special-2021

A Joyful End to a Year Unlike Any Other

ADVISORS

Dr.

Beka

Mason

Chloe

THE PRESIDENT’S PEN

Two words you don’t want to see in the same sentence are “broth” and “virus”! But a year ago, North Greenville University was engaged in meetings all over campus as we sought to respond to the novel coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19. As the meetings multiplied, I thought of an old proverb that states, “Many cooks spoil the broth!” That caution reminded us that in crises, leadership is crucial to generating realistic and aspirational responses.

We believed instead that many voices create a beautiful chorus. We sought voices from healthcare, academics, student life, IT, campus enhancement services, campus ministries, and many more, assembling the COVID-19 Response Team under the leadership of Rich Grimm, the university’s Executive Vice President. In 2008, Mr. Grimm and I served on the leadership team of Union University when it was decimated by an EF-4 tornado, and I knew that he had the right combination of strategy and diligence to lead the efforts. Through the spring and summer, the C-19 Team worked intentionally to prepare for face-to-face classes for the 20-21 Academic Year. They developed protocols and communications portals; they walked through buildings and inventoried supplies; they prayed and reflected carefully. And in August, that chorus of voices welcomed everyone to a campus that was prepared for a most unusual year. Even now, God continues to be faithful as everyone followed the plans through the fall and the spring.

This spring was unlike any I’ve ever experienced: all athletics seasons (fall, winter, and spring) were underway simultaneously. Student activities and cultural events were brisk. Students were gaining graduate and professional school admissions, job offers, and post-graduation plans. God was likewise moving among our ministry programs, with professions of faith, rededications, and an awareness of spiritual things that off-campus visitors regularly noted. I should also mention that financially, the university finished last year with the strongest audit in recent years. All of these wonderful things, however, stand in stark contrast with many off-campus experiences, as so many have lost loved ones this year, have seen family businesses strain or even break, and have seen the pandemic create other turmoil.

Wherever you are, incline your ear toward Tigerville and Greer and listen carefully. There’s a chorus here at NGU, one that includes an undertone of lament for the pandemic but also shimmers with the joyful, manifold voices of faculty, staff, coaches, and students, all crying out with gratitude for God’s faithfulness.

Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. President North Greenville University

A Joyful Celebration

Graduates’ Milestone Undeterred by Year of Pandemic

Seated six feet apart across a football field, yet bound together like no other class in decades, North Greenville University’s 2021 graduates celebrated their degrees on a beautiful foothills evening Friday, April 30.

With their families looking on from the stands in Younts Stadium – socially distanced but thankfully inside the campus landmark – the graduates were challenged to “listen to God.”

“Do you do that?” asked commencement speaker Bill Reeves. “Do you spend any time in the day listening to him?”

Reeves is CEO of Educational Media Foundation, parent company of K-Love, the world’s largest contemporary Christian music radio network. He told the graduates his career path in the Christian entertainment business started when he listened to God as a 15-year-old at summer camp on NGU’s Tigerville campus.

That 33-year journey has taken him from Word Records to Big Idea Productions’ VeggieTales® brand, and work with Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins products before founding Working Title Agency and marketing major motion pictures including God’s Not Dead, I Can Only Imagine, and War Room Reeves said when Centrifuge camp staff told teenagers to spend morning time in God’s Word, it directed his life.

“That morning in the middle of the summer in 1985, I listened to God, and I heard Him as if it was this morning. He said, ‘You’re going to use your skill sets to minister the Gospel.’”

Citing biblical accounts of Moses and Saul listening to God’s words, Reeves also relayed the story of a discouraged young pastor who sat on a hillside in 1949, listening to God. Like that man, Billy Graham, the graduates had the opportunity to hear God’s call on their lives, Reeves said.

“You’re facing a dark world,” he said. “There’s a lot of people that say your faith is a joke. Are you listening to God? Nothing you receive today when you walk across this stage will be worth anything if you’re not using that for what God’s telling you to do with your life. They have to go together.”

As evening descended on the stadium, NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., conferred degrees on the 335 graduates, who then proceeded to the elevated stage to receive their diplomas as guests and senior faculty looked on. A massive video board, consisting of 144 connected panels, provided the backdrop.

Following extended applause from guests honoring the graduates, President Fant noted, “This has truly been a service of worship.” NGU professor Victor Prieto, the father of a graduating student, delivered the benediction as the midspring sunset painted brilliant orange clouds on the low horizon. The backdrop set the scene for scores of celebration photographs, providing a picturesque conclusion to an academic year that began in August under the storm clouds of a global pandemic.

Top: Positioned directly in front of Hendricks Athletic Center, and below a 144-panel video wall, the Commencement platform allowed NGU to utilize both sides of the stadium for guest and faculty seating, while graduates filled the south side of the football field.

Left: Health Science graduates Quinisha Tanner and Damien Simpson prepared to receive their diplomas during the evening ceremonies.

Right: Dr. Becky Thompson, second from left, celebrated with graduates, from left, Faith Yeargin, psychology; Kimberly Rhyne, English; and Josie Weber, English.

Practical Preparation for a Prestigious Program

In a year when global health has been an overarching concern, one 2021 graduate is taking the next step in her journey toward a healthcare career. Jadyn Slaughter will use her health science degree to begin work on her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. She believes that overall health and wellness are the keystones to an optimally functioning society.

“God calls upon us to have good overall physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and wellness. We are all God’s precious creations and masterpieces, so we should try our best to preserve and maintain His masterpiece,” said Slaughter.

She wants to help people attain optimal health through the knowledge she has learned from textbooks, professors, and the Bible.

