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Tuesday, September 25, 2001
JTiePifer
Satellite campus receives new building
Margaret O'Driscoll
Pilot staff
7’wenty years ago Dr. Craven
Williams, former President of Gardner-
Webb, had a noble vision for this uni
versity: satellite campuses. His plan was
to provide the possibiity for students to
get a four-year degree rather than the
traditional two-year degree at a small
community college.
Since the late '70s, Gardner-Webb
University has facilitated 16 satellite
campuses across North Carolina.
Previously the university has had to
locate churches and community col
leges to provide rooms for classes to
meet for this program.
However, for the Statesville campus
this is no longer a concern. Gardner-
Webb University at Statesville had its
open house August 31, 2001.
“The Statesville campus is signifi
cant because it is our own,” said Matt
Webber, Director of University
Communications.
Before the new campus, the Davis
School of Nursing in Statesville was
used. The building was old, unsafe and
in an area of high crime.
Directors felt that it was time to
make the students in Statesville feel like
they were at college.
GWU at Statesville is the only four-
year institution present in Iredell
County. It is the hub of GWU for dis
tance learning activities because of its
central location in North Carolina.
Later this semester, a GWU campus
in Charlotte will be unveiled as well.
“We’ve only just begun,” commented
Webber on the growing status of future
satelite campuses.
Presently there are 300 students
enrolled at the GWU Statesville campus
with more expected each year.
Currently, the campus is offering
15-20 undergraduate programs includ
ing nursing and teacher education, both
of which are occupations in high
demand in that area. The campus also
offers graduate programs, such as the
MBA.
The fact that students are enrolling
for these programs, said Webber, is an
affirmation to Gardner-Webb that peo
ple want to be there. He is confident that
the satellite campuses will raise GWU’s
reputation, thus making the school more
widely known.
At this time the Statesville campus
has ten full-time faculty and staff mem
bers with more additions expected soon.
Some GWU’s professors are driving
Photo courtesy Public Relations
Gardner-Webb s new building houses 300 students during classes in Statesville. The Statesville satel
lite campus is the only four-year institution present in Iredell County.
one and a half hours to teach night class
es out of support for the campus.
Students should see that the satellite
campuses of Gardner-Webb University
are broadening and diversifying our
community. The patrons of the Boiling
Springs campus can anticipate being
affected in an intangible way said
Webber.
Most people don’t know about the
Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, said
Webber, but if you introduce them to a
satellite campuses located in a major
metropolitian area, the name will gain
recognition.
The satelite campuses help add to
Gardner-Webb’s credibility, value and
identity said Webber, “We are increas
ing our exposure to rise in status as an
institution.”
Day of Caring successful
LaDonna Beeker
Pilot staff
United Way’s annual Day
of Caring was held at Gardner-
Webb on Sept. 15. Children
from ages seven to 17 partici
pated, while GWU students
volunteered to help run the
games, activities, face painting
and crafts.
“Running the big group
games was great! It was fun
watching the kids have fun,”
exclaimed Jay Denton, a fresh
man. This is the second year
that Gardner-Webb has held
this event on campus.
The Day of Caring was part
of United Way's mentor pro
gram, which gives kids positive
role models. The program is
open to volunteers over 18
years of age. After the applica
tion process, volunteers are set
up with a child that matches
their interests.
A volunteer for the pro
gram has to spend at least 16
hours a month for one year with
the child they are matched with.
The volunteer, child and the
parent of the child can choose
an activity that they agree on.
Such activities may include
going to a movie, washing their
cars, going shopping or out to
eat. Once a month. United Way
provides 8 percent of the needs
for the mentor program which
enables an activity to be put
together once a month for the
volunteer and child to spend
time together free of charge.
Governor Jim Hunt started
this mentor program in 1982.
Cleveland County was ranked
14th, the highest in the state on
Juvenile Delinquency. Since
the program has started, the
directors of the program are
proud to say that they have
accomplished an 87 percent
success rate. This percentage
includes children without con
tact with juvenile court and sus
pension from school.
Pam Greene, the director of
the Youth Assistant Program is
a graduate from Gardner-Webb
with a Bachelor of Arts in
Psychology and a Masters
Degree in School Counseling.
“The children give the
Gardner-Webb students auto
matic respect because of their
ages being so close together,”
she said.
“The kids respect you
because you respect them,” said
Denton.
Amanda Mauldwin gradu
ated from GWU last year with a
double major in Psychology
and Sociology. She has been
volunteering for the mentor
program for the past four years.
“Volunteering is fun and
the most rewarding because
you really make a difference in
the lives of the children. These
activities keep the kids busy
and it gives them hope for the
future. They make a lot of
friends and do better in school,”
Mauldwin explained.
Kelly Brame and Sarah
Shong helped on Gardner-
Webb’s behalf as they coordi
nated the activities.
The mentor program is
thankful for everything that
Gardner-Webb University has
done for them.
“We have come to basket
ball games, football games,
received tennis lessons and
time to swim in the pool for the
children,” said Pam Greene.
“Gardner-Webb has always
helped on anything that we
have asked for,” said Greene.
New concentration in
Youtii i\/linisitry added
Monica Houser
Pilot staff
The Department of
Religious Studies has intro
duced a new concentration this
fall. Youth Education Studies
(YES) is geared towards stu
dents interested in youth min
istry. The concentration
requires 30 hours to major and
15 hours to minor.
In planning since last fall,
this new concentration had to
be worked through the
Religion department as a
whole, presented to the cur
riculum committee, voted on
by the faculty and incorporat
ed into the catalog.
“I am excited about this
new concentration. We as a
department want to be on the
cutting edge of preparing stu
dents, able to sense their needs,
as well as provide a tremen
dous amount of flexibility,”
said Ron Williams, Chair of the
Religion Department.
Junior Jonathan Spangler,
a Religious Studies major, is
happy to be a part of this new
program in the department.
“It’s great to have classes
specifically geared to prepar
ing me for every aspect of
youth ministry. I’m excited to
have a specific part in the
Religion department.”
This concentration is the
fourth to be offered by the
Religion Department. The oth
ers concentrations include
Religious Education, Religious
Studies and Biblical
Languages and Literature.
The department is also
offering other new programs,
including a Religious Studies
major for GOAL students and
the Tri-State School of
Theology for the Deaf at
Ridgecrest Baptist Retreat
Center near Asheville.
In the works for next fall is
an online program, DEAF.com,
offering courses online for
American Sign Language, as
well as a Christian Missions
concentration.