fall-2019

LEAD THE WAY

“1892” is published twice annually by North Greenville University, a private Christian liberal arts university often recognized as one of the most notable in the Southeast. Whether learning at our campuses in Tigerville, SC, and Greer, SC, or online from anywhere in the world, NGU students become equipped to serve as transformational leaders for church and society.

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr.

EDITOR

Celeste Hawkins (’11)

DESIGNER

Sheila Price (’08)

ADVISORS

Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr.

Rich Grimm

Jennifer Lynch

Marty O’Gwynn

Erin Wall (’00, MBA ’07)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kristin Clardy (’18)

Jeremiah Drummond (expected ’20)

Rebeka Epps

LaVerne Howell

Jennifer Lynch

THE PRESIDENT ’ S PEN

When I was in kindergarten, my teacher, Mrs. Abrams, had our class put on a play about an imaginary circus. My classmates imitated animals and acrobats for a delighted audience of our parents and siblings. What role was I assigned? The ringleader! I led in the procession, while wearing a special hat made of black construction paper, and greeted the onlookers. Little did I know that even then God was preparing me to be a university president, leading the wonderful NGU circus!

We know who leaders are by the fact that they have followers. People naturally gravitate toward the opportunity to rally behind vision, purpose, and integrity. In a Christian context, we long to align ourselves with a significant, God-honoring mission.

NGU’s mission statement speaks about “equipping transformational leaders for church and society.” Our prayer, our every effort, is that our graduates will not be merely good workers, good citizens, or even good Christians, but rather that they will carry out their faith and their preparation for life with boldness, changing every community where they live. They will be leaders who follow Christ, and as a result, everyone who follows them will follow Christ as well! Now that’s transformation!

We are cultivating a community that does more than advise our students: we engage in intellectual discipleship, where our students’ minds are prepared for action with their hope set on the grace that comes through Christ Jesus (1 Peter 1:13). Our offices are filled with conversations that change lives, our classrooms are filled with discussions that spark epiphanies, and our campus spaces are filled with stories of eternities that have been changed through the power of genuine relationships.

Our world is incredibly broken, and it longs to see authentic leadership that serves more than an ego or the desire for power. Christ began His earthly ministry with a declaration of His leadership’s purpose, reading from Isaiah 61: “‘The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor’” (Luke 4:18-19 Christian Standard Bible).

Christ led the way with these words, and NGU alumni around the world are leading the way as well, proclaiming that God has a plan to redeem the world, one transformed heart — and mind — at a time.

Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. President

North Greenville University

Ballpark Figure

For the past two years, North Greenville University’s baseball team has finished the season as conference champions.

Now, with the help of longtime university supporter Dr. George Bomar, they’ll score a new stadium as they seek to continue that winning streak.

NGU officially broke ground on the baseball stadium at its Tigerville campus on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, just before a Crusaders doubleheader versus Newberry College.

“George Bomar is enabling us to move forward with Phase Two of our Ashmore Park project and providing a great stadium facility to complement beautiful Ray and Bea Dillard Field,” says NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr.

As Fant referenced, Phase One of Ashmore Park was a reworking of the current playing surface, funded by $1.2 million in private donations. Bea Dillard made the lead gift for the Ray and Bea Dillard Field portion of the project. The refurbishments included the installation of artificial turf with a standard dirt mound, new outfield fencing, backstop fencing, a

scoreboard, a bullpen, and batting cages. That phase was completed in early 2018, making NGU the first university to have an all-turf baseball field in the state of South Carolina.

With George’s recent gift of $600,000, NGU has now entered Phase Two of Ashmore Park with the construction of the George Bomar Family Stadium. Once completed, the stadium will include a president’s box suite, a hospitality/media building, an entry plaza, and a 300-seat stadium structure directly behind home plate. The president’s box will offer an events venue at the stadium, with the hospitality/ media building providing space for a press box, restrooms, and concessions.

George notes that he has appreciated the opportunity to support NGU over the years. In fact, the Tigerville native’s support of NGU began over two decades ago.

A former member of NGU’s Council of Advisors, George and his wife, Dr. Barbara Bomar, are Christian Ministry Scholarship Fund and Crusader Club members. They have financially supported other university projects, as well. The university’s School of

Communication facilities in the Jacks and Deborah Tingle Student Life Center are named in Bomar’s honor. Additionally, the Dr. George Bomar and Dr. Barbara Bomar Endowment Fund was established in 2007 to provide scholarships for communication students.

George previously served on several boards, including as chairman of Greenville County Council and as the first president of the South Carolina Association of Counties. In 1995, he was awarded the state’s highest honor given to a civilian: the Order of the Palmetto. Then in 2005, NGU bestowed an honorary doctorate on George.

A former University of South Carolina baseball catcher, George says that he is pleased to invest in the Crusaders’ baseball program, led by Landon Powell.

“If I’m a part of something, I expect to win,” George offered as a light-hearted reminder to NGU’s baseball team during his remarks at the stadium groundbreaking.

And NGU’s baseball team doesn’t disappoint on that

front. The team hosted and won the 2019 Conference Carolinas Baseball Tournament, claiming their title as champions for the second year in a row.

In addition, at the close of the 2019 season, seven NGU players were named to all-region teams, and four were named as National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Postseason All-America Team selections. Then, senior shortstop Utah Jones (’19) was voted the Conference Carolinas Male Athlete of the Year.

NGU officials expect the new George Bomar Family

Stadium to be completed during Fall 2019, ready for the Crusaders’ 2020 regular season. A live feed of the construction is available on the North Greenville Sports Network YouTube channel.

Future phases of the Ashmore Park development include new student housing to overlook the baseball field. Also, a wellness and outdoor recreational center is planned for construction beyond the right-field fence, offering views of both Dillard Field and the mountains north of campus.

The final phase will be a renovation to the current

baseball fieldhouse to include a players’ lounge, renovated locker room facilities, coaches’ offices, a laundry area, and storage space.

“We are grateful to George Bomar for his commitment to invest in our student-athletes and the campus community through this great project,” says Fant. “Ashmore Park is a vital part of our university, combining residential space, wellness facilities, and an athletics venue. This is a major step in strengthening our campus resources.”

Learn more at nguathletics.com.

Gliding Into the Future

NGU Music Teacher Wins New Instrument Contest

What new instruments will we see in music stores next?

One could certainly be the creation of a North Greenville University adjunct professor who recently made it into the ranks of today’s most innovative instrument makers.

Keith Groover, who teaches guitar in NGU’s Cline School of Music, has been playing instruments of all shapes and sizes since he was five.

“I started out on the piano when I was really little and then switched over to the trombone in elementary school. I started playing guitar when I was in ninth grade and then things like the electric bass and the upright bass and the French horn — kind of a lot of random instruments. The banjo, the accordion, that kind of thing,” he trails off, as if there’s more he could list.

But Groover says his family didn’t have “a ton of money” when he was growing up. And, as anyone who’s signed their kids up for music lessons can tell you, new instruments easily run into the thousands. So, as he took interest in one instrument after the next, he would either have to find a cheap rental or, more often, borrow an instrument from a friend.

By the time he was in high school, Groover had a pile of these borrowed instruments. In fact, one day, when his parents were showing their house, one of the potential buyers asked, pointing at the pile, “Do you have a family band?”

“My parents said, ‘No, it’s just our teenage son playing all these instruments,’” Groover laughs.

No one was surprised when he decided to study music composition at the University of South Carolina and then pursue a career as a music director and teacher.

After more than a decade of teaching, he began to notice a problem with the options available to his students.

“Traditional instruments often filter the kind of person who becomes a musician. As a music teacher, I saw the obstacles that students face, whether it’s nonstandard anatomy, financial limitations, or an inability to stay in one spot for a long time to practice an instrument,” Groover adds.

Cut to 2016, and Groover had begun scribbling down ideas for a brand new instrument that almost anyone could play.

“My guiding principle with the whole design was accessibility,” Groover adds.

He went on to make an instrument from scratch that you can play if you’re standing up or sitting down. The instrument is adaptable. And you can play it if you’re right-handed or left-handed. The controls are ambidextrous. And you can play it if you’ve got cash to spare or you’re tight on money. The cost is $150.

But what else makes his instrument unique?

Groover based his instrument around the accelerometer, a device used to measure increase in speed. Accelerometers are what power cellphones to switch between horizontal and vertical views when we tilt them, he explains. When applied to his instrument, the accelerometer gives the musician surprising control over the elements of not only pitch and tone, but also volume and vibrato.