Slaughter was accepted into all six graduate schools where she applied. She has decided to attend the Army

Slaughter was accepted into a highly selective armed services doctoral program.

As the sun set across the Younts Stadium field, graduates stood to sing the Alma Mater in the Friday evening ceremony.

Baylor program to serve in one of the four Navy positions for their graduate program. She is attending Officer Development School in Newport, RI, this summer and will graduate as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy.

“I will then travel to Fort Sam Houston in Texas to complete my graduate education in two and a half years,” she said. “After graduation and licensure, I will serve as an officer and physical therapist for the United States Navy.”

NGU Health Science majors complete a 240-hour internship in a health care setting they are interested in pursuing.

Slaughter completed an internship during the spring at Accelerated Physical Therapy in Travelers Rest, where she observed and assisted the physical therapist. Some of her responsibilities included cleaning, folding laundry, encouraging patients, and even rehabilitating some patients.

“I actually applied to and visited about 10 colleges. These colleges were smaller, Christ-based institutions, and NGU definitely stood out from the other nine because the staff, students, and community on campus truly lived out and practiced the Christian message.”

She said being on the cross country and track team and being active in other extracurricular activities helped make the NGU community feel like one big family.

“College is hard, so having a close network of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is extremely helpful when times get tough.”

Slaughter said health science faculty have been alongside her every step of the way. The new graduate student said the professors are a significant reason she received the privilege and honor to serve her country in a field with so much respect and passion.

GROWING in Faith, Not Debt

Colleges are recognized for distinct qualities. Whether written or unwritten, every school is most known for its niche in the higher education sector. Over 128 years, North Greenville University has earned a reputation for equipping transformational Christian leaders.

The reputation was reinforced when 11 NGU students received the inaugural Palmetto Collective Scholarship from the South Carolina Baptist Convention. SCBC Director of Collegiate Ministries Chad Stillwell announced the NGU recipients during a Baptist Collegiate Ministries meeting during the 2020-21 year.

“The PC is more than a prestigious ministry scholarship. It is for a select squad of Christian college students from across the state who are deeply committed to leading out in ministry in the tumultuous days ahead,” said Joshua Gilmore, NGU’s BCM director. “The PC offers a ministry experience like no other. These select students are not only being discipled by prominent leaders within the SCBC, but they are also dedicated to leading and serving in ministry both locally and globally: in semester, over school breaks, and after graduation.”

Several years before the Palmetto Collective was launched, Jody Jennings, NGU vice president for campus ministries and student engagement, had a dream to partner with the SCBC to generate a pipeline that prepares students to engage in effective ministry both foreign and domestic. Ken Owens with the SCBC took Jennings’s dream seriously and brainstorming began. Select ministers from across the state rose to the occasion, bringing the program into existence.

“Isaiah 6:8 says: ‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me.’ Students at BCM are putting their ‘yes’ on the table and saying along with the prophets of old “Here am I. Send me,” said Gilmore.

A total of 21 Palmetto Collective scholarships were available for the Palmetto Collective this year. Out of the 30 Baptist Collegiate Ministries in the state of South Carolina, NGU produced more than half of the recipients. NGU’s recipients are Emily Felton from Inman, Drew Golden from Travelers Rest, Levie Land from Travelers Rest, Bethany Manley from Florence, Gideon Owens from Simpsonville, Hannah Rankin from Travelers Rest, Drew Reynolds from Simpsonville, Carrie Rust from Greenwood, and Mandie Trainer from Anderson.

Stillwell said the ideal Palmetto Collective candidate is someone who has been transformed by the Gospel, is significantly involved in the life of their local church and has a deep desire to grow in their Christlikeness.

“They should have a passion for saturating others with the Gospel, beginning locally and extending to the ends of the earth,” said Stillwell. “The scholarship is for those with a call to full-time ministry or overseas missions and those pursuing secular professions. In other words, students who want to be missional leaders wherever God leads them. Students are recommended to apply via their campus minister or college pastor.”

The selected students entered a discipleship cohort, working on monthly studies and projects developed by top-level church leaders across South Carolina.

“The students are connected with a local mentor who will help them process what they are learning and experiencing with one-on-one discipleship meetings. Once a month, the cohort will meet virtually to discuss that month’s focus and to hear from national and international leaders,” Stillwell said.

At mid-year, during Christmas break, the Palmetto Collective dives into a mission intensive to deepen learning and engagement with the missionary task. During the summer break between their junior and senior years, students are encouraged to serve in Baptist ministry and mission settings. For those raising money to serve during the summer, Palmetto Collective grants will be available to help defray some of the costs of that service.

After graduation, students will receive up to $5,000 for two years of mission engagement after college – either through IMB or NAMB’s Journeyman program or a Go2 experience in North America (typically serving with a church planting team in a strategic city). Each recipient was given a small stone globe by Stillwell as a reminder that “God’s focus is on the lost in the world and on the two billion people on this planet who have little or no access to the Gospel.”

NGU

continues to make a major impact for South Carolina Baptists.

For the 2021-22 school year, 17 NGU students were awarded the Palmetto Collective out of the 20 awards given.

Sustaining an Engaged Community

NGU’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Bringing more than 3,000 students, faculty, and staff back to two campuses in August 2020, during an unrelenting global pandemic was a daunting task last August. Yet when the spring semester concluded with Commencement on April 30, North Greenville University had witnessed a successful – and unforgettable – academic year. The NGU family collectively worked to maintain a safe and nurturing campus environment, and University officials say NGU is stronger for it.

