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NGU’s March 2 Donnan/COBE Dedication Includes Beam Signing

Tigerville, SC (February 22, 2023) With a major renovation under way for 91��’s (NGU) historic administration building, members of the 91��community will join with trustees and donors for a prayer and dedication ceremony on Thursday, March 2.

The 1:15 p.m. event at the site of the Donnan Administration Building construction project will include the opportunity for students, faculty, staff, donors, administrators, and board members to sign a steel beam which will become part of the transformed structure. For those whose schedules prevent them from attending the event, the beam will be available that afternoon until 3:30 p.m.

Designed to provide a new home for NGU’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship and a suite of offices for the university’s senior leadership, the construction project was launched in the fall of 2022 and is tracking towards completion this fall.

The Donnan Administration building has been a campus landmark since it opened in 1955. The 19,000-square-foot two-story facility has housed the president’s office, and NGU’s business office throughout its history. It has provided several classrooms and also is the past home to the university’s Hester Library and has offices for various administrative units. The structure sits atop the highest point on the Tigerville Campus, overlooking NGU’s central quadrangle.

The $9.7 million Donnan/COBE Project will provide five contemporary classrooms; student gathering, meeting, collaboration spaces; and faculty offices for the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, which enrolled nearly 500 students in the 2022-23 academic year. The renovated facility also will include a 25-person conference room. The new office suite for senior administrators will bring NGU’s chief executive, operating, academic, and financial officers, as well as general counsel, under one roof.

“A beam signing ceremony is a long-standing tradition for construction projects and it is important for this team to come together to celebrate an important milestone,” noted 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “Some will simply sign their names, while others will leave messages or write their favorite Bible verse.”

Columbia-based Hood Construction is the general contractor. Equip Studio, headquartered in Greenville, is the project architect. Jones Lang LaSalle IP, Inc., is providing project management.
For more information on the project, including information on naming opportunities within the building, visit go.ngu.edu/donnan-cobe.

About 91��

91��offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

91��Partners with GCS to Offer Dual Enrollment Opportunities

Tigerville, SC (February 21, 2023) 91�� (NGU) is partnering with Greenville County Schools (GCS) to offer a new dual enrollment opportunity for high school juniors and seniors.

Through the 91��Dual Enrollment Program, students at least 16 years old with an overall GPA of 3.0 can take college courses at 91��and earn credits toward their bachelor’s degree at $100 per credit hour.

“We’re excited about introducing more students to what we offer here at North Greenville,” said Andy Ray, Senior Director of Enrollment Engagement at NGU. “We’ve had students taking dual enrollment courses here for many years, but we’re excited to formalize that process with Greenville County Schools and welcome new students into our program.”

91�� has expanded its reach through dual enrollment partnerships with Spartanburg Christian Academy, Spartanburg School District One, Legacy Early College Charter High School, Odyssey Online Learning, Tri-State Deaf School of Theology, and Upstate Homeschool Co-Op.

Dual enrollment participants can earn up to 24 credit hours before high school graduation and challenge themselves with college academics.

Students must apply for admission to the university as dual enrollment students. After admission and enrollment, they may take one or two freshman or sophomore-level courses per semester online or in classrooms on the 91��campus in Tigerville, SC.

If dual enrollment students choose to enroll full-time at 91��after high school graduation, they will receive a one-time Dual Enrollment Scholarship for every class taken in the program that will equal two-thirds of the tuition they have invested. The scholarship award effectively reduces the price to $100 per course.

To learn more about dual enrollment opportunities at NGU, call 864.977.7001

About 91��

91��Announces Launch of College of Allied Health

Tigerville, SC (February 17, 2023) 91�� (NGU) announced today the launch of the College of Allied Health.��

Set to become the institution’s sixth college, the College of Allied Health joins the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, the College of Christian Studies, the College of Education, and the College of Humanities and Sciences at NGU.��

“The launch of the College of Allied Health represents an important moment in North Greenville’s history,” 91��Provost Dr. Nathan Finn said. “Under the able leadership of Founding Dean Dr. Jordan Hairr, the College of Allied Health will play a strategic role in enabling the University to equip even more students to be transformational leaders in health care fields.”��

Effective June 1, the College of Allied Health will house the Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant (PA) program), and NGU’s newest program, the Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences (MABS), which has been submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) for review and approval.��

“91��seeks to offer academic programs that allow students to be well-prepared for their chosen professions and callings,” said 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “This new program is excellent, providing an innovative, flexible approach to the curriculum. We look forward to adding these new students’ stories to NGU’s grand narrative of impacting students and our culture with distinctively Christ-first education. And we’re grateful for the leadership Dr. Hairr will give to both programs in his new role.”��

North Greenville’s PA Program has produced more than 130 graduates over the past 5 years and maintains Accreditation-Continued status from The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA). The fully online, 33-credit-hour Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences will offer bachelor’s degree graduates a path to take prerequisite courses for professional schools at a graduate level.��

“Since its inception in 2017, PA Medicine has been a flagship program for the University,” Finn stated. “The new Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences will create an accessible pathway for students to enter into a variety of health professions.”��

Dr. Jordan Hairr said he is honored to serve as the college’s founding dean and expressed excitement for the future at NGU.��

“I’m excited about the direction the Allied Health professions are headed here at North Greenville,” Hairr said. “Our desire is to identify and develop programs that will allow North Greenville to have a transformational impact on our local communities through graduating well-prepared professionals.”��

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91��Presents Rodrigo Rodriguez and Friends in Concert

Tigerville, SC (February 16, 2023) 91�� (NGU) will present Rodrigo Rodriguez and Friends in concert on Friday, February 24 at 7 p.m. in the university’s Turner Chapel.

For his performance in Tigerville, Rodriguez will be joined by Matt Rexford, keyboard; Robert Nance, bass; and Sharon Gerber, cello. The group will present guitar music from around the world, and original settings of sacred music for classical guitar.

Rodrigo describes himself as a “musicianary,” playing his guitar for the glory of God. He started playing guitar at the age of 9, recorded his first LP at the age of 12 and when he was 16, he started to travel the world, performing in Venezuela, Spain, France, England, and Syria.

Rodrigo has recorded 16 CDs, including one with the City of Prague Philharmonic. He has performed at Carnegie Recital Hall and has been the Solo Guitarist with many nationally recognized symphony orchestras. He has made concert tours in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Czech-Republic, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Guatemala, Scotland, England, and throughout the United States.

To purchase tickets, visit go.ngu.edu/rodriguez-concert.

Want to go?

What: Rodrigo Rodriguez and Friends Concert

When: Friday, February 24, 7 p.m.

Where: Turner Chapel on NGU’s Tigerville Campus

Tickets: $15 adult tickets. $8 student tickets.

About 91��

91��Announces Proposed Graduate Program Coming This Fall

Tigerville, SC (February 8, 2023) Plans are in place to roll out a new graduate program at 91�� (NGU) this fall.

NGU’s Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences (MABS) has been submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) for review and approval. The fully-online, 33-credit-hour program offers bachelor’s degree graduates a path to take prerequisite courses for professional schools at a graduate level.

“We’re excited about the potential of this program. We were intentional in developing the curriculum for students who are interested in applying to graduate medical education programs after graduation,” said Dr. Jordan Hairr, Associate Dean for the School of Allied Health Professions. “Our Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences program will allow students to further their education and prepare to serve in medical professions while continuing to work full time.”

The proposed Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences would join NGU’s PA Medicine program, which has produced more than 130 graduates over the past 5 years and maintains Accreditation-Continued status from The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA).

More information will be announced soon, including program specifics and admissions criteria. Please contact Justin Ogle at justin.ogle@ngu.edu to learn more about the program.

About 91��

Dickard Urges Prayer and Biblical Focus in 91��Messages

Daniel Dickard urges 91��students to be faithful and persistent in prayer.

Tigerville, SC (February 6, 2023) With a challenge for ministry students to “fulfill your ministry,” and a reminder to the entire campus community that prayer is vital to seeing the power of God at work in individual lives, 91�� graduate Dr. Daniel Dickard returned to the university to speak at two events last week.

The 2012 91��graduate who was recently called as senior pastor of Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, SC, spoke to supporters and recipients of the Christian Ministry Scholarship Fund on Jan. 31 before preaching at the university’s chapel service Feb. 1. At both gatherings, he stressed the importance of prayer.

“God has given us a great spiritual system to connect with Him. It’s called prayer, but for many of us, its disconnected,” he said during the chapel address. “Jesus believed in prayer. Do you?”

Referencing Jesus’ proverb related to prayer from Luke 11:5-13, he noted the contrast between a neighbor unwilling to meet an urgent request and God’s desire to answer persistent requests.

“Pray with persistence and pray with boldness and tenacity over time,” Dickard said as he cited the “Model Prayer” recorded earlier in Luke 11.

“In every major spiritual movement in history there are three common factors: prayer, humility and brokenness,” he said. “One of the things I love is the prayer here is not self-center. It’s God-centered.”

In his remarks at the Christian Ministry Scholarship Fund dinner, Dickard challenged students preparing for careers in various fields of full-time ministry to follow the instructions the Apostle Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4.

