Delta Sky Magazine Features High Point University

At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.

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PRESENTED BY HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY

Choose to Be

EXTRAORDINARY H I G H P O I N T U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S U N I Q U E E D U C AT I O N A L M O D E L AT T R AC T S S T U D E N T S A N D PA R E N T S F R O M A R O U N D T H E WO R L D.

P H OT O C R E D I T S

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f you connect dots on a map to the places where High Point University students launch careers and internships, you’ll see a landscape of lines that shoot across the country.

They begin at HPU in High Point, North Carolina, and spread to major metropolitan areas, corporations and nonprofit organizations.

I n C a l i fo r n i a , y o u ’ l l f i n d m e m b e r s o f the HPU fa mily work ing at Tesla, Facebook a nd Apple. They ’re at t he Boston Red Sox , P r i c e w at e r h o u s e C o o p e r s a n d Way f a i r i n Massachusetts, and at Good Morning America, the TODAY show, People magazine, Revlon, Google and Calvin Klein in New York City.

Alumni also are pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers and more at graduate schools across the country.

Tyler Yusko knows why. He graduated from HPU in 2013 with a business administration degree, and again in 2014 with a strategic communication master’s degree. Today, he’s a n engineering leadership recruiter at Google’s New York office, where he manages 80 brand-name clients.

Yusko was transformed during his time at HPU. His success illustrates High Point University’s approach to equipping graduates with life skills that outlast technology and empower graduates to navigate a rapidly changing world. d e lta s k y / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8

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“HPU instilled in me the utmost confidence,” Yusko says. “The campus environment taught me not to take anything for granted. In places such as HPU and Google, the sky is the limit for those who work hard. I put the life skills I gained at HPU into practice daily.”

And speaking of transformation, HPU knows a thing or two about that.

A Transformative Environment Nido Qubein, who has ser ved as High Point University’s president since 2005, has built his personal and professional life by embracing transformation. He came to America as a teenager with little money and little knowledge of the English language. He went on to graduate from HPU, launch several business ventures (including helping to grow a bank), author more than a dozen books and become a highly sought-after consultant a nd spea ker k now n for engaging aud iences on topics such as communication, disruption, leadership and branding.

When he a r r ived i n 2005 to lead t he

Unprecedented Growth Enrollment* Full-time faculty Campus size (acres) Square footage Buildings on campus† Total positions Economic impact Operating and capital budget United Way giving Study abroad programs *TRADITIONAL STUDENTS; † NEW AND ACQUIRED

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2004

2018

1,450

5,200

108

327

91

460

650,000

4 million

22

112

385

1,814

$160.3 million

$500 million

$38 million

$290 million

$28,000

$245,000

5

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university, he brought unprecedented growth to the HPU campus. Since that time, continuous transformation has become the mantra at HPU. “HPU k nows a thing or two about t r a n s for m at ion b e c au s e we ’ ve l ite r a l l y transformed our institution and its culture,” says Qubein.

The focus at HPU became clear: life skills.

In addition to stellar academic experiences in the classroom, HPU designed curriculum and experiential learning opportunities that equip students with skills that outlast technological ad v a nc e s — sk i l l s s uc h a s c om mu n ic at ion , relationship building, adaptability, coachability and more.

“P a r e nt s sp e nd a l i fet i me r a i si ng t he i r children,” says Qubein. “They want to invest in a transformative experience for their student, not merely a degree.”

Today’s employers not only appreciate the wider spectrum of life skills HPU provides, but many report that these skills are ones that graduates across the country lack. A longitudinal survey of national employers by Leadership IQ showed that some of the top reasons new hires don’t work out are: coachability, emotional intelligence and temperament.

Meanwhile, employers ranked technical skills at the bottom of reasons new hires fail.

GROWTH HPU’s approach to education answers the call of employers to 259% produce graduates who navigate 203% complex issues and fast-paced 405% environments.

515% Rya n Torch ia is a regiona l 409% vice president at Gartner in Fort 371% Myers, Florida—one of the world’s 212% leading research and advisor y 663% firms. And he’s hired many HPU 775% graduates.

1,480% “HPU graduates are different,” says Torchia. “They have life skills

A E S T H E T I C I M AG E S P H OTO G R A P H Y (Q U B E I N )

The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel is set for completion in 2020. The facility will be the home of HPU’s Division I men’s and women’s basketball programs, academic conferences, events and a boutique hotel to support a proposed hospitality management major and host visitors.

For updates, visit highpoint.edu/arena.

PRESENTED BY HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY

Q&A with One of the Nation’s Most Distinctive College Presidents I

A E S T H E T I C I M AG E S P H OTO G R A P H Y (Q U B E I N )

n the middle of the Great Recession, High Point University President Nido Qubein increased enrollment by 259 percent, grew net assets from $56 million to almost a billion dollars, created six new academic schools and attracted $375 million in philanthropic investments.

