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 Scholar’s Research Provides Opportunity to Use Latest Chemical Instrumentation

Office of University Communications

The chance to perform actual research and use advanced lab equipment motivated Anna Crowell’s decision to apply for an Undergraduate Research Grant from Gardner-Webb University. The December 2020 graduate from Indian Trail, N.C., chose to study how to extract curcumin from turmeric to synthesize vanillin.
Scholastic Achievement Medals Presented to Gardner-Webb Students

Office of University Communications

Winners of the Gardner-Webb University Scholastic Achievement Awards were recently invited to receive their medals at an informal gathering. President Dr. William M. Downs presented the medals to each student. Congratulating the students were Provost Executive Vice President Dr. Ben Leslie, Arts and Sciences Associate Provost Dr. David Yelton, College of Health Sciences Associate Provost Dr. Nicole Waters, Professional and Graduate Studies Associate Provost Dr. Bruce Boyles and Vice President for Christian Life and Service Tracy Jessup.
Five New Learning Modules Added to Improve Virtual Journal

Office of University Communications

Five new professional learning modules have just been published to the IMPROVE virtual journal. IMPROVE stands for Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE). Modules within the resource are collaboratively authored by candidates in their final semester of coursework in the EdD in Curriculum & Instruction at GWU and promote positive, data-informed, sustainable change in instructional practices or organizational structures to improve student learning at the K-12 level and beyond.
Through GWU, Student Connects to Community, Gains Experience in her Field

Office of University Communications

Through faculty and staff at Gardner-Webb University, Sarah Allison Rochester, ’20, developed partnerships that were integral to her studies. A senior, Rochester enriched her academic experience by participating in several activities.
Gardner-Webb Student Discovers His Calling in Anatomy and Physiology Class

Office of University Communications

When Ethan Garris took his first college course in anatomy and physiology, the study was fascinating, and he realized that he had finally found his calling. That class and its professor are the reasons why he is a student in the Gardner-Webb University Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program Class of 2022.
Gardner-Webb Student Assists Dentist with Various Procedures During Internship

Office of University Communications

As a child, Chelsea Sexton, ’23, went through a couple of oral surgeries and wore braces for five years. During that time, the Gardner-Webb University student was cared for by a compassionate dentist, oral surgeon and orthodontist. “They always provided great care and a great environment for me,” affirmed Sexton, a native of Goode, Va. “Since eighth grade, I have known that I wanted to become a dentist. I want to do the same thing for children like myself.”
Gardner-Webb University Will Host First Virtual Commencement on Oct. 24

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University will host its first virtual commencement in school history on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. The digital event will celebrate the May and August 2020 graduates who did not receive ceremonies due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ceremonies will be shown at 10 a.m. for May 2020 graduates and at 2 p.m. for August 2020 graduates on the Gardner- Webb website, Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Gardner-Webb Faculty and Staff Host Presidential Debate Watching Event

Office of University Communications

A group of Gardner-Webb University faculty and staff hosted a viewing party Tuesday night for the first presidential debate between President Donald J. Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. The event was moderated by GWU President Dr. William M. Downs, whose research and teaching expertise includes electoral behavior, political parties, and populist movements.
Gardner-Webb Hosts ‘Wednesdays at the Webb’ for Local High School Students

Office of University Communications

High school students from Cleveland, Rutherford, Gaston or Lincoln counties in North Carolina are invited to “Wednesdays at the Webb” at Gardner-Webb University. Offered every Wednesday at 3 p.m., this event introduces local students to the world-class education available in their own backyard.
Gardner-Webb Student’s Internship Leads to More Opportunities in Film Industry

Office of University Communications

As a partner in the community, Gardner-Webb University connects students to various hands-on work experiences. This year, COVID-19 restrictions altered experiential learning opportunities, but students adapted. When plans for his internship project changed, Gardner-Webb student Thomas Manning, of Boiling Springs, N.C., adjusted and grew in the process.
Gardner-Webb Theatre Presents Evening of One-Act Comedies

Office of University Communications

Although COVID-19 health guidelines changed the dynamics of rehearsals, the Gardner-Webb University Department of Theatre Arts accepted the unique challenges. A cast of 11 students will present “All in the Timing” at 8 p.m. on Oct. 7-11. Directed by Dr. Chris Nelson, assistant professor of theatre arts, the production will be performed on two stages set up outside of Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center, 116 Lutz-Yelton Drive. Folding chairs will be available or audience members may bring their own.
Running Back D.J. Hancock Awarded Full Athletics Scholarship Following Practice

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb head football coach Tre Lamb singled out D.J. Hancock at the conclusion of a rainy Thursday afternoon practice and by the end of the day the redshirt sophomore was all smiles. Lamb surprised Hancock, a walk-on from Summerville (S.C.) High, with a full athletics scholarship.
Gardner-Webb’s Online Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education Honored for Excellence

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University College of Education recently received national and state recognition for its online bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Learn.org, an independent higher education research firm, ranked GWU’s program 28 in the nation and third in North Carolina.
Alumnus Helps Deaf Students Develop Skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Office of University Communications

