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NGU, CSU Represented in World Baseball Classic This Month

91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., (left) and CSU President Dr. Dondi E. Costin (right) unite to cheer for their students competing for the Czech Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Tigerville, SC (March 7, 2023) When the World Baseball Classic begins March 8, the global tournament will feature 600 players on teams representing 20 nations, including a bevy of Major League Baseball stars, and two standouts currently playing for South Carolina Baptist universities.

91��’s Marek Chlup and Charleston Southern University’s Daniel Padysak are members of the Czech Republic’s team which starts play in the Tokyo Dome on March 9. They are in a five-team pool which could well put Chlup, 2022 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, in the batter’s box versus MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani. Or Padysak, a right-handed pitcher, could be on the mound versus the Japanese phenom.

Having two student-athletes representing their institutions on the international stage is a milestone the presidents of CSU and 91��are enjoying.

“We often talk about how our universities impact the world, how our campuses receive students from around the globe who come to be built up and are then sent to the ends of the earth,” said CSU President Dr. Dondi E. Costin. “The fact that both North Greenville and Charleston Southern have student-athletes playing in the World Baseball Classic is extraordinary and demonstrates that God’s hand is on both our universities.”

“College athletics are a front door to our institutions for so many people, so the attention these young men are receiving is special for us, too,” said 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “We are delighted to see Marek and Daniel on the global stage this spring. Like the rest of our students, we want them to be equipped for every opportunity, and to understand that their exceptional talents are a gift from God.”

Chlup, 23, is a 6-4 outfielder from Cesky Dub, Czech Republic. He will be seeking a second championship in less than 10 months, as he was on the field when 91��won the 2022 NCAA Division II World Series last June. He helped his home country’s team qualify for the World Baseball Classic with a home run in a 3-1 victory over Spain last fall.

“Marek is a great teammate and an outstanding individual,” said 91��Head Coach Landon Powell. “He has adapted well to our campus community and is a key part of our team’s overall success. We are excited for him to have this opportunity.”

Padysak, a 6-5 hurler from Prague, is no stranger to international competition. The 23-year-old represented his home country in the 2020 Olympic Qualifiers. He had pitched 10 shutout innings for the Buccaneers this season – with a 1-0 record and a save – before heading to Japan for the WBC.

“What a terrific experience for Daniel not only to represent his country but also to compete on such a stage against some of the best in the world,” said CSU Head Coach Marc MacMillian. “I know he’s excited, and we are happy to support this opportunity.”

The 2023 WBC is the fifth-ever, after the international competition started in 2006. It is the first since the United States won the title in 2017. Pool play will be March 8-15 in Tokyo; Taichung, Taiwan; Phoenix, AZ, and Miami, FL. The semifinals are March 19-20 at loanDepot Park in Miami, with the championship game slated for March 21. For more information, visit mlb.com/world-baseball-classic.

“It is, indeed, fun to list the names of some of the WBC participants,” said President Fant. “Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, Daniel Padysak, Marek Chlup, Mookie Betts, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw are all competing in the same global tournament. The founders of CSU and 91��could not have imagined their students in this arena.”

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��Community Leaves its Mark on Donnan/COBE Project

Tigerville, SC (March 6, 2023) Celebrating the transformation of 91��’s historic administration building into a new home for the College of Business and Entrepreneurship (COBE) and senior executive offices, the 91��community left its mark on the Donnan/COBE Project last Thursday afternoon, participating in a prayer and dedication ceremony on the Tigerville campus.��

91��students, faculty, staff, donors, and board members had the opportunity to permanently inscribe their names, prayers, and scriptures on an 18-foot steel beam that will be used to complete the $9.7 Million Donnan/COBE Project. The university’s administration building was first opened in 1955.��

“This is a historic building in a historic location at a historic college,” said 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “This beam is going into a building that’s been here for 65 years—half of NGU’s entire existence—and we hope it will be here for another 100 plus years.”��

The ceremony featured a welcome from Vice President of Advancement and University Engagement Marty O’Gwynn, and an invocation from Dr. Jonathan Keisler, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Business Programs.��

91��Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Brian Spearman opened the program by reading Philippians 3:12-14.��

“This is a big day. To walk through the building now and remember what it was like as a student, it is exciting,” Spearman said. “Today, we are all called to look at what Christ has for us. Let’s press forward for what is ahead, but let’s keep our eyes on Jesus Christ in everything we do.”��

Marcus Hermanstyne, a senior interdisciplinary studies major and the university’s Student Body President at NGU, offered a student’s perspective on the importance of the project.��

“The Donnan renovation is just one more opportunity to foster community here on campus,” Hermanstyne said. “When it’s all completed, it won’t just be a nice building, but a place where disciples are made, hearts are changed, and the Gospel is spread. As a student, I’m grateful to be at a university where we keep the main thing the main thing. And that is Christ.”��

President Fant noted during his remarks that the renovated building will be a great resource for those who are pursuing careers in business.��

“While we are biblically faithful, we are equipping students to pursue any calling God gives them,” Fant said. “We have unbelievable school teachers that leave this place. We have unbelievable doctors and lawyers that leave this place. Yes, we have unbelievable ministers and missionaries who leave this place in service to the kingdom, but all of these are callings that God gives us.”��

Dr. Steve Crouse, NGU’s Senior Campus Minister, concluded the ceremony by leading the attendees in a guided time of prayer for various aspects of the project.��

The Donnan/COBE Project will provide five contemporary classrooms; student gathering, meeting, and collaboration spaces; and faculty offices for the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, which enrolled nearly 500 students in the 2022-23 academic year. 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.��

Situated at the highest point on NGU’s campus in northern Greenville County, the Donnan Administration Building 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, also serving as the previous home to the university’s Hester Library.��

“This building was designed at a very specific point in the life of the university,” said President Fant. “This building was recognized for its outstanding design when it was built. The mural that was added to it also received recognition for its artistic merit. What we realized quickly with this project is that we could preserve the best of the history of this building, even as we prepared for the best future use of this building.”��

The Donnan/COBE Project was designed by Greenville’s Equip Studio, and is being managed by Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL). Hood Construction is providing general contractor services.��

The project is expected to be completed this fall, with the building opening to students for the spring 2024 semester.��

The Donnan/COBE capital campaign was launched in 2022.��

About 91����

91��Board Affirms Core Statements, Approves Spring Graduation Candidates

Tigerville, SC (March 3, 2023) Affirming the university’s Statement on Human Flourishing, approving 286 candidates for spring graduation, and joining for a prayer and dedication ceremony at the site of a major campus renovation project highlighted the spring meeting of 91��’s board of trustees on NGU’s Tigerville campus Thursday, March 2.

The meeting began with a devotion from Dr. Cary Sanders, executive director of JUMPSTART, a Christian nonprofit assisting current and former prisoners with re-entry to society. At the age of 17, Sanders committed an armed robbery which landed him in prison for nine years. He turned to Christ early in his incarceration and had the opportunity to pursue a college education at North Greenville after his release. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 2017, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in the fall of 2022.

In his update to the board, 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., said the university had a “tremendous start” to the spring semester.

“There are many incredible things going on,” he said. “It is amazing to see the spirit among the students. We are hearing about what is happening students’ lives or their work in local churches. It really is a humbling experience to hear these reports.”

Noting that in 2025 91��Football will join the university’s other 19 sports in Conference Carolinas, Dr. Fant said the conference’s announced expansion to 15 schools will be a major benefit to 91��student-athletes. The conference will begin geographical division play in the 2023-24 academic year.

“This will help all of the university’s athletic teams,” the president said. “It is going to reduce student-athlete travel by as much as 20 percent starting next fall. That is huge.”

The board unanimously voiced support for two 91��guiding documents: the university’s Statement on Human Flourishing, adopted by the 91��board in June 2020, underscoring the institution’s deep-rooted commitment to a biblical worldview; and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the most recently approved version of a document designed to serve as Southern Baptists’ “statement of faith and message to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

Trustees were updated on academic program activities during the meeting, including the appointment of Jordan Hairr as founding dean of the university’s College of Allied Health, which will launch on June 1, 2023. Hairr moves from his post as program director for NGU’s Physician Assistant program. He will be succeeded by current 91��faculty member Kaye Rickman, who has been appointed as program director for PA Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Cathleen Ciesielski, a current member of the PA Medicine faculty, was recently appointed program coordinator for biomedical sciences. Ciesielski will develop and provide administrative oversight to NGU’s new master of arts degree in biomedical sciences.