“You never move on from the gospel,” he said. “The power of proclaiming the scriptures is not based on the function of what we’re doing, but the content of what we preach. You can find a better preacher, but you can’t find a better gospel.”

He urged the ministry students to fulfill the work God gives them, rooted in God’s word and prayer.

“Your job is to pray diligently, to be a proclaimer of the Word, to be faithful to the Word,” Dickard said. “You grow in depth with God and allow God to grow the breadth of your ministry.”

Dickard is president of the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference, a two-day gathering prior to the SBC Annual Meeting designed to encourage and challenge those in ministry. The conference, with the theme “Character Matters in Ministry: Beatitudes of a Pastor,” will be in New Orleans, LA, June 11-12.

After graduating from NGU, Dickard completed master’s and Ph.D. degrees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. He served as dean of students and taught as a preaching instructor at the seminary before becoming pastor of Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC, in 2018.

NGU’s Christian Ministry Scholarship Fund was launched in 1997 to provide scholarship support for students preparing for full-time ministry roles. Dickard, a past scholarship recipient, expressed appreciation to members at the dinner.

“I’m here to say ‘thanks,’ because North Greenville, you taught me to love the Word of God. You showed me how to love the God of the Word. You loved me as I was, but you invested in me for who I could become,” he said.

CMSF members meet at 91��three times per year and seek to encourage students in a variety of ways. Contributions for CMSF scholarship have created an endowed fund of more than $5 million. For more information, visit ngu.edu/admissions/financial-aid/undergraduate/private-scholarships/christian-ministry-scholarship/. The January 31 CMSF dinner was hosted at Fairview Baptist Church in Greer.

About 91��

Longtime 91��Supporter Eleanor Hayes Dies

Tigerville, SC (February 5, 2023) Long-time 91�� supporter Eleanor Laura Smith Hayes died Saturday, February 4, at her home in Travelers Rest, SC. She was 94.

“Eleanor Hayes was a vital member of the 91�� community,” said 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “She encouraged our students, our faculty and our staff through her support and her exemplary Christ-honoring life. She was always thinking of ways to bless others, facilitating ministry for God’s glory.”

Reared in Anderson, SC, Eleanor attended Anderson College. She married Joe Frank Hayes from nearby Starr, SC, on March 20, 1948. The Hayeses lived in Charlotte, NC, before returning to the Upstate in 1957. Joe Hayes founded Hayes Food Products in Greenville in 1958. The family moved to Hayes Star Ranch in Travelers Rest in 1970 and joined Locust Hill Baptist Church.

Mrs. Hayes’ connection to North Greenville traces back to the 1960s, spanning the tenures of all of the university presidents. Her husband was a life trustee at North Greenville. The couple was consistently engaged in the growth and success of the university. They had been married for 70 years when her husband died January 16, 2019. Mrs. Hayes continued active support for 91��students up to her passing.

The Hayeses also actively supported other ministry and service organizations. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary honored Eleanor and Joe with the B.H. Carroll Founder’s Day Award, the seminary’s highest honor, in 1996.

“Eleanor Hayes and her husband were a divinely empowered force for Christ’s kingdom. God used their faithfulness and generosity to strengthen our mission in immeasurable ways,” said President Fant. “They invested in the lives of our students. More importantly, Mrs. Hayes was the matriarch of a family of faithful followers of Christ. So many of her children and grandchildren are actively serving in Christ-honoring ministry roles today. Her legacy will live on for generations.”

The Hayeses’ support of 91��is apparent across campus facilities. In the 1970s, the Hayeses provided funding to renovate and to provide additional space to the North Greenville Gymnasium. The renovations were dedicated on November 13, 1975 as the Joe F. Hayes, Sr. Gymnasium. The Hayes family also provided funding to support a range of university priorities, from athletics and undergraduate scholarships to their continued support of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries’ traveling musical group Joyful Sound. After her husband’s passing, Mrs. Hayes carried on the tradition they began three decades ago, serving as sole benefactors of Joyful Sound’s annual recording project and providing funding for transportation and equipment.

In the late 1990s, in recognition of the Hayeses’ financial support, 91��honored the couple with the naming of the Joe Frank and Eleanor Hayes Ministry/Welcome Center which currently houses the Office of Admissions and Moore Hall, a heavily utilized event space.

The Hayeses provided the lead gift to construct the Hayes Christian Fine Arts Center. Completed in 2001, the center provides studio, classroom, choir room, music library, band rehearsal hall, and recital hall space. They also provided the prayer benches in the Todd Prayer Chapel in 2012, and the Joe F. Hayes, Jr. Rose Garden in honor of their son, Rev. Joe F. Hayes, Jr., in 2014.

