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 Students Present One-Act Opera for Children

Office of University Communications

Actors, stage crew and musicians from the Gardner-Webb University Departments of Theatre Arts and Music will present two weekends of “Little Red Riding Hood—A Children’s Opera In One Act” by Seymour Barab. Hosted by the School of Performing and Visual Arts, the production is directed by Dr. Stafford Turner, associate professor of Music. Performances are open to the public and will be presented in the Millennium Playhouse, located behind the GWU Communications Studies Hall on Main Street in Boiling Springs.
Parade of Tables Raises Funds to Provide Food for Local Children

Office of University Communications and Michael Harvey

The Little Bulldog Backpack Program will be hosting the fourth annual Parade of Tables on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. in the Tucker Student Center at Gardner-Webb University. The Parade of Tables is organized by Lou Ann Scates, GWU Registrar, to provide funds for the Little Bulldog Backpack Program. In preparation for the event, donors purchase tables to decorate with the option to follow this year’s “Jesus Loves the Little Children” theme.
‘Everybody Knows Somebody 5K’ Raises Funds to help GWU Students

Office of University Communications

Each year, the Gardner-Webb University Counseling Center sponsors “Everybody Knows Somebody 5K” to raise awareness about eating disorders and collect donations for GWU students. This year’s walk/run will be held Feb. 22. Registration on race day will be between 7 and 8:45 a.m. in the Tucker Student Center parking lot.
GWU Army ROTC and Campus Recreation Sponsor Hybrid Challenge

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and Campus Recreation are looking for the fastest and strongest athletes to complete in the second annual Hybrid Challenge. Proceeds from the event on March 28 at 8:30 a.m. in Spangler Stadium will benefit the veterans at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Asheville, N.C. Participants will have 15 minutes to run their fastest mile and perform a max-effort deadlift.
During February, Gardner-Webb Joins Black History Month Celebration

Office of University Communications

In February, Gardner-Webb University joins the annual celebration of Black History Month, or National African American History Month. The Black History Month 2020 theme, “African Americans and the Vote,” is in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment (1920) granting women’s suffrage and the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment (1870) giving black men the right to vote. During the month, Gardner-Webb offers the following programs to highlight the achievements and contributions of African Americans.
Gardner-Webb Hosts Carolina Brass and Salvation Army Youth Band

Office of University Communications

A free concert at Gardner-Webb University in February offers an opportunity to hear some of the best brass musicians in the country along with a talented group of young artists. Hosted by the GWU Distinguished Artists Series and School of Performing and Visual Arts, the event features Summit Recording Artists, Carolina Brass, with the Salvation Army Carolinas Divisional Youth Band and GWU Brass Choir. The program will be Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Dover Theatre, located in the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center.
Gardner-Webb Selects Inaugural Recipient of Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Scholarship

Office of University Communications

A high school senior described as a “ray of sunshine” is the first recipient of the Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Scholarship at Gardner-Webb University. Leah Carpenter, of Stanley, N.C., made history recently when she received the award, which is given to a student with exceptional academic achievement, who also exemplifies the commands of Jesus found in Mark 12:29-31—“Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs welcomed everyone and noted the significance of the occasion.
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.