Guiding Generations

Pam Scruggs Reflects on 45 Years of Transformative Service

After 45 years of unwavering service, Pam Scruggs retired from Gardner-Webb University in spring 2025, leaving behind a profound legacy marked by leadership, mentorship, and steadfast devotion to the student-athletes she served. Honored with emeritus status—a rare and distinguished recognition—Scruggs departs as one of the University’s longest-serving staff members.

Joining Gardner-Webb in 1980 as an administrative assistant to Athletics Director Dan Moore, Scruggs quickly became a cornerstone of the athletics department. Though she briefly stepped away to work in food services, she returned to athletics in the mid-1980s, ultimately rising to associate athletics director and senior women’s administrator. Her impact spanned decades and touched countless lives.

“I always felt like this is where the Lord wanted me to be,” Scruggs reflected. “This is home.”

Over the years, Scruggs became synonymous with Gardner-Webb Athletics. Known for her calm demeanor, attention to detail, and remarkable dependability, she was the department’s go-to person. Whether solving complex logistics or offering quiet mentorship, Scruggs’ leadership was felt by student-athletes and colleagues alike.

“Being calm helps,” she said. “Approaching things level-headed lets you handle situations the best way possible. And if you’re going to do something, do it—and do it well.”

Nowhere was her influence more visible than in women’s athletics. As senior women’s administrator, she guided young female athletes through the rigors of sport and scholarship, celebrating their growth on and off the field. “It’s hard to be a student-athlete,” she acknowledged. “But to watch those young women succeed—balancing games, travel, academics—it says a lot about what they’ve learned at Gardner-Webb.”

Honored with emeritus status— a rare and distinguished recognition—Scruggs departs as one of the University’s longest-serving staff members.

One former volleyball player stands out in her memory—a student she once feared wouldn’t graduate. “She was headed down the wrong road,” Scruggs recalled. “But I spent time with her, listened. Now she has a family of her own, and her children are preparing for college. That’s the reward—seeing them thrive.”

In 2009, Gardner-Webb inducted her into its Athletics Hall of Fame. She also received the Paris Yelton Memorial Award in 2015 for her service to community sports and was named GWU Staff Member of the Year. Perhaps most meaningful is the annual Pam Scruggs Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leadership Award, given to student-athletes who embody the character and commitment Scruggs exemplified.

“It’s humbling,” she said. “I hope long after I’m gone, students will see that name and understand how much I loved this place.”

Her relationships with faculty mentors like the late Dr. Barry Hambright and Dr. Tony Eastman inspired her own approach to mentorship. “They left a lasting impression on me,” she shared. “I’ve tried to pass that on.”

One of Scruggs’ proudest memories came during the historic 2022–23 season, when the Gardner-Webb women’s basketball team delivered a performance for the ages. The team captured both the Big South Conference regular season and tournament titles, becoming the first basketball team—men’s or women’s—in Big South Conference history to complete league play undefeated. Their dominance extended beyond the record books, earning the team a wave of accolades including Big South Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and multiple all-conference selections. For Scruggs, the experience was unforgettable. “Maybe because I’m female,” she laughed, “But that moment was glorious. To witness it—just incredible.”

Though officially retired, Scruggs’ legacy continues in the culture she helped shape and the student lives she helped transform. When asked how she’d like to be remembered, she said: “Dependable. Faithful. Encouraging. Grateful.”

For Gardner-Webb, Pam Scruggs is all those things—and more.