service.

Retirement, she believes, will be an active and enjoyable time. She looks forward to being with her family, utilizing her talents in arts and crafts and her church activities.

At Piney Grove Free Will Baptist Church, she sings in the choir and teaches a Sunday School class.

"They're called the 'Young Adults,' but they're not so young anymore," she says. "I started with them when they were 12 or 13 years old, and as they grew older I moved up with them. I've been with that group now for about 30 years."

It was almost exactly five years ago -- on a March morning -- that Jane Tripp called her Sunday School group together and launched into a relief effort for victims of the 1984 tornado disaster in the local area. They worked to collect and sort clothes, food and other necessities for victims of the storms.

Hobbies and Children

Jane Tripp is also an accomplished and talented painter and dabbles in all sorts of arts and crafts. She also is an "outdoors person" who enjoys yard work as well.

She and husband, William, have three children and three grandsons. A daughter, Willette Darden (Student Health Services) is an ECU employee. Another, Charlotte, is a teacher at Farmville Middle School, and a son, Raymond, is a leasing representative for North Hills, Inc., in Raleigh.

Tripp's mother, who is 85, lives next door. "I'm going to enjoy more time with my mother, my children and my grandchildren," Tripp says.