Gardner-Webb University
lApril 8,2006
wwwgwupUot.com
Volume 9 No. li
Serving
This Edition
News
Tips for-study abroad
With many students going on
trips to other countries over the
summer it seems necessary to dis
cuss ways to make sure you are
traveling safely.
According to the “Interna
tional Travel Safety Information
for Students” administered by the
U. S. Department of State in March
2006, every year more than 2,500
American citizens are arrested
overseas, almost half because of
narcotics.
See International, page 3
Opinion
Apathy about SGA
I am surprised by the seem
ing lack of interest, except from
Student Government Associa
tion members themselves, in
the Pilot’s coverage of the 2006
SGA elections.
Pilot reporters hit the streets
to gauge student reaction and
came back to the newsroom with
a depressing report of apathy.
Students, one journalist report
ed, just don’t care what the SGA
does or doesn’t do.
See Student, page 2
A&E
Photos
Springs Alive
See page 4
In memory of student
See page 5
Inauguration week
See page 8
Weekend
Weather
Saturday
April 8
64/46
Tstms
Sunday
April 9
63/38
Sunny
Source: NOAA
Index
Online
the Gardner-Webb University community for more than 60 years
It’s alive!
Baby a success
Gardner-Webb University’s
Department of Theater and Fine
Arts put its talents to work creat
ing a memorable performance of
the musical “Baby”.
Directed by Scot Lahaie,
“Baby” is the story of three young
couples experiencing the chal
lenges of impending parenthood,
and takes a humorous look at
childbirth.
See Baby, page 3
photo by Kaylin Bowers
Franklin Beam, chairman of GWU’s Board of Trustees, shakes A. Frank Bonner’s hand as Bon
ner is inaugurated president. “Dr. Bonner, the board of trustees has chosen you as president,”
Beam said. “And it is my honor to install you formally.”
It’s official for Bonner
Amanda Wood
Pilot editor-in-chief
A. Frank Bonner made the
grade and Thursday became the
official 12th president of Gardner-
Webb University, after serving in
that position since July 1.
Speaking during the inaugura
tion at the Lutz-Yelton Convoca
tion Center, Kent Blevins, pro
fessor of religion at GWU, said a
student had asked why the univer
sity planned to hold Bonner’s in
auguration more than nine months
after he started the job. Before
Blevins could reply, another stu
dent answered that GWU was
making sure Bonner didn’t flunk
out as president.
Bonner passed with flying col
ors, according to Blevins, and has
been allowed to “enroll for anoth-
Bonner’s Overarching
Goals
1. Strengthen GWU’s
Christian foundation
2. Develop academic ex
cellence; protect aca
demic freedom
3. Exemplify a student-
centered campus
4. Maintain a model
athletic program
5. Build a university
community that ex
emplifies GWU’s
motto, “For God and
Humanity”
Op/Ed...
News
Photos..
A&E
Sports...
er year.
“I’ve had the opportunity to
work closely with Dr. Bonner
these last months, and I have great
confidence in Dr. Bonner’s leader
ship of this school,” Blevins said.
“Dr. Bonner listens, and beyond
listening, he hears. He is trustwor
thy, He is humble, yet confident.”
Anya Huneycutt, president of
the Student Government Asso
ciation, spoke about working with
Bonner from a student’s perspec
tive.
“During this year, I have en
joyed working with Dr. Bonner,
and I have learned that he does
have great things in mind for our
university,” Huneycutt said. “I believe that being
supportive of students is a quality presidents should
have. Dr. Bonner has these qualities.”
Bonner’s Tangible
Goals
1. Increase endowment
2. Increase alumni
loyalty and support
3. A new science
builiding
4. A new student center
5. A performing arts
center
6. Implement campus
master plan
Sarah James
Pilot Web Editor
www.gwupilot.com
Frank Bonner, president of
Gardner-Webb University, an
nounced Tuesday that Ben Leslie
is the new provost and senior vice
president.
“The new provost is the strong
recommendation of the search
committee,” Bonner said. Feed
back received by the committee,
as well as my own impressions,
indicate that he was extremely
well received on this campus. He
is, of course, my choice as well.”
Interim Provost Earl Leininger
was chairman of the search com
mittee and had a strong feeling
about Leslie from the start of the
process.
“The committee was very im
pressed with him from the begin
ning,” said Leininger.
Leininger and Bonner both
agree that Leslie has the knowl
edge and experience needed for
this job.