A key to completing a normal academic calendar was the work of a COVID-19 Response Team which included more than 30 NGU personnel. The team sought to address every possible scenario related to the pandemic, drafting nearly 500 protocols which senior leadership reviewed and ratified before events and activities could go forward.

In December of 2019, NGU’s leadership team began learning through news outlets about the fast-growing virus, realizing it would only be a matter of time before it made its way to the United States, and ultimately to the campus of North Greenville University. In January, President Fant tasked Executive Vice President Rich Grimm with coordinating the university’s response to the pandemic.

On Feb. 25, 2020, Grimm assembled the initial COVID-19 Response Team for its first meeting. The team began recommending guidelines, procedures, and protocols to achieve the safest and most efficient pathway for campus operations. That month, the first U.S. case of the coronavirus surfaced in the state of Washington. In March, as the pandemic began to spread across the U.S., the

NGU’s COVID-19 Response Team Areas Represented

Academic Administration

Academic Records

Admissions

Advancement and University Engagement

Athletics

Tim Brashier Campus Operations

T. Walter Brashier

Graduate School

Business Office

Campus Dining

Campus Enhancement Services

Campus Housekeeping

Campus Ministries and Student Engagement

Campus Operations

Campus Security

Center for Global Leadership

Executive Vice President’s Office

Faculty

Human Resources

Information Technology Services

Marketing and Creative Services

NGU Clinic

Physician Assistant Program

President’s Office

Student Services

Student Success

COVID-19 Response Team was prepared and ready to make the recommendation to move classes and office personnel to remote operations for a few weeks. Eventually, the remote operations status was extended through the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.

“From the earliest days of the pandemic, our commitment was to fashion a response that was appropriate for NGU,” said Grimm. “This meant that we needed to receive input from across the university, not just from a few individuals.”

To that end, a cross-section of the community was tapped to serve on the team.

The team met once a week in the early stages, then daily, beginning March 15 and into the summer months. The meetings were less frequent during the spring 2021 semester. A total of 472 protocols were submitted to the Senior Leadership Council, which includes NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., Provost Dr. Nathan Finn, Senior Vice President for Finance Mike Stowell, and Grimm. Under the name “NGUstrong,” a dedicated web site provided updates, communicating protocols and guidelines.

One of the vital elements in maintaining a safe campus environment was the use of an online reporting form for students, personnel and university contractors and guests to complete if they were symptomatic or tested positive for the virus. When a report was submitted, an NGU contact tracer engaged the person quickly to discuss the next steps.

The COVID-19 Response Team tracked responses to report the official numbers to its campuses and parents each week through a COVID-19 dashboard. The university offered quarantine space for resident students unable to return home to separate from other residential students. Positive cases reported for the Tigerville and Greer campuses for the 2020-21 school year totaled 455 or 15 percent of the 3,000 NGU community members on the two campuses. Only eight Tigerville faculty members and only two members of the Greer faculty tested positive throughout the year.

“Each person in the community demonstrated their commitment to health and safety by wearing face-coverings, maintaining physical distancing, and practicing good hygiene,” said President Fant. “I was inspired with the resilience and integrity, and it proved what the community is capable of accomplishing in a crisis.”

Although 2020-2021 brought unprecedented challenges, NGU tested new ideas, created new approaches, and adapted to the conditions COVID-19 presented. Even though academics and a number of staff operated remotely in the spring of 2020, university business did not stop.

Several campus projects and initiatives were completed during the pandemic.

Among the new projects were NGUanywhere, a VPN system developed to

allow faculty and staff to work remotely; and NGUprays, an initiative to gather faculty and staff volunteers to pray for incoming students. The university also announced a new Cybersecurity degree program, and launched the Textbook Butler Service in partnership with Tree of Life Bookstores to provide students with more affordable textbooks and course material solutions. During the fall semester, NGU dedicated two renovated buildings: Neves Hall, which houses the Office of Student Services, including NGUcentral; and the repurposed Tuttle Clinic, providing a central base of operation for Information Technology Services. Amidst the unusual year, the university started the NGUleads program, which offers a year-long leadership development program to provide enhanced professional development training for faculty and staff. Along with these campus activities, NGU completed its 10-year accreditation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges through a virtual visit from a SACSCOC team.

After concluding the Spring 2020 semester remotely, Commencement for spring graduates was postponed. Graduates were given opportunities to participate in a ceremony during Homecoming in October, or during the December Commencement in Turner Chapel or the May 2021 Commencement at Younts Stadium. Those three events, along with a graduation drive-through event in May 2020, provided opportunities for graduates and their families to celebrate their academic achievements.

While summer school was offered remotely in 2020, the university began planning for the Fall 2021 semester, in hopes of bringing students back to campus for the regular scheduled academic calendar, which included fall and spring breaks.

The university began the fall semester on time, with a continuing commitment to protect the health of its students. Over the summer, the NGU Clinic was opened on the south edge of the campus and the university employed a campus nurse to serve the campus community. The COVID-19 Response Team worked collectively to review and strengthen protocols to ensure safety procedures were established and communicated clearly.

“The challenges that come with being a student-athlete are character-building.”

President Fant said that the decision to continue with a regular academic schedule with normal breaks and holidays was affirmed by mental health experts, and by data that showed only minor upticks of campus cases following holidays. The university continued to monitor the larger Greenville and South Carolina statistics. If the number of cases showed a marked increase for students in a specific club, sports team or musical group, NGU officials would address the issue by suspending meetings or activities for those groups. That vigilance helped limit large outbreaks in student groups, and allowed the university to stay on track to complete the academic year on time.

