Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs, North Carolina
Gardner-Webb University, located just 50 miles outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, fosters an all-inclusive campus community that values its Christian roots, diversity, and academic excellence. From the on-campus bell tower that overlooks Lake Hollifield to the surrounding community of Boiling Springs, Gardner-Webb surrounds students with a rich and abundant culture, all while providing a quality education and invaluable experiences.
Gardner-Webb is dedicated to higher education that engages scholarship in conjunction with Christian life, fostering intellectual development, critical reflection, and spiritual formation. Because GWU is concerned about the needs of others in order to grow in knowledge and wisdom, the University enthusiastically affirms active participation in influential and impactful initiatives.
Get to know Gardner-Webb University
Benefits
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Jazz band
- Marching band
- Music ensembles
- Musical theatre
- Pep band
- Radio station
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Symphony orchestra
- Yearbook
High-Impact Practices
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Writing-Intensive Courses
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Internships/Coops/Practicums
- Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
College Highlights
PREPARED FOR EVERYTHING
The world-class academic programs at Gardner-Webb University are rooted in the liberal arts and purposed to help students achieve their post-graduation goals. GWU provides the resources necessary for success in the classroom, including LEAP peer tutoring, the Writing Center, and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. These services offer students a chance to seek additional one-on-one attention, receive edits on written work, and participate in mock interviews and résumé-development workshops.
Whether through leadership experience in ROTC, a national Honors conference presentation, or a trip to Costa Rica to earn a Spanish minor, Gardner-Webb emphasizes the tangible experiences that enhance one’s academic, professional, and personal pursuits.
“At Gardner-Webb University, I was involved with so many great clubs and organizations, from Student Government to the Honors Association. Being able to work with different people across all areas of campus helped me make important connections, and fostered friendships with people I wouldn’t have met. I served with other dedicated students who genuinely cared about making campus a better place.” – Tyler Oxtoby, ‘18
STUDY ABROAD
Gardner-Webb University’s study abroad program provides students with numerous opportunities to explore the world and receive class credit. With programs offered in countries like Sweden, Canada, Spain, and China, the cultural possibilities are endless! Students have the choice to study abroad in a week- or month-long trip or throughout an entire academic semester, remaining flexible to suit their academic goals and adventurous desires. With the help of faculty, they can even customize their program to take advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime journey. A trip abroad opens up a unique medium for learning, enriching students’ minds with extraordinary environments and complete immersion into a new culture.
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 0%
Hispanic/Latinx: 4%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 19%
White, non-Hispanic: 60%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 1%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 12%
“The psychology and English departments are filled with the most encouraging professors and mentors. The quality time they dedicated and spent with me are the building blocks of the person I am today.” – Mariana Mellado,’16
FIRST-YEAR SEMINARS AND EXPERIENCES
The goal of the First-Year Program is to ensure that students make a successful transition into college life by exposing them to the University’s available services, encouraging them to become leaders, and promoting student success in every possible opportunity.
First-year students must take both Dimensions of University Life (UNIV 111) and First-Year Experience (UNIV 101) courses. These courses encompass academic, personal, and social development; a first-year common read; and service learning.
HONORS PROGRAM
Gardner-Webb’s unique Honors Program consists of a refined niche of dedicated students. This program encourages students to thrive in an active learning environment that fosters lively, engaging discussions in challenging, stimulating classes. The Honors Program, which has grown impressively since its founding in 1988, integrates students into their surrounding community through community service and aids their personal development through such out-of-classroom activities such as dinners, exclusive trips, and conferences.
Instructors of Honors courses are constantly reevaluating their teaching methods and improving their courses to best accommodate the accelerated, in-depth approach set by the high standard of the program. Students at Gardner-Webb say that their Honors classes are incredibly rewarding in the way they push them to grow as confident communicators and active learners.
DIMENSIONS
Each Tuesday morning within the walls of the University’s Student Center, guest speakers invite students to listen to their proclamations of faith and their commitment to strong ethics. These weekly speeches allow a range of thought leaders to emphasize the importance and relevance of the Christian and Baptist values that are upheld within the campus community. Referred to as “Dimensions,” the unique lectures promote religious growth, worship, and a strong intent of service to God. Gardner-Webb instills a strong sense of Christian community within its student body, allowing them to grow in spirit, intellect, and culture all throughout their college career.