Mrs. Hayes was a faithful member of Locust Hill Baptist Church, where her daughter and son-in-law, Katina and Ray Riley, serve in senior adult ministry.

She was preceded in death by her husband, and by a son, Dr. David C. Hayes. She is survived by two daughters, Nancy Jane Holcombe and Katina Hayes Riley (Ray); two sons, Rev. Joe Frank Hayes, Jr. (Elaine) and Thomas Richard Hayes, daughter-in-law, Debbie Hayes, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Visitation for the family will be on Tuesday, February 7, from 1-2:30 pm. at Locust Hill Baptist Church, 5534 Locust Hill Road in Travelers Rest. The memorial service will follow at 3 p.m. with burial in the church cemetery. A wreath has been placed on the front door of the Joe Frank and Eleanor Hayes Ministry/Welcome Center on the Tigerville campus and flags on both 91��campuses have been lowered to half-staff until after the memorial service.

91��Theatre Presents “Reap the Whirlwind” February 9-11

Tigerville, SC (February 2, 2023) 91�� (NGU) will present three performances of “Reap the Whirlwind” February 9-11 at The Billingsley Theatre in Tigerville.

The story follows Jon David Brody as he takes extreme measures to reclaim his son, who has disavowed his family’s religion after learning the theory of evolution in his high school biology class.

“It’s going to be entertaining,” said Dr. Web Drake, Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at NGU. “The cast is great. They’ve done an excellent job with it. It will be different, but the material itself is educational. It is intriguing and engaging, and hopefully, it will inspire people.”

Drake created the show more than 15 years ago and has directed performances of it at Mississippi College and Union University.

“I’m excited to be able to bring this show to NGU. North Greenville has an incredible theatre program,” Drake said. “The professors have set an incredibly high bar. I’m excited to be a small part of it.”

Drake said “Reap the Whirlwind” will offer a unique experience for attendees.

91��offers more than 115 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Fall 2022 Dean’s List Announced

Tigerville, SC (February 1, 2023)��91�� is proud to recognize 665 students named to the Dean’s List for the 2022 fall semester.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and be a full-time undergraduate student registered for at least 12 semester hours.

About 91��

Donnan/COBE Project Work Opens New Vistas

91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., (left) looks over the university’s quadrangle as he tours the upper level of the university’s Donnan Administration Building with 91��Faculty Chair Dr. Becky Thompson, (center) and Mick Daniel, vice president for campus enhancement services (right).

Tigerville, SC (January 30, 2023) Major demolition inside at 91��’s (NGU) Donnan Administration Building has paved the way for the renovated landmark on the Tigerville campus to start taking on a new shape.

Scheduled for completion in early 2024, the Donnan/College of Business and Entrepreneurship (COBE) Project will provide contemporary classrooms; student gathering and collaboration spaces; offices for COBE leadership and faculty; and conference rooms and offices for senior administration.

“The renovations are a perfect symbol of what we are doing university-wide: building on the past in ways that prepare for the future,” said 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr.

91��Faculty Chair Dr. Becky Thompson joined President Fant and 91��First Lady Lisa Fant to tour the building with Mick Daniel, Vice President for Campus Enhancement Services.

“I think it’s going to be extraordinary,” said Thompson, who serves as Professor of English and Coordinator of Secondary Education English Language Arts. “The renovated building will provide awesome space for faculty and students, and the project underscores why I believe in North Greenville. This is where God called me, and I can’t stress enough how invested I am in seeing the university succeed. To see others make that investment as well—it’s special.”

Situated at the highest point on NGU’s campus in north Greenville County, the Donnan Administration Building opened in 1955. It has housed offices for senior administration and business operations, as well as multiple classrooms over the years.

President Fant said the renovation will maintain the building’s historic appeal while creating something new for the future.

“The design restores the building’s original mid-century modern aesthetic and the historic mural while adding contemporary features, translating the entire landmark for a new century of use as a place where transformational leaders are equipped,” he said. “The restoration of the windows underscores the panoramic beauty of our campus and communicates that 91��is a special place, where access and opportunity combine to impact church and society.”

The Donnan/COBE Project was designed by Greenville’s Equip Studio, and is being managed by Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL); Hood Construction provides general contractor services. The project will yield a 25-person conference room and a new office suite for senior administrators, bringing chief executive, operations, academic, and financial officers under one roof.

The College of Business and Entrepreneurship enrolled 490 students in the 2021-22 academic year, which represented 20 percent of NGU’s total enrollment.

