Be Well, Bulldogs! — Episode 1

Mental Health, Wellness & Counseling: What College Students Should Know

College can be exciting and overwhelming, thrilling and exhausting—and sometimes all of those things at once.

Welcome to Be Well, Bulldogs!, a new Gardner-Webb University podcast dedicated to supporting student mental health and wellness through honest conversations, practical information, campus resources, and encouragement.

In the debut episode, host Megan Peek, University Counselor, is joined by Kim Retherford, Director of Counseling Services, and Bogdan Podgaisky, University Counselor, to start with the fundamentals: What do we really mean when we talk about mental health and wellness? And what does counseling actually look like?

Together, they explore mental health across the college experience, risk and protective factors that can influence well-being, common mental health concerns, and the role counseling can play in helping students navigate challenges and grow. And perhaps most importantly: You don't have to be in crisis to benefit from counseling. Counseling can support students facing academic pressure, relationships, major life transitions, everyday stress, or simply a desire to better understand themselves and develop healthy coping skills.

Whether you're adjusting to college, navigating a difficult season, looking for practical tools, or simply curious about mental health and wellness, Be Well, Bulldogs! is a space to feel informed, encouraged, supported, and connected.

Be well, Bulldogs!

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The Bulldog Mindset – Season 3, Episode 1

New Faces, New Ideas: Meet Three New Gardner-Webb Faculty

A new season. A new host. And three new faculty members ready to make their mark at Gardner-Webb University.

The Bulldog Mindset returns for Season 3 with Dr. Robert Prickett, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, stepping behind the microphone as the show's new host. For his first conversation, Robert welcomes three new members of the Gardner-Webb faculty: Wayne Durr, Assistant Professor of Finance; Dr. Christina Johnson, Assistant Professor of Biology; and Dr. Tyler Thomas, Assistant Professor of Computer Science.

Their disciplines couldn't be more different, and neither could the paths that brought them to Boiling Springs.

Durr brings a career spanning military service, the corporate world, and higher education—and a passion for financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Johnson brings extensive experience in plant biology, microbiology, and research connected to NASA, along with a commitment to active, collaborative learning. Thomas specializes in cybersecurity, software engineering, and computer science and wants students to understand technology by getting their hands on it, breaking things safely, and learning how to build them better.

Along the way, the three professors share the unexpected "plot twists" that helped shape their careers, what students can expect inside their classrooms, and what excites them most about beginning this new chapter at Gardner-Webb.

There's also coffee, a decades-old Army Code of Conduct card, NASA keys, a mysterious spinning top, and at least one rock that apparently must remain in a professor's pocket.

It's an energetic, funny, and surprisingly personal introduction to three educators—and the perfect way to launch a new chapter of The Bulldog Mindset.

🎧 Subscribe to The Bulldog Mindset and discover more stories from the faculty, students, and staff who make Gardner-Webb University what it is.

🎵 Music featured in The Bulldog Mindset: “Beatnik Brew” by Rueger and “Quarantini Time” by Kelley Williams

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For nearly five decades, U2 has wrestled with some of life’s biggest questions: faith and doubt, justice and grace, love and loss, brokenness and hope.

In the premiere of Hearing Hope, host Noel T. Manning II welcomes theologian and author Dr. Steve Harmon to explore the spiritual imagination running through U2’s music. Steve and Noel share first encounters with the band, why albums such as War, The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree left a lasting impression, and how songs including “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” express a faith that continues to seek, question and hope.

The conversation also considers why U2 has connected with listeners both inside and outside the Christian faith—and what it means to hear the band’s music as an invitation to imagine the world not simply as it is, but as it could be.

Hearing Hope is a limited podcast series hosted by Noel T. Manning II and created as a companion to Steve’s book, U2’s Theological Imagination: A Guide for Pilgrims on the Way. Listeners can also explore the music discussed throughout the series through the companion playlist on Spotify.

Theme music: “Hopeful Dawn,” composed and performed by Steve Harmon.

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