Humans of Wingate University

11/07/2017

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04/05/2017

Vote for Wingate student Isaiah Kyle! You can find his amazing story here: http://www.wbtv.com/clip/13122645/power-of-people-teen-saved-on-track?clienttype=generic

Check out the top performances from the D2 Men's track and field and vote for the HERO of the Week.

03/30/2017

“It's only March and I already feel like I've learned so much this year. Early in the year I was hurt by someone that I loved and supported for a long time. It's crazy, you know? You can do all the right things. You can fight a million times over for someone. You can give all you have to give and it still doesn't mean they will reciprocate it. Or value it. Or choose you. In fact, they can still choose someone else. I don't know. It was so incredibly painful, being intentionally hurt like that. Shocking actually. And in that low place, I recognized that I had nowhere else to run except to Christ. It was the only option. There was just a whole new level of comfort and healing that I experienced. And even though that was one of the hardest things I have ever gone through, I praise God that He used it to grab my heart. I think in my personal experience, it took something horrible like that to happen for me to recognize how much I need Jesus. That I can't put my hope or find my identity in anyone other than Him. I would be lying if I said that I’m not still dealing with the whole thing. Because I am. Words hurt. And it’s painful. Every day. But, I guess if I could share something with anybody, it would be don’t hold back. Be honest. Fight for who you love. Give it your all. Sometimes we want to throw those things out the window when we get hurt. But at the end of the day, there will always be more hope and love from those things than hurt and disappointment. Some people just feel things more, you know? And why should we regret that? Why should we feel like that’s something to apologize for? We shouldn’t. I think risk is always worth it. Especially risking believing in people. Pretty sure Jesus took a big risk on saving all of us. And that's everything.”

Kelly Manning
Biology, French (minor)
Class of 2018

03/28/2017

“Because I've been around different campuses, I've always thought that I don't know where I belong. When I first transferred to Wingate, I was coming from the College of Charleston. It was especially hard to make friends, just because I came in late. I thought that two years at Wingate was plenty of time to make friends, but I didn't think it would be that hard. It’s understandable because everyone had already made their own cliques and everyone that had made friends earlier, stayed friends. It just seems like people are always in a hurry to be somewhere else. And I totally understand that. I just wish people would know that I'm really goofy and I'm very sociable. I tried so hard to act normal, but that takes way too much energy and time. The energy that it takes me to look and act normal burns all my breakfast and I need that energy for getting through the day! So acting normal is not something that I can do. It wasn't until the second semester this year that I just started saying ‘Screw it, I'm going to try to smile a little bit more’. I like to goof around and be myself because that's just who I am. I was afraid of being myself because it's too new of an area to be comfortable with. But, I decided if I'm comfortable with myself, then it doesn't matter how stupid it makes me look. It's funny how much you can connect with people even when you're afraid of showing your craziness. I made so much improvement this semester and it makes waking up really worthwhile. So yesterday, just yesterday, I went into the bookstore and got my very first Wingate hoodie and I'm very proud of it.”

Peter Rophael
Biology
Class of 2017

03/21/2017

“Everybody knows that I am international, but I went to high school in North Carolina. When I first came to the US for high school it was really scary. I'd never seen these people. I've talked to them before, but I never knew what they looked like and I was by myself. I was like 16 or 17 years old and my English? Not good. It was pretty bad. Last year was kind of like a transition year for me compared to my first year of college. College basketball was way different to what I was used to in high school. But because of basketball, I've gained so many friends. And I really like the people here. Students and staff. That's what I like about Wingate. It’s because of basketball everyone knows you, so I feel like that's kind of a good thing. But, I don't want people to just look at me as a basketball player or European though. I would like that people would get to know me more. A lot of people are like ‘You're so tall’ or ‘ I'm scared to talk to you because you just look so mean’. And I'm like, I'm really not mean. Mean is the farthest thing from who I actually am. I would like people to know me from the inside rather than just the outside.”

Marta Miscenko
Exercise Science
Class of 2018

03/04/2017

Check out Wingate student Isaiah Kyle on WBTV.

Have a safe and relaxing spring break!

WBTV is the CBS TV station in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Charlotte news, Charlotte weather, sports, traffic, North Carolina and South Carolina news, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, NASCAR

02/23/2017

“I love it here. I love to cook. I love to prepare the food. And I love my coworkers and my manager. Overall I just love it. I love what I do. You know, the people here are very nice. I was always taught if you make a friend, you got to be a friend. Sometimes they might come to the register and, you know, sometimes they don’t have enough money on their card. They’re like 'Oh man, I really want this.' I say don’t even worry about it, I’ll do it for you. I take my money and, you know, put it in the register for them. Stuff like that I like to do for people. I enjoy doing it. Making people happy. “

