For the past two years, merchandising faculty members and students in merchandising capstone classes have worked with Collegiate Tartan Apparel, a Greensboro-based company, to develop a tartan pattern fabric registered at the Scottish Register of Tartans and copyrighted exclusively for ECU apparel. With support from Katherine Swank, chair of the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising and Dean Judy Siguaw, Dr. Runying Chen, director of the merchandising program, spearheaded the project to give students hands-on experience in product development and marketing and to add a new revenue source for the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising. The tartan pattern tie is on sale now at the ECU Dowdy Book Store and may be purchased in-store, by phone at 252-328-6731, or online at www.collegiatetartan.com.  The merchandising program will receive a percentage of the sales. Tartan pattern scarves, blankets, kilts and other apparel are being developed. Stay tuned, Pirate fans! Pictured is Dr. David Rivera, Jr., associate professor of hospitality management, wearing the tartan pattern tie.