CampusNotes NGU Students Excel During Study Abroad Program


A group of students from North Greenville University’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship (COBE) traveled to Ireland and Portugal last summer to participate in a Study Abroad experience.


The team, consisting of nine students, explored cultures, learned from professionals in various fields, and put their skills to the test in the European Innovatioin Academy.


“The students came away with an appreciation for different cultures and a desire to continue learning,” said Dr. Robert Hucks, department chair of management and marketing at NGU. “They also see innovation differently and how it fits so well with our biblical mandate.”


This is the second Study Abroad trip


of its kind, as NGU took five students to Portugal in 2023.


“We are committed to making these life-changing experiences accessible to all NGU students,” Hucks said. “With continued support, we can empower the next generation of leaders to embrace challenges, broaden their horizons, and make a lasting impact on the world.”


The group’s journey started in Dublin, Ireland with a tour of several landmarks and a meeting with the leadership of Trinity College Dublin School of Business Innovation Lab. From there, the group traveled through Lisbon, ultimately stopping at the University of Porto for three weeks in the European Innovation Academy program.


“There were students from more than 25 countries and more than 100 universities, many ranking in the top 100 business schools in the world,” Hucks said. “It was an amazing experience learning from professionals in the various fields, faculty, mentors and each other. I am not sure that I could have been prouder of our students’ overall performance.”


Hucks said one of NGU’s team members received special recognition.


“Julia Babun was on the team that won the Ed Quinones Spark Award. It is given to a team that demonstrates that their business is patentable and shows they work well as a team and their idea solves a real problem. This award is well-recognized as the top award. It is presented last and carries the highest monetary value.”


NGU students competed alongside students from Spain, Portugal, Ghana, Canada, Finland, and the United Kingdom.


NGU students participating included Baburn, Maxwell Bobo, Kayla Harris, Camden Howell, Rachel Murray, Rebecca Nicholson, Ethan Sterling, Hannah Thomas, and Pate West.


24 | NGU.EDU Jack Miller Center to Offer Civics Course for Educators


For the second year in a row, NGU teamed up with the Jack Miller Center to offer a summer civics course for local high school educators.


The initiative was designed to deepen knowledge and understanding of foundational US principals and ideas among high school educators. The course, which is funded by the Jack Miller Center, was taught by Dr. Nicholas Higgins, department chair of NGU’s department of political science, criminal justice and legal studies. Sessions were at the university’s Tim Brashier Campus in Greer.


“The Jack Miller Institute has been a very professional organization to work with,” said Dr. Paul Thompson, Dean of NGU’s College of Humanities and Science. “We could not have done it without their assistance. This is the second year we offered this course, and our enrollment doubled.”


Higgins said the 2024 course was structured around various foundational American documents.


“We seek to identify and discuss what are some foundational principles and ideas that help us as Americans. We ensured that the S.C. Standards, which requires high school teachers to teach federalist papers, Declaration of Independence, civil rights speeches and other documents, are covered,” he said.


Higgins said the effort is an important one for NGU. “This is vital for NGU as it positions us, not only as a place that educates teachers with their degree, but that continues to provide them resources that assist their careers,” he said. “I hope that we can continue to build relationships with local teachers. Most comment that this course is like the best of their college experiences, all the reading, discussing, and thinking.


“The topic itself is so vital as it helps promote in South Carolina the clear civic standards that were recently passed into law,” Higgins continued. “It equipes teachers with content knowledge necessary for them to teach well.”


Always a Trailblazer With more than 24,000


alumni making an impact across the U.S. and around the world, NGU is equipping students to be transformational leaders for church and society.


Find out where our graduates are serving and what’s possible with a degree from North Greenville University


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