After graduating from Gardner-Webb University in 2008, Brett Grayson took a job that changed his career goals. Grayson, a Deaf individual, majored in mathematics with a minor in American Sign Language (ASL). He was hired as a long-term substitute teacher for three Deaf students in English/language arts.
GWU Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) Sponsors Forum on Impacts of COVID- 19

Office of University Communications

What lasting impacts will the COVID-19 pandemic have on society? Join Gardner-Webb University Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) for a virtual forum with top executives to discuss overcoming the pandemic and looking to a bright future. “Post COVID-19: Back to the Future—Challenges, Opportunities & Growth,” will be held from 10:30 to noon on Sept. 24, 2020.
Gardner-Webb President Names Brian Arnold as Interim Vice President of Student Development

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University President Dr. William M. Downs has named Brian Arnold to serve as interim vice president of Student Development and dean of students. Now in his 13 year at GWU, Arnold also serves as director of Campus Recreation, Student Activities and New Student Orientation. Arnold’s appointment began Sept. 11, 2020, and will continue until the University completes its national search for a new vice president.
Gardner-Webb Political Science Assistant Professor Shares Insights on the 2020 Election

Office of University Communications

The 2020 election is less than 50 days away. How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect turnout and voting? “No one actually knows,” observed Gardner-Webb University Assistant Professor of Political Science, Dr. Elizabeth Amato. “COVID-19 has shifted the usual playing field for both political parties.”
Deaf Alumnus Advocates for and Inspires the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

Office of University Communications

When he was 5 years old, Kyle Kiser, a 2006 alumnus of Gardner-Webb University, taught a few basic signs in American Sign Language (ASL) to friends and members of his church. He didn’t realize it then, but those early days were shaping his future as an educator.
Gardner-Webb Alumna Leads Higher Ed Teaching and Learning Center

Office of University Communications

As Dr. Patricia Fecher, of Fayetteville, N.C., faces the current challenges of teaching under COVID-19 regulations, she acknowledges feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. At the same time, however, observing innovative responses from co-workers and students gives her hope. “I think this is probably the most exciting time in my career to be a teacher,” explained the Gardner-Webb University alumna. “We are seeing what the next wave of education is going to be. We get to live it and we get to shape it. There aren’t defined rules. We don’t know what it should look like, sound like, feel like on a day-by-day, hourly basis—that can be a little challenging and stressful. But when you step back and look at it from the big picture, it is amazing to see what these teachers are doing.”
GWU School of Divinity Alumnus Comforts Families in COVID-19 Hotspot

Office of University Communications

Despite protective masks and gowns designed to keep him and his patients safe, Will Runyon, chaplain director for Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Ga., found a way to offer comfort in agonizing circumstances. The 2005 School of Divinity alumnus of Gardner-Webb University became a bridge between dying patients and their families in a COVID-19 hot spot.
GWU Presents Carolina Brass in Facebook Live Concert

Office of University Communications

Summit Recording Artists Carolina Brass will be featured in a Facebook live concert on Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. Part of the Gardner-Webb University Distinguished Artist Series, the program is co-sponsored by the School of Performing and Visual Arts, the Department of Music and the Alfred and Shirley Wampler Caudill Fund.
Gardner-Webb School of Divinity Appoints Three Faculty Members to Endowed Positions

Office of University Communications

Three Gardner-Webb University faculty members in the M. Christopher White School of Divinity received honors recently. Dr. Danny West, Dr. Jim McConnell and Dr. Sophia Steibel have been appointed to endowed chair positions.
Summer Scholar’s Research Combined Her Majors in Political Science and American Sign Language

Office of University Communications

While Paige Butler, ’21, of Jacksonville, Fla., worked on her Undergraduate Research Project when many government offices were closed because of COVID-19 restrictions, she appreciated having Internet access.

At the same time, though, she realized the technology that helped her might not be easily accessible to people with certain disabilities. Butler chose to study how the emergency operation plans in North Carolina counties comply with standards in the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). She was one of 11 Gardner-Webb students who applied for and received a grant from the GWU Undergraduate Research Scholars Program to explore the topic over the summer. The students worked 40 hours a week for five weeks on their projects, which they hope to present in a professional forum. Each one had a faculty mentor or collaborator who guided them through the project. Butler’s mentor was Dr. Elizabeth Amato, assistant professor of political science.
Undergraduate Research Involves Using Fruit Peels to Remove Copper from Water

Office of University Communications

This past summer, Gardner-Webb University student Laura Herrera-Santin, of Gastonia, N.C., took another step toward realizing her goal of becoming an OB/GYN. She gained laboratory experience in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Summer Program, which helped to prepare her for graduate school.
Before Completing her MBA, GWU Alumna was Offered New Job in Financial Industry

Office of University Communications

Paola Escalona, of Concord, N.C., was a member of the first class to graduate from the 10-month Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Gardner-Webb University. Two months before receiving her degree in December 2019, Escalona advanced her career by accepting a new position as a senior financial analyst.