High Point University Magazine | Fall 2017

High Point University Magazine

LEADERSHIP

INNOVATION

VALUES

Great Leaders Adopt a Growth Mindset.

It’s in our DNA.

Stand for Something or Fall for Anything.

RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE High Point University is recognized by students, families, graduates and the nation’s premier experts on higher education for providing high-quality value, curriculum, career and support services, facilities, operations and more. Featured here is a glimpse of the honors bestowed upon HPU. “This recognition reflects the tremendous advocacy we receive from our students and parents, which is what we value most,” says Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president.

“Our values-based education and focus on life skills is producing graduates who go on to lead lives of significance. Their success is our ultimate reward.”

To refer a qualified student or request more information about HPU, email excellence@highpoint.edu.

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High Point University Magazine

High Point University Board Leadership

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Board of Trustees John L. Finch, Chairman Dr. Robert J. Brown, Vice Chairman

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Board of Visitors A.B. Henley, Chairman Alumni Board Jason Walters (’05), President Panther Club Jamie Amos, President SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT HPU MAGAZINE TO: Pam Haynes, Director of Media Relations High Point University One University Parkway High Point, NC 27268 USA 336-841-9055 phaynes@highpoint.edu SEND INFORMATION FOR CLASS NOTES AND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Office of Institutional Advancement High Point University One University Parkway High Point, NC 27268 USA recordupdates@highpoint.edu 336-841-9696 High Point University website: highpoint.edu Facebook.com/HighPointU Twitter.com/HighPointU Instagram.com/HighPointU HPU Magazine is published for alumni, parents and friends of High Point University.

EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION Congdon Hall Opens: A New Era of Health Innovation at HPU

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INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT Wolf Blitzer Inspires the Class of 2017

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CARING PEOPLE Driving the City Forward: $100 Million for Community Revitalization

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Numbers to know: Admissions: 800-345-6993 Campus Concierge: 336-841-4636 Alumni Engagement: 336-841-9548 Family Engagement: 336-841-9641 Athletics: 336-841-9281 Security: 336-841-9112

On the cover: DNA carries the genetic instructions that are essential for the creation and existence of life.

The double helical structure of DNA is found in various forms in nature. While B-DNA (right-handed twist) is the most prevalent configuration, Z-DNA (left-handed twist), as it appears in this artist’s rendition, transiently appears when DNA is being expressed. This transient DNA configuration is symbolic of a student’s journey during their time at High Point University as they progress from student to innovative leader.

Our Intentional Campus Culture “Can I go back to school here?”

That’s one of the first reactions we receive from parents whose students are touring our campus.

President Nido R. Qubein

We appreciate their sentiment because, while they are joking, they’re also telling us that we’re doing something right.

One father recently said: “I wish I had been educated in an environment where people believed in me. You promote hard work, perseverance and the entrepreneurial spirit. You tell these young people to get up and try again.

Do you know how long it took me to learn that?”

A Focus on Life Skills As a parent of four children, I understood viscerally what this father meant. And yes, I am proud of how High Point University has transformed into an institution of higher learning and higher living.

His point is that we instill “life skills” in our students. The business world sometimes calls them “soft skills,” but they are what employers seek in new hires and what this parent is talking about.

And yes, we are entrepreneurial in spirit and action — our transformational growth demonstrates both our focus on rendering value for students and parents, and our faithful courage to imagine and build a learning environment for the next generation of leaders (see page 56).

I didn’t arrive at the presidency through traditional higher education channels. As

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an immigrant who came to the U.S. with very little, my life has been challenging.

And I’m grateful for every moment of it.

Through hard work (I never considered an alternative), perseverance (I was often disappointed but never allowed myself to be discouraged), and faith in God (we must stand for something or we will fall for anything), I was able to make something of myself — and more importantly to me — help others along the way.

Mentorship Matters I share these stories with our students.

Whether in my Life Skills Seminar for all freshmen, in the cafeteria, or in one-on-one meetings with students who want advice — my role as it relates to students is Chief Encouragement Officer. And I relish it.

Our students learn to believe in themselves, starting with intentional

mentorship — the kind that happens organically all of the time. A student and a faculty member talk about a topic after class and forge a relationship that may guide the student’s future decisions.

them how to sit on the bike. Then I pushed them while staying close to them, at least for a while. Once I saw initial results, I simply cheered them on from the sidelines — only occasionally offering direction.

But the value of mentorship goes much deeper on HPU’s campus. We’ve designed a system including professional, full-time success coaches for every freshman, academic advisors, peer mentors, career advisors and more. A complete ecosystem of support.

At HPU, we’re blessed with gifted faculty and caring staff who are here to offer that first push for their students. But instead of riding a bike, its undergraduate research, team presentations, internship interviews, poster presentations, and career preparation. In fact, we’ve appointed a new vice president to focus exclusively on experiential learning and career development (page 60).

