Dr. Cheryl Duke & Mrs. Helene Reilly

Established in 2010 by Dr. Cheryl Duke & Mrs. Helene Reilly as an annually funded scholarship, this scholarship was made to honor the memory of Linda Winton Pynn. Proceeds from the annual Pirate Nurse 5K initially helped fund the scholarship.

One of four daughters, Linda and her twin sister, Laura, began nursing studies at ECU, and obtained BSN degrees in 1987. Next Linda began working as a registered nurse at both Beaufort County Hospital and Pitt County Memorial Hospital, now Vidant. She also worked with East Carolina Neurology and their hospitalized patients as well as assisting in the education of Emergency Medicine residents when they did their Neurology rotation. She returned to ECU in 1998 to complete her MSN studies, where she graduated and became certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2003.

Linda balanced work, family, and studies at the same time, being a single and devoted mother to her daughter Ashley. In 2007, Linda passed away at 42 years old, after a brief illness. She was well-respected and loved by her family, friends, colleagues, and patients.

In 2017 on the 10th anniversary of her death, the Winton Family endowed the scholarship. This scholarship was made to support students who are enrolled in the adult or family nurse practitioner graduate concentration in ECU’s College of Nursing. The donors wanted part-time students to be considered, with initial consideration going out to single parents who work full-time.

Currently, Ashley is pursuing her acting dreams in Manhattan and doing well.