TOP-5 FAVORITE STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The legendary Pancake Bingo Night during finals week is the highest-attended activity on campus each semester, but there are several other close contenders. Free movies, bowling, and laser tag night at a local entertainment complex is a student favorite, along with the Spring formal, Last Blast Year-End Celebration, and Movies on the Quad.
“The one-stoplight town epitomizes who we really are. We are a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone and truly cares to watch you grow.” – Caroline Fry, ‘17
ATHLETICS
The Dawg Pound student cheering section at Gardner-Webb has a front-row seat to 22 NCAA Division I sports programs in which the Runnin’ Bulldogs compete on a national level within the Big South Conference.
In 2019, the Bulldogs won the Big South Conference Championship and earned a ticket to the NCAA March Madness Tournament for the first time in program history. Student athletes at GWU show their #GWUPride not only in competition, but also in the classroom. The women’s swim team recently ranked No. 6 nationally among NCAA Division I programs for their GPA and earned National Scholar All-America honors for the 18th consecutive season.
VISIT CAMPUS
Students can catch a game in Paul Porter Arena, take a tour of the 225-acre campus, see residence hall options, eat in the Caf, get to know current students, picnic on the Quad, enjoy a latte at Broad River Coffee, and experience an unforgettable day with the community of Gardner-Webb University. Visiting campus is the best way to know if Gardner-Webb is the right fit. Visits can be scheduled at gardner-webb.edu/visit.
SCHOOL LOCATION
Gardner-Webb University is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains within the quaint community of Boiling Springs, N.C. Just down the street from campus, one can check out open-mic night at the Broad River Bakery or take a hike along the river at the Greenway. Nearby uptown Shelby is home to dozens of local restaurants, businesses, and historical sites.
An abundance of activities beckon from a slew of surrounding areas, all less than an hour’s drive away. Students can enjoy paddleboarding at the National Whitewater Center, catching a Carolina Panthers NFL football game in Charlotte, relaxing in Falls Park on the Reedy, or seeing an off-Broadway production in Greenville, S.C. They can even check out the food scene or take a hike in charming and scenic Asheville. Whatever the interest, there’s always something new to explore.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 85%
Undergraduates: 83%
Campus housing options.
Men’s dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for single students
Special housing for disabled students
INTERNSHIPS
Gardner-Webb encourages students to gain real-world experience, providing them ample assistance and guidance toward rewarding internships. By working side-by-side with professionals, students are able both to enrich their coursework at school and prepare them with invaluable skills for their future career. Students can participate in internships through Gardner-Webb to gain invaluable experience in their prospective fields.
The Career Center for Development and Internships stands as a helpful resource that gives students a plan for integrating internship experience into their four-year plan, advising them to choose one of three categories that best suits their goals. Students can choose from internships through an academic department, internships through the University’s certified program, or external internships. Regardless of their plan of action, students are supported with résumé and cover letter help and other resources for nailing the interview process.
“I hope when I graduate to begin working in film scoring. Having two-and-a-half hours of full-orchestra music that I’ve written on my résumé is going to be incredibly helpful as I apply for jobs. I think in the end that will make a huge difference in showing employers what I’ve done.” – Christian Jessup, ‘18, interned in Santa Monica, California, with Hans Zimmer’s film studio.
Admission
TEST SCORES
Optional
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 480 | 75th Percentile: 580
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 465 | 75th Percentile: 580
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 18 | 75th Percentile: 25
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 17 | 75th Percentile: 25
ACT English
25th Percentile: 15 | 75th Percentile: 24
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $31,220
Fees: $960
Room: $5,260
Board: $5,130
Aid
Gardner-Webb University hosts the Ignite Excellence Scholarship Competition, which provides one full-tuition, room, and board scholarship, four full-tuition scholarships, and 50 Honors scholarships. In addition, GWU hosts the Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength scholarship which provides one full-tuition, room, and board scholarship to the student who best exemplifies the University’s core values.
What Others are Saying
Contact Gardner-Webb University
Contact Admissions
gardner-webb.edu/admissions-aid/undergraduate
(800) 253-6472
admissions@gardner-webb.edu
Campus Location
110 South Main Street
Boiling Springs, NC 28017
(704) 406-4000