Consider our Research Rookies program for freshmen (page 46). We tell students they can begin conducting impressive academic research as soon as they arrive on campus — something other universities often reserve for upperclassmen — and we supply the resources and faculty support for them to succeed. We don’t treat freshmen like beginners, and this gives students a distinct advantage.

Through mentorship, we help students compress time — helping them contextualize and experience what might take years to amass naturally. This is precisely what that father was talking about.

Wisdom Comes from Experience.

Students learn through experience.

Sometimes I think we overcomplicate education. I enabled my children to learn how to ride a bike. At first I talked to them about the idea of balance. Then I showed

Our institutional growth has blossomed because students and parents value our approach to educating the future leaders of our world. And that approach is grounded in the understanding that parents spent a lifetime propelling their child forward. They want the college their student attends to continue their efforts.

HPU is an extension of your home. And as you read about our students, our faculty, and our staff in this magazine, you will be proud of what this university family does every day.

For you. For everyone.

Our call to action is clear: Choose to be extraordinary.

Sincerely, Nido R. Qubein President nqubein@highpoint.edu

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Freshman Success Coaches:

Guiding Students Through Their Transition to College They graduated in May, the first cohort mentored by HPU’s student success coaches.

They walked across the stage, received their degree in front of Roberts Hall and began careers or post-graduate work. And Dr. Beth Holder cried. She always does at graduations. But this one was different.

She knows these graduates. She knows how some of them had first-year hurdles, and time does fly. It seems like yesterday that HPU’s brand-new program she helped develop pointed them in the right direction.

It worked. Today, more first-year students are finding clear paths to success early in their academic careers because of Holder and her team of success coaches.

They anchor the front lines of student engagement, and they take on a raft of roles: academic advisor, mediator, mentor, drill sergeant and friend.

Holder created what she calls her “Dream Team.” Today, she has 13 success coaches to help students navigate the new waters of college life.

Holder’s program has become vital, a critical piece to a concept HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein calls “intentional congruence.” And it all began four years ago.

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HPU’s success coaches don’t remember numbers. They remember names. Here are two: Brent Stringer and Caroline Tucker.

Like many from that first cohort, Stringer and Tucker have a story to tell.

Both landed jobs before graduation. Both developed strong relationships with their success coaches when they were freshmen.

The Journey of Transformation Success coach Britt Carl would hear a staccato of stomps, and she immediately knew who it was.

Tucker.

“Briiiiitt,” Tucker yelled before entering Carl’s office. “I need your help!”

Every two weeks that first semester, Tucker saw Carl. Their 10-minute meetings turned into hour-long discussions, and every time, Carl helped Tucker deal with emotions and academic confusion about being a physics major.

Tucker wrestled with failure. Her parents were both college grads, and her dad was a corporate lawyer. She was the youngest of two, adopted from China at 9 months old, and growing up in Arlington, Virginia, she had known nothing but success.

Recent graduate Caroline Tucker received support from her success coach throughout her four years at HPU and was recruited by Amazon.

Until she hit college. She struggled. So did Stringer.

Stringer came from Hilton Head, South Carolina, and he majored in business administration. But he didn’t manage his time well. His dad, a home builder, gave him an ultimatum.

To discover how HPU provides students with an ecosystem of support, visit www.highpoint.edu/journey.

“Brent,” he told his youngest son. “If your grades don’t improve, you can come home and do construction for the rest of your life.”

Enter success coach Akir Khan.

Khan partnered with Stringer to design a schedule, and Stringer kept it all on his phone. He and Khan met almost every week, and Khan turned the white board behind his desk into an organizational tool.

In between meetings, Stringer called Khan. Khan quizzed him on progress. But he also gave Stringer hope.

“I know you’re down right now, but things will pick up,” Khan told him. “You’ll graduate and get the job you want if you stick to our plan.”

Stringer has. After graduation, he moved to Atlanta and is working as an account executive for New Acquisitions, a sales marketing firm.

“To tell the truth, if I didn’t have Akir in my life, I wouldn’t have graduated,” Stringer says. “I am beyond thankful.”

Tucker is, too.

She stopped stomping toward Carl’s office. Carl says she heard what she calls “happy footsteps” instead. Tucker, who was an international business major, is now area manager for Amazon, the online retail giant. And Amazon recruited her.

Brent Stringer, a 2017 graduate, built a strong relationship with his success coach that served as the foundation for his accomplishments and career placement after college.

“I know this sounds cheesy, but I didn’t know who I was back then,” Tucker says about her early college days. “But Britt taught me so much. She told me, ‘You’re worth it. You can go a long way. Just breathe.’ That meant so much.”

The Familial Fabric of HPU When Qubein talks about the role the staff and faculty play on campus, he sees them as pieces to a big jigsaw puzzle.