In April, the university announced through a joint message from the university President and the COVID-19 Response Team that the university planned to

bring the community back again for Fall 2021 in face-to-face classes, residential living areas, in-person campus activities, athletic competition, internships, fieldwork, and clinicals.

“We continue to be grateful for God’s protection from the global pandemic and are grateful for the hard work of the COVID19 Response Team, work which first began over a year ago to serve the university. As our weekly updates have noted, we continue to see mild cases overall and are hopeful that the vaccine rollout will ameliorate cases soon. We appreciate everyone’s willingness to follow the protocols that have worked so well. We are hopeful that we will see continued protection,” said Fant.

NGU is maintaining contact with students over the summer break to assist them in transitioning into the fall 2021 semester.

The university’s three guiding principles through the pandemic response were caring for the community, cultivating academic excellence and enrichment, and invigorating its mission for positive change.

“Our students, faculty, staff, and greater Upstate community’s welfare remains our chief concern. We will continue to do everything possible to anticipate the impact of COVID-19 on the community until the pandemic is behind us,” said Grimm.

The university continues to ensure that teaching, scholarship, and service thrive as cornerstones of human and intellectual development today and in the future. Student success is a priority, and academic continuity is maintained, even during a crisis, via alternative course delivery formats as necessary.

NGU continues to fulfill its mission and value-driven opportunities to positively impact society through scholarly endeavors, creative learning, community engagement, and operational excellence.

As a community, NGU students, faculty, and staff are bold and resilient. It always seeks ways to remain agile and persevere through a challenge with efficiency and innovation.

Starting August 14, all residence halls will open to new students. Returning students will begin move-in on August 16, with undergraduate classes starting August 19. NGU’s Online and graduate programs will begin on August 16, through the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer.

NGU Fall 2021 Semester

Saturday | August 14 New Student Orientation and Move-in Day

Monday | August 16 ....................... First Day for Graduate and Online Classes

Monday | August 16 –Wednesday | August 18.................. Returning Student Move-in

Thursday | August 19 First Day for Undergraduate Classes

Friday | October 15 –Monday | October 18 Fall Break

Wednesday | November 24 –Friday | November 26 Thanksgiving Break

Monday | December 6-8 Final Exams

Friday | December 10 Commencement

Your future is waiting. Make it epic. Every day.

You want to impact lives for God’s glory and the good of others. But how do find your path forward? The right vantage point makes all the difference. Find yours—at North Greenville University.

Embrace a Christ-centered perspective as you engage your God-given passions. Pursue academic excellence in a biblically faithful community. And elevate your future as you prepare to thrive in whatever comes next.

It’s your life. Your faith. Your future. Where is God calling you?

Explore the possibilities— at ngu.edu

SECOND Journey As Good As First

Jason Young received his Doctor of Ministry degree from North Greenville University as a member of the Class of 2020. The author, speaker, and coach owns his own company, working with leaders in churches and companies to help them build remarkable guest and team member experiences. He knows the value of consistent success, and the 2000 bachelor’s graduate knows that NGU tradition for himself.

The Loganville, GA, resident says he chose to attend NGU a second time for three reasons.

“First, I have a great history with the school as an alumnus and appreciated my undergraduate experience,” he said. “Second, Dr. Larry McDonald, director of the D.Min. program, was a draw. From the beginning, his actions showed a genuine interest in me as a student, leader, and follower of Jesus. Third, the degree was affordable and delivered in a format that worked well for me.”

Lessons he learned through research and writing stand out as a highlight of his doctoral program.

“This came through personal discipline, but a lot of it came from Dr. McDonald pushing me to uncover that next level of research to write a better dissertation with personal and professional applications,” he said.

Young defended his D.Min. professional dissertation on Biblical Hospitality last fall. He chose the topic because of the enormous implications for the church, corporations, and individual leaders.

“The more hospitable a leader and organization are, the more a person will want to be around them. The greatest example of this type of person is Jesus,” said Young. “Jesus reset the culture by breaking barriers and showing hospitality to people that were often overlooked. The result was a change in how people felt and what they believed.”

Along with the pressure of defending his dissertation, Young experienced a little extra tension. NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., served as the second chair of his oral defense committee. While he has served on many graduate committees in the past, this was President Fant’s first opportunity to serve on an oral defense committee at NGU.

“Because of Dr. Fant’s passion for hospitality, I knew he would be a great asset in serving on Jason’s D.Min. oral defense team,” said McDonald. “Jason’s topic of hospitality focused on examining the Bible’s teaching and example of hospitality as well as creating approaches for churches to adopt. Dr. Fant enhanced the breadth and depth of the defense team from his vast study and experience in this area. President Fant made time to serve and greatly strengthened the experience.”

“When Dr. McDonald first mentioned him being on my oral defense committee, I acted chill about it. Inside, I was a little nervous. That did not change on the day of my oral defense,” Young said. “Dr. Fant asked great questions, pushed me to clarify content, and encouraged me with rich examples I had not processed before. He not only added to the committee but to my dissertation and my life as a leader.”

Young is a hospitality and leadership coach and communicator. He was most recently the Director of Guest Experience at Buckhead Church and North Point Ministries, a nationally known network of churches with 40,000 people in average weekly attendance. He has worked with numerous organizations, including Ford Motor Company, Life.Church, and Chick-fil-A. He has written four books: The Table of Influence, The Come Back Effect, The Volunteer Effect, and The Volunteer Survival Guide. He also has written for multiple publications and enjoys curating helpful content for the Saturday Rundown at jasonyounglive.com.

