Gretchen Durrell ’12

Occupation: Minister to Children and Families at Greer First Baptist Church

Gretchen Durell ʼ12 says it is the family feel that truly makes NGU live up to the title of a top Christian university. “My grandfather Lawrence Erwin, Sr., (’44) — who was a pastor for all his life — was a student at North Greenville University. And my father (’65) was there when it was the two-year college,” she said.

Gretchen, instead, did her undergrad at a state school. She never really considered continuing her education until the preschoolers in her Sunday school class started asking harder questions. “I would often have to go to my pastor or somebody else for the answers,” she explains. “I decided to earn my master’s because I wanted to be sure that, as I was teaching the children that God had entrusted me with, I had a sound foundation of biblical theology.”

Gretchen says because of NGU’s reputation among her family and close friends, she knew right away it was the best choice for her. The next generation of Gretchen’s own family has started at NGU to prepare for her calling in life, too: Gretchen’s daughter, Amaris Durrell (expected ’21), is currently studying to become a math teacher at NGU. “NGU has always been close to my heart because it’s a family legacy.”