GARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY
April 30, 2008
Serving the Gardner-Webb University community for more than 60 years
This Edition
— In campus news —
Dr. Doug Bryan is tak
ing a new post at Gard
ner-Webb. See page 2.
The primaries are here
and North Carolinians
can finally make a dif
ference. See page 2.
See an eclipse in a
far-off land with others
from GWU. See page 2.
The ‘Bald Soprano’ cast
gets kudos. See page 2.
.Opinion/editorial
Editor Rebecca Clark
says farewell to life as
a GWU student. See
page 3.
Jacob Conley writes
his last Wisdom on
Wheels column and
shares lessons learned at
GWU. seepages.
iln sports ■
An unofficial GWU
softball team takes
second place at a Wake
Forest tournament. See
page 4.
It was a good season for
the men’s tennis team,
and the fall season looks
promising. See page 4.
Lanny Newton
prognosticates about the
autumn sports. Page 4.
You win some, you
lose some, as the Lady
Bulldogs found out.
Page 3.
Weather
Today
April 30
73/48
Sunny
Index
Thursday
May 1
81/56
Sunny
Source:
Weather
Channel
Photo by Pilot photo staff
Some of these trees in front of Webb Hall may be cut down.
Webb Hall trees may face ax
By Christopher Shaver
Pilot stajf writer
Gardner-Webb University Pres
ident Dr. A. Frank Bonner has ex
pressed interest in cutting down two
or three trees that hover over the
GWU sign in front of Webb Hall.
“They’ve gotten so big, through
the way they’ve grown together,
that they just block the view,” Bon
ner said.
He added that the roots have
made the sidewalk pavement and
bricks behind the sign uneven, con
sequently making them into a trip
ping hazard.
He said he would like sod put in
and the area landscaped.
However, Bonner said he didn’t
want to decrease the total number
of trees at GWU.
“I don’t want to lose trees for
environmental issues,” he said.
“I want to plant at least one
tree somewhere else on campus for
however many we cut down. If any
thing, I hope we can have a net gain
of trees on campus.”
However, not everyone is happy
with this plan. Senior Renardo Ken
nedy said that if the trees aren’t dy
ing then GWU should keep them.
“Trees are living, breathing
things,” Kennedy said. “Unless
there is a possibility of seriously
hurting someone with a falling
branch, then I think they should
work around them.”
Junior, Jessica Jones, said GWU
officials are trying too hard to make
the school look better.
“Yes, it’s important to be ap
pealing to the eye, but when do we
say enough?” she said. “They’re
important for the environment and
for life.”
Bonner said he has talked with a
few people about the issue and said
they were in favor of cutting the
trees down.
Relaxation on students’ summer agendas
By Patrice Blackmon
Pilot stajf writer
Students at Gardner- Webb Uni
versity students are finishing up
the semester and preparing for the
summer. Most students are look
ing forward to relaxing and chilling
with their friends, spending time
with their families and being home.
Many will be working or doing an
internship.
Jennette Simpson, a sophomore
majoring in communications, said,
“This summer I plan on relaxing
and sleeping in. I am so tired of
homework that I am ready to relax
and do nothing.
“This semester has been chal
lenging for me and there have been
many ups and downs that I have had
to overcome this year. But luckily I
have made it almost through, and
I am so proud of myself I want to
be able to face next semester with a
good and positive attitude.”
Latasha Smith’s plans are simi
lar. “This summer I plan on keep
ing active, having fim, and helping
out with my family,” the sociology
major said. “I would like to start a
work out plan over the summer so
that 1 may stay in shape and keep
maintaining my lovely body.
“I am also going to help out with
my brothers and sister. I will help
out with babysitting and watching
them over the summer.
While Simpson and Smith have
relaxation at the top of their plans,
some students have other ideas
for their time away from Gardner-
Webb.
“This summer I have a lot of
plans in mind,” said Larry Johnson,
a freshman.
“I would like to get a summer
job so that I may save up money to
go to Ausfralia in October. It will
not be cheap nor easy raising the
money, but if I work a lot then I
will be able to go on my trip and
have ftin.
“I also plan on visiting my
grandmother in Florida if 1 get the
chance, 1 love it when she makes
her famous blueberry pancakes.
This summer I just want to relax a
little and just enjoy life.”
Alicia Baxter, a freshman ma
joring in physiology, said, “This
summer I plan on getting an in
ternship. I do not know yet what
I would like to do, but getting an
internship sounds like a good plan
to me. If that does not work out, I
guess I will be sleeping a lot and
hang out with my friends from back
home.”
For some, this summer with be
their first after as a GWU graduate.
“I am so glad to graduating this
year, I don’t know what to do,” said
Gerry Hollis, a senior religion ma
jor. “These four years have been a
long journey for me and I am so
glad for it to be finally over with.