“The biggest feature of the instrument is that you can play one note, and then you can change your fingers around and glide to a different note: aahaah,” Groover demonstrates in a singing voice, with the second “aah” several steps higher. “That was one of the very last features that I came up with, and that feature brought it all together.”

That feature is also the namesake of Groover’s now patented instrument, The Glide. In its completed realization, it consists of two hand controls with a total of five buttons, joined together by a thin cable. Using Bluetooth, you can pair The Glide with a phone, tablet, or computer and then play it through

a synthesizer app.

Around the same time he wrapped up his prototype, Groover learned about the Margaret Guthman New Instrument Competition, an annual event “aimed at identifying the world’s next generation of musical instruments,” according to its website.

He heard back just days after applying that he’d been invited to participate in the 2019 competition at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA, along with an elite handful of instrument inventors from across the globe.

“I had considered using a backing track or doing a song that everyone knew for my final performance, but I decided that I wanted it to be as exposed as possible and to have an improvisatory feel,” confides Groover. “That’s the heart and soul of what I envisioned for The Glide: that it would be an instrument that would make it easy to make music off the cuff.”

The event closed with an awards ceremony, where the judges praised Groover for “[taking the instrument] all the way from idea through engineering and design all the way to . . . a very compelling performance.”

Then, they announced him as the first place winner.

“I’ve poured countless hours into The Glide,” Groover says. “This win made me really hopeful for the future of the instrument.”

With his cash prize of $5,000 in hand, Groover plans to continue production of The Glide and possibly to develop a smaller version of the instrument designed for children. He foresees making the software behind The Glide open source, empowering other musicians to alter what the instrument can do in the days ahead.

“I would love for The Glide to help usher in an era of increased accessibility of music-making for everyone,” Groover says. “If I could have had an instrument like this as a kid, I think I really would have taken off with it.”

Learn more about NGU’s music programs at ngu.edu/csom

Coming up next . . .

NGU Connect – The Lowcountry Alumni Engagement

Hyman's Seafood, Charleston, SC

Nov. 14, 2019

Christmas Concert

Cline School of Music

First Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC Dec. 5, 2019

Fall Commencement

Turner Chapel, Tigerville, SC Dec. 13, 2019

NGU Connect – The City Alumni Engagement

King Spring Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA Jan. 23, 2020

“If You Know the Why, Any How Will Work: The Role of Work in Living Out Your Mission” by Dr. John Duncan

Leadership and Professional Development

NGU’s Tim Brashier Campus, Greer, SC Jan. 30, 2020

Overnight at NGU Admissions

Hayes Ministry Center, Tigerville, SC Feb. 6-7, 2020 | April 2-3, 2020

“Truth Be Told” by Amy Dunlap

Theatre Department

Billingsley Theatre, Tigerville, SC Feb. 13-15, 2020

Open House Admissions

Hayes Ministry Center, Tigerville, SC

March 20, 2020

“Executive Leadership: Behaviors of a Foolish Executive” by Grant Edwards

Leadership and Professional Development

NGU’s Tim Brashier Campus, Greer, SC April 1, 2020

NGU Connect – The Capital City Alumni Engagement

Capital City Club, Columbia, SC April 9, 2020

“Brigadoon” by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe

Theatre Department

Billingsley Theatre, Tigerville, SC April 16-18 & 23-25, 2020

“A Holistic View: Being Fully Human at Work” by Dr. Rick Martinez

Leadership and Professional Development

NGU’s Tim Brashier Campus, Greer, SC April 28, 2020

NGU Connect – The Beach Alumni Engagement

Cooper House, Myrtle Beach, SC May 14, 2020

NGU Connect – The Ballpark Alumni Engagement

Fluor Field, Greenville, SC May 28, 2020

Learn more at ngu.edu/calendar

CAMPUS NEWS

ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., followed remarks by members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation with an overview of the importance of religious liberty to an audience of more than 100 faith leaders during the Palmetto Family Council’s annual Nehemiah Project visit to the United States Capitol in July 2019. At the NGU-sponsored luncheon in the Senate Visitors Center, Fant spoke on the prominent role South Carolina pastors played in the Black-Robed Regiment during the Revolutionary War. The “regiment” referred to clergy who were outspoken supporters of the battle for American independence.

Dr. Nathan Finn, provost and dean of the university faculty, and Dr. John Duncan, dean of the College of Business & Entrepreneurship, attended Acton University in Grand Rapids, MI, this past June. Acton University is an annual conference that explores the intersection of faith and free markets. Each conference features more than 100 thought-provoking presentations dealing with the intellectual foundations of a free society. Both Finn and Duncan attended the event as Oikonomia Fellows.

Dr. Ken Hemphill and his wife, Paula Hemphill, were honored at an alumni and friends event at the Birmingham Zoo’s Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter on June 11, 2019, during the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. The Hemphills received the inaugural Paula and Ken Hemphill Award for Denominational Service, recognizing their leadership in empowering kingdom growth. This award honors the noteworthy Southern Baptist denominational service of deserving recipients each year. The Hemphills have careers spanning global missions, local pastorates, seminary leadership, and writing books on ministry topics. Ken is currently the special assistant to the president and distinguished professor of Christian Studies at NGU.

Lisa Van Riper, director of public affairs and president of South Carolina Citizens for Life (SCCL), received the Carroll Campbell Courage in Leadership Award. The award was presented to her at the Greenville County Republican Convention in April 2019. The award, named for the late South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell, is given for pro-life advocacy at the state and national levels. Greenville Republican Party Chairman Nate Leupp presented the award to Van Riper on behalf of the party.

ATHLETICS

NGU Athletics was named the inaugural winner of the Body, Mind & Soul Award at the Conference Carolinas spring meeting, where the conference presented its 2018-19 End of the Year Awards. The award recognized the conference institution with the best average rankings in the Allan Sharp, Hawn Cup, and Messick Awards. The Allan Sharp Award goes to the institution with the highest graduation rate among athletes of conference-sponsored teams. NGU finished second in that category, with an 82 percent graduation rate. The university finished fourth for the Hawn Cup Award, which shows the highest rating of excellence in conference-sponsored sports, and second in the Messick Sportsmanship Award rankings, awarded to the institution with the highest degree of sportsmanship.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Dr. Feliccia Smith, professor of business, is one of the 38 leaders from Upstate South Carolina who just completed the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI). For five months, participants examined sensitive issues related to diversity and inclusion, explored “blind spots,” and discussed how to suspend assumptions. Each class is facilitated by Juan Johnson, an independent consultant and the former vice president of Coca-Cola.

COLLEGE OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES

Dr. Bill Cashion, professor of evangelism and missions, preached seven sermons at Founders Week for the Rio Grande Bible Institute and Rio Grande Bible Ministries in Edinburg, TX. Cashion was the keynote speaker at the event held on

Feb. 17-22, 2019, which focused on mobilizing and equipping believers to carry out the Great Commission in Latin America and throughout the world.

Dr. Donny Mathis, professor of Christian studies, and former adjunct professor Matt Rogers were editors of the new Christian Standard Bible Seven Arrows Bible published by LifeWay. The Seven Arrows Bible Reading Method is a clear and memorable guide for studying any passage of Scripture. Using the arrows as a guide, readers learn to ask and answer key questions: “What does this passage tell us about God?”; “How does this passage change the way I relate to people?”; and “How does this passage prompt me to pray?”

Dr. Tom Willoughby was added to NGU’s Christian studies faculty as an assistant professor in the College of Christian Studies. Willoughby comes to NGU from the Kansas City, MO, area. He has nearly 30 years of pastoral experience, as well as 10 years of adjunct teaching experience. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a doctorate in biblical studies in 2018. He also holds Master of Theology and Master of Arts degrees from Midwestern and a Bachelor of Arts from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO.

Dr. Matt Wireman, associate dean of NGU’s School of Ministry, traveled with a team to Kenya to train nearly 1,000 pastors on justification, sanctification, hermeneutics, leadership, and stewardship. Wireman’s team traveled to eight towns during their visit, preaching and supporting the work of existing churches. Wireman also visited and consulted with the Kenya Baptist Theological Seminary.

COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION & FINE ARTS

The College of Communication & Fine Arts has added the Bachelor of Arts in Communication to its degree program offerings.

