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’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.
Gardner-Webb Pottery Students Donate Work to Local Arts Council

Office of University Communications

Students in Professor Doug Knotts’ ceramics classes gained practice recently while throwing and making pottery for the Cleveland County Arts Council in Shelby, N.C. The students made 100 bowls for the Arts Council’s recent fundraiser, known as “Bowling for Dollars.” The lunchtime benefit is held each year during the “Treasures of the Earth Pottery Show.”
GWU Distinguished Artist Series Presents Chamber Ensemble

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University Distinguished Artist Series presents “Chamber Music 4 All” on March 19 at 8 p.m. in Hamrick Hall’s Blanton Auditorium. The ensemble features two GWU violin professors, Calin Lupanu and Monica Boboc, along with two musicians from the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO), Benjamin Geller, principal violist, and Marlene Ballena, cellist. The concert is free and open to the public.
LET’S DANCE: Gardner-Webb Punches NCAA Ticket Sunday With 76-65 Win At Radford

Office of University Communications

DJ Laster scored a career-high 32 points and Gardner-Webb controlled the action from start to finish in a 76-65 win over Radford in the Big South Conference Men’s Basketball Championship Game Sunday. The win punches an NCAA Tournament ticket for Gardner-Webb (23-11) for the first time since the program’s move to NCAA Division I in 2000. The Runnin’ Bulldogs enter the Big Dance on a five-game win streak and have won 11 of their last 13 games overall.
Four-time Grand Master National Champion Leads String Workshop at Gardner-Webb

Office of University Communications

Mark O’Connor, four-time Grand Master National Champion and three-time Grammy winner, will teach students of all ages and skill levels on March 23 at Gardner-Webb University. The string workshop for beginning students to professionals will be held from 2-7 p.m. on the second floor of Gardner Hall. O’Connor will teach technique, improvisation, bowings, folk music, bluegrass, jazz, country and all-American styles.
Gardner-Webb Counseling Center Sponsors Events to Raise Awareness of Eating Disorders

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University Counseling Center is sponsoring two events in March to bring awareness to eating disorders and support individuals with these life-threatening illnesses. Both activities are open to the public. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), a nonprofit that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, reports that 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
Gardner-Webb Hybrid Challenge Raises Money for American Legion in Shelby, N.C.

Office of University Communications

The Hybrid Challenge, sponsored by the Gardner-Webb University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and Campus Recreation, will test quickness and strength. The competition will raise money for American Legion Post 82 in Shelby. “This local veterans organization helps veterans and the local community,” said Capt. Michael Meissner, director of the Army ROTC and senior military science instructor.
GWU Alumnus Returns to Campus to Share Strategies for Sales Professionals

Office of University Communications

Sales executive Chris Simmons from Spartanburg, S.C., will visit Gardner-Webb University March 21 at 10:30 a.m. A 1996 alumnus of the GWU Master of Business Administration program, he will share sales strategies on “How to Get From Order Taker to Difference Maker.” The program is open to the public and will be held in Hamrick Hall’s Blanton Auditorium.
GWU Physician Assistant Alumna Provides Medical Care in Underserved Community

Office of University Communications

The Gardner-Webb University Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program launched in 2014 with a mission to provide care to medically underserved people. Sarah McManus, a member of the program’s second graduating class in 2017, is fulfilling that goal. She works with her father in a rural family practice in Morganton, N.C.