The Donnan/COBE capital campaign was launched in 2022 with a goal of raising $9.6 million. To learn more about the campaign, visit go.ngu.edu/donnan-cobe.

About 91��

91��Football Moving to Conference Carolinas in 2025

Tigerville, SC (January 26, 2023) 91��’s Football program will move to Conference Carolinas in 2025. The transition means all 20 91��athletic teams will be aligned in one NCAA Division II conference.

Conference Carolinas (CC) announced on Thursday that it is adding Shorter University as a member, giving the conference six schools which field varsity football teams among the 15 CC member institutions across South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Conference Carolinas Commissioner Chris Colvin on the campus of the Baptist university in Rome, Georgia.

With six varsity football member schools, Conference Carolinas meets the minimum number required to compete for a conference championship and NCAA Division II championship competition.

91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., shared the news with the 91��community Thursday afternoon.

“This significant move allows 91��to reduce travel for our team and increase competition with institutions of similar size and mission,” President Fant said. “We are grateful to the Gulf South Conference for admitting 91��as an affiliate member for football in 2018, but we are a relatively small school in a conference where five of the eight member schools are state-funded universities with more than 8,000 students enrolled.”

91��already competes in Conference Carolinas for its 19 other varsity sports. With the addition of Shorter, the conference will have 14 faith-based institutions among its members.

“CC is emerging as a powerhouse group of like-minded institutions, and we believe this is the right move for the conference and for 91��at this time,” Dr. Fant said.

“We are excited about Shorter University joining Conference Carolinas and the addition of football as a conference-sponsored sport,” said 91��Director of Athletics Jan McDonald. “Our league continues to grow under the current leadership, and we are looking forward to what the future has in store.”

Conference Carolinas, which was formed in December 1930, now sponsors competition in 23 varsity sports. The conference sponsored football competition from 1931-1975. CC’s football history includes having Appalachian State as a founding member from 1931-67, and East Carolina as a member from 1947-61. The six football member schools starting in 2025 include North Greenville, Barton, Chowan, Erskine, UNC Pembroke and Shorter.

“We certainly welcome the opportunity for our entire athletic program to be under one conference umbrella,” said 91��Football Head Coach Jeff Farrington. “It will help our students, alumni, and other fans to know our teams all compete against the same schools. Being part of a newly formed league of competition is awesome.”

91��will continue to compete as an affiliate member of the Gulf South Conference for the next two seasons.

“We are thankful to the Gulf South Conference for allowing us the opportunity to come into the conference,” Farrington said. “Our affiliation with the GSC allowed us to be part of an NCAA Division II conference. But, with the transition to Conference Carolinas we will be able to see our team members be recognized with those from other sports in overall conference recognitions. We will all be together, unified as 91��in Conference Carolinas.”

91��began varsity football as a junior college in 1988, and started competing as a four-year program in 1995 as part of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Mid-South Conference. 91��moved to NCAA Division II competition in 2006, competing as an independent before affiliating with the GSC in 2018.

NGU’s 2023 football season will begin with a road game versus Charleston Southern University on Thursday, August 31. 91��will open home play versus the University of West Alabama on September 16.

About 91��

Parrini Piano Trio Concert Set For Feb. 3 in Hamlin Recital Hall

Tigerville, S.C. (January 24, 2023) 91�� (NGU) will present a concert from the Parrini Piano Trio on Friday, Feb. 3, from 7-8 p.m. in Hamlin Recital Hall on the Tigerville Campus.

Alberto Parrini, cello; Naho Parrini, violin; and Fabio Parrini, piano; will perform works from Haydn, Still, Montgomery, and Brahms during NGU’s first signature event of the spring semester.

Naho, Alberto, and Fabio have performed individually as soloists and in ensembles across the United States and abroad. Naho holds a Bachelor of Music from the North Carolina School for the Arts and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from Stony Brook University. Naho has given recitals in the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Bulgaria, and teaches at the Bloomingdale School of Music in New York City. Alberto is a graduate of the Curtis Institute and the Juilliard School, has performed with the New York Philharmonic, American Chamber Players, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet and teaches cello and chamber music at Princeton University. Fabio holds degrees from the Conservatory of Padua and Boston University, has released albums and recorded as soloist for the Italian National Radio in Rome and the German Swiss Radio in Zurich, and is Professor of Music at NGU. ��

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Want to go?

What: Parrini Piano Trio Concert

When: Friday, February 3, 7 p.m.

Where: Hamlin Recital Hall on NGU’s Tigerville Campus

Tickets: $15 adult tickets. $8 student tickets. Tickets may be purchased online.

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About 91��

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91�� (NGU) admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.