Dr. David Cudd, NGU associate professor of music education; Erik Hines (’04); and Dr. Marianne Holland, professor of music education, were clinicians at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference on Feb. 6-8, 2019.

Dr. Webster “Web” Drake has joined NGU as the founding dean of the newly formed College of Communication & Fine Arts. Under Drake, the new college includes the School of Communication, the Cline School of Music, and the School of the Arts. Drake received his bachelor’s in communication and history from Mississippi College, his master’s in communication studies from the University of North Texas, and his doctorate in communication from Louisiana State University. Before joining NGU, Drake served at Union University in Jackson, TN, as chair and professor of communication arts and director of debate for 11 years.

Dr. Shurajit Gopal, assistant professor of broadcasting, has been named the chair of the Intercollegiate National Religious Broadcasters (iNRB) Committee, and Dr. Andrew Stevens, assistant professor of mass communication, has been named a member of the iNRB Committee. The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) released this year’s list of members and chairs for NRB’s Standing Committees – several of whom were nominated and elected for the first time — during Proclaim 19, the NRB International Christian Media Convention held March 26-29, 2019, in Anaheim, CA.

Keith Groover was a presenter at TEDxGreenville 2019, held on March 29, 2019, in downtown Greenville, SC.

Fabio Parrini gave solo recitals at NGU on March 19 and at Landrum United Methodist Church on April 7. He also gave recitals with cellist Louise Dubin on May 9 at the Carolina Music Museum and May 11 at the Bishop Gadsden retirement community in Charleston, SC. In addition, Jonah Losh (expected ’20), one of Parrini’s piano students, was accepted as a performer for George Li’s piano masterclass on Feb. 19, 2019, at the Peace Center.

CAMPUS NEWS (CONT’D)

Dr. Rick Sparks has just released his latest in a series of quiet-music instrumental albums. “Hushabye” is Sparks’ fifth album since 2014. It was created specifically to help listeners with relaxation, meditation and sleep. According to Sparks, “Hushabye” is effective at inducing sleep in children. He adds that his oldest listener is a 1947 NGU graduate who uses “Hushabye” every night to fall asleep. His latest album features nine original lullabies and two cover songs, including “Jesus Loves Me.” Since 2014, Sparks’ music has been heard on radio and online outlets worldwide, including SiriusXM’s Spa channel 68 and public radio stations in the U.S.

Dr. Andrew Stevens, assistant professor of communication, was honored by South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) as NGU’s 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award recipient. Stevens holds a Doctor of Ministry from NGU, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Marquette University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Radio, TV, and Film from Baylor University. He teaches electronic media industry, television and radio broadcasting, media ministry, interpersonal communication, and speech at NGU. He also advises NGU’s student-run radio station, WNGR, and video platform, VisionTV, which is distributed via social media.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

NGU’s chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honor society of women educators, sponsored a professional development opportunity on how to understand and assist students who have experienced adverse childhood experiences or trauma. The presentation, entitled “Building Hope and Trust,” was presented on Feb. 7, 2019, with more than 60 faculty members and students in attendance. Laura Beauvais, a counselor at Nightlight Christian Adoptions, provided the keynote. She explained the types of trauma that students might experience, the effects, and how educators can work to assist traumatized students to find success.

NGU’s Center for Educational Leadership and Research was selected in a competitive process by Greenwood District 52 to provide consulting in the district’s schools. The center began by conducting a comprehensive needs assessment throughout the district, discovering that 86 percent of kindergarten students were reading significantly below grade level. NGU’s Dr. Craig Drennon, Dr. Shelley Dugle, and Dr. Harold Long then worked with the school district to redesign its literacy instruction, implement data-driven practices among professional staff, and provide leadership development for its district administration. The most recent reading assessment conducted by the district in February showed that the percentage of kindergarten students who were reading significantly below grade level had dropped to 18 percent. (See full story on Page 13.)

Dr. Shelley Dugle from the T. Walter Brashier Graduate School has been appointed associate dean of graduate programs at NGU.

Dr. Jill Branyon is the newly elected president-elect for South Carolina’s organization of Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Society International. Branyon began her term of service on July 1, 2019; she will serve for two years. She has been a member of this organization since 2004. In 2012, she received the Golden Gift Award and visited the University of Texas for two weeks to attend DKG’s Leadership Management Seminar. Branyon has served in many capacities, including chapter treasurer and chapter president. She has also attended state conventions, regional conferences, and international conventions.

Dr. Constance Wright has been appointed dean of the newly reorganized College of Education, which now encompasses both NGU’s undergraduate and graduate programs in education.

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES & SCIENCES

Dr. H. Paul Thompson, Jr., dean of NGU’s College of Humanities & Sciences, presented “Hell Will Forever Be for Rent: High Hopes of the Prohibitionists” at NGU’s Hamlin Recital Hall on Feb. 19, 2019. At the presentation, Thompson discussed the research he published in an article in the “Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History” on the Prohibition and its affects. This event was sponsored by the NGU Faculty Research and Scholarship Committee, which promotes faculty scholarly work to the NGU family and broader community.

OFFICE OF ADULT & GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Vicki Hatchell is the operations administrative assistant and receptionist at NGU’s Tim Brashier Campus.

Dr. Michael Kelly has been named regional admissions counselor at NGU’s T. Walter Brashier Graduate School. Kelly serves NGU in the Midlands and Lowcountry of South Carolina. He is a retired U.S. Army chaplain with 35 years of service.

OFFICE OF CAMPUS MINISTRIES AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Dr. Steve Crouse has transitioned to serve as NGU’s chief spiritual formation officer. Crouse has been at NGU since 1991, serving as vice president for campus ministries and senior campus pastor. In his new role, he also continues to serve on the university’s executive leadership council and teach courses in Christian ministry, primarily in NGU’s graduate programs. Crouse holds two earned doctorates from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, specializing in spiritual formation, evangelism, and campus ministries.

Jody Jennings has been appointed to serve as vice president for campus ministries and student engagement at NGU. Jennings returned to his alma mater in 2008, overseeing the work of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry and later serving as the associate vice president for campus ministries. He previously served as a missionary to Uganda with the International Mission Board and as a church planter in North Dakota with the North American Mission Board. He holds his Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is nearing the completion of his Doctor of Education.

Dr. Allen McWhite has been appointed the executive director for the new Institute of Global Leadership (IGL) at NGU. The institute facilitates student mobilization for short-term trips and develops academic programs in leadership, global studies, and related disciplines. The initial program to be offered by the IGL will be the recently approved minor in global studies, designed to prepare students of all academic majors to be transformational leaders in a global environment. McWhite will also serve as an associate professor of global leadership.

OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

NGU’s Office of Marketing and Communications received the Printing Industry of the Carolinas (PICA) Best of Category Award in the division of newsletters for the Spring 2018 issue of “1892” magazine, themed “Light on a Hill.” Erin Wall (’00, MBA ’07) advised the publication, while Sheila Price (’08) served as graphic designer and Celeste Hawkins (’11) as editor.

Sheila Price (’08) was a featured presenter at the 2019 Connections Conference for the Association of Baptist Children’s Home Professionals in Charleston, SC, on Aug. 26, 2019. She led a session on marketing and social media.

“Top 30 Bachelor’s in Sport Management Degree Programs” (2019) by Sports Management Degree Guide # 1

“The Best Online Christian Colleges” (2019) by The Best Schools # 7

Intercollegiate National Religious Broadcasters 24-Hour CV Audio Challenge (2018) # 1

“The 30 Best Online Master’s in Ministry & Pastoral Leadership Programs” (2019) by The Best Schools # 9

“Best Colleges in South Carolina” (2018) by BestColleges.com # 3

“25 Best Christian Colleges and Universities in the South” (2018) by Online Christian Colleges #10

Changing the

Constitution

Dendy Leads as SGA

Introduces New Setup

Zion Dendy (expected ’21) was helping load up a cart at the back of Bi-Lo one busy shift after school when his manager overheard him directing some of the other workers to organize the boxes so that what they needed first would be most accessible, and they could stock the shelves more quickly.

His manager pulled Dendy aside.

“He told me he liked that. He told me I should try leadership because I was always getting stuff done in the store,” Dendy remembers. “So I decided there that when I got to college, I was going to try it.”

That’s why, even before he ever set foot on campus at North Greenville University, Dendy had decided he would run for the Student Government Association (SGA).

