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 Degree Completion Program Helps Student Explore Criminal Justice Field

Office of University Communications

Courtney McClure (’16) of Cramerton, N.C., doesn’t remember the name of the person who first introduced her to Gardner-Webb University. She was only in elementary school, but she never forgot the name of the college and the school colors. “We were sitting on a classroom floor and people from different colleges came in and introduced their college,” she recalled.
High School Students Prepare for Upcoming Learning Opportunities at Gardner-Webb

Office of University Communications

For dozens of high school students in Cleveland and Rutherford counties, this summer will offer unique opportunities for developing new insight into the practical application of principles they have learned throughout the school year. Through grants from the Stonecutter Foundation (Spindale, N.C.) and the Duke Energy Foundation (Charlotte, N.C.), Gardner-Webb University is planning three week-long academies, which will offer local students enrichment in the subjects of math, science, and computer science. The Stonecutter Foundation will sponsor academies for participants from Rutherford County high schools.
Transferring to Gardner-Webb was Right Decision for Softball Player

Office of University Communications

Searching for a college that felt more like a family, softball player Christa Fullwood (’10) contacted Coach Tom Cole at Gardner-Webb University. Her best friend and former teammate was there, and college was the first time they hadn’t played together in over 10 years. “I called Coach Cole and discussed the possibility of coming to Gardner-Webb, and he was open to it,” recalled Fullwood, a native of Wilmington, N.C.
Gardner-Webb University Pastors’ School Planned May 30- June 1

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University’s 2016 Pastors’ School, an annual three-day educational retreat for pastors and students of ministry and theology, is scheduled for May 30 through June 1 at GWU. Baylor University’s Dr. Joel Gregory will serve as the keynote speaker for the event, which is sponsored by the Pittman Center for Congregational Enrichment as a means of connecting to area ministers and encouraging the work of the local church. Gregory holds the George W. Truett Endowed Chair in Preaching and Evangelism at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University (Waco, Texas).
Five Students to Attend Gardner-Webb University With Aid of Freeman Scholarship Fund

Office of University Communications

For almost 25 years, the Joseph B. Freeman Jr. Educational Fund has provided scholarships to help Cleveland County high school students pursue a college education. The 2016 Freeman Scholars were announced May 23, and all five students will attend Gardner-Webb University. A total of $15,000 in scholarships was awarded during a presentation in the Tucker Student Center on Gardner-Webb’s main campus.
GWU Psychology Major Ready for Rigors of Graduate School

Office of University Communications

As a student at Gardner-Webb University, Juliette Ratchford (’16) explored various topics that developed her critical-thinking skills and prepared her for the next step in her educational journey. Originally from Demorest, Ga., Ratchford is pursuing a doctorate in psychological sciences at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. “My time at Gardner-Webb prepared me for the rigors of graduate school,” Ratchford affirmed.
Gardner-Webb University School of Education Recognition Program Honors Educators

Office of University Communications

The 2nd annual induction ceremony for Gardner-Webb University’s School of Education Hall of Fame is planned for June 23 at 6 p.m. in Tucker Student Center. Three new members will be inducted during the ceremony. GWU School of Education Dean Dr. Doug Eury said nominees for the Hall of Fame are Gardner-Webb alumni and others who have distinguished themselves in the field of education as either a practitioner or benefactor locally, regionally or at the state and federal level.
GWU Studies Help Nursing Supervisor Make a Difference in her Profession

Office of University Communications and Claire Coile

Would providing a spa-like atmosphere in a peaceful room help nurses deal with the everyday stress of their jobs? While earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Gardner-Webb University, nursing supervisor Susan Cannon (’16) of Lincolnton, N.C., decided to find out the answer. She researched compassion fatigue and nurse burnout and presented the results in her Capstone project, “Rekindling the Passion for Nursing.”
Harvesting Hope

Office of University Communications and Emily DeVries

A service trip to build a fish farm in Haiti deeply impacted the hearts of the Gardner-Webb University students who traveled there and brought life-altering change to the Haitian orphanage that is now reaping its harvest. Dr. Don Olive, GWU Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, desires to instill a spirit of service in the hearts of his students. A chance conversation with the father of a first-year Gardner-Webb student introduced Olive to a unique service opportunity to do just that.
Aspiring Author Moves Closer to Goal with Help of GWU’s Online Master’s Program

Office of University Communications

Through the Master of Arts in English online program at Gardner-Webb University, Nickie Crowe of Ferndale, Wash., is taking steps to make her lifelong aspirations come true. “I always thought I’d get a degree in English and go to work reading for a publishing company, or I could write a novel, perhaps an action adventure with a romantic undercurrent,” Crowe shared. “Life has a way of taking us in different directions, and somehow I ended up in Nome, Alaska, working with numbers for more than 10 years.”
Gardner-Webb Announces Spring 2016 Dean’s List, Honor Roll

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University is pleased to announce its Dean’s List and Honor Roll in recognition of undergraduate students’ exemplary academic achievements during the Spring 2016 semester. The Dean’s List is composed of college students with a grade point average of 4.0 if enrolled for 12-14 hours and 3.7 if enrolled for 15 or more hours with no grade lower than a “C.” The National Dean’s List was established in 1978, as a way to recognize excellent academic achievement by college students.
GWU Dual Degree Program Prepares Grad for Counseling Ministry

Office of University Communications

As a mental health counselor, Andrew M. Woods (’14) is prepared for the unpredictable, because each person’s situation is unique and different. While he may not know what each day brings, he is confident in the education he received through the School of Psychology and Counseling at Gardner-Webb University. “In counseling and ministry you can encounter more struggles through the people you work with than can be imagined, not to mention the personal struggles in your own life,” observed Woods, owner of Woods Family Counseling and Healing Care in Black Mountain, N.C.
Graduate Student Likes Flexibility of Online Master of Arts Program

