Contributions on Double Dawg Day Help Gardner-Webb Nursing and Exercise Science Programs Enhance Learning

Funds Given to College of Health Sciences Support Purchase of Equipment

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Your donations on Double Dawg Day can help prepare students in the College of Health Sciences in the fields of nursing and exercise science. Because technology and research evolve rapidly, these programs strive to consistently update technology and improve equipment.

Simulation Mannequins Help Develop Nursing Skills

Students in the Hunt School of Nursing use a variety of technology including low-fidelity simulation mannequins for practicing fundamental medical skills before progressing to more complex situations. Hunt School of Nursing Director and Associate Professor Dr. Anna S. Hamrick along with her faculty and staff have a goal to replace all 16 of the school’s low-fidelity mannequins. “We have secured funding for 10 of the 16 from the operating budget and other grants, and we are hopeful that gifts on Double Dawg Day may assist towards the last six this year,” she informed.

Simulation using mannequins allow students to develop their skills and practice procedures in a safe environment. It is a financial investment to maintain the latest technology. Hamrick noted that the cost is approximately $18,000 per low-fidelity mannequin. 

Simulation Coordinator and Nursing Instructor Tara R. Hayes noted her gratitude to donors for their continuing support. “Thank you; we truly cannot express how crucial this equipment is to our everyday work educating future nurses,” she acknowledged. “The mannequins and other equipment play a pivotal role in ensuring our students receive the highest-quality education and hands-on experience to produce the next generation of Bulldog Nurses. From assessing lung sounds to learning to apply advanced cardiac treatment therapies, our students are engaging in realistic, immersive simulations, and for providing that opportunity, we are forever grateful to you!”  

David Moore, a student in the Associate of Science in Nursing program who graduates in May 2026, said the simulation and skills development play a crucial role in his education. “The mannequins enable us to practice a wide range of skills, from basic tasks like taking vital signs to complex procedures like administering medications or performing CPR,” Moore noted. “We also learn to assess patients, interpret data, and make informed decisions.”

Amber Baker is in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and will graduate in May. “The simulation mannequins are important to my learning experience because they allow me to develop nursing judgement,” she explained. “The simulation mannequins can be set to deliver certain cues that real life patients can exhibit. With those cues, I can try an intervention to see if it will work, and if it doesn’t, it still allows me to grow from the experience. The simulation mannequins also provide a real-life experience by being able to talk, have alternating vital signs, give birth, etc. So, it allows me to take what I learned in class and apply it with the simulation mannequins, so that I am learning in different styles.”

Baker added that the mannequins can generate a heart rhythm, vital signs, breath sounds, etc. “We have parts of simulation mannequins that allow us to give IV’s or draw blood if needed or to deal with anything that needs to be inserted into the mannequin,” she elaborated.

Both Baker and Moore are grateful to Gardner-Webb donors who contribute to their education by helping purchase the mannequin simulators. Baker affirmed, “I would also tell them that not only are they helping nursing students, but they are also helping change patients’ lives by ensuring that student nurses are educated and well equipped to handle real-time world scenarios.”

Moore expressed, “I personally want to thank each and every donor for helping us in our journey through nursing school.”

Human Performance Equipment Helps Students Apply Exercise Science Theories  

For students in the Department of Exercise Science, Assistant Professor Dr. Jonathan Ahearn will use donations from Double Dawg Day to purchase a new metabolic cart, which is $20,000. “A metabolic cart is a device used to measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production to assess an individual’s cardiorespiratory function and fuel utilization during different modes of physical activity, providing insights into energy expenditure and cardiorespiratory fitness,” Ahearn described. “Our students use these carts on a daily basis to learn how to assess clients, including special populations, to enhance their health status and overall quality of life. In most competitor programs, all students do not get the opportunity to use such equipment, but all our students get hands-on training with this equipment in multiple courses across our curriculum.”

The department needs two carts, and future donations on Double Dawg Day will help buy the second one. Ahearn would also like to raise funds to buy four new cycle ergometers, which make assessments to achieve peak performance. These machines cost $6,000 each and are integral to the program—used in labs, practical exams and service-learning projects—allowing students to apply the theories they are learning. “If you consider the amount of practice EXSI 310 students complete in preparation for their practicals, these bikes are the most heavily used equipment in lab, outside of desks,” explained Dr. Jeff Hartman, director of the Human Performance Lab. “These bikes would allow students to further develop their applied skills.”

The program has other equipment needs, such as two Wingate Test Ergometers used for anaerobic power testing; the BodPod and Body Stat used in body composition assessment labs; and two treadmills that permit inclines greater than 15%, which are necessary for completing the Bruce VO2max treadmill test. These machines cost an estimated total of $40,000. “VO2max testing is the gold standard assessment for aerobic fitness, meaning these treadmills could and should serve as a foundational piece of equipment for all lab-based courses in EXSI,” Ahearn informed. “In addition, their functionality means they will serve as a cornerstone of all service-orientated experiences focused on community wellness assessment.”

He noted the equipment will replace older items and provide new opportunities to enhance student skill acquisition within the human performance and exercise science field. Ahearn observed, “These experiences are gamechangers as the students are rigorously prepared for internships and employment within the field.”

Allyson Butts earned her bachelor’s in exercise science in 2023 and her master’s in strength and conditioning in 2024 from Gardner-Webb. A Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist via the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Butts is employed as the lead strength coach at Architech Sports & Physical Therapy in Charlotte, N.C. She noted how essential this equipment is to applying and developing assessment skills. “Gardner-Webb’s exercise science program did an excellent job providing me with a robust knowledge of the field,” she praised. “I learned strength and conditioning principles and developed programming and coaching skills, but I also learned to see exercise through the lenses of exercise physiology, motor behavior, motor learning, psychology, and sociology. I left knowing how to make evidence-based decisions on exercise for athletes of all ages and levels of skill.”

Double Dawg Day – April 10

This is a day to increase scholarships, advance championships and have an impact on current and future students at Gardner-Webb University. Choose the people, programs and causes you want to support across the GWU campus. Some options include:

• University Priority Fund, which supports the greatest needs of the University.
• Annual Fund, which supports student scholarships.
• School/College Priority Fund, which provides the dean with the ability to respond quickly to emerging opportunities, transform the student experience and strengthen operational capacity.
• The University’s 22 athletic teams, which supports facilities and training.

Learn about additional ways gifts on #DoubleDawgDay support student research 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. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.