“I would encourage others to attend the doctoral program at NGU if there is a curiosity to increase knowledge on a topic, grow personally, and have a coach in their corner to help them get to the finish line,” Young said. “I would encourage others to overcome their fear of the unknown and step towards what ‘next’ looks like for them academically and professionally.”

DOING What She’s Called to Do

Rebecca Holmes (’21) says she has always known that she wanted to be a teacher. When she first began looking at colleges, she knew she wanted to attend a Christ-centered school. She knew she wanted more out of a university than just academic knowledge, and she wanted to learn what it means to be a Christian today.

She said ultimately she wanted to attend a university that facilitated her spiritual knowledge as much as it did her academic knowledge. That place was NGU.

“Christ is truly at the center of everything that we do. He isn’t simply an extracurricular activity that we have on the side,” she said. “That intentionality is what ultimately drew me to attend NGU.”

The elementary education major says she wanted to know what it looked like to be a Christian educator practically.

Throughout her time in the education program, she discovered the strong calling that the Lord has placed on her life for teaching in a Title I setting.

“As someone who comes from a difficult background, I’ve been truly blessed by the educational experience that I’ve had my entire life. I didn’t realize that my academic experience is vastly different from my peers until I came to North Greenville University. I never walked into a classroom and felt like there was a task that I couldn’t complete,” she said.

Her teachers never saw her as her background or her socioeconomic status; therefore, not only did she graduate, but she excelled in academics.

“Those teachers helped me realize that if they can have such a positive impact on my life, I can certainly replicate that experience for other students that are just like me. I’m in this field because I know without hesitation that this is what the Lord has been calling me to and preparing me for my entire life,” she said.

She cannot say enough positive things about the College of Education, claiming the professors in the program are what truly makes it what it is.

“They’re all so caring, compassionate, and understanding. They truly model what it means to be a Christian first and an educator second.”

“The education professors get down on your level and have a deep desire to walk alongside you throughout your journey of life.”

“People are what you remember when you look back on milestones in your life, and these people that have made NGU so special will never be forgotten.”

Holmes believes relationships she has developed at NGU will last a lifetime.

Rebecca was appointed to a second-grade classroom at Duncan Elementary

School of the Arts for her student teaching assignment in her final semester. One stand-out memory from that experience was on her birthday.

“My cooperating teacher helped my students throw a surprise birthday party for me. I had no idea that anything was happening that day. My students made me a precious birthday hat, each student made me a handwritten birthday card, and my cooperating teacher had gotten cupcakes. I was already overwhelmed with joy when one of my students came into the classroom. He was a few hours late that day. He runs up to me and says, ‘Ms. Holmes, Ms. Holmes, I’m so sorry I’m late for your party. My grandma had to take me to the doctor because I haven’t been feeling well.’ Of course, I responded with, ‘Oh, that’s OK, honey. I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well.’ Then he says the words that will probably stick with me forever. He said, ‘Ms. Holmes, I begged my grandma to bring me even though I don’t feel good because you’re one of the only people who’s ever believed in me no matter what. I love you, Ms. Holmes.’ Those are the moments that make every hard day in teaching worth it. To know that you’ve made a difference in just one student’s life is enough,” she said.

Rebecca plans to teach in a Title I school somewhere in South Carolina. “I plan to stay close to home, so I can easily help my family as my mother finishes up her battle against breast cancer.”

She looks forward to continuing her education by earning her master’s degree within the first five years of completing her undergraduate degree.

“Most of all, I’m looking forward to how the Lord plans to use me and my testimony in the ever-changing field of education. It’s exciting to think about that I’ll be doing what I’ve felt called to do my entire life.”

Family from the First

Eddie Martin had never met so many friendly people. That outweighed almost everything else that mattered in his decision to attend North Greenville University.

“It felt like family,” he said about his first campus visit. “If you’re looking for a family-like atmosphere that allows you to grow at your own pace and in every aspect, then come to NGU.”

From Hartsville, SC, Martin completed his bachelor's degree in 2020. He enjoys NGU so much that he enrolled in the T. Walter Brashier Graduate School to earn his Master of Education degree.

“I plan on doing some possible administrative work while also working with Fellowship of Christian Athletes wherever the Lord puts me,” Martin said.

He currently works with the youth group at a local church, Renfrew Baptist in Greenville, and enjoys the relationships he has created, watching the students grow into adults.

As a football student-athlete, he enjoyed several community service opportunities with the football team. He participated in a mission trip to Uganda in the summer of 2019, a mission trip to New Orleans, and served in several cleanup and service projects in the community.

Even though the pandemic halted what he loves (his involvement in community service) and canceled his final football season, he keeps it in perspective.

“It has given me ample time to stop and think about where I want to go in life. It has given me a different appreciation for the things that really matter and has allowed me to see that my only peace is in God.”

Since Martin is enrolled in graduate school, he will have one more year of eligibility to play his final football season as team captain in the fall.

He is grateful for the influence of his NGU professors and coaches.

“I like the professors and how personal they take their jobs. They see us as people and not just a workload or a job they have to do,” said Martin. “The degree program is also very flexible and allows you to look at biblical truths within subjects where it seems like there would be none.”

He says he has never met a coach like NGU Football Head Coach Jeff Farrington, who cares so much about his players’ well-being.

“I remember as a young man signing to NGU and our family going through a tragedy shortly afterward and the coach that I didn’t even play under drove three hours to Hartsville to make sure my family and I were OK,” Eddie said.

“His heart showed me that I needed to give this program everything I had for as long as possible. Sports are great, but he showed me he cared outside of my athletic performance or ability.”