To make a puzzle work, he believes, all the pieces must fit together. To make HPU work, the faculty and staff come together to help students learn, grow and excel.

Qubein has a term for that: “intentional congruence.”

Student success coaches — Holder’s “dream team” — are a good example of that.

Today, Holder’s team has moved from their covey of offices in Smith Library to the Mestdagh Creative Commons inside Cottrell Hall with no walls, bright colors and windows everywhere you look.

Holder’s coaches see students in this open-air environment.

Taped to her office door is a three-word sentence she tells her coaches and the students they see: “We Got This!”

“We are there when freshmen need it most,” Holder says. “I’m proud of that.”

The coaches still see students they helped that first year. The students come back to give them updates, and like Tucker and Stringer, the students who come by laugh about what happened way back when.

Carl knows why.

“They trust us,” Carl says. “They know we have their back.” ▲

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Focused on Outcomes This past summer, Cassandra Diaz completed an internship with The Madison Square Garden Company where she developed integrated media plans for MSG brands, including Radio City Music Hall and the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

Diaz, a junior sport management major, adds this experience to her resume alongside a list of past internships, including a summer spent with the Greensboro Swarm, an affiliate of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.

After only two years at HPU, Diaz says that she’s found success in her internship hunt thanks to the Office of Career and Professional Development.

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“I’ve visited the Office of Career and Professional Development since my first year at HPU,” she says. “During my freshman year, they helped me discover my strengths through the Strengths Finder Assessment and fine-tuned my resume and LinkedIn profile.”

BEST CAREER SERVICES

IN T H E NATION

The Princeton Review

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During Diaz’s sophomore year, she sought advice from the office after she applied for an internship that requested a phone interview with her.

“I had one day to prepare for my phone interview, and I immediately ran to the Office of Career and Professional Development,” says Diaz. “April Cosner was there to help me, even on such short notice, and she came up with a list of potential questions for the phone interview. We practiced and she referred me to an online system that provided additional interview preparation.”

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Employment and Grad School Placement within six months of graduation Data from the Classes of 2015 and 2016. High Point University follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers first destination reporting protocols.

They’ve welcomed the addition of Focus Fairs, small career fairs that focus on specific industries.

In the last year, the career team hosted Focus Fairs in the areas of communication, life sciences, education and law school with plans to include a non-profit and interior design fair this year.

Employers report that the fairs are highly efficient for potential employers, too. In two hours, they can meet with as many as 15–20 students, and every one of those students is looking for something that their individual company offers.

Ever since, Diaz has gone to Cosner and other members of the career team for guidance and support. And Diaz is not alone.

HPU students are invited and encouraged to connect with the Office of Career and Professional Development during their first moments on HPU’s campus.

And while all are invited, no two students are the same. Some come to HPU with their career path charted in detail. Others enter their college career with plenty of questions.

“Focus Fairs are a win-win opportunity for both students and employers,” says Lindsay Kremer, HPU recruitment coordinator. “These events are targeted toward specific industries, so employers know that the students attending will be the major they are recruiting for, and students know that every employer at the fair is going to be relevant to what they are hoping to do.”

Affectionately dubbed the “career fair of the future” by members of the career team, Focus Fairs are just one of the ways that the office prepares students for the workforce.

Regardless of where they stand, the Office of Career and Professional Development is there to guide and assist students as they travel the road to graduation.

They prepare students for the workforce, connect them with a network of professionals and offer support beyond graduation and a student’s first job.

Customized Career Development For years, the Office of Career and Professional Development has organized and hosted biannual career and internship expos, inviting students of all majors to meet with potential employers.

But, just as the job market is forever evolving, the HPU career team adjusts to meet demand.

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The Power of Connection Tyler Yusko graduated from HPU in 2014 and began his career as a sales associate for Yelp Inc. in New York City.

Aiming to give back to his alma mater, he contacted the Office of Career and Professional Development to inquire about recruitment opportunities.

Just one week later, Yusko was on a plane to North Carolina to attend an HPU Focus Fair as a representative of Yelp.

Why did he want to come back? As an HPU alum, he knew the quality of potential employees that he would encounter. He knew the students would be prepared for a career. He knew he was getting the best. Yusko is one example of a strong network of alumni representing many different companies who make the journey to HPU to find their next great hire.

“Our students can benefit greatly from connecting with our alumni,” says Doug Hall, assistant director of Career and Professional Development. “HPU graduates have the opportunity to give back to their alma mater by serving as a mentor and a valuable resource to our current students.

HPU alums, especially our recent graduates, identify

with our current students and understand their desire to acquire internships and full-time employment upon graduation. Having an inside connection to an employer to gain insight on company culture, skills needed within the organization, and how to prepare for the ‘world of work,’ can be realized by reaching out to our successful alums.”

