On April 18, 2015, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory presented Dr. Linda B. Hayden and Dr. Darnell Johnson with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine during the 2015 Elizabeth City State University Commencement Ceremony. Dr. Hayden is the Principal Investigator for the Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research (CERSER) and Dr. Johnson served this year as the E. V. Wilkins Endowed Professor in the School of Education at ECSU.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is among the most prestigious awards presented by the Governor of North Carolina. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is presented to individuals who have a proven record of extraordinary service to the state. Contributions to their communities, extra effort in their careers, and many years of service to their organizations are some of the guidelines by which recipients are selected for this award.