He came to the United States a s a te e n a ge r w i th l i m i te d k n o w l e d ge of English and only $50. He went on to build business partnerships in banking, real estate, publishing and retail. He is executive chairman of the Great Har vest Bread Company and serves on the corporate boards of several Fortune 500 companies including BB&T, La-Z-Boy and nThrive.

He was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans along with Oprah Winfrey and Colin Powell.

Qubein’s life experiences led to the creation of a unique and highly relevant educational model that equips graduates with life skills. He describes it as “preparing students for the world as it is going to be, not as it is.” Below, Qubein discusses several hallmarks of HPU’s approach to education.

Q: You’ve talked about HPU being a values-based institution. What does that mean and why does it matter to students and parents?

A: Values are everything, especially in a world where technology is advancing the speed and way in which decisions must be made. Your values guide you—you must stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.

Parents spend their lives modeling values for their children to inherit. When they send their student to a university, they want it to uphold and further those

values. But values cannot be taught; they must be modeled for students. I remind our faculty and staff that we live, they watch and they learn. At HPU, every faculty and staff member is empowered to positively impact students. Our culture promotes the values of generosity, gratitude, hard work, personal initiative and joy, among others.

Values such as these built our nation and we ensure students live in an environment that models those same values.

Q: You say that HPU helps graduates stand out by instilling life skills in them. What does that mean?

A: Employers seek new hires with more tha n te c hnic a l c o m p e te n c e b e c aus e technology changes daily. The skills that outlast technological advances are what we call life skills—the ability to communicate, build relational capital, develop a growth mindset, embrace failure as a small price to pay for learning, solve complex problems and continuously adapt.

At HPU, our curriculum is grounded in life skills. It starts freshman year with my Life Skills Seminar, where I share my experience in building a life of both success and significance. Our campus is collaborative in nature and students are encouraged to engage with one another, build their companies, operate their agencies and beyond.

In addition, every corner of our campus is designed to foster life skills. Consider the lobby of Wilson School of Commerce, which resembles a Fortune 500 company, or 1924

Prime, our fine-dining learning lab where students learn about etiquette, international cuisine and how to conduct themselves during a job interview over dinner. Building confidence in these settings is celebrated everywhere at HPU. Q: How has your university raised $375 million without a formal campaign and quadrupled enrollment in such a short amount of time?

A: If you want to know the real secret to HPU’s overall growth, here it is. Students and parents in the college search process are asking themselves a simple question: If I want to transform my life, where is the best environment with the best people to help me succeed? More and more families are discovering that the answer is High Point University.

Co ll e ge d e gre e s a re o b t a in a b l e at thousands of institutions around the globe. What’s not so common is finding an environment where mentorship is intentionally fostered in and out of the classroom.

When families seek a transformative university setting, HPU provides an excellent return on their investment. The proof is in our alumni. Within six months of crossing the commencement stage, 96 percent of our graduates land careers or graduate school placement.

Our supporters, alumni and parents have been eager to invest in HPU’s growth because they believe in our values and our mission.

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President’s Seminar on Life Skil s A

t HPU, the foundation begins early for life skills—the ability to communicate with different people, present ideas clearly, work in a team, be coachable, be adaptable, have a growth mindset, problemsolve and persevere.

The President’s Life Skills Seminar for all freshmen is led by Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU’s president, entrepreneur and consultant to CEOs. The seminar focuses on topics such as fiscal literacy, persuasive speaking, relational capital and how to embrace change. Qubein also discusses the “rule of thirds”: investing one-third of life in earning, one-third in learning and one-third in serving.

If students can gain the level of life skills in college that would otherwise take years of experience to amass in the real world,

Qubein knows they will stand out.

“My most impactful moment at HPU was the President’s Seminar,” says Lexi Becer, a New Jersey native who graduated from HPU in 2018 and now works as Calvin Klein’s

and are willing to be coached. They perform well as team members and as emerging leaders within our organization.”

Academic Advancement HPU graduates achieve these results because they’ve learned how to live a life of both success and significance.

On campus, they’re exposed to a wide variety of academic, leadership and experiential learning opportunities, which offer students the chance to build life skills that employers seek. You can be the best in any field, but gradu ates mu st commu nicate wel l, build relationships and problem-solve ac ross disciplines.

