East Carolina University and Elon University are two universities located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. EAST Carolina University, commonly referred to as ECU, is a public research university located in Greenville, North Carolina. It was founded in 1907 as a teacher training school and has since grown to become the third largest university in the state. Elon University is a private university located in Elon, North Carolina. Founded in 1889, it is one of the oldest private universities in the state. Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs.