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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 Men’s Basketball Coach Tim Craft will Continue Through 2026-’27 Season

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University and head men’s basketball coach Tim Craft agreed to a raise and contract extension through the 2026-2027 season, the school announced Wednesday, May 1. Craft, 42, led the Runnin’ Bulldogs to the 2019 Big South Conference title and the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Details of the new contract will not be made public.
Gardner-Webb Honors Trustee for His Service to the University

Office of University Communications

A Lenoir, N.C., man has been recognized for his exemplary giving and service to Gardner-Webb University. Ron Beane received the N.C. Baptist Heritage Award on April 9 in a ceremony sponsored by the North Carolina Baptist State Convention and the N.C. Baptist Foundation. The award, one of the highest honors given by the convention, is presented to people who have made unique and noteworthy contributions to Baptist life and ministry.
Gardner-Webb’s Alpha Chi Members Win National Awards for Research

Office of University Communications

During March Madness, Gardner-Webb University gained national attention for the men’s basketball team’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament. The winning season continues for GWU, this time with a focus on scholarship. Recently, the elite academic team from Alpha Chi competed and networked in Cleveland, Ohio, at the honor society’s national convention.
Gardner-Webb University to Hold Spring Commencement Exercises on May 11

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University will award more than 530 degrees during the 2019 spring commencement exercises to be held on Saturday, May 11. Ceremonies are planned for 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Paul Porter Arena of the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. The ceremony at 10 a.m. will celebrate the achievements of more than 275 students in GWU’s traditional undergraduate and GOAL-DCP programs.
GWU Undergraduate and Graduate Students Present Research at Annual Conference

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University students presented their undergraduate and graduate research recently at the 22nd annual Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference (LOTS-MC). More than 40 students gave presentations on a variety of subjects, including religious studies and philosophy, science, music, English, slavery and human trafficking, political science, psychology, business, and marketing. Jackie Leach, GWU director of diversity and intercultural initiatives, was the guest speaker.
Gardner-Webb Orchestra Concert Features Premiere of Student’s Work

Office of University Communications

The School of Performing and Visual Arts presents Gardner-Webb University Orchestra in concert on April 29 at 8 p.m. in the Dover Theatre of Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. Conducted by Dr. Patricia Sparti, professor of music, the concert program includes a performance of Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto, featuring junior MacKenzie Quattlebaum and her professor, Tanja Bechtler. Michael Brotherton, a junior from the studio of Tim Hudson, GWU associate professor, will be the soloist on Purcell Sonata for Trumpet and Strings.
Gardner-Webb’s Presentation of Messiah Features Four Sets of Mothers and Daughters

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University Department of Music has a tradition of presenting G.F. Handel’s Messiah every four years. Dr. Paul Etter continued the practice when he came to GWU in 2003. This year’s performance is unique, because the concert features four sets of mothers and daughters.
GWU Research Scholar Conducts Testing for the American College of Sports Medicine

Office of University Communications

Research conducted by Gardner-Webb University senior Savannah Hollifield will have an immediate impact on the fitness world. Her findings will be added to the data used by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to establish a normative base for its cycle ergometer protocol and push-up test. The exercise science major from Forest City, N.C., was one of 13 students who received a grant from the Undergraduate Research Scholars program for the summer 2018 term.
GWU’s Dr. Casey Delehanty Co-authors Study on Prevalence of Torture in U.S. Movies

Office of University Communications

Since America was attacked by terrorists on 9/11, the use of torture for counterterrorism tactics has become a highly-debated issue. Approximately half of adults in the United States believe torture is effective in stopping a terrorist threat, said Dr. Casey Delehanty, assistant professor of political science at Gardner-Webb University. However, many interrogation professionals disagree and maintain that torture is often counterproductive.

WGWG: Cinemascene: Study on Torture in U.S. Movies.
Gardner-Webb Advanced History Students Write Entries for Mobile App

Office of University Communications

Why is the boiling spring only a trickle? Who was E.B. Hamrick? Who are the famous people buried in Sunset Cemetery in Shelby, N.C. Students in Dr. Timothy Vanderburg’s advanced history classes at Gardner-Webb University researched the answers to these questions and are sharing them on a website and mobile app known as “Clio.”
Community Invited to Celebrate Creation Care/Earth Week at Gardner-Webb

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University celebrates Creation Care/Earth Week, April 9-11, with a series of programs to highlight the ways people of faith can preserve the integrity, beauty and health of God’s creation. The activities are sponsored by the GWU Impact Center for Christian Ethics and Social Responsibility, and all events are open to the public. On Tuesday, April 9 at 9:30 a.m., in Stewart Hall, Tucker Student Center, the Dimensions Speaker will be Scott Hardin-Nieri, director of the Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina (CCAWNC).
Nursing Major from Anderson, S.C., Crowned Miss Gardner-Webb University

Office of University Communications

Sarah Bragdon, of Anderson, S.C., was recently crowned 2019 Miss Gardner-Webb University. A nursing major and Spanish minor, Bragdon will graduate in May 2021. “I am thrilled to be Miss Gardner-Webb,” she asserted.
Gardner-Webb School of Education Launches Certification Program for Teacher Assistants

Office of University Communications

Reports of teacher shortages are published in the news on a regular basis. A recruitment website for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Teach4NC, notes that the state has immediate needs for teachers at all teaching levels. To address North Carolina’s need for elementary teachers, Gardner-Webb University is launching a new program beginning in Fall Semester 2019.
Mission Team from Gardner-Webb Works with Clinic and Center in Guatemala