Trustees also were updated on various administrative areas of the university. With three months remaining in the academic year, 91��has received more than $4.9 million in contributions, a 9.4 percent increase over 2022. The university has seen an enrollment increase in the spring semester, and anticipates another increase for the fall 2023 semester.

Dr. Brian Spearman, trustees chair and pastor of the First Baptist Church of Marietta, presided at the meeting of the 25-member board. He opened the plenary session by reading from Philippians 3:1-17, encouraging fellow board members and university administrators to “press on” to the work God had called them to complete.

Spearman closed the meeting with a challenge to trustees and administrators to fulfill their calling to serve others.

“That’s what Christ calls us to be,” he said. “I encourage you to press on, to be a servant wherever you are. … Can you imagine what can happen if each one of us truly took the call that Christ has given us?”

Following the meeting, board members participated in a “Prayer and Dedication Ceremony” in front of the university’s Donnan Administration Building, which is undergoing a $9.7 million renovation to become the home of NGU’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship. Approximately 100 people participated in the ceremony, which including writing Bible verses or short messages on a steel beam which will be used in the construction project.

About 91��

91��to Host Christian Worldview Week March 6-8 in Tigerville

Tigerville, SC (March 3, 2023) 91�� (NGU) will host Christian Worldview Week March 6-8 in Turner Chapel.

“One of NGU’s Core Values is ‘Biblically Faithful.’ For a generation, we have highlighted this by hosting a special-themed chapel series each spring,” said 91��President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “This year’s sessions highlight one of the most important concepts in Christianity, the ‘imago Dei.’ This is the idea that every person bears the image of God, reflecting the unique relationship that we all have with our Creator.”

The event will feature lectures from Dr. George Yancey, Professor of Social Sciences at Baylor University; Dr. David Entwistle, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at NGU; and President Fant.

“At NGU, we believe that ‘Christ Makes the Difference’ because he created everything, holds everything together, and has given us the opportunity to know him more by pursuing excellence in every academic discipline that is studied on our campus,” said Dr. Donny Mathis, Dean of Faculty Development at NGU. “During Christian Worldview Week, our community sets aside focused time to remember the foundation stone upon which our university is built so that we can renew our mission to cultivate transformational leaders for church and society.”

Dr. Yancey will open the week on Monday at 10 a.m. with a discussion about the Christian approach to race relations.

“Christians have a lot to offer, if we are willing, in the area of race relations,” Yancey said. “We’re going to look at how the rest of the world has handled race relations and provide evidence of how it hasn’t worked. Then, we make the argument about how we have a better solution as Christians.”

Yancey will also speak Monday night from 7-8 p.m. in Turner Chapel.

“When we appreciate our fallen nature as humans, we become less confident that we are always right. Part of the problem we have with race relations is that people think they’ve figured it all out,” Yancey said. “We have to learn how to have conversations in a more productive manner. We have to have discussions with people in hopes of understanding them, rather than just scoring political points or winning the debate.”

Dr. Entwistle will be the featured speaker on Tuesday night, discussing the glory of God’s creation and how it shapes the Christian worldview.

“Evangelical theology has often tended to focus more on the brokenness of humanity than on the glory of humanity,” Entwistle said. “Not surprisingly, this state of affairs has led to integrative efforts that concentrate on the darker side of human nature and tend to neglect what is admirable and noble in human nature. A more complete view is needed that celebrates humans’ positive features as creatures who bear the image of God, while simultaneously recognizing the pervasiveness of sin and its effects.”

President Fant will conclude the event by speaking in chapel on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

“These chapels remind each of us that we are deeply loved, but also that the life of the intellect is important to our discipleship,” President Fant said. “We look forward to reflecting on how we understand our shared humanity from a variety of perspectives.”

For those who are unable to attend, a stream of each lecture will be available at go.ngu.edu/chapel.

About 91��

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��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.

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.