HPU u ndersta nds that students are empowered to transform HPU’s employment their lives when they live and graduate school in a tra nsformationa l placement within six env ironment. That months of graduation is why High Point DATA F R O M T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 17. H I G H Un iver sit y cont i nues P O I NT U N IVER SIT Y FO LLOWS TH E NATIONAL ASSO CIATION OF COLLEGES to grow with visionary A N D E M P LOY E R S F I R S T D E S T I N AT I O N R E P O RT I N G P R OTO C O L S . leade r sh ip, ac ade m ic innovation and an

96%

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product strategy and innovation speed coordinator in New York City. “President Qubein explained the reality of life after college. His lessons continue to impact my mentality and overall view of my life.”

extraordinary education. In the past 14 years, HPU’s undergraduate enrollment has nearly quadrupled, the campus size has increased from 91 to 460 acres and the economic impact of the university has increased from $160.3 million to $500 million.

That level of growth is extraordinary, and still, High Point University continues to grow. With the addition of new academic programs and a focus on values and life skills, HPU has catapulted into a competitive, nationally recognized institution.

With the consta nt grow th of High Point University, new academic programs have been created to ensure student achievement. HPU grew from just three to nine academic schools, which include the David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences; the Earl N. Phillips School of Business; the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication; the Stout School of Education; the School of Art and Design; the Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences; the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; the Congdon School of Health Sciences; and the Webb School of Engineering.

The Webb School of Engineer ing, HPU ’s newest academic school—announced this fall by President Qubein—houses a computer science major a nd t h ree concentrations w it h in t he degree: cybersecurity, software and systems, and visual computing. It will offer additional degrees

in computer engineering and electrical engineering, pending SACS approval.

Currently under construction are three major projects: A $70 million facility for the Wanek School of Undergraduate sciences; the $10 million Caine Conser vator y to suppor t b ot a n ic a l resea rc h a nd t he grow t h of HPU ’s a rboretu m a n d g a r d e n s ; a n d t h e $1 2 0 m i l l ion Nido a nd Ma r ia na Q u b e i n A r e n a , C on fe r e nc e Center and Hotel, which will be home to the men’s and women’s basketball programs, serve as a venue for major events and support a proposed hospitality management program.

Mentorship Matters In addition to new technology and facilities, HPU has added dozens upon dozens of study abroad opportunities, service learning programs, academic development, student life activities and experiential learning programs.

For example, Project Discovery offers eight steps for freshmen to explore what academic pursuit aligns best with their passions. While it’s common nationally for new students to be unsure about their academic major or to change their major at least once, HPU embraces this. In fact, every freshman at HPU receives a success coach to guide them.

Students at HPU also have opportunities to conduct undergraduate research as early as their freshman year—much sooner than other universities—and they receive guidance from the nationally recognized Office of Career and

Professional Development. HPU’s career services have been ranked and recognized by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Colleges of Distinction.

They get to run their own public relations agency, graphic design agency or TV show at HPU—all of which are fully operated by students.

And they have opportunities to join an Investment Club, Professional Selling Club, Entrepreneurship Club and many others.

“One of the unique qualities of a High Point University education is that no matter what degree you’re pursuing—physics, theater, computer science, event management, graphic design—there is always a huge emphasis on cultivating life skills,” says senior Michael Welter.

Through these programs, students learn how

NCAA Championshipwinning coach Tubby Smith joined HPU this year to lead the university’s Division I men’s basketball team.

GR A DS PO W E RING GL OB A L COM PA NIE S High Point University graduates work at some of the world’s leading companies. Here’s a glimpse:

Marco Sebastian ’18 Bloomberg L.P. Global data analyst

Mikaela Campbell ’18 National Basketball Association Associate

Caroline Tucker ‘17 Amazon Area manager

Tyler Yusko ‘13, ’14 Google Engineering leadership recruiter

Nikki Sanford ‘13 Baker Hostetler Patent attorney

Alex Palmer ‘13 Apple Senior software engineer

James Jadotte ‘13 Facebook Analyst for people compliance

Jodi Guglielmi ‘15 People magazine Writer and reporter

John Marsicano ‘15 Magnolia Public relations manager

Mary Funke ‘13 Duke Surgery Resident doctor

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LEFT: Apple

cofounder Steve Wozniak serves as HPU’s innovator in residence and works with students in a variety of majors. RIGHT : The Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences will be the new home to growing biology, chemistry and physics majors.

not to be intimidated by life’s obstacles. And parents appreciate the value in that.

“The words ‘Choose to be extraord ina r y ’ aren’t just a slogan at HPU, but a way of life,” says Stephanie Casper, an HPU parent from the San Francisco Bay area who has two daughters attending HPU. “The students see it, feel it and live it. HPU prepares students for a life of significance beyond graduation.”

“High Point University gave my daughters the education and inspiration to reach for the stars,” says Cindy Vincent, the mother of alumna Kristen Vincent, now completing her optometry residency, and Katelyn Vincent, now completing her dental residency. “They still talk about the wonderful professors they became close to who encouraged them to be successful in life.”

“There were so many opportunities to reach

out and speak with professionals in a wide variety of fields,” says Marco Sebastian, a 2018 graduate and global data analyst at Bloomberg. “I was able to take advantage of the HPU in the City career development trip, where I was exposed to Bloomberg and realized my place in the company.”

