Chasing Goals: Peyton Bryant Finds Success in Soccer, Studies, and Career Planning

Gardner-Webb Ignite Scholar and Student-Athlete Prepares to Pursue MBA at GWU

By Makella Knowles, Intern for University Communications

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Peyton Bryant, a business management major, is eager to launch her career after graduation. Her experiences completing two internships—one in Human Resources (HR) and another in data analytics—have sharpened her interests and allowed her to apply them effectively to her academic studies.

Bryant quickly fell in love with the world of HR and its interactive environment that allowed her to connect with people. At an internship fair hosted by Gardner-Webb in the fall of 2024, she applied for more opportunities and looks forward to continuing work in a similar field. Her academic advisor, Assistant Professor of Business Angelina Smith, has helped set her up for success in choosing her schedule, and Bryant has been able to see a thread of pedagogical connections from class to class as a result.

Growing up surrounded by sports, Bryant has played soccer since the fifth grade. Now a junior at Gardner-Webb, being on the soccer team is a defining part of her college experience. While her athletic journey was a rocky one after suffering from a torn ACL in high school and again last year, Bryant constantly reminds herself that soccer is “something I get to do instead of something I have to do.” She remembers to have fun despite the sport taking up most of her free time outside of school and she discusses how far she’s come mentally since her first injury in high school.

Bryant credits her mom as the one who encouraged her to keep at it after she got cleared to play again in her senior year of high school. She pushed her to attend one more soccer scouting ID camp where she met one of Gardner-Webb’s coaches and set up a visit to the campus. As soon as she arrived at GWU, she knew this was where she wanted to be and could immediately see herself living here for the next four to five years. Unfortunately, most of the athletic scholarship deadlines had passed but applying for and receiving the Ignite Scholarship allowed Bryant to come to Gardner-Webb free of financial worries.

Bryant spends lots of her free time with her teammates and friends, easily balancing her academic, social, and athletic schedules, a routine she’s had from a young age. One of her favorite memories here at the Webb was making it to the finals of the Big South Conference Tournament Championship her freshman year and the amazing experience she had with her teammates and coaches. Additionally, one of her favorite academic experiences with former Assistant Professor Ellen Campos Sousa was their final exam. Set up like a mock interview, the students sat in front of their classmates in a business setting and presented their work to a panel of students. “I was really nervous but it ended up being really fun!” Bryant says.

After graduation, Bryant hopes to stay another year at Gardner-Webb for a master’s program. She has been granted a fifth year of soccer eligibility, so she would be able to continue playing while getting her Master of Business Administration. In 10 years, she hopes to still be in North Carolina with a family and a job in HR.

Bryant is so grateful for her time at Gardner-Webb and the friends she has made. She encourages prospective students with this: “College can be scary … but you will never be alone at Gardner-Webb.”

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.