The career team is able to easily connect students with alumni in part due to their continued connection to students even beyond graduation.

Lifelong Mentors They coach students during their years at HPU, but their advice and guidance doesn’t end there.

The ties between the Career and Professional Development staff and HPU graduates are strong. So strong, that if alumni need help with a career transition or are in the search for a new job, the team is just a phone call away.

“We are available for our alumni,” says Hall. “If they’re transitioning or looking for work elsewhere, we are ready to support our graduates years beyond their time at HPU.” ▲

Below is a glimpse of leading companies that have hired HPU students and graduates for internships and full-time careers.

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How Career Advisors Guide Students

Lucas Fogaca Class of 2017 Attends Dental School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill “I used the Career and Professional Development center to get help with my personal statement.

Elizabeth Illig was a huge help when it came to proofreading and giving me ideas focused in dentistry.

She also helped me to put together a CV that would stand out during my application process.”

Erika Bridges Class of 2017 CEO and Creator of Knot Average,

a hair tie company that donates a percentage of profits to a different charity each month;

Inside Sales and Marketing Account Manager at JDouglas “I met with numerous members of the career team and I was told not to rush or settle. They taught me to recognize my strengths, where I could improve, and most importantly, how to know my worth.”

Frazier Robinson

Kirstie Pratt

Class of 2017 Employee Benefits Sales for Mutual of Omaha

Class of 2017 Golfer Care Specialist for GolfNow, a division of The Golf Channel

“Career and Professional Development helped me build a resume and practice for interviews.

Without this, I would not have an appealing resume and would be stumbling on my words during interviews. I am more confident and stronger in my verbal skills because of the help I received.”

“Doug Hall in Career and Professional Development was always there to listen to my problems and give me advice these past four years. Lindsay Kremer provided me with the information about an internship I held, which in turn helped my resume stand out against other applicants after graduation.”

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BIG5 POWERING THE

A Glimpse of Graduates Working at Some of the World’s Biggest Businesses and Brands High Point University is connecting graduates to work at some of the world’s leading companies. Their passionate pursuits reflect HPU’s promise: When we enroll a student, we commit to their success. Here is a sampling of graduates who are contributing to the companies and technologies that impact your world every day.

Russ Salakhutdinov, ’01

Alex Palmer, ’13

Apple iOS Advanced Development Sr. Engineer Palmer studied computer science at HPU and landed interviews with Google, IBM and Apple before graduation. He chose to begin his career at Dunnhumby USA, one of the world’s top data analytics firms in the retail sector. In 2014, he accepted a position at Apple Computer in Cupertino, California.

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Apple’s First-Ever Artificial Intelligence Research Director

Salakhutdinov earned his international business degree from HPU and has led a decorated career since graduation. He completed his postdoctoral work at MIT and served as a tenured associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University before pioneering artificial intelligence research at Apple Computer.

Hayden Rockwell, ’13

Snapchat Senior Story Editor After receiving her degree from HPU’s Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, Rockwell worked at The Huffington Post in New York City before making her leap to one of the world’s top social media platforms. Forbes has named her to its “30 Under 30” list of leaders in the industry.

Ryan Kaika, ’15

Hewlett-Packard New Business Sales Associate Immediately following his graduation from HPU’s Phillips School of Business, Kaika accepted a position with HewlettPackard in Roseville, California. Kaika represents the strong relationship HPU has with Hewlett-Packard — several other graduates have been hired by the technology giant as well.

Ariel Gariepy, ’14

Microsoft Program Coordinator

James Jadotte, ’13

Facebook Analyst for People Compliance

While studying business administration at HPU, Jadotte landed a stellar internship at JetBlue Airways in the human resources compliance department. The company was impressed with his performance and hired him after graduation. In 2016, Jadotte was hired by Facebook.

After graduating from HPU, Gariepy took her international relations and affairs degree to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance while pursuing her master’s degree in international peace and conflict resolution at American University. She joined Microsoft as a program coordinator to support the Campaign Technology Services group during the 2016 presidential election season.

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INNO

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VATION: It’s in

Our DNA The entrepreneurial spirit drew them to High Point University.

Today, they watch it come to life in the new $120 million Congdon Hall.

Dr. Daniel Erb, who hails from Duke University, is the dean of HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences. Dr. Ron Ragan became dean of HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy after building a top program in the Midwest.

Congdon Hall, the university’s single largest investment in history, opened this fall and ushered in a new era of health innovation and graduate studies.

Erb and Ragan remember the early days when these programs were merely plans on paper.

But they had opportunity, and Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president, had vision.

“I came to High Point because there is a can-do attitude here,” Erb says.

“That’s more evident today than ever before.”

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“I came to High Point because there is a can-do attitude here.”