Access To Innovators One of the most unique and impactful components of HPU’s transformational process is the access to innovators the university intentionally provides to students.

Why? HPU knows that connecting students with people who have changed the world unlocks t hei r abi l it y to b e l ieve i n t hem se lves a nd accomplish goals they didn’t know were possible.

Global influencers are attracted to HPU because the art of the possible is celebrated as a core value.

HPU’S FA CULT Y IN RE SIDE NCE Visit highpoint.edu/innovators for more on the global leaders who educate and inspire students to dream big.

Steve Wozniak Innovator in residence Apple cofounder

Marc Randolph Entrepreneur in residence Netflix cofounder

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Betty Liu Media entrepreneur in residence Executive vice chairman, NYSE; founder, Radiate, Inc. expert-advice platform

Byron Pitts Journalist in residence Co-anchor of ABC News’ Nightline

Scott McKain Corporate educator in residence Bestselling author; business consultant; trainer

Joe Michaels Broadcaster in residence Former director of the NBC TODAY show for 22 years

Karen Jacobsen Global artist in residence The “GPS Girl”; Australian voice of Siri

Allan Beaver Graphic designer in residence Chair, HPU graphic design department; former founding partner, Levine Huntley Schmidt and Beaver

Larry Quinn Sales professional in residence Director, HPU Professional Selling Program; former national sales training manager

PRESENTED BY HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY

Recognized for Excellence High Point University is recognized by the nation’s premier experts for providing quality value, curriculum, career and support services, facilities, operations and more. Featured here are some of the honors bestowed upon HPU.

the Apple computer. “ Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n a t HPU is second nature,” says Wozniak. “I talk about HPU everywhere I go. Their focus on student development is second to none. And their leader sh ip i s de d ic ate d to the personal and professional development of t he i r s t u d e nt s . How t h e y d e l i ve r it i s t r u l y innovative.”

Outstanding Outcomes H ig h Poi nt Un iver sit y graduates have gone on to NO. 1 IN REGIONAL NO. 1 IN MOST NO. 2 IN BEST work for the world’s most COLLEGES SOUTH INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS UNDERGRADUATE (SEVEN CONSECUTIVE (REGIONAL COLLEGES TEACHING (REGIONAL influential companies such YEARS) SOUTH) COLLEGES SOUTH) as Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, People magazine, Bloomberg and Duke Health.

Wit h 96 percent of alumni employed or enrol led in graduate schools within six months NO. 20 IN BEST NO. 5 IN BEST NO. 19 IN BEST-RUN of ea rn ing their degree, VALUE SCHOOLS DORM ROOMS IN COLLEGES IN THE (REGIONAL THE NATION NATION HPU knows what it takes to COLLEGES SOUTH) mentor students. They find heroes, models and mentors a l l across ca mpus. They receive a transformative experience and a valuesbased education. And they enter the marketplace with NO. 18 IN MOST 2018-2019 2018-2019 COLLEGES OF the life skills that employers BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS IN COLLEGES OF DISTINCTION: CAREER THE NATION DISTINCTION DEVELOPMENT want.

Students like Rebecca Ulrich, now pursuing her Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Illinois, or Mikaela Campbell, who When students meet leaders such as Netflix works for the National Basketball Association in cofounder Marc Randolph, HPU’s entrepreneur New York City, understand how impactful a mentor in residence, they receive valuable feedback that can be on your college career. impacts their development as a person.

“When I interned with organizations such CeA n na Soper pitc hed her bu siness, as USA Track a nd Field, Under A rmou r a nd Breezy Brush, to Randolph inside HPU’s Belk IMG College, I was up against a field of qualified Entrepreneurship Center. And he gave her real candidates from large universities,” says Campbell. feedback to incorporate into her product.

“What constantly set me apart was the real-world “Marc is an active listener who put a lot of experience I received at HPU and the attitude they thought into his comments,” says Soper. “He asked instilled in me to never be afraid of a challenge.” me things I hadn’t thought about before, such as A n d Ty l e r Yu s k o h a s n ’ t fo r g o t t e n t h e my marketing cost for each individual customer. importance of the life lessons he learned at HPU. He gave me plenty of homework when it comes to “I appreciated my education and my campus moving my product forward.” as a student, but now that I work at Google, I Not only does Steve Wozniak, Apple cofounder understand the context of the HPU experience in and HPU’s innovator in residence, visit students the real world more than ever before,” says Yusko. on campus, he also gets updates from students via “That’s the power of transformation that High conference calls throughout the year, allowing Point University offers its students.” n them to build rapport with the man who invented

At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.

Discover why parents and students are choosing High Point University.

Schedule your visit today at highpoint.edu.

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