Shaping the Future: Ignite Scholar Annali Silver Seeks to Inspire Rural Students Through History

Gardner-Webb Senior Prepares to Teach and Lead, Honoring Her Roots and Passion for Education

By Makella Knowles, Intern for University Communications

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Annali Silver has been surrounded by all things Gardner-Webb since she was a youngster. Now, as a senior history education major, she praises the program and how it has allowed her to step into her dream of becoming a high school history teacher. Born and raised in Bakersville, N.C., Silver was often in the Boiling Springs area when she was a child visiting Flint Hill Church for Bible Drill Competitions that challenge students to memorize and locate scriptures.

Silver has many other connections to GWU, as her father is an alumnus who started in 1993, a member of the first freshmen class to begin studies after Gardner-Webb achieved University status. She learned about the Ignite Scholarship Program from her softball coach’s wife, who used to teach at Gardner-Webb. When she came to campus for the Ignite interview, she spoke to a science professor who remembered her father, and she remembers how helpful and friendly each person was during the interview process. “The entire day solidified the love I had for Gardner-Webb,” she said.

Bakersville is a small, mountainous town near the Tennessee border, and Silver reflects on her experiences attending school in a close-knit, rural community. While she noticed areas for growth, such as more structured history courses in middle school and consistent staffing, she found inspiration in her high school American history teacher. He “made sure my peers and I were accommodated while not holding back the other students,” she explains. “I aspire to be this sort of teacher for rural students who may have had a lack of history before high school.”

Gardner-Webb was one of few colleges in North Carolina that offered a history education degree, so after receiving the Ignite Scholarship, coming to Gardner-Webb was an easy decision for Silver. “I took all of these aligning aspects as a sign from God that Gardner-Webb was where I was supposed to be and what a blessing it has been,” she comments.

The College of Education and the Department of Social Sciences have set Silver up for success, and she speaks on how impactful the small class sizes and caring professors have been in her college journey. She specifically mentions Dr. Timothy Vanderburg and Dr. David Yelton as professors who have encouraged her with advice and instruction.

Post-graduation, Silver would like to head back to her hometown area, working as a high school American history teacher and coaching a sport like her father did when she was growing up. She would also love to come back to Gardner-Webb and help incoming students through the Ignite interview process, supporting students who were in the same place she was years ago.

Silver applies herself academically, receiving membership in Alpha Chi, the highest academic honor offered at Gardner-Webb. She credits her success to her family, “I am where I am today because of their hard work.”

While academics is important, Silver also feels that being involved on campus creates valuable connections and relationships. She participates in various intramural sports, continuing her love of basketball, volleyball, and softball that she’s had from a young age. When her classes and schedule get to be too much, Silver likes to take breaks with the friends she’s had since freshman year. They participate in on-campus events like The Gathering, Paint-A-Palooza, Pancake Bingo, formal dances, and athletic events. She shares, “These are the memories that you will keep, not the grades you made or the time spent on assignments. Find your balance and stick with it!”

Makella Knowles, of Indian Trail, N.C., is a senior majoring in English and minoring in Spanish and marketing.

About the Ignite Scholarship

Ignite Excellence is Gardner-Webb University’s most competitive academic scholarship. Each recipient receives a full-tuition scholarship that covers the cost of tuition for eight semesters. Recipients are selected through an on-campus interview process. Applicants must reside on campus, be enrolled full-time, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5. Learn more here.

About Gardner-Webb

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.