– Dr. Daniel Erb, Dean of the Congdon School of Health Sciences

Focused on Patient Care In fact, they’ve already started.

In the last year, their new students have arrived as the programs launched in steps — physician assistant studies in 2015, pharmacy in 2016, and physical therapy in 2017. Their work in the classroom has quickly been applied to conducting impactful research and serving the underserved in their community.

Erb and Ragan hired faculty who are leading experts in their fields and welcomed students into new programs in physician assistant studies, physical therapy and pharmacy. Their classes are selective — between 60 and 70 in the physical therapy and pharmacy cohorts, and 35 in the newest physician assistant cohort. Their students compete against more than 1,000 applicants for their spots.

In August, Congdon Hall opened as the hub of innovation for these two academic schools, bringing 220,000-square-feet of medical research and clinical practice space to campus.

Expansive labs and technology include a Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab that is the only North American site where research for Adidas is conducted. There’s a gross anatomy lab that rivals the best in the country, high-fidelity mannequins that act as real patients, an environmental chamber where the altitude can mimic up to 15,000 feet above sea level.

The transformational plan that Qubein began when he became president in 2005 has always centered on taking HPU to new academic heights.

“When campus is infused with the spirit of an entrepreneur, you find opportunities to do things that haven’t been done before,” Ragan says. “We built our programs from the ground up and created opportunities students don’t have elsewhere.”

“The vision was right on target,” says Erb. “The programs we set out to develop are needed in the changing landscape of health care. Now, our mission is to prepare students to become the kind of health care providers who will, quite literally, change lives.”

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HPU’s first physical therapy doctoral students — 60 total — made history when they arrived on May 17. This fall, they opened a pro bono physical therapy clinic that is meeting the needs of community members who otherwise wouldn’t have access to these types of services. Read more about the first physical therapy class on page 24.

They’re learning from a group of faculty who hail from leading medical universities and health centers, and their impact is far-reaching. In addition to a partnership with Adidas, faculty also received funding from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a study to help female youth athletes prevent ACL injuries — the most common type of athletic injury among their age group. Then there’s the Virtual Reality and Clinical Gait Analysis Laboratory, where they’re looking for new treatment methods that can improve the lives of children and adults who have cerebral palsy or suffer from stroke or spinal cord injury.

With an aging baby boomer population, it’s no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the demand for physical therapists to increase 34 percent by 2024.

Working alongside them in Congdon Hall is the first class of the new 3+2 master’s degree program in athletic training.

While athletic training has been offered at the undergraduate level at HPU for more than 25 years, elevating the program to a graduate level was important for several reasons, according to Dr. Jolene Henning, chair of the department. First, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education announced a mandate that all accredited programs be

CONGDON HALL Innovation is woven throughout High Point University’s DNA. Congdon Hall is a reflection of that.

The three-story, glass-walled lobby welcomes visitors with a striking 40-foot DNA sculpture. Its steel beams wind from the floor to the ceiling, and collaboration areas and private study spaces are positioned all around.

Glass instead of traditional walls throughout the facility reflect HPU’s commitment to create a campus that mimics the modern workplace.

Just as health care providers must break down silos and work together to offer the most patientfocused care, students studying to be future physical therapists, physician assistants, athletic trainers and pharmacists learn and work alongside one another. When they graduate and begin professional practice, they have years of experience communicating with other types of practitioners.

The grand scale of the lobby also reflects the importance of these programs, which serve as a cornerstone of medical innovation at HPU. At $120 million total, these programs and this facility reflect the single largest investment in HPU’s history.

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Expand to learn more about the impressive facilities and research housed inside the new Congdon Hall.

HUMAN BIOMECHANICS AND PHYSIOLOGY LAB The combination of faculty, facilities, equipment and a collaborative spirit make the Department of Physical Therapy’s Human Biomechanics & Physiology Laboratory one of the most unique research facilities in the world. The lab is involved in a variety of impactful research projects that are funded by industry leaders like Adidas and The National Institutes of Health (NIH). Faculty also frequently train, rehabilitate and provide consultations here to athletes from the NFL, PGA, UFC and NASCAR. Equipment in the lab includes 16 force plates and 48 high resolution motion capture cameras that can record, in detail, the skeletal movement of an individual, allowing physical therapists to pinpoint exact strengths, weaknesses and solutions for patients. A golf simulator, DEXA scanner, an environmental chamber and some of the most unique treadmills in the world, such as the antigravity treadmill, are also housed here.

ANATOMY LABORATORY The anatomy lab is a state-of-the-art facility for students to study human anatomy and innovative medical practices and procedures.

With an on-campus Willed Body Program and faculty and staff with advanced anatomy and mortuary experience, this learning environment ensures students are prepared with the best skill sets for their chosen profession. Most importantly, it is in this lab that generous donors, who have decided to make an impact beyond life, gift students with their first patient, from whom they learn much.

