Gardner–Webb University

Gardner–Webb University (Gardner–Webb, GWU, or GW) is a private Christian university in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. It was founded as Boiling Springs High School in 1905. Gardner–Webb is classified among "Doctoral/Professional Universities".

Over 3,000 students attend Gardner–Webb, including undergraduate, graduate, and online students. Nine colleges and schools offer more than 80 undergraduate and graduate major fields of study. GWU's Runnin' Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big South Conference in most sports, although the men's and women's swim teams compete in the Coastal Collegiate Swim Association and the wrestling team competes in the Southern Conference.

History

Beginnings

On December 2, 1905, the Boiling Springs High School was chartered as a result of an initiative sponsored by the Kings Mountain Baptist Association ( Cleveland County) and the Sandy Run Baptist Association ( Rutherford County). The institution served as a place "where the young...could have the best possible educational advantages under distinctive Christian influence." In May 1905, Boiling Springs Baptist Church voted to offer its old church house, five acres of land, and $2,700 to the institution, and on July 10, 1905, Boiling Springs was officially chosen for the site of the school. The location of the high school was essential, as it was located near the border of the school's sponsors, Kings Mountain and Sandy Run, and had easy access to brick building materials. The institution's name, Boiling Springs High School, was decided on October 27, 1905, and its charter was accepted less than two months later by the school's trustees. Willard Winslow Washburn, the man who first set forth the idea of a Christian school at Boiling Springs, and the first man to sign the certificate of incorporation would go on to serve on the board of trustees for the first 30 years of its existence. The town of Boiling Springs is named after the natural springs that can be found on campus. They provided clean water for the school when it began operation in 1907.

J.D. Huggins was made the high school's first principal on July 25, 1907. The complete faculty, which consisted of only five teachers, including Huggins, was hired by the fall of 1907. Classes started in October of the same year, although the main building, the Huggins-Curtis Building, was not complete. Students lived in various homes in the community and used classrooms from the nearby elementary school until the building's completion in 1908. The building included classrooms, auditoriums, a chapel, library, principal's office, cafeteria, living quarters, literary societies, a music room, and parlors. Although it burned down in 1957, it signified the promise and progress of the school so far.

Boiling Springs High School focused on Christian education, as evident in the school's motto, ''Pro Deo et Humanitate'' (for God and Humanity). These words were inscribed upon "the ageless granite arch" on campus, which still exists today. Original tuition was $76.05 for a term of nine months, and although the school attracted a wide variety of students with varied interests, its focus centered around ministerial education.

Expansion and growth

The high school became Boiling Springs Junior College on September 3, 1928 due to the changing educational needs of the area. The Great Depression created many obstacles for the college, but its survival was secured by the sacrifices of loyal supporters. The college began with seven departments: English, mathematics, natural science, foreign language, social science, Bible, and education. The first graduating class consisted of roughly 200 students, with one of the earliest graduates being W. J. Cash, author of ''The Mind of the South.''

In 1942, Governor O. Max Gardner began devoting his energy, time, and wealth to strengthening the college. On June 15, the trustees voted to change the name to Gardner–Webb Junior College in honor of Gardner and his wife, Fay Webb-Gardner. That officially took effect on August 27, 1942. During the following year, the institution embarked on a $300,000 financial campaign. At the conclusion of this initiative the trustees announced the school to be debt-free.

The decades following World War II were years of physical growth and academic development. New buildings went up as enrollments increased. On October 23, 1969, Gardner–Webb filed with the register of deeds for an official name change from Gardner–Webb Junior College to Gardner–Webb College in preparation for the first four-year class (for students earning bachelor's degrees) in 1971. A major step in the institutions' development was its full accreditation as a senior college in December 1971, gaining the name Gardner–Webb College. In 1980, the college began a graduate program, which became the Graduate School in the 1990s. The School of Divinity was also founded during this time. On November 12, 1991, Gardner–Webb was approved to seek university status by the board of trustees. The institution officially became known as Gardner–Webb University in January 1993 and by the early 2000s the school had more than 3,200 students and 135 faculty members.

