Rooted in Tradition, Growing in Faith: Legacy Families Gather at Gardner-Webb University

Alumni Return to Pin Their Legacy Students and Celebrate Lasting Impacts of GWU Education

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—“Three generations; one special place. Gardner-Webb wasn’t just a school; it was a second home,” described Brandy Borders Curtis, Class of 2003, a daughter of an alumna and mother of a first-year student. Her words resonated with the students, family and friends gathered on Sept. 13 in Tucker Student Center. A special Family Weekend event, the Legacy Ice Cream Social was a time for alumni to reminisce about their Gardner-Webb University experience, to pin their Legacy Student and pass the GWU torch to the next generation.

In his welcome, Interim GWU President Nate Evans noted, “Today is about celebrating tradition, celebrating memories, and the stories that we all share together. Whether you were here 40 years ago, 50 years ago, 10 years ago, or just five years ago, we can all talk about the power of legacy here at Gardner-Webb. The lessons learned here are not just for a season, they are for a lifetime.”

Curtis’ mother, Cindy Borders, received her master’s degree from Gardner-Webb in 1983. She was eight months pregnant with Brandy when she walked across the stage at graduation. Recently, Curtis’ daughter, Caroline, began her GWU journey. She’s majoring in business management and is a recipient of The LeGrand Ware Scholarship, an award established to honor students from Cleveland or Rutherford County who have achieved high academic distinction and who plan to pursue a degree in business.

“We are just tickled to death that she decided to come to Gardner-Webb, because we received such a great education,” Borders said.

Curtis, an elementary education major, was also a member of the GWU tennis team, which enriched her college experience. “My teammates were like family,” she stated. “We trained hard, laughed harder and lifted each other up through every win and loss on and off the court. I still stay in touch with many of them, we try to meet up for a weekend and when we do, it’s like no time has passed at all.”

She continued, “It’s rare, but it’s real. This University is where I made many of my lifelong friends. When it came time for my daughter to choose her college, we visited lots of campuses, but nothing could compare to Gardner-Webb.”

Curtis added that her daughter is already experiencing the same things she herself did back in the early 2000s. “I’m even more grateful that this university continues to offer students that same family atmosphere in Christ, their foundation, that made such a difference in my life,” she asserted.

Before closing her speech, Curtis praised Gardner-Webb for preparing her to teach and ultimately become an elementary school principal. “The professors helped shape my path with wisdom, patience and encouragement,” she acknowledged. “I still use what I learned here every single day.”

Before the pinning ceremony, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Shannon Hovis explained the significance of the pin. “To our Legacy Students, today you are receiving not just a pin, but a promise,” she expressed. “The pin symbolizes the values that have shaped your family’s journey here: faith, perseverance, friendship, and service. It connects you to those who have gone before you and reminds you that you are now part of something greater than yourself.”

She continued, “To our Legacy Family Members, as you pin your students, you pass along more than just a symbol. You pass along your prayers, your hopes, your belief in the power of this Gardner-Webb experience. You affirm that the same community that shaped you will now walk alongside your student.”

Pat Wells, Class of 1963, appreciated the opportunity to attend the event with her great-niece, Sophie Townsend. Wells’ mother was Townsend’s great-grandmother. “Her dad was my nephew and my sister’s son, and she’s no longer with us, so this is an honor for me to come and pin her,” Wells explained. “We were all education majors.”

Not only did Townsend follow in her family’s footsteps and choose to attend Gardner-Webb, she is also an education major. Besides selecting Gardner-Webb because of her family’s influence, Townsend was impressed by GWU’s record as a safe campus, as reported in a college ranking by the New York Times.

Townsend’s decision to pursue a degree in education was only partly influenced by her family’s background. She has discovered a love for inspiring young minds through her job teaching art classes to elementary school children at a studio in Belmont, N.C.

Also attending were Brandie Bruner and her daughter, Maleah. Brandie has two degrees from Gardner-Webb. She earned her bachelor’s in human services and counseling in 2012 as a student in the degree completion program. In May, Brandie finished her Master of Divinity with a concentration in missiology and intercultural studies.

Brandie’s professor and advisor, Dr. Terry Casiño, was instrumental in persuading Maleah to come to school at Gardner-Webb. At Casiño’s invitation, Brandie and Maleah started attending his church, Concord International in Huntersville, N.C., and Casiño talked to Maleah about attending Gardner-Webb.

Maleah’s goal was to go into the military, so Casiño told her about Gardner-Webb’s ROTC program. “He encouraged me, and it fit because I was telling him about how I really wanted to go the officer route,” Maleah related. “He said, ‘You’re going to be under my wing. I’m going to be right there.’”

A psychology major, Maleah has enjoyed bonding with the ROTC cadets and has decided to become a lawyer in the military. “I’m so glad to be here at Gardner-Webb,” Maleah stated. “I love the school. Actually, this is home now.”

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. Learn more at gardner-webb.edu.