Martin plans to complete his last year of collegiate sports and, after graduating with his master’s, marry the love of his life, Lydia Ritter (’21).

A Grad Degree WITH A FULL-CIRCLE VIEW

A new residential master’s degree is designed to strengthen Christian “apprentices” through academic preparation. In November 2019, Impact 360 Institute and NGU announced a partnership leading to the development of a graduate-level program, Impact 360 Masters. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states, has granted accreditation approval for the new Master of Arts in Leadership degree program. NGU is the primary academic partner for graduate degrees offered at Impact 360 Institute, which began in Fall 2020.

Impact 360 Masters is a two-year residential program building on Impact 360 Institute’s core value of actively developing apprentices of Jesus. University leaders say this partnership will reinforce North Greenville University’s mission of glorifying God by cultivating graduates who are equipped to serve as transformational leaders for church and society.

Dr. Phil Alsup, executive director of Impact 360 Institute, noted, “Our mission at Impact 360 Institute is to cultivate leaders who follow Jesus. North Greenville University’s heritage and shared values make them a uniquely qualified partner. We are thrilled to partner with NGU to offer a program that will give our graduates opportunities to join organizations around the world and contribute what they have learned through Impact 360 Institute.”

”Impact 360 Institute is one of the premier biblical worldview organizations in the world, and NGU looks forward to building on our own foundations in that area. This is an important partnership as we grow our graduate programs in new and exciting directions,” said NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “John and Trudy Cathy White, Impact 360 Institute’s founders, are visionary thinkers and have mentored dozens of leaders, including my wife Lisa and me. We look forward to seeing the programs roll out in the very near future and to seeing new transformational leaders cultivated with both North Greenville University and Impact 360 Institute’s DNA.”

Through study at Impact 360’s Pine Mountain, GA, campus, grad students will be challenged to strengthen their Christ-first leadership gifts.

In response to a challenge set forth by philosopher Dallas Willard, Impact 360 Institute will be one of the first institutions to offer young Christ-followers a true graduate curriculum in Christlikeness. An articulation agreement describing the partnership outlines that North Greenville University will confer the graduate degrees, with Impact 360 Institute executing much of the program on its Pine Mountain, GA, campus.

“We have inherited a rich legacy of biblical worldview formation, discipleship, and servant leadership here at Impact 360 Institute. This new graduate program is an exciting opportunity to take our stewardship of that legacy to the next level,” says Dr. John Basie, director of the Impact 360 Masters program.

Students accepted into the program must have completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and demonstrate a commitment to Christian discipleship. Faculty members from Impact 360 Institute will join visiting faculty from NGU to teach accredited courses in subjects like spiritual formation, leadership, and apologetics.

“NGU and Impact 360 Institute share common distinctives as Christ-centered institutions committed to the biblical worldview, the integration of faith and learning, spiritual formation, and servant leadership. This new partnership is a natural fit,” said NGU Provost and Dean of the University Faculty Dr. Nathan A. Finn. “I am excited at this opportunity to partner together to develop new graduate programs that reflect those common distinctives and help prepare men and women to be transformational leaders who love God and neighbor and make a difference in a wide variety of vocations.”

John and Trudy Cathy White (daughter of Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A) established Impact 360 Institute in 2006 after noticing an increasing inability of high school students to explain and retain their Christian faith once they reached college. Since then, Impact 360 Institute has grown to offer programs for everyone from middle-schoolers to graduate students, each one deeply rooted in their three-pillar philosophy to know Jesus more deeply, to be transformed in character and to live a life of Kingdom influence.

To learn more about the degree program’s two areas of concentration, visit www.ngu.edu/programs/spiritual-formation and www.ngu.edu/programs/ servant-leadership-2.

Stewarding An Immeasurable Legacy

Honoring a legacy of partnership support that spanned six decades, North Greenville University dedicated the Dr. T. Walter and Christine Brashier Conference Room at NGU’s Tim Brashier Campus May 20.

Dr. T. Walter Brashier, Sr., died March 24, 2021, at the age of 86. His widow, Christine Brashier, was present for the dedication event in Greer. The Tim Brashier Campus is named for the Brashiers’ late son.

The elder Brashier had battled several health issues in recent years but continued engaging with evangelical ministry and the higher education causes he had supported through transformational gifts throughout his career. The successful real estate developer was NGU’s greatest individual donor, with his philanthropic investments to the university nearing $10 million since an initial 1972 gift to fund construction of apartment units on the Tigerville campus.

In welcoming family and guests to the ceremony, Justin Pitts, NGU’s assistant vice president for Greer campus operations, explained the influence of the Brashier name at the university:

“We have the privilege, we have the honor, and we have the joyful obligation of stewarding the Brashier family legacy. It is a legacy of grace, a legacy of giving, and a legacy of Jesus’ love that cares about the heart and the eternity of everyone who walks in these doors.”

Campus building.

Members of NGU’s Board of Trustees Executive Committee joined in the event inside the conference room, which is designed to seat 22.

“I don’t think there’s a preacher that’s ever come through South Carolina on 85 that wasn’t impacted by Dr. Brashier,” said Dr. Mike Hamlet, NGU board chair and pastor of the First Baptist Church of North Spartanburg. “He was truly a legend as a pastor, a preacher, an evangelist, as someone who in terms

Mrs. Christine Brashier and President Fant unveil a photograph of the

NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., said the conference room had special significance in his own relationship with Dr. Brashier. He recalled an event in July 2018 when he joined the Brashiers in the conference room to view a “thank you” video from NGU graduate and online students. Dr. Fant said the students’ words led to an emotional response from the noted philanthropist.

which is displayed in the Dr. T. Walter and Christine Brashier Conference Room

Brashier Campus.

of philanthropy made a difference. I think this is so appropriate. This room is in the center point of this campus, and the influence is headed out in every direction.”