E. B. Hamrick Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Recent history

In 2007, Gardner–Webb University, along with four other private North Carolina Christian colleges, began a process to change their relationships with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, in order to obtain more academic freedom and select their own trustees. The state convention also agreed to start transferring funds traditionally given directly to the universities into a new scholarship fund for Baptist students.

In 2009, the schools gained autonomy from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and established a "good faith and cooperative" relationship with it. The four other schools were, Mars Hill University, Campbell University, Wingate University, and Chowan University. A year later in 2010 the Tucker Student Center, was named after Robert B. Tucker following his $5.5 million donation.

In 2021, Gardner–Webb University purchased nearly two acres of land in Boiling Springs for the construction of an amphitheater complex. The State of North Carolina allocated $500,000 towards the outdoor amphitheater project in July 2022.

Featured LOTS LGBT speaker Cody Sanders and reaction

In February 2014, openly gay minister and Gardner–Webb alumnus Cody Sanders was invited to speak about his recent book ''Queer Lessons for Churches on the Straight and Narrow: What All Christians can Learn from LGBTQ Lives'' as a part of the Life of the Scholar speaker series. Sanders's invitation to Gardner–Webb received greater attention after a letter to the editor titled "Where are the wise at Gardner–Webb?" was published in ''The Biblical Recorder'', the bi-weekly newspaper of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC). This prompted Gardner–Webb University's president at the time, Frank Bonner, to publish a response in the same paper affirming the university's stance that marriage is to be between one man and one woman.

Campus

The main campus in Boiling Springs is situated on 225 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlotte and Asheville. There is an additional satellite campus in Charlotte.

The E.B. Hamrick Hall is the oldest existing building on the Gardner–Webb campus. It was built during the 1920s and dedicated to students who died during World War I. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, and was rededicated to all students and alumni who died during military service (in all wars since World War I) in 2021. Today, the Hamrick Hall is the home for the Godbold College of Business.

Academics

There are over 3,000 students enrolled at Gardner–Webb, including the day program, graduate studies, Gardner–Webb Online, and the Degree Completion Program (designed for adult learners seeking to finish their degree). Out of these students, 66% are female and 34% are male, and in all come from a total of 36 foreign countries, 44 states and 92 North Carolina counties. There are nine colleges and schools that offer nearly 80 undergraduate and graduate major fields of study. The top majors for GWU students are nursing, biology, exercise science, psychology and business. The top five academic departments and programs are Business, Nursing, Natural Sciences, Exercise Sciences and Communication Studies.

As of spring 2025, there were 132 full-time faculty members, 71% of full-time faculty had a Ph.D. or an equivalent degree, and the average class size was 13 students.

Rankings

In the 2024 college rankings of '' U.S. News & World Report'', Gardner–Webb was ranked tied for 356 of 394 in a list of national universities. GWU's core curriculum ranks in the nation's top two percent for quality and breadth, according to the '' What Will They Learn?'' study by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. The study rated schools on an "A" through "F" scale, where Gardner–Webb has been the only school in the Carolinas, to earn an "A" from 2011 to 2021.

Admissions

The acceptance rate at Gardner–Webb is 60%; admissions are conducted on a rolling basis. The average admissions statistics for the class of 2025 are: SAT: 1015; ACT: 22; GPA: 3.72.

Honor code

Gardner–Webb students are expected to follow a strict honor code, signing a pledge upon enrollment to "uphold honesty, integrity, and truthfulness in all realms of University life."

Accreditations and Affiliations

Gardner–Webb is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

In addition, several departmental programs are accredited by the appropriate state or national agencies. The education program is accredited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The music and nursing programs are accredited respectively by the National Association of Schools of Music and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. The School of Divinity is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada. The athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The School of Business is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The university is authorized by the immigration authorities of the United States for the training of foreign students.

It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (Southern Baptist Convention) the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the Baptist General Association of Virginia.

Student life

Demographics

Gardner–Webb hosts students from 44 different states, 36 foreign countries, and 92 North Carolina counties. The student body is approximately 66% female and 34% male and the racial makeup of the student body is 52% White, 25% Black, 15% Unclassified, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% Multiracial, 1% American Indian.

Campus recreation

Gardner–Webb offers recreational activities designed to "enrich the quality of physical, mental, spiritual, and social life of University community members." Fitness classes, like crossfit, zumba, aerobics, yoga, and dance, are available, as well as individual training sessions offered through the Suttle Wellness Center.