Office of University Communications

A mission team from Gardner-Webb University traveled to Guatemala over spring break to work with Good Shepherd Clinic and Center in Quetzaltenango. The group of 14 included eight nursing students and was led by Melissa McNeilly, instructor in nursing, and Stacy Simmons, associate minister to the University for pastoral care. Simmons praised the team for adapting when mishaps occurred.
GWU Research Prepares Student for Career as Clinical Researcher and Practitioner

Office of University Communications

Born with a weak immune system and no pituitary gland, Damian Chance Hutchins ’19 spent much of his early life in the hospital. The experience gave the Gardner-Webb University senior an appreciation for caring practitioners and a desire to help others. Hutchins, of Cherryville, N.C., is majoring in biology with a concentration in biomedical sciences, and his goal is to become a physician assistant and clinical researcher.
CBS Spotlights Gardner-Webb’s First Trip to The Dance

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University and the men’s basketball team will return to the national spotlight on April 7 at 3 p.m. in a CBS television special to air on Final Four Weekend. From March 20-23, CBS commissioned a film crew to capture the excitement, energy and mayhem of Gardner-Webb’s first men’s NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. They documented March Madness on the GWU campus through the eyes of two students, junior Jada Robbs, of Shelby, N.C., and senior Will Marvel, of Buford, Ga.
Gardner-Webb Announces Winner of University’s Ignite Excellence Top Scholarship

Office of University Communications

In recent weeks, Gardner-Webb University has been in the national spotlight as the men’s basketball team made its first NCAA appearance in school history. The name Gardner-Webb was a trending topic in social media and provided fans, alumni and spectators plenty to talk about. Whether it’s athletic or academic successes, there are always good things to talk about at Gardner-Webb, like the scholastic achievements of Allyson Butts of Concord, N.C.
Gardner-Webb Prepared Alumnus for all Aspects of His Career as a Financial Advisor

Office of University Communications

As a finance major at Gardner-Webb University, alumnus Lucas Beatty learned about the business environment and investment resources. He liked working with numbers and wanted to help people manage their money. When he began working as a financial advisor, he realized his GWU classes had also given him helpful interpersonal skills.
Gardner-Webb Students Share Their Faith in York, England, Over Spring Break

Office of University Communications

A group of 12 students from Gardner-Webb University traveled to York, England, over spring break to minister to youth in the local church and school. Led by Mindy Robinson, GWU coordinator for Community Engagement and Student Ministries, and her husband, Chase, the group partnered with UK-USA Ministries/Youth for Christ. A primary focus of their 10-day trip was teaching in the religious studies courses that are part of the Church of England School curriculum.
GWU Alumnus Spreads the Word About Excellent Programs in Godbold School of Business

Office of University Communications

Recruited to play football on a full scholarship to Gardner-Webb University, Seth Cranfill thought he knew the career he wanted to pursue. After studying various subjects through the University’s liberal arts core curriculum, Cranfill discovered his interest in business and decided to change his major. Once he got to know more of the faculty in the Godbold School of Business, he realized he had made the right decision.
Ministry Founded by GWU Alumnus Has Offered Hope to People for 30 Years

Office of University Communications

Jack Eason ’91 recently celebrated 30 years in the ministry he founded when he was a student at Gardner-Webb University. Originally called Crossover Ministries, the international organization has changed over the years and is now known as Crossover Cups Mission. “While at Gardner-Webb, I traveled, speaking for churches and youth groups,” related Eason, who lives in Greenville, S.C.
GWU Men’s Basketball Player Approaches the Game and Life with Tenacity and Passion

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University men’s basketball standout DJ Laster approaches academics and volunteering the same way he approaches the game—with tenacity and passion. Laster, of Pensacola, Fla., scored a career-high 32 points in the 76-65 win over Radford in the Big South Conference Men’s Basketball Championship Game on March 10. He finished the game a sizzling 14-of-17 from the floor and earned Most Valuable Player honors.
Gardner-Webb Receives Historic Gift to Establish Prestigious Scholarship Program

Office of University Communications

A couple known for their generosity is once again making an historic contribution to Gardner-Webb University. Carolyn and Robert Tucker have given a $4 million scholarship endowment to establish the “Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Scholarship.” Retired GWU President Dr. Frank Bonner worked with the Tucker family for several years in the formation of this gift.
Gardner-Webb University Announces Tuition Freeze

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University has announced a freeze on tuition, room and board for the upcoming academic year for traditional undergraduate students enrolled in the Boiling Springs campus program. The freeze is effective immediately and will apply to incoming freshmen, transfer students and current undergraduates for the 2019-’20 year. “We have had concerns for some time about cost and affordability for our undergraduate students,” says Interim GWU President Dr. Ben Leslie, “and our Board of Trustees felt strongly that we needed to address that situation head on.”
Gardner-Webb Men’s Basketball Selection Show Event Planned For March 17

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University will host an NCAA Selection Show watch party for its men’s basketball team on Sunday, March 17, from 5:00-7:00 pm and the event is open to the public. A festival atmosphere is planned in and around Tucker Student Center, as the Runnin’ Bulldogs await their name on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Championship bracket for the first time in program history. “This is a really exciting time for our community and campus,” said head coach Tim Craft.