“The gifts that God had given through him had come to so many lives,” Dr. Fant said. “Every time I come in this room I think of him.”

Among commemorating elements in the room is a framed copy of the notes for Dr. Brashier’s last sermon, covering the verses of Psalm 23.

“That sermon manuscript really is a reminder that behind all of the other things that he did – so many things that put his name in the paper – that really, you had the heart of a pastor, the heart of a preacher that loved people so much,” said Dr. Fant.

The room also features a plaque noting the conference room honors the Brashiers for “their love for the Lord, love for people, and steadfast generosity.”

Mrs. Brashier joined President Fant in unveiling a four-foot by three-foot framed photograph of the couple seated on a swing in front of the Tim Brashier

“Miss Christine, you and Dr. Walt have a legacy that is so much even beyond your family,” said Dr. Larry McDonald, dean of the graduate school.

Noting her family’s decades-old ties to the university, Mrs. Brashier said, “My grandfather rode a horse from Mountain View to North Greenville – he and his brother, Charlie Lynn and Ed Lynn. That was a hundred years ago.”

Several Brashier family members were in attendance for the ceremony, including two of their children, Rev. Tommy Brashier, and Kathy Brashier Higgins.

“This is a great honor,” said Rev. Brashier, a 1975 North Greenville graduate. “We appreciate North Greenville; we appreciate the graduate school and everybody who works here. Our hearts are overwhelmed.”

Also present were Dr. Brashier’s sister, Faye Brown; the Brashiers’ grandson, Dr. Wesley Brashier, a 2010 NGU master’s degree graduate; and his wife, Caitlin.

CAMPUS NEWS

As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted NGU schedules and programs, the university focused on specific projects that could be addressed to strengthen campus resources. Two major building renovations which began before the pandemic –Neves Hall and Tuttle Clinic – were completed during the summer of 2020. The Neves Hall project was celebrated in September. Here are updates on other campus projects spanning the past 16 months.

Tuttle Clinic/ITS Center

Tuttle Clinic, the former medical and health facility for the North Greenville community, is now the hub for NGU’s Information Technology Services team. The repurposed facility provides more than 4,300 square feet of space for a variety of operations including Network and Desktop Services, Information Systems and Business Applications, Administration, and a contemporary Help Desk for the campus. The building includes 11 offices, two conference rooms, a call center, a welcome center/customer care area, and a staff breakroom/kitchen. The customer care area is similar to the service areas found at Apple Stores, inviting students, faculty and staff to a convenient setting for technology assistance.

The team’s new home will allow NGU ITS to carry forward a noted hallmark of long-time professor Elise Florence Tuttle: an insistence on thoroughness in our work.

Turner Chapel

Turner Chapel, erected in 1957-58, is the main Tigerville campus event venue, and provides studios and practice rooms for music students. The chapel seats just over 2,000 and is a central fixture in the University’s life, especially for chapel services, Cline School of Music performances, and December Commencement.

Over the past 64 years, various upgrades have enhanced the chapel. A major expansion in 2001 added seating and installation of the Nesbitt Q. and Martha M. Cline Pipe Organ.

During the 2020-21 year, work included expanding the permanent stage, opening the space between the stage and seating area, and re-working cables to add a new connection box. An overhead monitor for stage personnel was installed and the hardwood stage floor was refinished. In the spring, a new “green room” for program personnel was completed just off the stage.

“The new stage modernizes the feel of the chapel. In addition to being a more workable space, the renovated stage lessens distraction for those participating in chapel events, and the new audio/visual/ electrical connections are closely placed in a central box built into the flooring,” said Executive Vice President Rich Grimm.

Craft-Hemphill’s Mission Control Auditorium now offers expanded presentation resources.

Craft-Hemphill Center for Apologetics and Christian Worldview

Completed in 2011, the Craft-Hemphill Center for Apologetics and Christian Worldview is now home to NGU’s College of Christian Studies faculty.

Craft-Hemphill continues to provide the University with a “training and sending hub” for students working in global leadership roles. The center offers resources to help students on and off campus express a comprehensive Christian worldview. The center includes nine offices, four classrooms, three resource rooms, a conference room, and a multi-purpose auditorium.

The renovated multi-purpose Mission Control Auditorium includes fresh paint and renovated walls, a new whiteboard wall, 96-inch television, writing boards, and contemporary furniture.

After the 2021 spring semester, workers installed hallway carpeting and furniture in the main entry/ lobby space, creating a new student gathering venue.

Bruce Hall

Bruce Residence Hall has been the campus home for thousands of North Greenville men over the decades since it was completed in 1970. Bruce houses 112 students in a suite-style configuration with two rooms connected by a shared bathroom.

CAMPUS NEWS

The residence hall is the largest housing facility on the Tigerville Campus.

Major gifts and volunteer professional labor helped NGU complete significant upgrades to the facility last summer. Interior and exterior painting, installation of new vanities and plumbing fixtures and electrical outlets and switches, and new window blinds were among the improvements for students.

The building’s 30 bathrooms were upgraded with a new epoxy flooring surface, new toilets, exhaust fans, and showerheads.

Work is continuing in Bruce Hall during the summer of 2021 as new luxury vinyl tile flooring is installed in all of the housing rooms.