So his first year at NGU, Dendy ran for freshman class president. And he won. The next year, he ran for sophomore class president. And he won. Then, at the end of the Spring 2019 semester, he ran for student body president, the highest leadership role in SGA. And he won.

“Student government — I just enjoy it altogether,” he explains. “It’s like a separate group of friends you know on campus.”

With the help of his SGA friends, Dendy has worked at “getting stuff done,” just like his manager had predicted, during his two terms in office so far.

For example, Dendy noticed how much food in the Todd Dining Hall was getting thrown away. So he initiated the SGA’s first Waste Campaign. The campaign mission was to gain pledges from NGU students to be more intentional about the amount of food they dished out for themselves: those signing up made a simple promise to put on their plate only as much food as they could eat.

Dendy and his team canvassed throughout the Spring 2019 semester. All in all, they gained 200 pledges, with each student receiving a bracelet to remind them of their commitment.

From the start of his SGA career, Dendy also cared about creating more fun events on campus for students. This past semester, SGA hosted its first

Student vs. Faculty Softball Game, one of the most attended SGA-hosted events to date.

“That was the highlight of my time at NGU so far,” Dendy recalls. “People were saying they can’t wait for next year.”

Dendy adds that the event helped with another of his main causes: raising awareness about SGA.

“Some students on campus still don’t even know we have an SGA at NGU. That’s not okay,” he says. “We want everyone on campus to feel like they have a voice through student government.”

With the implementation of the new SGA constitution — which coincides with the start of Dendy’s presidency — NGU students get even more of a voice. The constitution ushers a shift in SGA membership, as the traditional four class presidents have been exchanged for one representative from each of NGU’s six colleges instead.

“Now, all of our colleges will have equal representation within SGA,” says Stuart Floyd (’16, MBA ’19), SGA staff advisor for the past three years. “This will help ensure the issues unique to each academic area can be heard and considered.”

Dendy is also pushing for One Voice Week — when SGA members will set up on campus to show their faces, give advice to others in their major, and gather feedback from the student body — as well as open meetings each semester, where the whole student

body can have an opportunity to share their ideas directly with the SGA team. (These meetings will be in addition to SGA’s monthly meetings with NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., and the Fant Forums — where all students are invited to dialogue with Fant in person.)

“What I like most about SGA is getting to know people that you’ve never met before and giving them your ideas and them giving you their ideas,” Dendy says.

In fact, his experience in SGA is making Dendy rethink his post-graduation career goals. A mass communication major who currently works in promotions at Hot 98.1 radio station, Dendy could just as easily see himself going into sports media or local government someday.

He feels his experience at NGU, especially in SGA, has prepared him for whatever leadership opportunities lie ahead.

“Meeting so many other Christians and knowing you’re not alone walking through the world has been a big thing with me. Because in high school, it’s just basically school, home, homework, repeat. But at North Greenville, it’s school, home, Bible study, homework, repeat — and it’s with the same people that I also have class with,” Dendy says. “I believe that Christian community at North Greenville has made me a better leader.”

Learn more at ngu.edu/sga

New Service Center at NGU Aims to Help Students on the Spot

Pick up your room key. Set up your payment plan. Change one of your classes. Check on the status of your scholarships. Get your ID card. . . . When you’re coming onto campus for a new school year, your to-do list can seem nearly endless.

But now, getting through that checklist is easier than ever before for North Greenville University students — thanks to NGUcentral.

Aptly named, NGUcentral is a newly created onestop service center for finding answers, getting help, and taking care of the paperwork integral to attending college — all in one central location on campus.

NGUcentral staff serve as customer service representatives to NGU students and their families. They’re equipped to assist with almost any need or issue related to Academic Records, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts, the other three areas under NGU’s Office of Student Services.

“The community we’re building here at NGU is one where people feel known; they feel that they’re seen and heard. And that’s the type of culture we want to create within Student Services, too,” says Vice President of Student Services Rachael Russiaky.

According to Russiaky, her whole team hopes to relocate into one shared building during the Spring 2020 semester. Until then, NGUcentral is located temporarily in the lobby of the Craft-Hemphill Center.

“Up to this point, Academic Records, Financial Aid,

and Student Accounts have all been in different buildings spread out across campus. That automatically creates a ping-pong effect for students,” Russiaky says. “The idea with the new Student Services reorganization is to bring all of those areas under one roof so that when a student comes to that space, they can have all their questions answered right there.”

Once her team settles in to its new space, NGUcentral will serve as a front desk help center to the other areas under Russiaky, a veteran in higher education leadership.

Russiaky earned her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL. She began her career in higher education as a director of financial aid at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, MO, and eventually rose through the ranks to associate vice president for student services at Trinity, where she served for more than a decade — including four years with NGU’s current executive vice president, Rich Grimm. At Trinity, Russiaky implemented a model similar to NGUcentral.

Before coming on full-time at NGU, Russiaky served as a consultant with the university. During that time, she says she “fell in love” with NGU’s people and the administration’s vision.

“As President Fant and Rich cast a vision of their prioritization of service to students, I saw how I could fit within that vision to help lead the institution forward in this area,” she says.

Since joining NGU earlier this year, Russiaky has helped pioneer the reorganization of NGU’s Office of Student Services from the ground up.

While she and her team continue putting the pieces into place for NGUcentral, students and their families can already reap the benefits of this new model of customer care.

For the Fall 2019 check-in event, for example, Student Services staff set up in the Hayes Ministry/ Welcome Center meeting space alongside Admissions, allowing families to finalize any incomplete steps all at once.

In addition, NGU students can already email NGUcentral@ngu.edu with any questions, concerns, or needs related to Student Services at any time and expect a reply within 48 hours.

“As our team leads this new culture at NGU, we want to prioritize our service to students,” says Russiaky. “But after 16 years in higher education, what I’ve observed is that anything we do to help the students also contributes to the broader community of the university.”

For Russiaky, any day she can help NGU, her team, and the students she serves to “move forward” is a good day at work.

“If you want to maintain a level of excellence, then you never stop improving,” she adds.

Reading on the Rise

NGU’s Educational Center Amps Literacy Scores in SC Schools

Through its new Center for Educational Leadership and Research, North Greenville University is improving literacy in a Greenwood, SC, school district.

Launched in 2018, the Center for Educational Leadership and Research jump-started with a project aimed at improving reading levels in Greenwood County School District 52 (Greenwood 52), after being selected by the district as a consultant for all four of its schools.

The center began the project by conducting a comprehensive needs assessment throughout the district, discovering that 86 percent of its kindergarten students were reading significantly below grade level.

NGU’s Center for Educational Leadership and Research staff — Dr. Harold Long, center director, and Dr. Craig Drennon, senior scholar — then worked with Greenwood 52 to redesign its literacy instruction, implement data-driven practices, and provide leadership development for district administration.

After introducing these changes, the district conducted another reading assessment in February 2019, which indicated that the percentage of kindergarten students who were reading significantly below grade level had dropped to only 18 percent.

Student test data showed improvements in other grades, as well. When the South Carolina Department of Education released its annual South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) results, for example, the percentage of students at Ninety Six Elementary School in Greenwood 52 who met or exceeded expectations in the English language arts category peaked higher than the past four years.

“The results have been incredible, and we are looking forward to more great things to come,” says Greenwood 52 Superintendent Dr. Rex Ward, in

regards to the Center for Educational Leadership and Research partnership.

And “more great things” are already on the way. In April 2019, the Self Family Foundation in Greenwood officially announced that it would award $60,000 to provide literacy resources for both the primary and elementary schools in Greenwood 52, after NGU’s Center for Educational Leadership and Research had applied for a grant from the foundation on the district’s behalf.

The Self Family Foundation funds will go toward classroom library texts, as well as further literacy initiatives in Greenwood 52.

“Local media coverage of our Greenwood 52 project has led to a series of meetings and conversations with potential partners in the Spartanburg community,” says Long. “If these partnerships come to fruition, NGU’s Center for Educational Leadership and Research will be positioned among some of the most influential professionals in the region.”

Future plans for the District 52 project include not only advancing new partnerships, but also providing in-depth professional development for the district and securing additional grant funds.

“At North Greenville University, we are committed to coming alongside public educators throughout our region to help facilitate educational flourishing,” says NGU Provost and Dean of the University Faculty Dr. Nathan Finn. “I am grateful for the work Dr. Long and his colleagues at the Center for Educational Leadership and Research are doing to serve schools and, ultimately, help students succeed.”

