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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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GWU Alumnus Shares How God Brought Him Through Life-Threatening Stroke

Office of University Communications

On the night of his 28th birthday in 2017, Felix Bautista, of Salisbury, N.C., suffered a stroke that usually occurs in patients who are 65 or older with a history of hypertension. Because of the damage to his brain, doctors gave the 2011 alumnus of Gardner-Webb University less than a 20 percent chance of survival. They told his wife, Holly Hamm Bautista, also a 2011 GWU alumna, that if he did survive, he would be brain dead.

Youtube: The Felix Bautista Story - Novant Health
Volunteers from Gardner-Webb Serve on Medical Mission Team to Dominican Republic

Office of University Communications

Two members of the Gardner-Webb University community recently returned from a medical mission trip to Barahona in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Sydney Brown, dean of the Gail Bolt Price School of Graduate Studies and professor of education, and Brook Wright, a second-year student in the Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner program, traveled with Dream Ministries, an organization that has been working in the Dominican for over 20 years. Through the years, multiple GWU nursing faculty and students have been a part of this mission experience.
Gardner-Webb Announces New Dean for the Hunt School of Nursing

Office of University Communications

Officials at Gardner-Webb University are pleased to announce that Dr. Tracy Arnold, a four-time nursing alumna, has been appointed as the new dean of the Hunt School of Nursing (HSON). She replaces Dr. Nicole Waters, who will continue to serve GWU as the associate provost of the College of Health Sciences.
Gardner-Webb’s Dover Library Hosts Five Authors for Book Signing

Office of University Communications

The Dover Library at Gardner-Webb University is hosting a book signing featuring five authors with ties to the campus. The event is open to the public and will be held Feb. 4 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the large group study room on the main floor of the library. The featured authors are: Alumnae, Jen Guberman, Miriam Thor and Teresa Ammons Crew; Instructor of English Composition and Writing Center Director, Matthew Duffus; and Professor Emerita of Religion, Alice Cullinan.
Army ROTC Gives Gardner-Webb Nursing Student Structure She Needed to Excel

Office of University Communications

After researching her interests and spending time on the job with her mother who works in healthcare, Lareshia “Larri” Robinson, of Hendersonville, N.C., chose nursing as her career path. She enrolled in Gardner-Webb University’s Hunt School of Nursing for three main reasons: The program accepts freshmen, she received a scholarship, and the campus felt like home. However, her first semester at GWU, she encountered a problem that most students don’t complain about—too much free time.
Gardner-Webb University Hosts Exhibit of Wearable Biblical Sculpture

Office of University Communications and Claire Coile

An artist who finds her inspiration in old library books and tattered Bibles will present a program and exhibit at Gardner-Webb University in February. Stephanie Lael Barrick of Delaware brings her wearable biblical sculpture to display in the Pouryousefi Gallery in Tucker Student Center from Feb. 4 through March 26. Sponsored by the Gardner-Webb Distinguished Artist Series, the “Bible App” exhibit kicks off on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. with a runway show featuring GWU students as models.
Gardner-Webb’s Hunt School of Nursing Offers Accelerated RN to BSN Option

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University’s Hunt School of Nursing, a leader in nursing education, is excited to now offer an accelerated RN to BSN program to qualified students. The Davis RN-BSN program started in 1982 offering BSN courses over 15-weeks and will continue to offer the traditional format along with the accelerated option. The new accredited program—offered fully online in eight-week sessions—begins March 11.
GWU Doctoral Student Pushes Past Language Barrier to Complete Curriculum and Instruction Degree

Office of University Communications

Give Thanh-Thuy T. Nguyen a complicated mathematical problem, and she calculates the answer in a few minutes. But ask her to read a book on curriculum theory and practice, and the native of South Vietnam will pour over the material for hours, looking up definitions. Even after 24 years in America, Nguyen, a college math instructor, is not confident in her English skills.
Gardner-Webb Model United Nations Team Brings Home Record Number of Awards

Office of University Communications

A team from Gardner-Webb University recently competed in the Southern Regional Model United Nations (SRMUN) conference held in Atlanta, Ga. Participating schools are assigned a country to represent, and at the conference, team members pursue the interests of their country in various committee meetings, such as World Health Organization, International Criminal Police Organization, International Court of Justice and others. The students on GWU’s team represented the countries of Poland and Lithuania and took home three awards, a record for Gardner-Webb.
Gardner-Webb Students Join Alpha Chi Honor Society

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University inducted 33 members into Alpha Chi, a national collegiate honor society, in a ceremony held recently in Blanton Auditorium in Hamrick Hall. Dr. June Hobbs, Alpha Chi sponsor, presided over the induction service. Honorary member, Dr. Pam Dennis, performed the processional and recessional on the piano.
GWU Associate Professor Attends Meetings Between Baptist and Catholic Representatives

Office of University Communications

International ecumenical conversations between the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity took place recently in Warsaw, Poland. The meeting was hosted by the Baptist Union of Poland at the Warsaw Baptist Theological Seminary. The Baptist delegation was led by co-chair Rev. Dr. Frank Rees, associate professor and chair of the Academic Board at the University of Divinity in Australia.
Gardner-Webb University Plans Events in Recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb Department of Visual Arts, in conjunction with Student Life and Services, will open an exhibit on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 20 in the Pouryousefi Gallery in Tucker Student Center. The display is part of the University’s celebration of King’s legacy. The focus will be on King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and how the speech helped to change Gardner-Webb and the world.
GWU Announces Tuition Freeze for GOAL—The Degree Completion Program for Undergraduates

