Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

This is the archive for Gardner-Webb's Newscenter, which is your source for updates and events happening on campus, as well as interesting stories about GWU students, faculty/staff and alumni. You'll also find stories about academic accomplishments and community service projects.

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Earning MBA in 10 Months Helps Student Reach His Goals Faster

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University graduate student Vladimir W. Jankov, ’20, and his wife, Iveta, left Slovakia in 1995 for New York to pursue the American Dream. He was 27 years old and although he could speak Russian, Czeck/Slovakian, Polish and a little Spanish, he didn’t know English. He got a dictionary and began studying the language.
GWU School of Education Doctoral Candidates Publish Learning Module on Creating Conditions for Equity

Office of University Communications

At a time when many people in America and around the world are calling for justice and equality, three Gardner-Webb University graduate students have published a virtual professional learning module on a related subject. The students are doctoral candidates in the School of Education’s Curriculum and Instruction program. The module, “How Leaders Create the Conditions for Equity,” is available free from the GWU Digital Commons in the online journal, IMPROVE (Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators).
GWU Student Teacher Utilizes Online Tools During Covid-19 Pandemic

Office of University Communications

Sydney Christopher, a Gardner-Webb 2020 graduate with a degree in elementary education, was in the midst of completing her student teaching when public schools closed to students in March. Her mentor was Rhonda Greene, a fourth-grade teacher at Springmore Elementary School in Boiling Springs. Christopher didn’t panic, because she said her professors in the School of Education had prepared her by emphasizing the importance of flexibility.
Gardner-Webb Remembers Friend and Faithful Supporter, Rod Clouse

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University is remembering a friend and faithful supporter, Rod Clouse, who passed away Saturday, June 27. He was current chair of the Godbold School of Business Board of Advisors, and also a member of the GWU Board of Trustees. A native of Indiana, Clouse and his wife, a Boiling Springs native, retired to Cleveland County, N.C., in 2010.
Gardner-Webb University and Atrium Health Announce Plans for Student Health Clinic

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb and Atrium Health are announcing a new partnership that will enhance the University’s commitment to students. Beginning in July, Atrium will operate a Student Health Clinic on campus. Gardner-Webb President Dr. William Downs noted the campus is long overdue for this service.
GWU Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni and Friends Join Race to End Racism

Office of University Communications

One Gardner-Webb University women’s soccer player saw what happened to George Floyd and the protests in response, calling for an end to racism and racial inequalities, and she was moved to take action. Gabby Berkes gave her teammates an idea that ignited a fire. From the soccer team to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the momentum for a virtual 5K Race to End Racism grew quickly.
GWU 10-Month Master of Business Administration Program Has Record Growth

Office of University Communications

Launched in 2019, the 10-month Master of Business Administration (MBA) program has become Gardner-Webb University’s fastest-growing graduate major. In one year, the fully-online, accredited program realized a 250 percent increase in enrollment. This growth helped push Gardner-Webb to seventh place on the Triangle Business Journal ranking of North Carolina MBA programs by enrollment.
Macie Latham, ‘21, Participates in Internship After Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions

Office of University Communications and Claire Coile

Like many college students, Macie Latham, a rising senior at Gardner-Webb University, has learned to be flexible this summer. At first, her summer internship was cancelled due to the coronavirus and its repercussions. Then, as stay-at-home restrictions began to be lifted across the state, she was invited to fulfill her internship.
Gardner-Webb Hires Director of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives

Office of University Communications

JeNai Davis, of Greensboro, N.C., has been hired as director of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives at Gardner-Webb University. This office was created in 2018 by GWU to serve the needs of the various ethnic groups within the student body through programs designed to promote intercultural understanding, awareness, and collaboration. Davis begins on July 13 to prepare for the fall semester.
GWU Student-Athlete Group Sponsors Virtual 5K Race to End Racism

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is sponsoring a virtual 5K to end racism and raise awareness of racial inequality. The GWU Race to End Racism will be held on June 19, which is the celebration of Juneteenth, the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.
Gardner-Webb Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program Adjusts Traditional Ceremony

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program wasn’t going to let the Coronavirus Pandemic prevent the Class of 2021 from observing an important milestone in their academic journey. The traditional White Coat Ceremony is held every year to recognize when PA students complete their classroom component and transition to the clinical environment. Usually held in Tucker Student Center with friends and family, this year’s recognition had to incorporate Covid-19 social-distancing guidelines.
GWU Hunt School of Nursing Receives National and State Top Rankings

Office of University Communications

The Hunt School of Nursing (HSON) at Gardner-Webb University has received both national and state honors from RegisteredNursing.org, a nursing advocacy organization. The HSON Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nursing Administration program is ranked No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in North Carolina.
Alumnus Accepts New Leadership Role in School District During Coronavirus Pandemic