Office of University Communications

When she was looking for master’s programs, Ilari Pass (’18) of Greensboro, N.C., stumbled across the Master of Arts in English online program at Gardner-Webb University. “I’m so glad that I did. A challenging new chapter in my life began when I decided to attend Gardner-Webb,” she assessed.
GWU Music Student Experiences Academic Growth, Finds Supportive Community

Office of University Communications

While receiving an education at Gardner-Webb University, Colt Cooper (’16) of Gaffney, S.C., discovered something far more valuable: the support of friends and mentors. On the day he auditioned for the Department of Music, his mother passed away. “Gardner-Webb was very understanding during that time in my life, because it was one thing to go from high school to college, but it was a whole other thing to go from having the support of my wonderful mother to basically taking care of myself,” Cooper reflected.
GWU Adjunct Professor Sharpens Teaching Skills Through Online MA program

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University adjunct professor Karen Taylor (’16) of Rutherfordton, N.C., aspired to take her teaching ability to the next level. She accomplished her goals through the GWU Master of Arts in English online program. Not only did she improve her own writing and lecturing skills, but she learned new ideas for helping students.
Gardner-Webb Recognizes Trustee with Honorary Doctorate at Commencement on May 7

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb University bestowed its highest recognition of merit, the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, to Franklin “Frank” Beam (Shelby, N.C.) during its Spring Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 7. GWU President Dr. Frank Bonner explained that the awarding of an honorary doctorate degree affirms the University values, honors individual achievements, and recognizes the recipient’s embodiment of Gardner-Webb ideals of caring and Christian service. “These guidelines are exemplified to the fullest degree by Frank Beam in his personal, professional, church, and civic life, and in innumerable leadership roles,” Bonner shared.
Gardner-Webb University Awards Degrees During Commencement Exercises May 6-7

Office of University Communications

Gardner–Webb University hosted Spring Commencement on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 in the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. More than 650 graduates were honored during three separate ceremonies. The University’s College of Health Sciences conferred degrees on the first graduating class of the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program.
Gardner-Webb University Graduates First Class of Physician Assistant Studies Students

Office of University Communications

Some students sewed machete wounds and delivered babies in remote stretches on the island nation of Haiti. Others washed the feet of the local homeless to prepare them for desperately needed medical examinations. All of the students in Gardner-Webb University’s first Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program class experienced healthcare education through an intensive rotation of clinical training and a robust didactic curriculum.
Crossroads Festival to Entertain Families on May 21

Office of University Communications and Tyra Montour

Local families are invited to enjoy food, crafts, and recreational activities on Saturday, May 21, as the Town of Boiling Springs hosts the annual Crossroads Festival. This year’s festival is set for noon to 6 p.m. It will feature vendors and exhibitors from around the region, as well as local dance groups and music provided by an area DJ.
Gardner-Webb Prepares Nursing Veteran for Next Step in her Career

Office of University Communications

Robin Sherrill (’16) of Statesville, N.C., has been in the nursing profession for 27 years. Throughout that time, she’s discovered the truth in this quote from author Orison Swett Marden: “If you do not feel yourself growing in your work and your life broadening and deepening, if your task is not a perpetual tonic to you, you have not found your place.”
GWU Academic Experience Key to Alumna’s Success in Medical School

Office of University Communications

When Tavenner Black Dibert (’12) says professors at Gardner-Webb University care about students, it’s not just a nice sentiment. It’s a statement based on fact and filled with gratitude for the science faculty, who offered additional classes to make sure she was prepared for medical school. A pediatric resident at the University of Florida in Gainesville, she reflects on the significance of her undergraduate experience.
Gardner-Webb University Hunt School of Nursing Takes Pledge on Opioid Education

Office of University Communications

As part of academic nursing’s ongoing efforts to combat prescription drug and opioid abuse across the United States, Gardner-Webb University’s Hunt School of Nursing is proud to announce that it has committed to educating its advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. The commitment was recently featured in a White House fact sheet as part of the White House Champions of Change event on Advancing Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery. Earlier this month, the Administration asked the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) member schools with APRN programs to partner on this initiative.
Gardner-Webb Honors Faculty, Staff for Excellence

Office of University Communications

Gardner-Webb honored outstanding faculty and staff members on April 29 during the University’s annual “Apples and Accolades” program. The 2016 Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Ben Coates, of Campobello, S.C., who serves as assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures. “To the students and community members with whom he works, he is both a gracious guide and a gifted instructor,” said GWU President Dr. Frank Bonner.
GWU Honors Student Experiences Growth Through Challenging Academics

Office of University Communications

Kevin Mills (’16) came to Gardner-Webb University on a scholarship that rewarded his academic achievements. But during the Freshman University 111 class designed to help first-year students transition to college life, Biology Professor Dr. Tom Jones said something that caused Mills to rethink his priorities. “His advice was, ‘Don’t let your sole goal during college be keeping a 4.0. Take courses with professors who are challenging and who have reputations for being hard teachers.’” Mills shared.
Gardner-Webb Helps Artist Find Answers to Questions about Faith

Office of University Communications

A free application lured Charlie Baber (’03) from his home in Cartersville, Va., to come and check out Gardner-Webb University. A visit to campus confirmed it was the right place for him. “I was pursuing a call into ministry and believed the religious studies program at Gardner-Webb would prepare me well,” he reflected.