Office of University Communications

Continuing its renewed commitment to address nationwide concerns about college affordability, Gardner-Webb University is announcing a tuition freeze for GOAL—The Degree Completion Program (DCP) for undergraduates. The freeze is effective immediately for the 2020-’21 academic year. It applies to all programs, except for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree, which received a tuition freeze last year.
‘Return to Me’ Theme of Celebration Week Services at Gardner-Webb

Office of University Communications

“Return to Me” is the theme for Celebration Week, Jan. 21-23, at Gardner-Webb University. Hosted by GWU’s Campus Ministries, Celebration Week is a time for the campus community to come together to worship and glorify the Lord. The services, which are open to the public, begin Jan. 21 with the Dimensions program at 9:25 a.m. in Tucker Student Center.
Gardner-Webb Trumpet Summit Features Three Acclaimed Musicians

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University School of Performing and Visual Arts and Department of Music are hosting the GWU Trumpet Summit Jan. 19-20. The event, which is part of the GWU Distinguished Artist Series, is free and open to the public. The Trumpet Summit includes a concert on Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and masterclasses on Jan. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Hamrick Hall’s Blanton Auditorium.
Gardner-Webb and Walmart Distribution Center Announce Partnership

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University recently formalized a partnership with Walmart Distribution Center in Shelby, N.C. The agreement provides management training to Walmart employees through the University’s Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) program.
Gardner-Webb Professor’s Political Science Course Includes Series on Life Skills

Office of University Communications

From gruyere to gorgonzola and office parties to dinner meetings, navigating through social situations begins with confidence. To prepare her students for situations like these, Dr. Elizabeth Amato, assistant professor of political science, held a cheese tasting recently in her Intro to Political Science class. Getting the job is no longer based on a polished resume.
Alumna’s Degrees in Criminal Justice and Human Services Help Inmates Overcome Past

Office of University Communications

Motivated by her desire to help people and set a good example for her family, Monique Richardson enrolled at Gardner-Webb University despite fears about her age. “I was scared coming back to school in my 40s,” Monique disclosed.
Austin Childress Among First Cohort in Accelerated Pastoral Ministries Program

Office of University Communications

The Accelerated Pastoral Ministries Program (APMP), launched in 2016 at Gardner-Webb University, provides students called to serve as pastors with both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in five years of study. The members of the first cohort received their Bachelor of Arts in discipleship studies in August 2019 and will earn their Master of Divinity degrees in 2021. Austin Childress, of Mocksville, N.C., joined the program for its obvious benefits: financial aid and community.
Gardner-Webb Names Steve Serck as University Counsel

Office of University Communications

“Steve Serck brings with him a wealth of legal experience to Gardner-Webb, and for thirty years he’s remained immersed in a wide range of higher education representation. We are fortunate to have Steve on board as University Counsel,” said GWU President, Dr. William Downs. Serck comes to Gardner-Webb from East Carolina University (Greenville, North Carolina) where he provided direction on state and federal laws and training in all aspects of faculty, staff and employment issues.
Gardner-Webb Senior’s Internship Leads to Stanley Cup Celebration

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University senior, Jordan Vitale, ’20, received a unique opportunity while completing the required 300-hour internship for her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. Vitale, a native of Tampa, Florida, and a fan of the Tampa Bay Lightning National Hockey League (NHL) team, attended a Stanley Cup party. Her internship was to shadow and observe Dr. Ira Guttentag, an orthopedic surgeon at Florida Medical Clinic in Tampa, who serves as the orthopedic doctor for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
GWU Distinguished Artist Series Hosts Event for Aspiring Songwriters

Office of University Communications

Aspiring songwriters will have the opportunity to share their compositions with several award-winning composers in a workshop and concert at Gardner-Webb University on Jan. 11, 2020. Presented by the School of Performing and Visual Arts Distinguished Artists Series, the free event features members of the Southern Songwriters Association (SSA). The workshop is open to the public and will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Gardner Recital Hall in the O. Max Gardner building.
Marine Biology Internship Gave Gardner-Webb Senior Opportunity to Improve Lab Skills

Office of University Communications

Ivy Spratling, ’20, of Augusta, Ga., was introduced to Gardner-Webb University in high school. She attended a GWU soccer camp, and later earned a scholarship to play on the team. However, her decision to attend the University was based on more than athletics.
Gardner-Webb Awards Over 200 Degrees During Commencement Exercises Dec. 14

Office of University Communications

Gardner–Webb University hosted Fall Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. More than 200 graduates were honored during the ceremony. The ceremony featured graduates of Gardner-Webb’s traditional undergraduate program, GOAL—The Degree Completion Program (DCP), and graduate programs.
Gardner-Webb Recognizes University Benefactor with Honorary Doctorate

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University bestowed its highest recognition of merit, the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, to John J. Godbold Jr. during Fall Commencement Exercises on Saturday, Dec. 14. The GWU Godbold School of Business is named after Godbold and his wife Linda. A distinguished business entrepreneur from Rock Hill, S.C., Godbold and his wife gave a multi-million dollar gift to Gardner-Webb in 2008 to establish the school and a pledge of annual support.