LOTS-MC

The Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference (LOTS-MC) is an academic conference founded in 1997 that is held on campus every year for undergraduate and graduate students to present their work. This conference is divided up into academic fields such as Religion & Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and English Language & Literature to name a few. The field of students is often large and the event lasts all day. At the end of the program, an award is given for the best-written paper by a graduate student, and a prize is given for the best presentation by a graduate student. The 20th Anniversary LOTS-MC was held in 2017 and honored the founders of the conference Les and Joyce Brown.

Athletics

Gardner–Webb offers 21 varsity sports at the NCAA Division I level, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling, swimming, track and field, cross country, softball, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, cheerleading, and golf. Ten of these are men's and eleven are women's.

The athletic teams are known as the Runnin' Bulldogs and support the school colors of scarlet, black and white. The bulldogs are part of the Big South Conference, although the men's and women's swim teams belong to the Coastal Collegiate Swim Association, and the wrestling team belongs to the Southern Conference.

Gardner–Webb men's basketball has also been a growing program. In 2012, the team played against North Carolina and earlier, in the 2007–2008 season, pulled an 84–68 upset win against Kentucky. They have reached every national tournament on every level, finally making the NCAA Division I Men's National Tournament in 2019 after winning the Big South conference tournament. That 2018–2019 championship season is the subject of the documentary The Dancin' Bulldogs released on October 16, 2020. The basketball program also has developed recent success as a head coach springboard. Former head coach Chris Holtmann after leaving Gardner–Webb was the head coach of Butler University and now Ohio State.

In 2011, the women's basketball team were Big South Conference champions and were awarded a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship tournament, facing No. 3 seed Miami. This was the first appearance for the team in the tournament. In 2023, the 'dawgs recorded an undefeated conference record (18–0) and a 21-game win streak winning with Big South regular season and the conference tournament titles. No Big South basketball team (men or women) ever finished the season undefeated. GWU finished the season 29–5 with a loss to the University of Utah in the NCAA tournament.

Gardner-Webb football players first took the field in 1920, and in its history, the program has earned 18 conference titles. In 2022, Gardner–Webb won the Big South Conference and competed in its first ever NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, winning a first round game on the road against Eastern Kentucky University 52–41; during the playoffs, home teams were 20–2, and the Runnin' Bulldogs were one of only two road squads to earn a win. Gardner–Webb dominated the Big South honors for 2022; quarterback Bailey Fisher was Offensive Player of the Year; defensive lineman Ty French was named Defensive Player of the Year; GWU linebacker Ty Anderson was the Defensive Freshman of the Year; Runnin' Bulldogs linebacker William McRainey was voted the Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the league, and GW head coach Tre Lamb was selected Coach of the Year.  In 2023, Gardner–Webb won the inaugural Big South-OVC Conference title and earned a playoff berth. Since 1970, teams have won six conference championships (two in the South Atlantic Conference, three in the Big South, and one in the Big South-OVC). The Gardner–Webb Runnin' Football Bulldogs were national runner-ups (NAIA) in 1992 and ended the season with a 12–2 record; they also made the NAIA quarter finals in 1987 with an 11–2 mark. The football team won conference titles in:

* 1930, 1932
* 1951, 1952, 1955, 1956
* 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
* 1987
* 1992—Team finished as NAIA national runner-up had a school record for wins (12).
* 2002—Inaugural Big South Conference championship team has the best record (9–1) in senior college history.
* 2003—‘Dawgs ranked #25 in the 2003 USA Today Coaches Poll, a preseason national poll. They finished the season 8–4 and 4–0 in the Big South.
* 2022—GW was 5–0 in league play behind a record-setting offense and a hard-nosed defense.
* 2023—The team finished the regular season 5–0 at home—the first time GWU went undefeated at home since the 2003 season, when the Runnin' Bulldogs were 6–0 at home.

In men's golf, Gardner–Webb was a two-time NAIA National Champion (1976, 1977) and runner-up in 1979, all under head coach Garland Allen. Allen also gained national coach of the year honors twice during the championship run. Golfer Zack Byers became the first Gardner–Webb student-athlete to compete in the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships. He earned the honor by winning the Big South Tournament and advancing from the NCAA West Palm Beach Regional.