VIRTUAL REALITY AND CLINICAL GAIT ANALYSIS LABORATORY Life-changing research is housed inside this lab.

Physical therapy scientists use specialized equipment like a virtual reality system and a robotic exoskeleton to help children with cerebral palsy and adults who have suffered a stroke or spinal cord injury to walk again. Their goal is to change human movement in order to improve the quality of life and function for these patients.

CALLICUTT AUDITORIUM A 370-seat, tiered auditorium fosters interdisciplinary education at HPU. The space is large enough to welcome students in all health-related fields to learn together from faculty across disciplines. It also serves a dual purpose as mixed-use space for major university events as HPU continues to grow.

The auditorium is supported by an HPU alumnus, Rick Callicutt, a 1980 HPU graduate and High Point native, whose daughter, Lindsay, graduated from HPU in 2006, and whose mother, Barbara, also graduated from HPU in 1965.

Callicutt is the chairman of Pinnacle Financial Partners for the Carolinas and Virginia region. Before Pinnacle’s acquisition of BNC Bancorp in 2017, he was president and chief executive officer of BNC Bancorp and Bank of North Carolina. He received his business administration degree from HPU and began his banking career four days after he graduated.

PHARMACY SKILLS SUITE

PHARMACOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY The lab is dedicated to determining the sites and mechanisms of drug action, as well as the consequence of acute and chronic administration of drugs on behavior and biochemistry. Equipment includes high performance liquid chromatography systems, ideal for the study of neurochemistry, mass spectrometry for drug analysis and proteomics, and quantitative PCR for gene expression. The lab has light and fluorescent microscopy for cellular anatomical and pathological studies and a laser capture microdissection microscopy to better visualize specific populations of microscopic cells. The lab also houses a vivarium equipped for a wide variety of drug and behavioral studies.

This spacious lab is where students get their first hands-on experience with important point-of-care medical devices and learn to provide comprehensive medication therapy management services. They learn basic pharmacy skills such as prescription preparation and dispensing, as well as more advanced skills like sterile and non-sterile compounding. Students practice the basics of working in an interprofessional team to provide optimal care.

Students use the skills acquired in this laboratory to prepare for the experiential learning during their fourth professional year in clinical rotations throughout the Piedmont Triad and the state of North Carolina.

A sample of ongoing studies in the lab includes determining the effect of diabetes on the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, neuroimmune responses in the aging brain, addiction in the brain and more.

and community settings, a hospital room, a retirement community room and two clinical case management offices. Eight exam rooms also mimic a primary care practice, operation room, emergency room, a labor and delivery room, and adult and pediatric rooms, which house high fidelity mannequins that bleed, sweat, cry, experience side effects from drugs and, in essence, mimic real patients students will someday treat.

SIMULATION LABORATORIES Theories and concepts students learn in the classroom come to life in a variety of simulation laboratories, where they’re prepared to practice before they begin their off-campus clinical rotations.

There are more than a dozen spaces that simulate real-world experiences, including pharmacy retail

Competitive and Selective:

delivered at the master’s degree level. Second, it reflects the high level of skill and care expected from today’s athletic trainers.

Thousands of applicants compete each year for spots in these programs.

HPU offers unique pathways that best prepare students to practice in an everchanging health care industry.

“Graduate level education is necessary as the scope and sophistication of clinical practice for athletic trainers has expanded,” Henning says. “We anticipated this change and were prepared. Elevating to the graduate level also allows for interprofessional education opportunities with students in physician assistant studies, physical therapy and pharmacy.”

PHYSICAL THERAPY

The physician assistant master’s program welcomed its third cohort of 35 students in May and graduated its first class in August. More than 1,500 applicants are competing for spots in the program each year. Read more about where their new graduates are working on page 26.

(60 STUDENTS SELECTED)

Students with a four-year undergraduate degree may apply for the physical therapy doctoral degree program, which can be completed in three years.

“As our nation faces the biggest changes in health care in a century, High Point University is helping fulfill a vision for both increased access and high quality of care for patients in High Point, North Carolina, and across the country,” says Dr. Linda Sekhon, founding chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. “The PA profession is attractive for its adaptability to health care needs as well as the opportunity for a PA professional to be employed in primary care or specialties over the course of their career. With an increasing shortage of primary care physicians, aging population and rapid changes in the health care climate, PAs will be needed more than ever.”

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES (35 STUDENTS SELECTED)

Students with a four-year undergraduate degree may apply for the physician assistant studies master’s degree program, which can be completed in 27 months.

ATHLETIC TRAINING 3+2 OPTION (15 STUDENTS SELECTED)

The Future of Pharmacy

Students may complete three years of undergraduate work and two years of master’s degree work, for a total of five years. Students with a four-year undergraduate degree can also apply to complete their master’s degree in athletic training in the traditional two years.