Wright on Track

Few colleges ever get to tout a 100 percent hiring rate for their graduates. But in North Greenville University’s College of Education (COE), they’ve been able to brag on that stat for the past three years in a row (and counting); yes, all of the college’s job-seeking graduates have found teaching positions within just a few months after graduation. And no one knows the COE’s secret to this success better than the college dean: Dr. Constance Wright.

She could hardly wait for church to end.

As soon as her family returned home after the service, she would trade out her frilly dress, matching hat, white gloves, tights, and patent leather shoes for shorts and a T-shirt; tie up her long, blonde hair into a ponytail; and then race out the back door barefooted — like that early scene from “The Man in the Moon” — to find trees to climb and mud to play in outside of her family’s home in Fairview, NC, located near Asheville in the heart of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

“I was the only girl in the family, so my mother took every opportunity to put me in a dress. She especially loved taking it to the next level for church,” Dr. Constance Wright explains, then owning up to her reputation back then as a tomboy. “I hated every bit of it.”

However, that sentiment changed when Wright was around 14 and they asked her to fill in for one of the Sunday school teachers who was sick. She prepared for her lesson, put on her “Sunday best,” and headed to church. Wright felt nervous at first, up in front of a room of children, as she’d only recently become a Christian herself.

After a few lessons, though, she discovered she loved her new role and began to sense her calling to become a teacher.

“It was deeper than loving the children,” she said. “I thought, ‘I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.’”

To become a teacher would mean to join the family business. Both of Wright’s parents, as well as a handful of her mother’s relatives, worked in education.

Lest you guess that they all forced her to follow in their footsteps, she relays that her father, who taught biology and physical education at the local high school, actually tried to talk her out of that career path plenty of times.

“He would say, ‘I think you should do anything but teach. It’s just going to get more difficult for teachers,’” she remembers.

Wright realized the truth of her father’s prediction years later.

By that time, she had completed both her bachelor’s and master’s in education, taught at the K-6 level for several years, and just started her first year teaching high schoolers. Assigned to teach a dual-enrollment elective course in child development, Wright was delighted when the class filled up with students eager to work towards earning college credit, so she thought. When she walked into the classroom for the first time, she learned they had a much different motivation.

“Nearly a third of the students were pregnant. The reason they were taking my class was because they wanted to know, ‘What is happening inside of me right now, and what do I do after I have the baby?’ So I knew they were scared. Most of them were 17 and found themselves facing hard decisions. They had to grow up quickly,” she realized. “It was at that moment I knew my purpose was much greater than instruction: I would become a mother figure to some, a mentor to others, and a prayer warrior for all of them.”

In fact, some of Wright’s students were still debating about whether or not to get an abortion. When they confided in her for advice, she encouraged them to consider other options.

“Through this experience, I began to see the desperate need for teachers who could bring the Christian influence into the classroom and help guide their students,” she says.

Wright calls this revelation her “second calling”: the experience sparked her passion for preparing aspiring teachers to focus not only on “getting students to excel academically from one year to the next,” but also on helping them to “grow as a person, as a citizen, and as a contributor of the community where they live.”

Once the school year ended, Wright began working on her doctorate. She dreamed of going into higher education, and she did — serving for eight years at Montreat College in the education department.

Then one day, administration called her in to let her know they had to eliminate the department due to budget cuts. She was disappointed to hear she would lose her job.

Feeling uncertain but hopeful, Wright decided to call up one of her colleagues, the dean of the College of Education (COE) at NGU, to see if the university might have any openings. The two had met several years earlier, and she’d left the dean a copy of her resume.

“I explained to her what had happened, and she asked me if she could interrupt me for a moment. She told me that she had walked up her letter of resignation the previous week — she was going to retire — and at that time, they had asked if she could recommend anyone. She had given them my resume, which she had kept since my initial visit,” Wright remembers. “The miracle, to me, was that God knew then that I would be needing a job, and He had already begun providing for me. That God brought me here is undeniable.”

Since Wright joined NGU in 2012 as dean of the COE, the college has continued to make strides.

New programs added under her leadership include Spanish education and, most recently, physical education. In addition, every NGU student now graduates with a Read to Succeed endorsement, and education majors can now take American Sign Language to fulfill their foreign language requirements.

Wright has also helped to lead several technology improvements, such as the addition of Chromebooks and iPads for instructional purposes.

But Wright says one of the most important changes she has implemented is strengthening the mentoring program at NGU.

Previously, NGU hired mostly outside teachers to complete observations for students enrolled in courses with field experiences. But now, it’s the education students’ actual professors who watch them teach and then provide feedback.

“Our professors are able to monitor in real time if they’re teaching our students effectively and then make any needed modifications to their instruction right away,” Wright explains.

This is the shift Wright attributes to the college’s recent hiring rate success among education graduates. For the past three years, in fact, the COE has touted a 100 percent hiring rate among graduates who sought a teaching job.

Wright adds that the notable success is also due to the comprehensive way NGU’s COE faculty teach students what they need to do to land a job after graduation. For example, NGU education majors go through the process of preparing a professional portfolio, writing a cover letter and resume, and learning specific tips about how to conduct themselves in a school setting. They even experience mock interviews with local principals.

In addition, NGU’s COE hosts a job fair every spring, inviting representatives from school districts in Greenville, Spartanburg, and beyond to meet and set up interviews with NGU’s highly sought-after

teacher candidates prior to graduation.

Now that she’s overseeing both NGU’s undergraduate and graduate programs in education — after a reorganization of the COE in March 2019 — Wright hopes to make it even easier for NGU alumni who are seeking another degree after graduation.

She’s looking into smoothing out the transition between NGU’s bachelor’s and master’s programs and master’s and doctoral programs, all but eliminating the application process for students who have already established a proven track record at NGU.

Moving forward, Wright also plans to create a professional development center for teachers at NGU’s Tim Brashier Campus at Greer, as well as to add new academic programs to NGU’s growing list of education offerings and to further develop NGU’s education facilities.

Of course, she also hopes to continue mentoring aspiring teachers who understand what she understands:

“Being a teacher, you get to make a lasting, lifechanging impact on the world,” Wright says. “What I hope each of our students has been prepared to do by the time they graduate is to inspire future generations to love learning; to invest in learning themselves so they can remain effective in the classroom; and, most importantly, to impact communities by modeling Jesus’ love. They have the unique opportunity of taking Jesus with them into school environments where He is not necessarily welcome, and by doing so they demonstrate His love not only for the children in their classroom, but also their colleagues and, ultimately, the greater community.”

COE at a Glance

Jon Wade Weatherford (’05)

COE Testimonials

“The College of Education faculty are just phenomenal. They pour into you spiritually and academically, leading by example to show you what really matters in the classroom. Now that I’m in the field, what stands out the most is that they care enough to keep praying for me and checking on me. Where else can you find professors you can call to get practical advice or to share a celebration with?”

Rebecca Komoroski | Class of 2018

First-Grade Teacher

“One of my favorite things about the College of Education at NGU is the amount of time they have the education majors in classrooms observing and teaching. I truly believe the classroom experience provided is what sets NGU education grads apart from others; we’ve been given time to see multiple grade levels, subject areas, and teachers. This simply prepares teachers more than anything else! I feel I had so much experience that I was completely prepared for my semester of student teaching.”

Ashley Caviness | Class of 2015

Fifth-Grade Teacher

“If you want to be a music teacher, I would definitely recommend NGU. Music education is a very busy major; it requires much focus and determination, and the classes are very thorough. When you actually step into public schools and begin your journey as an educator, however, you know that all that hard work was well worth it! In some ways, our education classes required us to do more than we actually have to do in Greenville County Schools. This makes for a pleasant experience once you are out on your own. I would much rather be overprepared than underprepared!”

Adam Cochran | Class of 2014

Music Teacher

“The smaller class sizes in the College of Education at NGU really allowed me to build more personal relationships with my professors. I wasn’t just a name on a roster. I felt they honestly cared about my success in school and in the real world after graduation. They did not sugarcoat things, either. They trained us for the real world and not the fantasy land that so many beginning educators have in their minds about how their classroom will be when they start the profession.”

Erik Hines | Class of 2004

Orchestra Director and 2016 Teacher of the Year

FROM DROPOUT TO

STANDOUT

Alum Dukes Works Hard to ‘Save’ High Schoolers from Quitting

Carl Dukes (’12, MEd ’14, EdD expected) quit school in ninth grade. So you might not expect to learn that he went on to become a teacher — who also happens to be working on his fourth degree at the moment.

