What Wesley Foundation Did for Me…

“Starting with day one the Wesley foundation provided a positive place for me to personally explore my spirituality and really examine my beliefs in some of the foundations of christianity. I was not Methodist coming in and had somewhat slipped away before college from beliefs and faith. At Wesley foundation I found that I could be the cynic and openly skeptical and still not suffer social consequences for my questions. That had never happened much before. Further, the people and leaders there encouraged me to push on in my search. I will never forget that gift. My years at Wesley helped to grow up faith (the cynic was surprised) and even now I benefit from this. The Wesley Foundation gave me a needed alternative to grow with others and have fun doing it.” –

Eric Hamlett,  WCU Student 2000 – 2002

I was involved with the Wesley Foundation from Fall ’85 to Spring ’90. I spent a lot of time around Helder. These days it is no more as Leatherwood and Dotson Cafeteria are gone too.  If you haven’t been around in a while, just a drive around campus will let you know there have been some big changes.

 I made some great friends at Wesley and have very fond memories of playing ping pong and cards around the old Wesley, down on the lower level of the church.  Also, all the late night trips to Hardee’s after locking up were great.

 When I left WCU, I went to Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute and got an associate degree in Christian Ministry.  I have worked in a lot of different jobs; including full time youth ministry, residential constructions, screen printing and now I’m outside sales rep for an embroidery, screen print and promotional product company in Greenville SC. 

Right before I left WCU I married a WCU alumni Mildred Galloway, we have 3 children, Robbie 17, Joseph 13 and Charissa 11.  In the past 3 years, our faith has been tested to the limit.  In September 2007, Chaissa was diagnosed with a stage one brain tumor and had to have surgery.  She has recovered and is a pretty normal 11 year old.  13 months later Mildred was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor and since then she has had surgery, chemo and radiation.  At this time she is doing fairly well and continues to have regular doctor appointments to keep watch for any changes.

 Wesley taught me a lot about life and how to handle many of the situations that we have faced over the years.

For current students I recommend you try to enjoy the time and take advantage of the opportunities you have.  But most importantly remember that you’re to be a witness for Christ where you are.  While you’re at WCU, many of your fellow students will never see Christ again except through you.  Make the best of the time you have.

-          Jimmy Gillespie

I came to Western and WCU in 1985 and stayed involved with Wesley Foundation from that time until I stopped working for the University in 1994!

Since then I have been in the IT industry working in a variety of IT Support Management Positions, did work as a school teacher for a year as well.

Back then Cullowhee was very different than it is now.  There was no cable TV, or air conditioning and just two cafeterias run by the school (and that was some BAD food)! The nearest grocery store was all the way in Sylva, plus there was no internet!  Every time I come now to Cullowhee I am amazed at the variety of food options, I think I lived on pizza and KFC when I was there!

The thing I remember most about my time at Wesley was the great relationships I developed there.  The people were just the best and I made lifelong friends that I am still very close with to this day as well as being able to learn and get to be friends with George Weekley. I think that besides from the overall benefits from being involved with a group of faith, it gave me the opportunity to develop leadership and other skills that have continued to help me the rest of my life both in business and in life.

For current students I would say, “Get involved!”  Sitting on the bench won’t help you now or later.  The more you can learn and experience the better prepared you will be for life and your career no matter what you want to do.  Wesley offers a unique environment that allows you to learn skills in a community of faith that will help you in so many ways…oh and have a lot of fun, I know I did!

-          Roger Justice

Alumni Spotlight – Gary Sain

 When were you involved with WCU Wesley Foundation?

I was a member from the fall of 1974 until I graduated in 1978.  I guess I could say, I’ve been involved with Wesley from 1974 until now, first as a student, and now as an alumnus.

 What have you been doing since that time?

After graduating in 1978 with a BS in Biology, I started working in the field of water treatment with several municipalities.  In 1980, I began working at Duke Energy, first at Oconee Nuclear station about 60 miles south of Cullowhee in SC, and since 1990 I’ve been working in Charlotte in our corporate chemistry group for Nuclear.  I still work within the field of water treatment, including working with environmental permitting issues.  There is a great deal of biology within water science and I’ve always been grateful for the chance to work in that field. 

 My wife Colleen is in public school administration.  Between the two of us, we have 5 kids, scattered between Florida, NC, Virginia and Wyoming.  Two daughters are teachers, one in Florida and one in NC.  Another daughter is a grad student at VA Tech (water resources also), one son is in WY serving as an Air Force pilot, and our youngest son, Mike is right there in Cullowhee, a senior majoring in education as a Spanish teacher. 