Sarah Smith
Campus Dining Services

02/19/2017

"When I came to Wingate University I had GPS 120 class in the bottom floor of Hayes. So, I used to go to class from 9:00-9:50. After class, I walked through the door and I went. So, I saw Dr. Bell go through the door one day and he was just going in by himself. There were people around, but everyone seemed to be going somewhere. They just walked up the stairs and down the stairs. And Dr. Bell would wait for the door. So I held the door for him. I used to do that. Then I went and checked his schedule. I found out the times he was having class so I knew when he was going to go through the door. Ever since my freshman year I promised. Maybe I can’t hold the door for him in the afternoon. But, if I have legs to walk and run and sprint about, I will be at the door every single morning to hold the door for Dr. Bell. I will let him wheel right through with ease and go teach his class. Because that is his job in this world. And after I get him, I go to my class. Because I don't mind if it is a minute until my class, I can sprint my way to it. Whether it's in the NEU building, I have the power to walk. I started primarily to do it for Dr. Bell. That's always in my head. I waited for him with the door open and if people came through then that's fine. But he is the reason I am doing this. I didn’t know it was going to spread to touch people this way.
It is how you live your life that people will want to know you. You will attract people without you knowing it. It’s not my job to know how I touch people. I don’t stand here to say that I want to touch people. I want to know it’s my job to believe that I have to do what I am being led to do. See, that’s how you will be led. And sometimes it is presented to you. Sometimes your blessings are presented to you. If only you would take it. Dr. Bell is my blessing. Every day I tell him and I got to tell him every single day. Thank you Dr. Bell. Had I not met Dr. Bell, where would I be now? If there is any credit, it should not go to me. It should go first to my God and then Dr. Bell. I have been doing this for 3 years, one more year to go. I don’t know what the future holds, but I surely do know who holds the future. I did not know I would be doing this in Wingate in the first place. But, whatever is next He leads me. I say glory to my God. I am here every morning and I have the energy to do this and I have Dr. Bell in my life. See, when you find something or a foundation to do something, don’t let nobody throw you away from it. Had somebody come and said 'Why do you do this, Issac? It’s a waste of time.' See? They don’t know why I do it. That’s why they say it’s a waste of time. There are some things that you would tell somebody and it wouldn't be as emotional to them as would be to you. There are some things that only you hold dear."

Isaac Aning
Biology
Class of 2018

02/14/2017

“We’re both music majors. It was just nice out today. We’re just working on random stuff.”

“Yeah, just playing around.”

“It’s probably like the easiest instrument to pick up. Like there’s a lot of things you can like connect with the guitar.”

“Watch this.” *proceeds to play* That’s like thousands of songs. Literally 4 chords.”

Jeremy Price
Music Performance
Class of 2020

Edwin Cerda de la Cruz
Music Education
Class of 2020

02/13/2017

"Last year I took two trips to New York with Wingate. That was a place that I’d always wanted to go. The first one was an Alternative Service Break last Spring. We stayed in Brooklyn for a week and we were helping an organization called Trevor with LGBTQ awareness. They attempt to prevent su***de in LGBTQ youth, so we helped with that by passing out informative materials. When I saw that they were working with the LGBTQ community, I was interested because that’s something that I try to really support. I feel like everyone is different and we shouldn't judge people based on who they love or how they identify. I learned to be more open with people."

Ashley Adkins
English
Class of 2018

02/09/2017

“I went to seminary at Duke Divinity School. While I was there I got a Christmas job at the GAP in Durham and my manager, the boss, was Amy Jordan. My first night of working, I asked if anybody wanted to go hear this blues band play at Duke. We ended staying up until four o'clock in the morning sitting on a bench on Franklin Street just talking. Then three months later, I asked her to marry me on that same bench. We’ve been married for 21 years.
I did my master’s thesis on student ministry. That was always a goal. I wanted to be a campus minister somewhere. I technically applied for this job as campus minister three times before I got it. I started in August of 2002. In my role I’ve tried to develop this ‘be all things to all people’ so that if there is a student that’s not interested in religion but interested in conversations about God, then I tend to be okay with that. If it’s a student that’s very interested in deepening their relationship with God, I’m okay with that too. I love meeting new people. If I could financially survive as a Walmart greeter, that would be my dream job.
However, I do struggle or suffer with depression and anxiety. I take medicine for it. A lot of people are surprised by that because of my public persona. It was probably 6 months that I knew it and was taking medicine for it before I was comfortable with it. And people were shocked. Recently, I have had several things that have happened that made me think about men especially, saying that it is important for other men to hear that it’s something that is okay to struggle with.”

Dane Jordan
Wingate University Graduate (May 1991)
Minister to Students
Senior Director of Center for Vocation, Internships, and Career Services

01/31/2017

"I’m Dominican. I moved to America when I was 4. I have like small memories, but it’s hazy sometimes. At times my mom didn’t have the best health. She had to do a couple surgeries and I was there to help her. I would say that was one of the hardest things. But, I guess I know how to be there for people when it’s hard now. More than I did before...

I got here first semester and a couple friends started fishing. So, I joined them and got into it. I just caught 4 and my biggest ever just now."

Abel Jorge
Criminal Justice
Class of 2020