Leininger said, “He has a su
perb academic background. He
has both the organizational and
personal skills. I think he is a great
Spring festival fun
for GWU community
In his inaugural address to the
audience of invited guests, facul
ty, Staff, students and representa
tives from 67 universities and col
leges, Bonner reiterated his five
overarching goals for the univer
sity and mentioned tangible ways
to achieve them.
“The Gardner-Webb experi
ence must embrace faith and in
tellectual freedom,” Bonner said.
“We will develop a distinctive
academic program that’s hallmark
is connecting students.”
Bonner highlighted his goal
of reaching genuine excellence,
while maintaining optimal enroll
ment numbers and mitigating tu
ition increases.
In his speech, Bonner chal
lenged audience members to dis
cover the reason GWU exists.
“Rarely does the university ap
ply to ourselves the philosopher’s
question of ‘Why?’ Bonner said.
“What is the essential purpose of
Christian higher education? What
is the essential purpose of Gard
ner-Webb University?”
The university’s purpose, ac
cording to Bonner, is to produce
graduates who accomplish its
motto, “For God and humanity.”
“We will send forth graduates
who are fully prepared, motivated
and inspired to make a significant
difference on the people around
them and to leave the world better
than they found it,” Bonner said.
“We have great things in mind for
our students and the world.”
Austin Campbell, a junior religious studies major
See Bonner 5
New provost a ‘great fit’ for GWU
Ronda Carpenter
Pilot Staff Writer
fit for this office and the univer
sity.”
Bonner said, “Dr. Leslie’s aca
demic credentials, scholarship,
and administrative experience are
superb, and he has pastoral experi
ence as well. He has the personali
ty, experience, and skills necessary
to provide outstanding leadership
to the academic program.”
Anya Huneycutt, SGA presi
dent and a senior ifom Albemarle,
N.C., majoring in political sci
ence, agrees with the opinion of
“I woke up that morning and
looked out the window of my
dorm, and all I saw was a gazillion
people on the quad,” said sopho
more Susan James. “That festival
was definitely ‘alive’!”
Gardner-Webb University held
its first aimual Springs Alive Fes
tival last weekend, and the turn
out was tremendous.
Saturday’s festivities on the
quad had everything that any
child (or even grown-up) would
enjoy, including inflatables, car
riage rides, carnival games, bal
loon making, football tosses, sto
rytelling, train rides, field games,
face painting, climbing walls. Kid
ID’s, bake sales, arts, crafts, food
and more. Several different sing
ing groups and bands also came
out to perform for the crowd.
“I came out here with my kids
and ended up having just as good
of a time as they did,” said John
Miller from Shelby. “There was
just so much to see and do.”
Crest Middle School student
Matthew Humphries also came
out Saturday and helped his grand
father with his ice cream stand.
“I’ve enjoyed my Paw Paw’s
ice cream and I had a good time
out here,” said Humphries. “It was
really fun.”
Candace McNealy, 8, agrees
that she also enjoyed herself.
“I liked all the painting stuff
and balloons,” said McNealy. “I
got to jump on the bouncy thing
and even ride on a train!”
The cluster of events that took
place on the quad was just a frac
tion of the activities that were
planned for the busy weekend.
The dedication and ribbon cut
ting of the new boiling spring took
place on Saturday. The spring was
refurbished in memory of Pamela
Darnell, who died June 12, 2005.
“We had a great turn out for
the ribbon cutting and dedication
of the spring,” said LouAnn Gil
liam, director of alumni relations.
“It was a great way to start off the
day. There were possibly over 150
people there for the dedication.”
The Tour de Springs bike ride,
which gave cyclists the option
to ride a 30- or 60- mile course,
started at 8 a.m. at the GWU
Football Center. It took the cy
clists through towns including
Lattimore, Polkville, Fallston and
Kings Mountain.
Katy Peterson, a GWU swim
mer and psychology major from
Danville, Ky., helped with the cy
cling events.
“I thought the turn out for the
event was really good,” said Pe
terson. “85 people took part in the
bike race, which was amazing to
me. I had fun because I got to help
people during the race, and give
them food.
Peterson and other members
of the swim team assisted cyclists
at a rest stop 37 miles out from
GWU.
“People that were on the 60-
mile ride stopped at our rest stop.
We got to meet a whole lot of
people. One of the swimmers was
even riding in it, and so was our
coach.”
Broyhill adventure course was
open for thrill seekers to come
and test their climbing abilities.
The YMCA had a Healthy Kids
Fun Run for students from kinder-
See Provost page 3
See Springs page 3
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