 What was it like to be in Cullowhee then?

When I first came to Cullowhee, I was in Harrill dorm, which then was one of the newest dorms and pretty much marked the end of the campus in that direction.  Obviously, there were fewer buildings then.  Brown Cafeteria was the place to eat; it had a much better reputation for quality than Dodson.  We’d always have a group from Wesley to walk up the hill and eat at Brown.  Just like the students today I’m sure, one of the first memories I have is climbing steps no matter where you went. 

 When I first started, the main entrance to campus was down below the Baptist Student Union where Central Drive comes off of Old 107.  Anyone visiting WCU was first greeted by a Hardees at the corner, and then a wooden sign behind it identifying Western.  It made for a great first impression.  The Administration/Mt. Heritage building was not built until later, along with the new Hwy 107 routed through Catamount Gap.  I remember hearing the blasting as that cut-through was being dug.

 One of the big differences I’ve seen between when I was at WCU and now, is the media/technology now in the hands of the students.  In Wesley, before it was renovated the other year, the most utilized area was the lounge, and the most prominent feature there was the TV.  That was because you couldn’t get any reception in the dorm rooms.  Cable hadn’t snaked its way onto campus yet.  In fact, the only radio we had was WRGC out of Sylva, because the campus station lost its license in a permitting snafu while converting to an FM format.  Because of that, the WF TV was pretty much the only available source of electronic entertainment for much of the time I was there.  We spent many an afternoon watching reruns of Star Trek; the original of course. 

 Another big change, of course, is the prevalence of computers.  As much as they are indispensible now, the closest brush I had with computers at Western involved a fellow biology student who was also a Wesley member, Doug Story.  Doug had to do a term paper where he needed a computer to crunch numbers.  He spent several evenings over in the business department where a computer available for students was located.  His time was spent manually punching cards so that data could be fed into the machine. 

 What do you remember most about your time with WF?  

I mainly remember the close friendships we had, and the times we spent in that lounge.  I used to compare what we had at Wesley like a large extended family.  And like any family, there’d be squabbles, mostly over stuff I can’t even remember now, but we would always end up back together.  I’ve still maintained friendships from Wesley to this day. 

 I don’t know how it is now, but when I was there, many of us at Wesley were physically there at Wesley if we weren’t in class.  It was our place to be between classes; we would study in the library, and spend the evenings in the lounge until it was time to close down.  There was a ping pong table set up in an activity room that was usually in use.  We had a fire place in the lounge that we put to good use too on cool nights and days.  There was always a coffee machine in the back kitchen which was great, particularly when you came inside from walking back from classes in the winter.  The primary entrance was at the back of the building, opening onto the playground.  There was a large wooden door that always slammed, announcing the passage of someone entering or leaving Wesley.  I can still hear that stupid door slam in my mind to this day.  I remember the annual trip Wesley would take up to Waterrock Knob on the Parkway.  It was always a gamble whether it would be a pleasant day, or just plain windy and cold.  I still miss the retreats we would have during the year where we had a weekend together. 

 5. Did your involvement with the ministry have life-lasting impacts? I have to say there’s always been a part of Wesley that has stayed with me.  It’s kind of symbolized by a small stained glass plaque that currently sits on my desk.  On it is written the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi; “Lord Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace…..”  That plaque was presented to me by George Weekley at our senior honor day, the year I graduated.  Like Wesley, that plaque has now lasted and stayed with me for over 30 years through a number of moves and has somehow survived unbroken.  Now while a number of coworkers would probably cast aspersions on my living up to those sentiments of peace, and bringing light and joy, it has always been there as a reminder not only of the prayer itself but also of my time at Wesley and the relationships formed there.  I know I grew at Wesley; I’m a different and would like to think a better person for having spent those four years there.

 6. Do you have any advice to give to current students? 

The main advice I could pass on from my experience, is whether it’s a new class or a different situation from what you are used to, don’t dismiss it because it doesn’t look at first like something that appeals to you.  That class where you simply cannot see any useful point in your being there might well surprise you in the years to come, when you find yourself referring back to it.  In the years that have passed, I’ve even got some use from the organic chemistry that I (and my professor) suffered through.  (Sorry about that Dr. Morris).  In short, even if it’s unfamiliar, or contrary to how you currently picture the world, be open to what comes your way.  The best thing about college is the myriad opportunities that it presents for the taking.