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 Dimensions Celebrates Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. observance will be held during Dimensions on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 9:25 a.m. Captain Marion Platt of The Salvation Army will discuss King’s legacy. The free event is open to the public and will be held in Stewart Hall, located inside the Tucker Student Center.
Dr. June Hobbs to Serve as Endowed Chair of New Student Success Program

Office of University Communications

A longtime Gardner-Webb University English professor will soon assume a new role, after being named the inaugural Fay Webb Gardner Chair of Student Success. Dr. June Hobbs, a 24-year veteran of the GWU Department of English Language and Literature with a proven track record of extraordinary investment in students, will begin her new role in the Fall 2018 semester. Recently, the Gardner Foundation committed a generous, three-year gift to the University to launch the “Fay Webb Gardner Master Mentorship Program.”
GWU Appoints New Associate Provost for Adult and Distance Education

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University President Dr. Frank Bonner has appointed a new associate provost for Adult and Distance Education. Dr. Catherine Burr, an educator with more than 25 years of experience in organizational leadership, will direct the academic office of the GWU Degree Completion Program (DCP).She reports directly to Dr. Ben Leslie, GWU provost and executive vice president.
Gardner-Webb Awards Over 240 Degrees During Commencement Exercises Dec. 16

Office of University Communications

Gardner–Webb University hosted Fall Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 16, in the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. More than 240 graduates were honored during the ceremony, and the University conferred its 4,500th Master of Business Administration degree. The ceremony featured graduates of Gardner-Webb’s traditional undergraduate program, Degree Completion Program (DCP), and graduate programs.
Gardner-Webb Alumna Promotes Unity Among Diverse Cultures

Office of University Communications

Dr. Maha Gingrich came to Gardner-Webb University in the 1990s to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business administration. An excellent student with an associate’s degree from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C., she could have transferred anywhere. But GWU’s admissions and career counselors treated her as an individual.
Gardner-Webb Alumnus Recognized for Undergraduate Research

Office of University Communications

The summer before Christopher Lile graduated from Gardner-Webb University, he spent five weeks studying small mammals on the Broad River Greenway and the surrounding area. The research experience helped him secure internships in Indiana and Madagascar. Recently, the Waynesville, N.C., native received another honor for his work.
Gardner-Webb ASL Alumni Prepare Students for Interpreting Careers

Office of University Communications and Mallory Moore

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the American Sign Language (ASL) program at Gardner-Webb University gives students the opportunity to learn and practice this language, develop useful communication and cultural skills, and prepare for careers as interpreters. The University began a program for Deaf students and offered the first sign language classes in the fall of 1977. Many alumni work in education, including three graduates who serve as teachers at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, N.C., in the two-year interpreter training program.
Gardner-Webb Offers Class for Film Lovers

Office of University Communications

With the recent release of numerous year-end entertainment honors and recognitions, excitement is brewing in the Film and Television world. Awards season is here, and audiences pay close attention to nominations and critic reviews to decide which movies to catch in theatres. With so much weight resting on their reviews, critics must watch movies a little differently than general audience members, looking for elements of the film to both praise and critique.
Gardner-Webb Senior Plans Future Military Career

Office of University Communications

A Gardner-Webb senior is preparing for active duty in the U.S. Army, and believes the University experience has provided him with all the tools he needs for future success. Dean Cantrell (’18), an ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) cadet at GWU who will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation in May, is majoring in Computer Science and plans to use his skills as an officer in the military. The Williamston, N.C., native has taken full advantage of opportunities at Gardner-Webb, and encourages fellow students to do the same.
Dr. Allison Abernathy Follows Caring Example Set by Faculty in GWU School of Nursing

Office of University Communications

As a young nursing student, Dr. Allison Abernathy was unsuccessful at a local community college and started looking for another school. Her mother-in-law had heard positive comments about the School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University, so Abernathy contacted Dr. Shirley Toney, the dean in 1995. “Dr. Toney reviewed my coursework and admitted me into the ASN (Associate of Science in Nursing) program immediately,” she recalled. “She believed in me, and I knew I was where God wanted me to be in order to finish my nursing degree in such a nurturing environment.”
Gardner-Webb Alumna Honored by N.C. Governor for Volunteer Efforts After 2016 Hurricane

Office of University Communications

Dr. Michelle Taylor Skipper, an alumna of Gardner-Webb University, is a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service, the highest honor a state employee may receive. She was recognized for helping with relief efforts in St. Pauls, N.C., after flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Her efforts extended to her neighbors and others who were stranded in town when major roads became impassable.
Students at Gardner-Webb Take on Month-Long Writing Challenge

Office of University Communications and Mallory Moore

November is one of the busiest months for Gardner-Webb University students, filled with papers, projects, and deadlines. Some students added to their full schedule this year by participating in National Novel Writing Month. “NaNoWriMo,” as it is called, is an annual event that challenges people to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days.
GWU School of Divinity Prepared Alumna for Vocational Ministry

Office of University Communications

Sensing that God was writing a new chapter in her life and ministry, Rebecca Horner Shenton, a 2000 alumna, enrolled in the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University. She visited GWU once and knew it was the place she was supposed to be. “I felt that God was calling me to prepare for ongoing vocational ministry, even though I wasn’t exactly certain what it would look like,” revealed Shenton, now an adjunct professor at GWU. “My return to teach in the School of Divinity is a strong endorsement of how much I believe in the program, its faculty, and its students.”
Gardner-Webb Professor Gave Alumna Confidence to Pursue Doctoral Studies in English

