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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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Gardner-Webb Alumna Caroline Leitten, ’17, Cares for Orphans in Peru

Office of University Communications

In Iquitos, Peru, one in 12 children under the age of 15 is abandoned to live on the streets or placed in foster care. The main reason is poverty: Parents simply don’t have money to care for their children. At times, the situation becomes overwhelming to Gardner-Webb University 2017 alumna Caroline Ashley Marvin Leitten. The needs are great, and her ministry, Go Love Peru, is only equipped for 24 orphans.
Four-Time Paralympic Swimmer and New Mother Mallory Weggemann Earns Fourth Gold Medal

Office of University Communications

”The vision of getting behind the starting blocks in Paris at my fourth Paralympic Games and looking to the stands and seeing Jay holding our daughter has been something that has been ingrained in my mind and heart long before we knew Charlotte was Charlotte. A vision that gave me strength when I needed it most, grounding me in my purpose when I felt overwhelmed and anchored me in my ‘why’ when the journey felt all consuming.”
Gardner-Webb Family Weekend Features Football, World-Renowned Magician, Tailgate & Concert

Office of University Communications

Families are invited back to Gardner-Webb University on Sept. 27-29 to experience their student’s campus home. Throughout the weekend, families and their students are encouraged to attend social programs, including a worship service, football game, and volleyball match.
Davis Hospital Foundation Reaffirms Commitment to Gardner-Webb Hunt School of Nursing

Office of University Communications

The James W. Davis Hospital Foundation Inc., of Statesville, N.C., is a longtime supporter of the Gardner-Webb University Hunt School of Nursing (HSON). For more than 30 years, the Foundation has provided funding for scholarships and operations.
Gardner-Webb Begins Academic Year with Fall Opening Convocation

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University marked the start of the academic year with the Guest bagpiper, retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Phillip McDevitt provided the processional and recessional music. Fall Opening Convocation. A time for faculty, students and staff to rea!irm their commitment to scholarly pursuits, the annual event also welcomes first-year students and celebrates GWU’s newest scholarship recipients. The featured speaker, Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Wilson Hawkins, challenged students to “Make. It. Count!”
Gardner-Webb University Caf Serves up Tropical Delights to Celebrate Grand Reopening

Office of University Communications

With the smell of meat smoking and a feast waiting inside the new Caf, Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs noted to those gathered for the ribbon cutting the most important feature of the building. “There’s a cross on that glass façade that means a lot to us,” he asserted. “It’s very special. It’s important. It reminds us that first and foremost, this is a place that nourishes souls. This is, and shall forever be, a Christian university.”
Two-Time Reigning Football Champs Begin 2024 Season on Aug. 29 in Spangler Stadium

Office of University Communications

The two-time reigning conference champion Gardner-Webb football team opens its 2024 season poised to build on a winning legacy that spans over a century. The first football team took the field in 1920. Since then, the program has earned 18 conference titles. Four of those titles came in Division I play—2002, 2003, 2022 (Big South) and 2023 (Big South-OVC).
Gardner-Webb Football’s First Victory Day An Evening to Remember

Office of University Communications

Backed by a line of Gardner-Webb football players, the quarterback crossed into the end zone. The crowd erupted into cheers. The GWU Band blasted the fight song— and many parents and spectators smiled while holding back tears.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Gardner- Webb Equips Nurses for Advance Practice Roles

Office of University Communications and Avery Copeland

Gardner-Webb University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program o!ers transformative learning experiences for nurses seeking advance practice roles in healthcare. Taught through a Christian lens, this program is dedicated to improving patient care and making a meaningful impact on the industry by integrating Christian principles into medical practice.
Gardner-Webb Alumna, Dr. Sarah Curry, Testifies at House Committee Hearing

Office of University Communications

Dr. Sarah Curry defended her dissertation for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree at Gardner-Webb in 2021. Since then, she has used her education as a researcher in fiscal and economic public policy. Recently, her research topic, “E!ects of Advance Refunding Municipal Bonds After the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA),” gained the attention of the U.S. House Means and Ways Committee.
Celebrate the New Gardner-Webb Expanded Caf at Ribbon Cutting on Aug. 21

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb Caf has been reopened for nearly a month and now it’s time to celebrate all the improvements with a Grand Reopening and Ribbon Cutting. The entire campus is invited to the event on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 10:45 a.m.
Gardner-Webb Volleyball Ready for 2024 with New Coaching Staff, 6 Returning and 11 New Players

Office of University Communications

Coming off its best Division I season finish in program history—third in the Big South—the Gardner-Webb Volleyball team is eager to make its own records in 2024. A new coaching staff, six returning players and 11 new Runnin’ Bulldogs are set to take the court this week with a scrimmage on Aug. 23 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C.
Gardner-Webb Faculty Honored for Teaching Excellence, Service and Scholarship

