ECSU names building in honor of Dr. Bishop Patterson

Kesha Williams
October 18, 2007

Elizabeth City State University will rename Dixon Hall at 1 pm on October 19 in honor of Dr. Bishop M. Patterson, a professor emeritus of the university. In addition to renaming the building, the university will unveil a portrait of Patterson and his late wife, Kathryn Isabelle Gordon Patterson. The ceremony for this renamed building will be held on the front lawn of the current Dixon Hall. Dr. Patterson became Department Chairman and Professor of Industrial Arts at Elizabeth City State College in 1965 and served as chairman until 1992. During his tenure at ECSU, Dr. Patterson developed the proposal and plans to build the current building that houses industrial technology classes. He also chaired the task force for the feasibility of the university’s weekend college program. From 1986 to 1998, Dr. Patterson served as the first director of the ECSU Weekend College. Dr. Patterson also served as President and Vice President of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Chairman of the CIAA Scholarship Committee, and chairman of the ECSU Athletic Committee for 22 years. His recent donation to the ECSU Foundation will support the Bishop and Kathryn Patterson Endowed Scholarship Fund. Elizabeth City State University is proud to name the building after a dedicated professor and administrator who graciously served the university over three decades. The Pattersons’ portrait will hang in the foyer of Dixon-Patterson Hall hereafter. Administrative Positions: 1992-1998 Part-time Director of Weekend College 1986-1992 First Director of weekend College (Retired as Faculty member 1992) 1992 Designated an ECSU Professor Emeritus 1969-1984 Chairman of the Department of Industrial Arts and Technology Summer 1970 Director of ECSU Desegregation Institute 1967-1969 USAID Appointment: Administrator-Guyana Industrial Training Center Georgetown, Guyana, South America. Joint project sponsored by the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 1965-1967 Chairman of the Department of Industrial Arts Elizabeth City State College Adjunct Academic Position: 1982-1984 Assistant Professor- Department of Occupational Education, School of Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina Additional experience with Athletics: President of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) (1982-1984) Vice President of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) (1978-1982) Member of CIAA Tournament Committee (6 years) Chairman ECSU Athletic Committee (22 years) Chairman of CIAA Scholarship Committee (8 years)