Welcome Class of 2024

Incoming Students Receive Surprise Visits from GWU Admissions Team

As everyone has adjusted to the changes brought about by Covid-19, the Gardner-Webb University Admissions staff came up with a plan to demonstrate GWU’s welcoming community to some members of the Class of 2024. Because the pandemic limited the way these new students experienced campus, the admissions staff took the traditional Gardner-Webb family welcome on the road.

“The goal was to celebrate some of our incoming students and surprise them with a special yard sign and some Gardner-Webb swag—GWU face masks, hand sanitizer, and a T-shirt,” shared Alice Manning, enrollment communications coordinator. “This is a good example of how genuine our community is, from staff to students. Giving them a yard sign was just one way that they could showcase their GWU pride. Even before they step foot into a classroom, incoming students have an entire team in the Admissions office who are here with them every step of the way.”

When the team showed up at Meredith Bridges’ house, she was happy to see them. A resident of Kings Mountain, N.C., Bridges plans to major in English with a concentration in general writing. She was already familiar with Gardner-Webb as the place where she attended her little brother’s soccer games, and various concerts and performances. But, through the admissions staff, she has been introduced to the heart of the GWU community. “As I’ve come to know Gardner-Webb better over the past few months, with scholarship interviews and campus tours, I realized that I very much like the community and want to be a part of it,” Bridges affirmed. “God really opened the way and made my path clear towards GWU by showing me how the University feels more like a family than any other school I have looked at.”

Her parents also appreciated the visit from the team, as well as how the GWU staff guided Meredith through the entire admissions process. “She felt most at home with what she has learned and seen of GWU,” they said. “She took her time weighing options, praying, and was so excited to come to the decision that GWU is the right fit.”

Lillian Gardner of Waco, N.C., was surprised when the Admissions team knocked on her door. “Receiving the visit from Mac (GWU’s mascot) and some of my future GWU family meant so much to me,” Gardner offered. “High school ended abruptly on March 13th due to the pandemic, and completing my senior year remotely was unsettling to say the least. However, it is exciting to turn over this new page! Although I do not know every detail of the Lord’s plan for my life, I know that He has a plan, and it is so much greater than what I could ever imagine. I am ecstatic knowing that I will be at GWU this fall. Receiving a personal visit from my future family meant more than words can describe!”

Gardner plans to major in nursing, and her goal is to become a nurse practitioner. “I am most excited about the opportunity to continue to grow in my faith while I pursue a degree in nursing,” she asserted. “I look forward to meeting new people, attending athletic events, and getting involved in The Gathering (student-led worship service), clubs, and organizations at Gardner-Webb.”

Her father, Larry, is a two-time graduate of GWU, having received his bachelor’s in social sciences with minors in history and professional education and his master’s in school administration. “GWU holds a special place in my heart, and I am excited that one of my daughters will be attending my alma mater,” he said. “The individualized attention she’s received at each step along the way has stood out the most thus far. In addition, the growth and improvements at GWU are phenomenal. I am excited for her and grateful to God for allowing her this opportunity.”

Learn more about GWU Admissions.