And last fall, he was named the winner of North Greenville University’s 2018 Young Alumnus Award.

Dukes grew up in the projects of Conway, SC, he says. His mother worked as a housekeeper at a hotel 17 miles away, right on the water in Myrtle Beach.

He remembers his father, struggling with addiction, was hardly in the picture.

With Dukes on his own most of the time, he racked up a criminal record early on. Because of the trouble he caused in class, he was forced to become a homebound student. Eventually, he decided to give up on school altogether. That’s when he ended up in South Carolina’s Juvenile Detention Center again.

The center — even if it felt “pretty much like jail” — at least offered him a place to reflect. One day, in

particular, he was sitting on his bed when flashbacks from his past filled the frame of his mind.

“I just remember thinking about how, at that age, I’d already carried three of my cousins’ caskets,” he says. “I’m just like, ‘How can I do something different?’ Because where I’m from, I mean, ain’t nobody do nothing different. Everybody hustle. Everybody gangbang. Everybody do they thing to survive, because everybody livin’ in poverty.”

As if in answer to his question, a volunteer preacher

visited the facility a short while later and gave a devotion. Dukes heard that God was giving him a second chance in life.

“That stood out to me. At that moment, I [began] realizing that God really had been watching out, looking out for me all this long time. Because I done been in some situations where there’s no way I should have got out of ’em, but I was able to get out of ’em,” Dukes says. “I said to myself, ‘Let me try this God thing.’”

A few months later, Dukes was released from the juvenile facility and called in to meet with the vice principal at his former high school, Trevor Strawderman.

“I distinctly remember Carl wearing a cross and smiling throughout our conversation. A smile is something I had rarely ever seen from Carl. When I informed him of his alternative school placement, he responded, ‘Please just give me one chance. I have found God, and I’m not the same person,’” Strawderman remembers, adding that Dukes even promised to go to alternative school voluntarily if he couldn’t meet the school’s expectations. “I knew at that moment that Carl had changed. We gave him the chance he asked for.”

Dukes brought up his grades and even finished high school on time. Upon graduation, he decided to attend NGU, a smaller university where he felt he could “stay focused.” At NGU, he studied interdisciplinary studies, with concentrations in early childhood education and communication.

He also received a scholarship to play football all four years, and he won the Iron Crusader Award in both 2010 and 2011. After graduating in 2012, Dukes stayed on at NGU as an assistant coach. In the meantime, he earned his Master of Education from NGU.

Just a few months after Dukes finished his second degree, Strawderman — the same administrator who had helped Dukes get back into school — called him up. He’d taken over as principal at North Myrtle Beach High School (NMBHS), and he wanted

Dukes to join the faculty.

“It was obvious to me that Carl would be a blessing and a positive role model for our students,” Strawderman explains.

Dukes took the job and discovered that he loved teaching students in the NMBHS special education program.

“I know that I can connect with them and make a difference here, because I was these kids,” he says.

During his first years of teaching, Dukes worked to earn his second Master of Education, with a focus in learning disabilities, from Francis Marion University. He’s still continuing his education, now working towards his third degree at NGU: the Doctor of Education.

“Education is really the key to creating opportunities for yourself,” he says. “My goal for earning my doctorate at NGU is to go into administration then maybe become a superintendent. I just believe a lot of education needs to be reformed.”

His dissertation explores why students drop out and how to help them stay in school instead.

“Don’t get me wrong: we can’t save ’em all. I know I can’t save ’em all,” he says. “But the ones that can be saved, we still losing them as well because we don’t have the right programs in place to help these kids get through the situations they was born into and they don’t have any control over.”

Of course, Dukes isn’t waiting around for new policies to ignite a change. In his classroom, he works to teach his students important life skills they’ll need to rise above their situations. Plus, he’s not afraid to tell them about the real reason his life has changed: Jesus.

“I know what the rules are, but sometimes I’m willing to make that sacrifice. When they ask me a question about myself, I share my faith freely,” he exudes.

Between teaching, coaching wrestling, and studying, Dukes still makes time to organize an annual fundraiser to provide basic classroom supplies for disadvantaged students in his hometown.

“If I can help take the pressure off parents for school materials, then I’m willing to do that,” he says.

Dukes also volunteers with Samaritan’s Purse, mentors inner-city youth, and takes on motivational speaking engagements on occasion.

“Although he is continuously studying and working, he makes time to invest in his community, which in turn is a positive reflection on our university and a testimony to Jesus Christ,” says Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., NGU president. “He recognizes opportunities and doesn’t let them slip through his fingers.”

At NGU’s 2018 NGU Connect event, Fant awarded Dukes the Young Alumnus Award in recognition of his dedicated service to the community and powerful testimony.

“I have been an educator for 25 years and have never seen a more drastic turnaround than Carl,” Strawderman agrees. “He has truly been an inspiration to me.”

Sullivan’s Landing

Alum Sullivan Joins NGU as Director of Alumni Engagement

Lamont Sullivan (’98, MCM ’13), who holds three degrees from North Greenville University, has returned to his alma mater to take the university’s alumni relations to new heights.

The youngest of six, Sullivan grew up in Greenville, SC, in a Section 8, single-parent home. He didn’t meet his father until his late teens.

So, when he walked across the stage in Turner Chapel at North Greenville University to receive his associate’s degree in 1999, he knew he had “overcome so much to reach that moment.”

“I knew this achievement was huge for a first-generation graduate like me,” Sullivan says. “I left North Greenville prepared to make an impact wherever I landed.”

After a short stint in high-level corporate sales, Sullivan spent the next 16 years serving with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate — part of the largest youth mentoring organization in the U.S. He rose to the rank of CEO in 2015.

“This opportunity meant so much to me because the children I served were just like me when I was growing up. God blessed me with the platform to show these families what the other side of a tough life looks like,” Sullivan says.

Sullivan caught the attention of Leadership Greenville and the Diversity Leaders Initiative, causing both organizations to nominate him as one of their class members. And, as NGU’s executive team began searching for a director of alumni engagement in early 2019, he caught their attention, as well.

“Lamont Sullivan is as respected a leader in Greenville as there is. His approach to humble servant-leadership has made an impact everywhere he has worked,” says NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr.

Sullivan accepted the position at NGU and started in June 2019. He says his vision in his new role is to create more opportunities for alumni families to reconnect with NGU friends, faculty, and staff.

“If you haven’t visited campus in a while, it’s time. I invite you to see what God is doing here at NGU. Even more, I invite you to become part of it,” Sullivan adds.

Learn more at ngu.edu/alumni.

ALUMNI NOTES

1962

Harvey Tankersley has been named to South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s (SCBCA) Hall of Fame. He began his career in 1964 at North Greenville, where he compiled a record of 138-68. He went on to serve as head boys’ basketball coach at Eastside High School and had a 406-215 record over 25 years. Under his direction, Eastside became state runner-up in 1977 and 1985. Tankersley was inducted into SCBCA’s Hall of Fame on March 15 in conjunction with the North-South All-Star Game Banquet in Columbia, SC. Tankersley is also a member of NGU’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

1966

James Cotney — pastor at Park Road Baptist Church in Prosperity, SC — has recently been appointed as national chaplain to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Association. In this role, he will minister to thousands of combat veterans, both nationally and internationally. After graduation from North Greenville, Cotney volunteered to enter the U.S. Army as a combat medic and paratrooper. He served as a medic with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. After medical discharge, he graduated with a BSN from the University of South Carolina and then attended Midwestern Seminary.

1972

Judge Donna Scott Davenport was recently nominated by the Junior League of Murfreesboro to receive the ATHENA Leadership Award. She was elected as one of only eight elected independent juvenile court judges for the state of Tennessee in 2000. Currently, Davenport is serving her third elected eight-year term as juvenile

court judge for Rutherford County. She has also served as an adjunct professor with the Criminal Justice Department at Middle Tennessee State University since 1995. She has served on the bench for almost 20 years, also participating in various civic groups.

1977

Tony Cadden was inducted to the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019. He previously played baseball at Country Day High School, winning three state championships, and then played infield at North Greenville. Following college, he coached recreation baseball on James Island, SC, eventually taking the South Carolina College All-Stars to the Summer Collegiate World Series. Cadden coached the American Legion Post 147 baseball team for 20 years, raising over $100,000 to fund the program. He led Post 147 teams to a pair of state runner-up titles, with more than 100 of his players going on to play collegiately and eight to play professionally. Currently, he serves as an associate scout for the New York Mets and an assistant baseball coach for Porter-Gaud School.