Office of University Communications

While schools everywhere were transitioning to remote learning because of the coronavirus pandemic, Chad Holloman, an alumnus of Gardner-Webb University, accepted a new leadership role a few weeks into the conversion. An assistant principal in the Johnston County (N.C.) Public Schools, he was promoted to Director of Transportation Services and responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the 300+ bus fleet. With the system’s more than 37,000 students staying at home, Holloman needed to provide meaningful and relevant telework for the department’s employees.
Graduate Student Adjusts Her Role in Special Education During Coronavirus Crisis

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University graduate student Laura Shipman finished this unusual school year with creativity and collaboration. When schools around the country transitioned to remote learning because of the coronavirus pandemic, personnel at the charter school where she works quickly formulated a plan. Shipman completes her add-on licensure for executive leadership studies and school administration from GWU this summer.
Longtime GWU Administrator Announces Plans to Retire

Office of University Communications

A longtime administrator of Gardner-Webb University, H. Woodrow “Woody” Fish, has announced his plans to retire. Fish, also a two-time alumnus, has served GWU in various capacities. He will step down at the end of June from his role as vice president for University Advancement.
Gardner-Webb University Condemns All Forms of Racism

William M. Downs and Office of University Communications

Our nation is, sadly, broken and divided. Struggling to emerge from months of suffering at the hands of a global pandemic, Americans witnessed the tragic and inexcusable death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. That event has since unleashed a fury of protests across the country, calling on all of us as a people to do more—and to do better—in pursuit of justice, fairness, and civility.
Gardner-Webb Community Remembers Contributions and Service of Dr. Jack Hunt

Office of University Communications

Dr. John Jackson “Jack” Hunt, who once reminded all elected officials that service is not about the “Love of Power” but the “Power of Love,” passed away May 27, 2020. The public servant, dedicated supporter of Gardner-Webb University and namesake for the Hunt School of Nursing is being remembered and celebrated by the GWU campus and community.
Gardner-Webb Student Uses Time at Home to Expand YouTube Channel

Office of University Communications and Claire Coile

When Gardner-Webb University officials responded to the Coronavirus pandemic by switching to online delivery of classes and suggesting students stay home for the remainder of the spring semester, junior Savannah Parton came home to finish her classes. She also kicked her work routine into high gear. Parton is a communication studies major with a concentration in public relations and is active in the communication honors society, Lambda Pi Eta.
GWU Alumna Encourages Teachers and Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University School of Education has alumni located across the state, serving at all levels, from superintendents to classroom teachers. When public schools closed in North Carolina on March 14, 2020, educators were asked to switch to distance education—a task most had never attempted before. Amid this current crisis, these educators have adjusted.
Nursing Scholar Pays Tribute to Dr. Jack Hunt

Office of University Communications

To our readers: Charity Bennett graduated in May from the Hunt School of Nursing’s traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Gardner-Webb University. She met Dr. Jack Hunt in 2019 to thank him for providing the scholarship that enabled her to attend nursing school. From that meeting, she and Hunt became friends.

Youtube: Dr. Jack Hunt Tribute « Charity Bennett, 20
Gardner-Webb Paces Big South With Four 2020 Christenberry Award Winners

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University once again led the way, as the Big South Conference announced a record 12 student-athletes as recipients of the 2020 George A. Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence. The Runnin’ Bulldogs had four recipients. No other Big South school had more than two.
GWU Faculty Member Serves Military Community During COVID-19

Office of University Communications

Dr. Sharon Webb, coordinator for Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs and associate professor at Gardner-Webb, is working with the American Red Cross (ARC) during the COVID-19 crisis as a facilitator for online, interactive workshops for the military community. The programs are designed to help military personnel manage COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and learn healthy coping methods. Although members of the military are accustomed to handling constant change and uncertainty, COVID-19 is adding a host of different stressors.
Bulldog Bash Raises More than $45K for Gardner-Webb Athletics

Office of University Communications

The second annual Bulldog Bash student-athlete fundraiser ended recently, bringing in more than $45,000 for Gardner-Webb University’s student-athletes. Despite the challenges of COVID-19 and moving to an online exclusive format, the two-day event exceeded last year’s total by $18,000. Sponsored by the Gardner-Webb Bulldog Club and GWU Athletics, this year’s fundraising auction drew the support of 268 bidders through email and social media channels.
Gardner-Webb Alumna Conducting Tests on COVID-19 Virus

Office of University Communications

In early January, before COVID-19 and coronavirus became daily news, a Gardner-Webb University alumna worked in a lab that was gearing up to study the disease. Dr. Carrie Long, who graduated in 2011 with a degree in biology, is an independent research scholar at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Mont., part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Research by GWU Professor and Staff Member Published in Forensic Science Journal

Office of University Communications

Research by a faculty and staff member in the Gardner-Webb University Department of Natural Sciences could improve how arson investigators do their jobs. The scientific, peer-reviewed paper by Venita Totten, professor of chemistry, and Jacob Willis, GWU chemistry lab and undergraduate research coordinator, will be published in the prestigious Elsevier journal Forensic Science International in July.