ECU graduate wins Pulitzer Prize

When Dan Neil graduated from ECU in 1982 with a degree in creative writing, he knew he had gotten a good education and learned how to write - what he didn't know was how far his talent would take him.

Twenty-two years later, Neil's writing skills have taken him to the pinnacle of his profession. Last week, he was awarded a 2004 Pulitzer Prize.

Neil, who currently writes an automotive column for the L.A. Times, will receive $10,000 in addition to the recognition that comes from winning journalism's highest honor.

"I was just dumbfounded and enormously gratified," said Neil.

"Truthfully, though, this was a long-time ambition of mine. However, I didn't realize just how ambitious and unrealistic it was until after I had talked to people who had been in the field for a while."

Neil gives credit to ECU for helping him to become the writer that he is today.

"ECU gets a bad rap sometimes as being just a party school, but the truth of the matter is that ECU uses the same textbooks as Harvard and everyone else," Neil said.

"I had a great time partying, but I wanted a good education, too, and ECU was perfectly able to give that to me."

Professor Bill Hallberg, Ph.D., who taught Neil in introduction to fiction writing and advanced fiction writing, spoke highly of Neil's work ethic and dedication to learning.

"What I remember most about Dan is a kid who was always staying after class to ask what books he should be reading outside of class to really increase his knowledge of writing and of the world at large," said Hallberg.

Neil has written for a variety of publications, including The Raleigh News and Observer, Autoweek and Car and Driver.

Neil is the second ECU alumnus to win the Pulitzer Prize.

Rick Atkinson won the Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for his book, An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com