“My dream has always been to be a
youth pastor and missionary across
seas, so that I may be able to minis
ter the word of God to people.
“I believe that I will be prosper
ous in all that I do, and I also believe
that I will have pleasant summer.”
Johnston ready to wow Kansas City Chiefs
News
.. . pa.sc 2
Sports
... .
Photo
pagL- 4
By Jacob Conley
Pilot sports editor
For the most part, Brian John
ston likes roller coasters, but the
GWU senior defensive end would
have preferred not to be on one dur
ing the last day of the NFL draft.
“It was the best day of my life,
then the worst day, and then the best
day again,” said Johnston, who was
selected in the seventh round Sun
day. He was the 210th overall pick,
and is now a member of the Kansas
City Chiefs.
“I was expecting to go in the
third or fourth rounds. When I fell
all the way to the seventh, I was
nervous and had to readjust my
thinking.”
Aside from Jjeing drafted, John
ston had another goal that day: to
avoid the dubious distinction of be
ing “Mr. Irrelavent,” as the last pick
in the draft is known.
“Oh my gosh, I was so worried,”
said Johnston. “My friends would
have given me so much grief It
would have been unbearable.”
As for his new employers, John
ston had mixed feelings.
“Honestly, I was not all that im
pressed with Kansas City itself, but
once I met with
the coaches, who are great peo
ple, I realized that this was the best
place for me and now I can’t wait to
get there.”
Johnston is hopeful that draft
day success will bring attention to
GWU as he takes the lessons he
learned on Saturdays in Boiling
Springs and applies them on Sun
days in the NFL.
“The coaches here were great,”
said Johnston. “I learned so much
from them. Hopefijlly, my being
drafted will let people see that there
is high quality football played
at GWU and other FCS ( I-AA)
schools.”
Johnston is the first Bulldog to be
drafted since Terry Guess in 1996,
and will join former teammate Jim
Maxwell in the NFL ranks. John
ston is ready to make an impression
once he reports to camp.
“I will make sure I perform ev
ery time I step on the field ~ wheth
er that’s in practice or on Sundays,”
said Johnston.
“I can promise you I’m going to
work my tail off”
Conley takes
3rd in video
game contest
By Kory McNair
Pilot staff writer
Saturday, Jacob Conley took
place in the 2008 Big South Con
ference Video Game Tournament
in Charlotte and took home third
place.
“It was really fim,” said Conley,
who took home a complete E.A.
Sports package for the Xbox 360
(a total of six games) for finishing
third in the tournament.
Seven participants showed off
their skills at NCAA ’08 Basketball
for the Xbox 360.
Each participant had to play
with his own school during the
course of the tournament.
A student from Winthrop won
the event.
“I had never played a Xbox 360
before, so to finish third was a good
accomplishment,” said Conley
when asked how the video game
experience was for him.
“It was definitely a good expe
rience. Six video games is a pretty
good deal for third place,” said
Conley.
The only problem with winning
the six video games, according to
Conley is that he doesn’t have an
Xbox 360.
“I’m trying to figure out what to
do with them,” said Conley about
his prize.
When it comes
to going green,
GWU a tiny bud
By Lauren Taylor
Pilot staff writer
The green movement in the U.S.
has grown like kudzu. However,
one would hardly know it looking
around Gardner-Webb and its envi
ronment.
Students living on campus
would rather drive their cars to
class than walk 10 minutes or ride
a bike. Lamps light rooms where
no eye is reading, and sinks sfream
water where no hands are washing.
TVs glow and radios play in empty
dorm rooms while class is in ses
sion, and students seem to think it’s
alright.
Since the original Earth Day in
1970, student bodies at many con
servative colleges have equated
environmental conservation with
liberalism and radical, left-wing
thinking. Though this view is soft
ening, the movement has not yet
reached Boiling Springs in fiill
force.
An article in Christianity Today,
“Christian Colleges’ Green Revolu
tion,” said that students at Christian
schools are waking up to the relation
of stewardship and sustainability to
the environment. Instead of shying
away from environmentalism, stu
dents are beginning to embrace it as
part of their faith.
“According to Paul Corts, presi
dent of the interdenominational
Council for Christian Colleges and
Universities, about 40 of 105 North
American meiiiber schools have ad
opted significant green initiatives,”
wrote Cindy Crosby, author of the
article.
Integrating faith and earth stew
ardship is still a fledgling idea here,
one that needs nurturing by the en
tire student population.
Dr. James English, a GWU bi
ology professor who yearns to see
students impassioned for the planet
they inhabit, wonders why there
isn’t a greater outcry for change.
“It’s not about faculty or adminis
trators,” English said, “it’s about the
community, which is the students.”
See EARTH j^age 2