Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

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  Gardner-Webb Professor Emeritus of English, Thirlen Osborne, Passes Away at 97

  Office of University Communications

  ”A quintessential gentleman professor” is how Dr. Joyce C. Brown describes her friend and colleague, Thirlen Osborne, who passed away Nov. 17 in Shelby, N.C., at the age of 97. He taught English at Gardner-Webb University from 1957 to 1987 and was awarded the status of professor emeritus of English after his retirement. Brown, GWU professor emerita of English, remembers being nervous the first time she met Osborne.

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  Gardner-Webb Students Join Alpha Chi Honor Society

  Office of University Communications

  Gardner-Webb University inducted 37 members into Alpha Chi, a national collegiate honor society, in a ceremony held Nov. 11 in Blanton Auditorium in Hamrick Hall. Dr. Pam Dennis, dean of Dover Memorial Library, was inducted as an honorary member. When recognizing Dennis, Dr. June Hobbs, Alpha Chi sponsor, noted her commitment to students.

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  GWU Symphonic Band Concert Features Solo by 2015 Alumna Bonnie Scruggs

  Office of University Communications

  The Gardner-Webb University Symphonic Band welcomes a 2015 alumna as a special guest for its concert Nov. 27. Cellist Bonnie Scruggs, band director at Crest High School in Shelby, N.C., will be performing “Tramonto,” a romanza piece for cello and wind ensemble by Luis Alarcon. The free event is open to the public and will be held at 8 p.m. in Dover Theatre inside the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center.

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  GWU Professor Gives Journalist’s Account of Covering Pentagon Papers and Watergate

  Office of University Communications

  Dr. Joseph Webb, professor of Communication & New Media at Gardner-Webb University, was a journalist in Illinois when two historical events converged to end the presidency of Richard Nixon. Webb will discuss both events—the Pentagon Papers and Watergate—in a lecture on Nov. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will be held in Stewart Hall of Tucker Student Center.

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  Gardner-Webb Presents ‘Crimes of the Heart’ by Beth Henley Nov. 15-18

  Office of University Communications

  The next production by the Gardner-Webb University Department of Theatre Arts is “Crimes of the Heart” by Beth Henley. A Pulitzer Prize-winner, this play examines the relationship between three sisters. Performances will be Nov. 15-17 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 18 at 2:30 p.m. in the Millennium Playhouse, located behind the GWU Communications Studies Hall on Main Street in Boiling Springs.

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  Gardner-Webb University Students Join Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society

  Office of University Communications

  Gardner-Webb University inducted 16 new members into the Gamma Beta Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society on Nov. 4 in Tucker Student Center. The students joined the society as representatives of the University’s GOAL – The Degree Completion Program (DCP). Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society was established in 1946 to honor superior scholarship and leadership to adult students.

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  Gardner-Webb Welcomes Community to Annual Festival of Lights

  Office of University Communications

  Gardner-Webb University’s Festival of Lights, a beloved Christmas tradition for more than three decades, will be returning to campus on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. Activities begin in Dover Theatre, located next to the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. The holiday celebration is free and open to the public.

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  GWU Annual Christmas Art Sale Features Pottery, Jewelry, Paintings and Other Items

  Office of University Communications

  Unique, handmade gift items are available at Gardner-Webb University’s annual Christmas Art Sale on Nov. 15-16 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Tucker Student Center. The sale features original pieces by GWU students, alumni, faculty, and community members. A variety of items will be available for purchase including functional and decorative pottery, jewelry, paintings, photography, knitted scarves, ear warmers and hats, cards, barn quilts, Christmas ornaments and more.

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  Project Gives GWU Senior Opportunity to Expand Her Interest in Political Science Research

  Office of University Communications

  As a global studies senior at Gardner-Webb University, Bethany Leap has enjoyed the various courses required for her major. “I love that I am able to take classes from all disciplines, rather than being confined to one specific subject area,” she assessed. “I am able to learn about both domestic and international politics, history, economics, and statistics, providing me with a well-rounded education and the ability to explore all areas about which I am passionate.”