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb 2024 Faculty Assembly opens the academic year by introducing new faculty and celebrating the achievements of returning colleagues. President Dr. William M. Downs began the program with his welcome.
Gardner-Webb Welcomes 560 New Students for 2024 Fall Semester

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University’s new student enrollment continues its upward climb for the 2024 Fall Semester. Administrators, faculty and staff are set to welcome 560 first-time freshmen and transfer students, a 6.6 percent increase over last year’s incoming cohort. The newest Runnin’ Bulldogs are from all corners of North Carolina, 33 states and Puerto Rico, and 18 countries around the globe.
Gardner-Webb Celebrates New Year and New Faces with Fall Opening Convocation

Office of University Communications

The beginning of the academic year and the addition of new faces on the Gardner-Webb campus is a time for celebration. The University recognizes the importance of the occasion with the Fall Opening Convocation on Aug. 22 at 9:25 a.m. in Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center (LYCC).
Gardner-Webb Affirmed by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Music Department Receives Additional Accreditation

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb recently submitted the required Fi!h Year Interim report to its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC (https://sacscoc.org/)) and is deemed in full compliance. The University is accredited to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Gardner-Webb also may o"er credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.
Gardner-Webb Baseball Earns Team Academic Excellence Award From American Baseball Coaches Association

Office of University Communications

For the ninth straight year, the Gardner-Webb baseball team has earned the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award. The honor highlights programs coached by ABCA members that posted a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for the entire 2023-24 academic year.
Gardner-Webb Women’s Soccer Announces 2024 Schedule

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University women’s soccer team has announced the schedule for the 2024 season. GWU Head Coach Erik Solberg announced that Gardner-Webb will play 19 matches total including 11 nonconference games and an eight-game Big South slate.
Through Gardner-Webb Honors Experience, High School Students Engaged in Campus Life and Community Service

Office of University Communications

Marnina Krist, a rising high school senior from Fuquay Varina, N.C., was one of 22 students who attended The Honors Experience at Gardner-Webb University this summer. Like some of the others, Krist had toured the GWU campus before, but wanted a chance to see for herself what the environment is really like. The immersive week introduced her to all aspects of life on the University’s campus—from going to class and chapel to dining and volunteering in the community.
Gardner-Webb Football Hosts its First Victory Day Celebration on Aug. 17

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb Head Football Coach Cris Reisert is eager to introduce his players and the community to a tradition that he first observed in 2019—Victory Day. Partnering with Cleveland County Special Olympics and North Shelby School, Reisert invites everyone to come out to the celebration on Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Spangler Stadium. The event is free to attend.
Gardner-Webb Welcomes Dove Award-Winner Aaron Cole to Brinkley Amphitheater on Aug. 24

Office of University Communications

Dove Award-Winner Aaron Cole is the third performer in Gardner-Webb University’s inaugural “Summer in the Springs” Concert Series at Brinkley Amphitheater. The Christian rapper and hip-hop artist will be in concert on Aug. 24 to welcome GWU students back to campus.
New Gardner-Webb Caf Opens with Array of Food Options and Energized Atmosphere

Office of University Communications

The new Caf is ready to serve the Gardner-Webb University Campus in an energized atmosphere with special events and activities. The larger dining space o!ers updated seating, and improved meal options give students more choices.
Gardner-Webb Graduates Consistently Achieve 100% Pass Rate on Licensure Exams for Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling

Office of University Communications

The National Institute for Health Care Management reports that 49% of Americans live in a mental health workforce shortage area. Helping to meet this need are alumni of Gardner-Webb University’s accredited Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Master of School Counseling programs. Overall enrollment has steadily increased in the last few years. Students are attracted to GWU’s 100% pass rate on the required tests for licensure, which has occurred for several years. Additionally, all of the graduates who were seeking jobs in the counseling field found employment—some were even hired before completing their degrees.
Gardner-Webb Alumnus Mason Miller Selected for MLB All-Star Game Tonight at 8 p.m.

Office of University Communications

Just three years after graduating from Gardner-Webb University, pitcher Mason Miller will represent the Oakland A’s and the American League in the MLB All-Star Game tonight (Tuesday, July 16) at 8 p.m. Miller joins a lineup of younger players in one of the most anticipated mid-summer classics in recent years.
Gardner-Webb University Baseball Team Plans Mission Trip to Dominican Republic

Office of University Communications

With its white-sand beaches and sparkling blue water, the Dominican Republic is a popular tourist attraction. However, beyond the resorts, more than 40 percent of the people live in poor conditions and are at risk of falling into poverty or human tra!icking. They struggle to have food, shelter and clothing, and may not have access to clean water or sanitation facilities.