1992

Blair Waddell delivered the 2019 annual lecture at the Evangelical Library in London on “The Biblicism of William Jay (1769-1853).” Previous lecturers at this prestigious occasion have included Carl Trueman, Iain Murray, F.F. Bruce, and Martyn Lloyd Jones. Waddell is a 2005 MDiv graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he received his PhD from the University of Stirling in 2013. He is currently the senior pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Huntsville, AL.

1996

Jose Rondon is a chaplain at the Fort Leonard Wood Army base, where nearly 5,000 soldiers and trainees professed faith in Christ in 2018. Rondon was also a featured guest at the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Great Commission Conference on Feb. 21-24, 2019.

1998

Chris McCants has been hired as the principal of Florence Chapel Middle School in Spartanburg, SC. Formerly, McCants served as principal at Beech Springs Intermediate School for three years. He began his career in education as an English teacher at Florence Chapel Middle School before being promoted to assistant principal. McCants holds a master’s in English from Troy University and a master’s in educational leadership from Furman University.

Lamont Sullivan (MCM ’13) has returned to his alma mater as director of alumni engagement. (See full story on Page 22.)

1999

Travis Kerns, former North American Mission Board missionary and church planter, has been named to the faculty of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX, as an associate professor of apologetics and world religions. He is the author of “The Saints of Zion: An Introduction to Mormon Theology.”

2001

Corey Fountain has been named Clinton High School’s head varsity football coach for the 2019-20 school year. Fountain was previously the head football coach at Lamar High

School in Lamar, SC, where he led his team to several consecutive winning seasons. The 1A team was Region and Upper State Champions in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. In 2015 and 2017, they were also the 1A Division II State Champions. Fountain has been recognized as Region Coach of the Year, South Carolina’s High School Sports Report Regional Coach of the Year, Class A Upper State Coach of the Year, and South Carolina High School League Coach of the Year.

Mary Evans Lane and her family have recently moved to serve at Jungle Aviation and Radio Service (JAARS) in Waxhaw, NC, where they serve as missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Mary’s husband, Brant Lane, is the interim director of land transportation. His job focuses on training other missionaries who are going overseas in maintaining and operating their vehicles. Mary is a writer with the communications department at JAARS. Their family’s main goal in serving is to support Bible translation efforts around the world. They have four children: Annabelle, Allison, Jonathan, and Jesse.

2002

John Polk was the recipient of the 2019 Young Democrats of South Carolina Award, awarded at the party’s annual convention held on May 4, 2019, in Summerville, SC.

2003

Christopher Aiken graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Education in December 2018. His area of focus was organizational leadership and church revitalization. Currently, he serves as assistant pastor of Englewood

DREAMING OF MORE?

You’re looking for more than another degree, more than another career, and more than another set of letters behind your name. What you want is real-world, hands-on training to help you grow professionally, personally, and spiritually.

North Greenville University is here for people just like you — the ones who dream of more.

Our adult programs offer the same personal, Christ-centered, excellent preparation you’ve come to expect at NGU. So you can become an even more effective transformational leader in your field, your church, and your community.

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES • PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES • GRADUATE DEGREES

Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, NC.

Kyle Cromer has been named director of new business and product development with Centerline Brackets, a division of Centerline Steel LLC. Cromer joined the company after serving as its UPS Inc. rep since Centerline’s launch in 2012. During his 13 years with UPS, Cromer held leadership posts, including inside sales rep, sales coach, sales-planning/performance coordinator, account manager, and international account manager. His success frequently placed him in the top three to twelve percent of UPS sales globally.

Leah Humphries (MBA ’12) has joined the NGU Print Hub as an administrative assistant. She and her husband, David Humphries (expected ’22), are also growing their new business, American Honey Customs, which specializes in home decor and handcrafted furniture. They have five children: Jaxson, Riley Grace, Taylor, Sinton, and Kayden.

Andy Vaughn has been named director of player personnel for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He formerly served as the senior director of recruiting and high school relations for the University of Arizona Wildcats. Vaughn played tight end for NGU and went on to earn his master’s degree in physical education and sports administration from Florida State University.

2004

Dr. Kelly Burton serves as pastor of First Baptist Church Alba in Alba, TX. Kelly completed his Doctor of Ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017, with a concentration in expository preaching. He and his wife, Karen Burton, have been married for more than 35 years and have three children.

Erik Hines is in his 20th year as a director, composer, and adjudicator of percussion. The current orchestra director at Sumter High School in Sumter, SC, he holds an educational endorsement from Vic Firth Inc. He also served as a clinician at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference in February 2019.

2005

Josh Smith was named head baseball coach at Greer High School in Greer, SC. Smith played for the Greer Yellow Jackets from 1996 until 2000 and then for NGU from 2000 to 2005.

2006

Jonathan Whitten recently opened Gofeet Orthotics in Piedmont, SC.

2007

Jacob Johnson received $1,000 as the first-place winner of the Don Gibson Singer Songwriter Symposium in Shelby, NC, in April 2019 for his original song “The Ferryboat Waltz.” Johnson currently serves as an adjunct instructor of guitar in NGU’s College of Communication & Fine Arts.

Zachary Michael was presented the Top Young Leader Award at the 2019 Carolinas Associated General Contractors Conference.

Travis Morris has joined the Bob Fiacco Team of Western and Southern Financial Group.

2008

Nathaniel Balough was promoted to major in the U.S. Army. Nathaniel and his wife, Morgan Balough (’08), are living in Gainesville, FL, while he earns his master’s degree in geomatics at the University of Florida. This degree supports his job as a space operations officer.

Jake Patterson was recognized by the Joanna Lions Club as the 2018-19 Lion of the Year. This award is given annually to the Lions Club member who exemplifies service to the club and in the community. Patterson was nominated for the award by his peers in the club.

Sheila Moore Price received her Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from Liberty University. Price is currently the social media coordinator in NGU’s Office of Marketing and Communications.

Adam Street has been named pastor of Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Goldsboro, NC. He and his family have moved to Goldsboro from London, KY, where he served as associate pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. Street is currently pursuing his master’s in Christian education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Erin Wolfe has been named the assistant director for the Institute of Global Leadership at NGU. Before returning to NGU, Wolfe worked with Fellowship Travel International in Virginia and the Center for Global Connections at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri. She also previously served as a student mobilizer in South Asia. In her new role, she provides leadership in preparing and sending out short-term North American and international student mission teams.

2009

Josh Black has been named associate pastor of students for First Baptist Church of Memphis, MO. Josh and his wife, Chasity Adams Black (’10, MEd ’12), have two sons: Jericho and Elijah.

2010

Michael Pardue (MCM) was nominated as first vice president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina at the November 2018 annual meeting. Pardue is the pastor of First Baptist Church Icard in Connelly Springs, NC.

2011

Marc Metcalf (MBA) was promoted to senior business recruitment officer at the Upstate South Carolina Alliance, a regional economic development organization whose mission is to position the 10-county Upstate region to succeed in the global economy. Metcalf first joined the team in 2015. He currently represents the alliance on the boards of the South Carolina Biotechnology Industry Organization (SCBIO) and the South Carolina Automotive Council. He also serves as a board member of the City of Greer Recreation Association.

Justin Stewart is now teaching music at GREEN Charter School in Greenville, SC.

2012

Stephanie Roach was named Teacher of the Year at Landrum High School.

2013

Kristyn Hawkins Cooke (MEd ’16) is a new member of NGU’s Adult and Graduate Admissions team at the Tim Brashier Campus at Greer, after serving with the Admissions Office in Tigerville, SC. Kristyn earned her BA and MEd degrees from NGU. She and her husband, Ryan Cooke (’13, MBA expected ’21), have one son: Jennings.

Casey Rae Stewart is now teaching Spanish at GREEN Charter School in Greenville, SC.

2014

Lucas Colmenares has joined ScanSource Inc. as a digital marketing specialist at its headquarters in Greenville, SC.

David Malone; his wife, Brooke Wilson Malone (’14); and their daughter, Collins, have moved back to Upstate South Carolina from Charleston, SC, because David was selected to be the owner of the Laurens Chick-fil-A.