The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, the only pharmacy school in the Piedmont Triad, welcomed its second cohort of 74 students this fall.

Pharmacy students and faculty have become highly visible with hands-on learning and volunteerism in High Point.

During orientation, new students complete a day of service in the surrounding community. Then they quickly become involved in over-the-counter medication giveaways held in the city, begin volunteering at the Community Clinic of High Point, and provide health screenings at the High Point Farmer’s Market and local food pantries, where community members with high blood pressure and little access to health care receive services.

PHARMACY

(70 STUDENTS SELECTED)

A 2+4 path allows undergraduate students at HPU to declare a pre-pharmacy major and apply to begin graduate level work during their junior year. If admitted, they can complete a doctoral degree within six years. Students with a four-year undergraduate degree can also apply to complete their doctoral degree in pharmacy in four years.

“Our faculty have shown students how to be an effective community pharmacist early in their educational studies,” Ragan says. “It’s important that when students are gaining knowledge in a classroom, they begin putting it into practice in a clinical environment soon after. Our students don’t wait until they are upperclassmen to get hands-on experience.”

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“HPU remains a small university with major university resources.”

– Nido Qubein, HPU president Scientific research complements the experience students receive in the community. Ragan has also assembled a team of impressive academic researchers so that students graduate with both strong clinical and advanced science skills.

And these pharmacy faculty are well-published and well-known in the world of health care. Dr. Scott Hemby, chair of basic pharmaceutical sciences, was featured on PBS NewsHour for his research on the plant kratom, which has been used as a replacement for opiates like morphine.

Dr. Mary Jayne Kennedy, chair of the clinical sciences department, and Dr. Peter Gal, associate dean for academic affairs, pioneered methods to collect data from premature babies in regards to how drug therapy might be used to help them through critical development stages.

“Our lab space allows HPU students and faculty to contribute cutting-edge research to the health sciences field, obtain additional research funding and thereby improve the quality of life for those in the Triad and beyond,” Erb says.

A Small University with Major Resources Students learning inside the new Congdon Hall helped the university achieve a milestone this fall — the largest number of graduate students in HPU’s history, and a record total enrollment of nearly 5,000.

That number reflects an important part of HPU’s transformational plan — maintaining a close-knit atmosphere as enrollment expands.

“HPU remains a small university with major university resources,” Qubein says. “The HPU experience is grounded in mentorship. Our growth has always been framed around the mission to empower and encourage faculty to closely educate and guide students in their journey.”

As more students have been attracted to campus, the number of faculty has increased from 100 to more than 325, along with robust academic programming and professional opportunities that support student development.

Strong Advocates and Philanthropic Investors Behind HPU’s transformational journey is a meaningful story of philanthropic support.

The Congdon School of Health Sciences and the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy are excellent examples.

Earl and Kitty Congdon

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Fred and Barbara Wilson

Caffey Hall opened in August and is the university’s newest residence hall. The 150,000-square-foot living and learning community houses 308 students in the heart of campus and includes two large community kitchens, a game and theater room, a recreation facility and several group and private study spaces.

“What helps students get into graduate and professional school is certainly their aptitude, grades and experiences, but also the faculty members with whom they work,” says Dr. Dennis Carroll, HPU provost. “These faculty publish and present research that captures the attention of professional and medical schools across the country. We’ve hired incredible scholars and scientists for students to work with and learn from.”

Business and communication continue to be the largest undergraduate majors on campus, while the undergraduate sciences are flourishing. The next facility to begin construction is a new undergraduate sciences school to support biology, chemistry and physics majors. Many of the students in these programs are now choosing to continue their master’s or doctoral education in HPU’s new graduate programs.

The number of undergraduate majors on campus is also ever-evolving, with recent additions such as event and sport management, neuroscience and professional sales designed to meet marketplace demands. Meanwhile, wide varieties of

These academic schools didn’t exist at HPU just a few years ago.

But thanks to the support of two local entrepreneurs, the schools are educating a new generation of physicians.

Congdon Hall and the Congdon School of Health Sciences honor the achievements of Earl Congdon, chairman of Old Dominion Freight Line, one of America’s leading transportation and logistics companies with 10,000 employees.

The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy recognizes Fred Wilson, chairman of the board of Piedmont Chemical Industries Inc., which includes five companies with plants in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Both of these business leaders have long advocated HPU’s educational model and mission.

“These men are the American dream personified,” Qubein said about Congdon and Wilson at the grand opening for Congdon Hall. “This is what happens when you believe in the fundamentals

minors, concentrations and experiential opportunities mold students into “well-rounded and ready-to-compete candidates,” Carroll says. Professional writing, foreign languages, civic responsibility and innovation minors can complement any major and help a graduate stand out in the job or graduate school application process.