Crusader Court

Crusader Court consists of 22 duplex-style apartments, with each housing five to six students, resulting in the entire area accommodating approximately 250 residents. The apartments include three bedrooms, a living room, and a bathroom. In the summer of 2020, several unit were upgraded with new paint, luxury vinyl tile flooring, and blinds. The work was part of a new cyclical maintenance program for the apartment units.

Outdoor Basketball Court

A gift from Richard and Sharone Wood of Greer allowed NGU to resurface the outdoor basketball court adjacent to Todd Dining Hall. A red and gray paint scheme unique to North Greenville adorns the newly named “Wood Court.” The project provides an upgraded outdoor recreation area and enhances both the playing service and a popular campus venue’s overall appearance.

Self and Trustee Halls

Two NGU women’s housing buildings were renovated during the 2020-21 year, as painting, electrical upgrades and bathroom/ shower improvements greeted students in the fall.

Additionally, the common “living room” space in both buildings was modernized with new furniture and decorative fixtures.

NGU Clinic and Counseling Services

Located at West Crain 111, on the southern edge of the Tigerville Campus, the newly renovated NGU Clinic and Counseling Services building provides a staffed health and counseling support center for the University community.

The Clinic, staffed by Nurse Practitioner Eunice Parajohn and Registered Nurse Helen Neely, is open for in-clinic visits along with walk-in appointments. Two professional counselors also operate from offices at the building.

Renovations in this facility include new flooring, two new restrooms, fresh paint, furnishings for three offices, two waiting areas, and an exam room, as well as medical equipment and supplies.

Services at the clinic include treating minor illnesses and injuries, lab orders, medication prescriptions, and wellness education.

Neely is a registered nurse with experience working in acute, outpatient, and pediatric nursing environments. Her nursing background includes work with Greenville County Schools, and in varied ICU and pediatric specialty roles with Prisma Health. She also worked for the International Mission Board in Lusaka, Zambia, as a missionary nurse.

“I enjoy meeting students and serving them. I consider nursing my mission as well as my vocation,” said Neely.

Vice President for Campus Ministries and Student Engagement Jody Jennings said, “Many of our students do not have a primary physician in the area and finding one in a timely fashion can be difficult.”

Jennings says the Clinic will fill the need for routine, non-emergency medical care without requiring a copay or insurance.

Renovation Work Continues This Summer

Campus renovation projects during the summer of 2021 include on-going housing renovations, working around the needs of approximately 700 middle school and high school students who will visit Tigerville for seven weeks of CentriFuge and MissionFuge camps.

NGU is completing major work in Arnold and Pauline Emery Residence Hall, which houses women.

The University also is working on a major renovation of Younts Fitness Center, with installation of new exercise and fitness equipment, new fixtures in the locker room and shower areas, upgraded flooring, and other renovations for the main fitness facility on the Tigerville Campus.

Alumni & Friends, Welcome Back Home!

NGU is fully open, and we are working to shift toward more normalized operations on campus. At the start of the pandemic, our campus community converted our instruction and service delivery to a remote model. Such an extreme pivot, without warning, is an accomplishment for which alumni and friends should be proud. However, this change meant postponing or canceling traditional gatherings where alumni and friends typically meet and catch up. We have truly missed having you consistently on campus and in the community.

As a result of the university’s COVID response teamwork, the commitment of students, and efforts of the total campus community, we are ready to welcome you back.

While we make the transition to more in-person events, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. It will not be perfect

Restarts take time and require a series of adjustments. Special events are happing; however, attendance will be limited. Please, be mindful of the official university calendar of events. You can access event information at ngu. edu/events. As you find specific things that interest you, gather your tickets and reserve your space as soon as possible to ensure that you can attend your event of choice. A delayed response could mean that you are unable to join us. We will need to offer grace to one another.

2. We come back under a “new normal”

What does it mean to live out loving your neighbor under these conditions? Consider the words from our Lord in John 13: 34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” The C-19 team worked consistently on a pathway to help protect

the most vulnerable among us. We are excited about a return to normal, and we respectfully ask you to follow the campus protocols as you plan your campus visit. Doing this will ensure your safety and your neighbor’s safety, too.

3. This is a resilient community

The challenges placed before all of us have been daunting. Time and time again, the NGU community has rallied and overcome. We welcome guests and family members to attend NGU activities at our Tigerville and Greer campuses. We planned a rich menu of theatre, music, athletic, and prospective student visit opportunities, and we are ready to host you well. While the economic and pandemic conditions created uncertainty, please know this: our collective, resilient effort and sacrifice is what separates this community from others and is the foundation for emerging stronger.

Thank you for your continued support, care, sacrifice, and dedication to NGU. You are living examples of the words of our Alma Mater, individuals who show “greatness without fail.”

Welcome back! I look forward to seeing you on campus – or at an NGU Connect near you – very soon.

Upcoming NGU Connect Events

Tuesday, June 15

NGU Connect at the Southern Baptist Convention

Lamont Sullivan ’98, MA ’12 Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement

The Aquarium Restaurant, 516 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville 6:30 p.m. — $20 per person. Free for children 12 and under. Bring your family and enjoy a great time of fellowship and a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium.

Friday, September 17

NGU Connect Charleston

Join us at Sweetgrass Pavilion in Mount Pleasant the night before NGU faces The Citadel in football.

Friday and Saturday, October 1 and 2

Homecoming 2021

Come home to see fellow alums, visit professors, honor award recipients, and cheer on the Crusaders!

God has called you to play your part in fulfilling the Great Commission. But not all callings look the same. From business to education to ministry, how do you discover the right path forward? You turn to Christ-centered institutions who equip transformational leaders, like you, for church and society. You turn to North Greenville University.

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