Freddie Martino, former North Greenville wide receiver and Tampa Bay Buccaneer, has continued his professional football career with the American Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). The AAF is a newly founded professional football league that began play on Feb. 9, 2019.

2015

Dr. Kathryn Adkins has entered her first year of residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine Wichita Family Medicine Residency Program. She serves at Via Christi Health hospitals.

Joseph Holder and his wife, Melonie Trinh Holder (’16), have started their own marketing company: InnerWorks Digital. At InnerWorks, they help businesses build their online presence through websites, advertising, and search engine optimization, to name a few. Joseph and Melonie have one son, Desmond.

Jonathan Lagos was named men’s soccer assistant coach for the 2019 season at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. Lagos joins the Demon Deacons after serving as the top assistant at Wofford College in 2018. He studied sport management at NGU.

Jared Phillips graduated with his doctorate from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) in May 2019. He’s now working as a family medicine physician at Eglin Air Force Base in Destin, FL. He was also recently promoted to the position of captain in the U.S. Air Force. Jared is married to Kristen Dilleshaw Phillips (’16).

Sarah Deane Shugars has earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She has now accepted a position as a judicial law clerk in Upstate South Carolina.

2016

Austin Floyd has been named football coach and head of football operations at Laurence Manning Academy in Manning, SC. Floyd’s past coaching experience includes time as an undergraduate assistant with NGU, a varsity baseball assistant at Wade Hampton High School, a varsity offensive line coach and junior varsity offensive coordinator at Lower Richland High School, and a varsity offensive coordinator, offensive line, and defensive line coach at Lamar High School.

2017

Scott Wingo (MEd), former NGU baseball assistant coach, has joined the coaching staff of new Notre Dame coach Link Jarrett. Wingo will serve as Notre Dame’s volunteer assistant.

2018

Christy Owenby now serves as a federal officer with the Transportation Security Administration, an agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

2019

Cole Bryson has joined the team at

ESPN Upstate Radio as the new voice of the Byrnes High School Rebels. He also hosts the Saturday Morning Scramble from 8 to 10 a.m. on ESPN Upstate during football season, where his team recaps the games that happened the night before while looking ahead to the big matchups the following week. During the week, Bryson serves as digital marketing coordinator for “The Encouraging Word” with Don Wilton, a nonprofit broadcast ministry based out of Spartanburg, SC. He has covered high school football in Upstate South Carolina for nearly a decade, formerly on the broadcast team for Boiling Springs.

Caitlin Lashley was hired as a staff accountant for Greene Finney LLP’s office in Mauldin, SC.

Austin McQuaid joined Infinity Marketing — a full-service marketing agency located in Greenville, South Carolina — as a media specialist. His role focuses on the DJ Influencer program in the retail vertical. Previously, he worked as an intern at Infinity and gained professional experience in the hospitality industry, which he leverages in furthering the success of Infinity’s clients on both traditional and digital media projects.

Ashley Merck is working as the digital media specialist for the Three Rivers Baptist Association in Greenville, SC. She is also studying at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Price “Matthew” Watson was accepted into the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), after graduating with a degree in biology from NGU in the spring. Watson also earned the 2019 Excellence in Biology Award at NGU.

SHARE YOUR NEWS

We include Alumni Notes in order to showcase the accomplishments and milestones of the NGU family.

These notes are not intended, however, to endorse specific individuals or their services.

We hope you’ll share your own submissions at ngu.edu/shareyournews

WEDDINGS

1 Jillian Grace Sherman to Cory Alexander Guinn (’12, MBA ’14) on Dec. 15, 2018

2 Jennifer Nichole Wyatt to John Paul Godwin (’14) on Oct. 20, 2018

3 Eden Crain (’18) to Grant Richardson (’17) on Jan. 5, 2019

Anna Evans (’19) to Dalton Mitchell (’17) on May 5, 2018

BABIES

Meghan Ready (’09) and her husband, Ryan Ready, welcomed their baby boy, Jasper Cohen, on May 22, 2019. He weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and was 21 inches long.

4 Kaitlyn Sanders (’12) and her husband, Craig Sanders (’12), welcomed their baby boy, Augustine Wayne “Auggie,” on April 12, 2019. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

Sarah Dobson (’13) and her husband, Andrew Dobson, welcomed their baby girl, Lyla Marie, on Jan. 25, 2019. She weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces and was 18 inches long.

5 Casey Rae Stewart (’13) and her husband, Justin Stewart (’11), welcomed their baby girl, Leilana Rae, on April 19, 2019. She weighed 8.5 pounds and measured 19.5 inches.

6 Victoria Pearson (’14) and her husband, JJ Pearson (’16), welcomed their baby girl, Bonnilyn Maye “Bonnie,” on March 13, 2019. She weighed 9 pounds, 11 ounces and was 22 inches long.

IN MEMORIAM

Jean Durham Shaver (’49) on July 22, 2019

William Hubert Dill (’52) on May 4, 2019

Vernon Lee Gissendanner (’52) on June 20, 2019

Louie Lawrence, Jr., (’57) on March 18, 2019

Arthur David Annadale (’62) on July 1, 2018

Brenda Irene Blackwell Eubanks Baskin (’62) on June 2, 2019

John “Elliot” Danner, Jr., (’67) on Feb. 23, 2019

Leaving a Legacy

Dianne Hill Shirley (’67) on Jan. 16, 2019

Stephen Miller “Steve” Robinson (’70) on July 20, 2019

Kathryn York (’71) on May 24, 2019

Alfreda Ray (’78) on July 10, 2019

Betty Alverson (former instructor) on May 14, 2019

Dr. David Mack “Diesel” Haynie (retired professor) on March 22, 2019

Kevin Brooks Welch (council of advisors) on March 19, 2019

JOHN ANTHONY “TONY” FOGLE

John Anthony “Tony” Fogle supported North Greenville University’s athletic programs for many years, also serving on the university’s board.

A World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Tony was the founder and owner of Carolina Fresh Farms, which specializes in growing and selling sod. In addition to farming, he also owned several other businesses, including a grocery store and a hat shop in Columbia, SC.

Tony donated sod and land to various organizations over the years: land for the former private school Heritage Hall Academy, landscaping materials for Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School, and grass for the Lugoff-Elgin High School baseball field and NGU’s athletic complex, among others.

His contribution and personal installation of sod at NGU resulted in the football field at Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium being named “Fogle Field” to honor him and his wife, Margaret Fogle. In 2006, Tony was inducted into NGU’s Athletic Hall of Fame for his contribution.

“A wave of donors and supporters shared a vision of what athletics could be at North Greenville University, including Mr. Fogle. They saw that athletics could provide an opportunity for students to participate in the life of the university and be better prepared to be leaders in their careers, their churches, and their communities,” says NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “We are grateful for the legacy of his vision on our campus. NGU is a better place because of people like him.”

In addition to his support of NGU Athletics, Tony served on NGU’s Board of Trustees from 2004 until 2008.

He was an active member of Calvary Baptist Church in Neeses, SC, where he previously served as a deacon. He also participated in his local Ruritan Club.

Tony passed away on June 14, 2019, at the age of 95. At the start of the 2019 season, NGU Athletics placed a wreath at the entrance of the football stadium in his memory.

LEAD the way

You want to lead, and we want to help. At North Greenville University, our mission is to equip transformational leaders. We provide Christ-centered, real-world training for people like you who dream of becoming the next trailblazers in their field — whether that’s business, education, or medicine.

“NGU has been a life-changing experience for me, and I want others to be influenced in the same way.”

Rebecca G. Intercultural Studies Class of 2019

If you feel like Rebecca, then go ahead and spread word about NGU to your friends, family, and neighbors up the street. Right now, it’s easier than ever to do. Just fill in the quick Refer a Friend form on NGU’s website, and we’ll reach out to your referral with a warm introduction.

Start now at ngu.edu/referafriend

OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

NORTH GREENVILLE UNIVERSITY

P.O. BOX 1892

TIGERVILLE, SC 29688

CLEARING THE PATH FOR TOMORROW’S LEADERS

North Greenville University’s students aren’t just prepared to get a job; they’re prepared to lead the way in their field, their church, and their community. And you make all that possible for them when you give to the Difference Maker Fund. Your gift meets the greatest needs for those who may not otherwise have the resources to prepare for their calling at NGU.

Give now at ngu.edu/differencemaker.