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  GWU Family Nurse Practitioner Alumna Serves Community Affected by Hurricane Florence

  Office of University Communications

  Hurricane Florence battered North Carolina’s coastal areas in September with 90-mph winds, rainfall and storm surge. Record flooding in Pender County forced officials to close the local hospital and its emergency department. However, three days after the powerful storm made landfall, the MED-1 Mobile Hospital from Atrium Health in Charlotte, N.C., was operating in a parking lot in Burgaw, N.C.

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  Gardner-Webb Alumna Brings Paris to Western North Carolina

  Office of University Communications

  Growing up in Haywood County, N.C., home to Folkmoot USA, North Carolina’s International Folk Festival, Emily M. Burrus was introduced to cultures from around the world. From that early exposure, the 2006 alumna of Gardner-Webb University became connected to the French culture. Through a language program in the school system, she learned French from kindergarten through 11th grade.

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  GWU Community Remembers Former Professor’s Enthusiasm for Teaching Scripture

  Office of University Communications

  The Gardner-Webb University community is remembering the life of a former professor of religion. Dr. R. Logan Carson, 86, who taught at GWU from 1973 to 1994, passed away Nov. 3, 2018, in Wake Forest, N.C. He taught Old Testament studies and was the University’s first African-American professor.

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  GWU Hunt School of Nursing Celebrates Contributions of Nurse Practitioners

  Office of University Communications

  The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is celebrating more than 50 years of practice during National Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week Nov. 11-17. The first NP program began in Colorado in 1965. Today, this distinguished group of health care professionals number approximately 248,000 strong, with an additional 23,000 NP students graduating each year.

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  GWU Music Education Major Studies the Impact of Music on Graduation Rates in Title I Schools

  Office of University Communications

  Because music has played a key role in her own life, Madeline Bame, a Gardner-Webb University student from Gastonia, N.C., wanted to find out if music impacts graduation rates in Title I Schools in North Carolina. She conducted her research in the 2018 summer term with a grant from the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. “I chose this topic because I believe that music education is essential for public education,” shared Bame, a junior music education major. “Currently, many music educators feel that their field is devalued, and many music classrooms are experiencing cuts. I have witnessed inspiration and academic motivation resulting from music education, and I want to produce concrete evidence that supports the concept that music education is important for the success of students.”

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  Gardner-Webb Community Welcomes Grandson of the Rev. Billy Graham

  Office of University Communications

  Jonathan Lotz, grandson of the late Rev. Billy Graham, will be speaking at Gardner-Webb University Nov. 6 at 9:25 a.m. for Dimensions. The son of Anne Graham Lotz, he is an ordained minister, who preaches regularly for revivals and retreats. The GWU program is free and open to the public and will be held in Stewart Hall inside Tucker Student Center.

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  GWU Online Master of Accountancy Named Best in the Nation by Two Research Groups

  Office of University Communications

  Two leading education research websites have honored an online master’s degree program in Gardner-Webb University’s Godbold School of Business. The Master of Accountancy (MAcc) was named in three separate rankings. “These national awards recognize the commitment of our faculty to provide a superior education for students in our online master’s degree programs,” observed Mischia Taylor, dean of the Godbold School of Business. “Our smaller class sizes offer a personal approach, and we emphasize experiential learning through internships, service opportunities, projects, course simulations, and interaction with business leaders.”

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  Alumna Appreciates Integration of Faith Into GWU Physician Assistant Studies Program

  Office of University Communications

  Accepted into the Gardner-Webb University Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program in August 2015, Kelsey Nehrig and her husband moved to Boiling Springs, N.C., from Huntington Beach, Calif. She was impressed with the GWU program’s mission and values, and that clinical rotations included international missions’ opportunities. “I had interviewed at about eight programs across the U.S. GWU’s interviews were personal, welcoming and uplifting,” she shared. “My husband and I were a little unsure about moving, but we prayed about it and felt the Lord calling us to Boiling Springs.”

