Memories, Friendships and a Spirit of Service Draw Alumni Back to Gardner-Webb for Special Reunion

Class of 1981 Marks 45th Reunion by Welcoming Alumni from Six Gardner-Webb Classes

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—When members of Gardner-Webb University’s Class of 1981 return to campus for a homecoming reunion in November, they will reconnect with longtime friends to celebrate the 45th anniversary of their graduation. The event began as a conversation between 1981 classmates Carla Hill Potter and Lynne Colley but soon evolved into something bigger.

Rather than celebrate alone, the Class of 1981 chose to invite alumni from the Classes of 1979 through 1984 to join the occasion. With guidance from Shannon Hovis, director of Alumni Relations, the gathering has grown into an opportunity for these classmates and friends to share life updates and reflect on the experiences that shaped their years at Gardner-Webb.

In addition to enjoying the regular Homecoming festivities, the Classes of 1979-1984 and their guests will share a meal following the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Nov. 7. The gathering will begin with registration at 5:30 p.m. “We hope that everyone feels invited and comes to reminisce and catch up and share updates on their lives,” Colley said.

The enthusiasm has spread largely through personal connections, a fitting development for a reunion centered on relationships that have lasted long after graduation.

Many alumni from that era never lost touch. Colley points to her friendship with Fred Glennon, Class of 1979, as one example. For more than 30 years, the two exchanged letters twice each year, once on each other’s birthdays. Over time, those letters helped build friendships that extended beyond the two classmates. Fred and his wife, Lindy Glennon, also a member of the Class of 1979, eventually visited Colley and her husband while the couple was living in England. The visit led to lasting friendships among all four.

Colley also remains connected with Marti Christensen and June Buchanan Snelson, both members of the Class of 1979 and affectionately known around campus as “the girls from Washington State.” Earlier this year, Colley and her husband traveled to Washington to visit June and her husband, Greg, while Christensen now lives in Boiling Springs.

The friendships formed on campus are only part of what makes the era memorable. In the spring of 1980, Colley made Gardner-Webb history when she was elected the first woman president of the Student Government Association. For Colley, the accomplishment was about earning the trust of her classmates, not making history. “I wanted people to vote for me not because I was a woman, but because they trusted me to know or to learn the things I would need to know,” she said.

Colley also credits Gardner-Webb faculty with helping her discover capabilities she did not realize she possessed. An English major, she arrived on campus as a first-generation college student uncertain of what to expect. Her academic advisor, the late Dr. Jim Taylor, was one of the first people to recognize and nurture her potential. During their first meeting, Taylor determined she needed more rigorous coursework than the standard freshman schedule. “It was the first time anybody had believed I was smart,” Colley observed. “His manner offered me a confidence I was sure I did not have but wanted to find.”

Looking back, Colley views Taylor’s encouragement as part of a larger culture during the late 1970s and early 1980s that shaped students both inside and outside the classroom. “The spirit that pervaded the campus focused on servant leadership. It was a principle you could see in every facet of college life,” she explained. “As we selected our areas of study, determined our on-campus activities and set goals for ourselves beyond college, how we could serve others was always a factor.”

While alumni have taken many different paths since graduating, they share similar reasons for returning to campus this fall.

Potter, who spent her career in education, and her husband, Phil Potter, an English major who worked in aviation, are looking forward to reconnecting with former classmates and hearing the stories of where life has taken them. Phil’s father, Jerry, helped Gardner-Webb University establish a program for the Deaf in the fall of 1977. The couple, who now live in Supply, N.C., have returned to campus several times for past Homecomings but have never attended a class reunion. Their most recent visit was in July 2026.

Reflecting on their Gardner-Webb experience, the Potters remember a campus community that felt like family. “I think it was the family atmosphere and the way we all felt connected with both our fellow students and the faculty,” Carla offered. “It was the feeling of being on our own for the first time, but still protected.”

The couple also sees the reunion as an opportunity to strengthen bonds that have endured for decades. “We are mostly looking forward to catching up with friends and meeting new friends at the reunion,” the Potters said. “It will be so much fun hearing the stories of our classmates and finding out where life has taken them. The most rewarding part of reconnecting with classmates is realizing that most of us are now retired and free to travel, and that somehow makes the roads seem shorter and gives us hope that we will be able to spend more time together.”

For Ralph Smith of Greer, S.C., the reunion will provide an opportunity to revisit a campus he has not seen in several years and reconnect with classmates he seldom encounters. Smith, who majored in religious education, worked in ministry and higher education before retiring from the automotive industry. He also served as student government vice president during Colley’s term as student body president.

Although his family lived less than an hour away from Gardner-Webb when he was a student, Smith rarely went home on the weekends. He would rather spend time on campus with his friends and support the athletic teams at home. He also traveled to several away games. “I think for the most part the student body was fairly a closeknit group who enjoyed their time at GWU,” he reflected. “I have seen very few people over the years that I went to GWU with, so I guess I’m looking forward to rekindling some old friendships and possibly making some new ones.”

Smith hopes fellow classmates will take advantage of the opportunity to return. “Many folks may be like me and may not have been on campus in a long time,” Smith noted. “I would just like to encourage everyone who was a part of the classes from 1979-84 to come on out and enjoy seeing faces that you may not have seen in many, many years and reminisce about our years at GWU.”

Alumni returning to campus will have the opportunity to enjoy a full weekend of Homecoming festivities, including Bo’s Battle Que BBQ Competition, Hall of Fame Gala, the Homecoming Parade, alumni tailgate, and the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ football matchup against Lindenwood. Find more information on Homecoming events here.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Become More at gardner-webb.edu.