In 2012, Gardner–Webb University's men's swimming team placed third at the 2008 CCSA conference, setting several school records and finishing closely behind College of Charleston and Davidson. The men's team also made the list of top academic teams for Division I men's swimming, averaging a 3.17 GPA and placing .01 ahead of schools like George Washington University.
The women's swimming team placed third at the 2008 conference championships. Before joining the CCSA conference the women's swim team was a part of the NEC. , the women's team was four time NEC conference champions. In 2012, the women's team won its twelfth consecutive Scholastic All-America (CSCAA) honor, averaging a 3.55 grade average and falling behind schools like Columbia University by 0.01 and Dartmouth College by 0.06. The list includes all Division I women's swim teams that average a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs men's soccer program began in 1987, and was coached by Tony Setzer from 1988 to 2022. The Runnin' Bulldogs competed in the 2006 NCAA Tournament moving past No. 23 UAB in the first round before falling to No. 9 Clemson on Nov. 15. In 2024, the Men's Soccer team earned its first Big South Conference title (12-3-3) and a berth into the NCAA Tournament, where the Runnin' Bulldogs pulled an upset on the road against Oregon State.

GWU's men's tennis team earned Big South Conference regular season honors as champs in 2023 and 2024 with 19-wins in the 2024 season (a single-season best for the team and conference). They also won the Big South in 2019 in a Covid-shortened season. Head Coach Mike Griffith was named 2023 and 2024 coach of the year.

The Bulldog mascot

For over a century, the bulldog mascot has been associated with Gardner–Webb. Athletic marks, living animals, and costumed versions of the mascot have represented Gardner–Webb on the field of play and within the community. The first reported use of the mascot for Gardner–Webb was in 1922.

Throughout the decades, the Gardner–Webb live bulldog mascots have carried names like Butch, Chins, Victor, Barney, Roebuck and Bo. The costumed mascots have been known as Mack, Mac, and Lulu, while the trademarked Runnin' Bulldog logo has been referred to by Mack and Mac.

In 2021, the university introduced the newest official live mascot, "Bo", an English Bulldog. Bo makes appearances at home athletic events, campus and community activities.

Notable alumni

* George Adams, professional basketball player
* Tim Behrendorff, professional basketball player
* W. J. Cash, author of ''Mind of the South'' (1917–18) when the university was Boiling Springs High School
* Dobson Collins, professional football player
* Linda Combs, Controller of the Office of Management and Budget for two White House administrations
* John Drew, professional basketball player
* Orlando Early, college basketball coach
* David Efianayi, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Jim Garrison, professional football coach
* Artis Gilmore, professional basketball player
* Eddie G. Grigg, president and founder of Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary
* Terry Guess, professional football player
* Charlie Harbison, college football coach
* Johnny Hunt, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention
* Brian Johnston, professional football player
* Tyler Kettering, professional soccer player
* Scott Krotee, professional soccer player
* Blake Lalli, professional baseball manager
* Jon Langston, country musician
* Martha Mason, writer
* Jim Maxwell, professional football player
* Sara McMann, 2004 Olympic silver medalist in women's freestyle wrestling; professional mixed martial arts fighter
* Mason Miller, professional baseball player
* Ron Rash, novelist and poet
* Chris Salvaggione, professional soccer player
* Nelson Searcy, author and evangelist
* William Caskey Swaim, actor
* Jim Washburn, professional football coach
* Mallory Weggemann, record-setting Paralympic swimmer (and gold-medalist) for the United States Swim Team
* Martin D. Whitaker, physicist, director of Clinton Laboratories (now the Oak Ridge National Laboratory) during World War II, and president of Lehigh University
* Eddie Lee Wilkins, professional basketball player
* Gabe Wilkins, professional football player

References

External links

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Baptist Christianity in North Carolina
Education in Cleveland County, North Carolina
Private universities and colleges in North Carolina
Universities and colleges affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Convention
Universities and colleges established in 1905
Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Buildings and structures in Cleveland County, North Carolina
1905 establishments in North Carolina