Office of University Communications

Katie Garahan ’09 of Rock Hill, S.C., came to Gardner-Webb University to play Division I golf. She was impressed with Coach Tee Burton and also liked the school’s location and size. As she began her studies, she appreciated the professors’ genuine concern for students.
Research Experience at GWU Helps Alumna Gain Position in Grad School Program

Office of University Communications

As an undergraduate student at Gardner-Webb University, Amy Schmitt Boyer ’15 studied six-lined racerunner lizards at the Broad River. Although the research tested her patience, the experience helped her secure a position in the graduate program at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo. “I learned that experimental design and methods are crucial in performing a surveying experiment,” reflected Boyer, a native of Waxhaw, N.C. “It also taught me the best way to present my research to the public.”
Dimensions Program Focuses on Advent

Office of University Communications and Katie Furr

Leo Sayles, head women’s volleyball coach at Gardner-Webb University, will be speaking at Dimensions on Tuesday, Dec. 5. This event will be held at 9:25 a.m. in Stewart Hall of Tucker Student Center on GWU’s main campus. The free program is open to the public.
Gardner-Webb Alumna Helps Students Reach Their Goals

Office of University Communications and Mallory Moore

Haley Spurlin (‘17), a Gardner-Webb University alumna from Ennice, N.C., has taken the professional skills she developed as an undergraduate student all the way to Troy, Montana. Haley is five months into her National Service Year with AmeriCorps VISTA, working through Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) at Troy High School. Her job includes a variety of important responsibilities including counseling students on their post-secondary plans, strengthening community outreach efforts, and helping to create more internship opportunities for students.
Gardner-Webb to Offer Biomedical Sciences Concentration for Biology Majors

Office of University Communications

Students who are planning a career in a medical-related or research field have a new undergraduate option available at Gardner-Webb University. Beginning in fall 2018, the Department of Natural Sciences will offer a biomedical sciences concentration within the biology major. “These courses encompass the prerequisites for pharmacy school, medical school and dental school, while still providing a balanced education,” noted Dr. Meredith Rowe, assistant professor of biology.
Gardner-Webb University Students Join Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University inducted more than 20 new members into the Gamma Beta Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society on Nov. 12. In a ceremony in GWU’s Tucker Student Center, 22 students and two honorary inductees joined the society as representatives of the University’s Degree Completion Program (DCP). Joining Alpha Sigma Lambda as honorary members were Dr. Sophia Steibel, vice chair of DCP Council and professor of Christian education and Jay Zimmer, chair of DCP Council and instructor of biology.
Gardner-Webb Welcomes Community to Annual Festival of Lights

Office of University Communications and Katie Furr

Gardner-Webb University’s Festival of Lights, a beloved Christmas tradition since 1984, will be returning to campus on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. Activities begin in Dover Theatre, located next to the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center (LYCC) on the main campus. “This is more than just the concert,” shared Dr. Paul Etter, chair of the Music Department and professor of music in the School of Performing and Visual Arts.
Grammy Award-Winning Violinist Mark O’Connor to Perform at Gardner-Webb

Office of University Communications and Katie Furr

Award-winning violinist Mark O’Connor will be the featured soloist in a concert on Monday, Dec. 4, with the GWU Orchestra and the Crest High School Orchestra of Shelby, N.C. O’Connor’s wife, Maggie, and other guests are also on the program, which will be held at 8 p.m. in Dover Theatre. “Mark O’Connor is a world-famous violinist who plays bluegrass, jazz, blues, and Americana,” shared Dr. Patricia Sparti, professor of music and director of Orchestral Activities.
GWU Dimensions Program will feature Pastor from Shelby, N.C.

Office of University Communications and Katie Furr

Skip Allen, teaching pastor at Hope Community Church in Shelby, N.C. will be speaking at Gardner-Webb’s Dimensions program on Tuesday, Nov. 28. This event will be held at 9:25 a.m. in Stewart Hall of Tucker Student Center on GWU’s main campus and is free and open to the public. Allen was born and raised in Shelby and received his degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
Non-Profit Leader Applies Principles From GWU Classes to Expand Services to Children

Office of University Communications

When William S. “Jack” Weller retired in 2009, he was free to spend more time working at his volunteer job. Since 2001, Weller has served as president of the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County, N.C. He believes in the mission of the club, which is to enable young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
GWU Students Connect with Puerto Rican Couple Affected by Hurricane

Office of University Communications

Students in a Gardner-Webb University social sciences course on “The Community” are taking their studies beyond the classroom. Taught by GWU Associate Professor Dr. Dianne Sykes, the class is raising money for a Puerto Rican couple who were affected by Hurricane Maria in September. “They are the grandparents of Marcesa Harper, a 2011 GWU alumna,” Sykes noted. “César and Maria Acosta need a generator and a solar panel or two. They have health concerns and live on a fixed income. We hope that what we can gather will be a blessing to this couple.”
Mission Experience Gives GWU Nursing Student a Look into Her Future

Office of University Communications

As a 15-year-old, Hope Still sensed God was calling her into medical missions. Her first step toward answering the call was choosing to major in nursing at Gardner-Webb University. A recent opportunity to spend three weeks at a mission hospital in South Asia helped to provide even more clarity for the junior from Harrisburg, N.C.