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  Gardner-Webb Alumnus Coaches for Team USA in Australian Track and Field Event

  Office of University Communications

  Although Joseph “J.P.” Weaver (’07) was a successful linebacker on his high school team, recruiters told him that his height (5-foot-9-inches) put him at a disadvantage for playing college football. But the coaches at Gardner-Webb University in 2003—head coach Steve Patton and his assistants, Travis Cunningham and Phil Jones—saw his determination and gave him a chance to join the Runnin’ Bulldogs defense. “It was a great opportunity for me,” Weaver declared. “It drove me to work much harder, because I was always told I couldn’t play that position at the next level. Gardner-Webb was a great fit for me.”

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  Gardner-Webb Community Partners with Non-Profit to Collect Food for Hungry Children

  Office of University Communications

  One in three children in Cleveland County, N.C., do not always know where they will find their next meal, according to the Southeastern University Consortium for Food Security and Health. Through the Little Bulldog Backpack project, Gardner-Webb University Registrar Lou Ann Scates and Biology Professor Susan Manahan have made it their mission to provide meals for these hungry children. To assist the project, Gardner-Webb officials have designated November as “Feed Our Children” month.

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  Dr. Frank Bonner Awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine

  Office of University Communications

  In a surprise presentation at Gardner-Webb University on Oct. 19, GWU President Dr. Frank Bonner was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine—North Carolina’s highest civilian honor. Conferred by Gov. Roy Cooper, this prestigious award recognizes exemplary service that has made a significant impact and strengthened the state. A. Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, presented the award at a gathering of the GWU Board of Trustees, senior staff and guests.

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  Gardner-Webb’s Online Master’s in English Named Among Best in the Nation

  Office of University Communications

  For the second year, the Gardner-Webb University online Master of Arts (MA) in English degree has been named among the best in the nation by an education information website. The SR Education Group recently named the GWU program to its 2019 rankings for Best Online Colleges and Most Affordable Online Colleges. “We are proud of our MA in English as it provides an opportunity for students seeking the flexibility of online learning without compromising the rigor of a graduate program,” observed Dr. Jennifer Buckner, chair of the Department of English Language and Literature and coordinator of MA English and writing studies. “Our faculty use a range of innovative technologies and methods to foster a scholarly community in our classes.”

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  Research Experiences at GWU Help Chemistry Alumna Transition to Doctoral Program

  Office of University Communications

  Taylor Dodson (‘17) came to Gardner-Webb University, because Golf Coach Tee Burton was willing to let her play on the team and major in chemistry. She proved that she could excel at the demanding subject and on the golf course. Dodson was a three-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-America Scholar and was a Big South Conference Women’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Year.

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  Gardner-Webb Musicians Preparing for Fall and Holiday Performances

  Office of University Communications

  Students in the Gardner-Webb University Department of Music are practicing for their upcoming fall concerts. Events feature faculty and student groups, guest musicians, and a concert to benefit feeding programs in the community. An annual holiday favorite is the Festival of Lights, where community members are invited to participate in the lighting of the GWU Christmas Tree and other campus traditions.

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  GWU English Alumna Writes About Her GWU Experience in Article for Christian Website

  Office of University Communications

  While working for Crosswalk.com, a website that features biblically-based content to Christians, Lauren Sanchez, a 2011 alumna of Gardner-Webb University was given an opportunity to write about her Christian college experience. An English major with a creative writing emphasis, Sanchez lives in Richmond, Va., and has worked as an editor for BibleStudyTools.com and as a temporary content publishing associate for Crosswalk.com, both owned by Salem Web Network, an Internet provider of Christian content and online streaming.

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  Six Distinguished GWU Alumni Honored For Their Outstanding Achievements

  Office of University Communications

  Gardner-Webb University honored outstanding graduates with induction into the GWU Gallery of Distinguished Alumni during 2018 Homecoming activities Oct. 13. The award recognizes achievements in one or more of the following areas—career distinction, community service, involvement and support for Gardner-Webb’s advancement, and integrity and character. Six alumni were recognized as new members of the prestigious gallery, including Joseph Hough of Hendersonville, N.C., Larry Jamall Kinard of Charlotte, N.C., Dr. Ashley Lowery of Spindale, N.C., Debbie Presnell of Black Mountain, N.C., Dr. Tamrah Joy Watson of Durham, N.C., and David B. Keim of Cary, N.C., who was also honored as Alumnus of the Year.