“That’s one of the reasons we’ve built an impressive foreign languages department,” he says. “We offer Portuguese because we understand that Brazil plays a crucial role in the international economy. Our students can take Mandarin Chinese because it’s the most widely spoken language in the world.”

And regardless of their major, new health programs also benefit all alumni, current students and graduates, Carroll says.

“The research and learning opportunities in Congdon Hall reflect our commitment to innovation and mentorship. These programs set the bar high for the entire HPU family.” ▲

and principles that built this country. This day is another page in our history book because when you make the right choices and have God’s grace as your guide and your leader in all you do, good things happen.”

Families and alumni make major investments in their university, too. An anonymous HPU family invested generously in HPU in the last year when they gave $15 million in support of a new undergraduate sciences school. Ground will soon be broken on the new building, which will house the fifth new academic school established during Qubein’s tenure.

At $60 million, the undergraduate sciences facility will accommodate growth in majors including biology, chemistry and physics. A dean will be hired to facilitate the expanding sciences held within the new school. The growth of these undergraduate programs complements the new physician assistant studies, pharmacy and physical therapy graduate programs.

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Working with

Wozniak

Apple Co-Founder and HPU’s Innovator in Residence Mentors Students

They sat around a table shaped like a circle with their eyes locked on the mentor they know as “Woz.” They flipped through notes to recall their successes and challenges in building a self-driving vehicle. Then these students — a mix of majors in math, computer science and physics — glanced up for feedback.

And Steve Wozniak, the man who co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs in a garage, provided it. As High Point University’s Innovator in Residence, helping students is one of his passions. So he guided them to answers, and sometimes, to other questions, too.

“Always keep your end goal in mind,” Wozniak told students during his spring 2017 visit. “When Steve Jobs and I started Apple, we had a goal to make peoples’ lives easier. Ask yourself, ‘What are you about and what will help you be more of that?’ Your end goal is the most important thing; what will this mean to the people you want to impact?”

Wozniak has roots on the HPU campus. He’s been guiding students’ efforts to build an autonomous vehicle that will make deliveries across campus for more than two years now. He’s filmed a public television segment with Dr. Nido Qubein that aired statewide, participated in interactive questionand-answer sessions open to the entire campus, and held numerous

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micro-sessions with smaller student groups. He’s held impromptu meetand-greets with hundreds more students, and in 2013, he was HPU’s Commencement speaker.

“I am passionate about education, and that’s why I love my time at High Point University so much,” Wozniak says. “HPU embraces a growth mindset. They show students how to learn. Transformation at HPU is second nature.”

His mentorship spans far and wide, from the obvious computer science major, to the student studying business, pharmacy or exercise science.

Technology, as he and Jobs proved to the world decades ago, is applicable to every industry and part of life. It can literally change the world.

On the HPU campus, he helps students see that.

Mentorship Matters Health care, in particular, can benefit, improve and evolve with technology.

Students in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy wanted to pick Wozniak’s brain on that topic. So they developed ideas for apps that could streamline patient care, then pitched them to Wozniak for his feedback.

“We came together in groups to brainstorm ideas for our app before we presented it to Mr. Wozniak, which was fantastic,” says Michael Hardler, a pharmacy student from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. “Receiving responses from him about our ideas and how they affect everyday people was a very humbling experience.”

5 PIECES OF

‘WOZDOM’ Apple Co-Founder and High Point University’s Innovator in Residence Steve Wozniak shares invaluable advice when he visits campus. Students have come to know these important lessons as “wozdom”— wisdom they glean from Wozniak and can apply to their own lives. Featured here are five important lessons he shared at a recent visit, during which he devoted time to students in multiple majors across campus.

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Exercise science majors had questions for him, too. Wearable technology has become a major trend in their industry, but it isn’t perfect. So they discussed ways to be at the forefront of the technology.

“Connecting our students with Steve Wozniak is the kind of out-of-theclassroom experience that HPU is so well-known for,” says Dan Tarara, chair of the Department of Exercise Science.

“When we tell our students to dream big, then connect them with some of the world’s most influential leaders, we’re showing them that we really believe in their abilities — that we really are preparing them to go out and make a difference in the world.”

Computer science majors have a natural bond with him. They keep

1 2

“Knowledge is not as important as motivation.”

“The answers aren’t always in a book. My approach is to write your own book.

Do something that has never been done before.

Devote yourself to it.”

“Transformation at HPU is second nature.”

Wozniak up to date on the status of the autonomous vehicle through a mid-year conference call. They’ve dubbed their work “The Woz Project.”

“He helped put things into perspective,” adds Kira Foglesong, a 2017 graduate who served as team leader of the project. “And I’ll never forget it when he said that one day of thinking is a lost day of doing. Yes, you need to think, but you need to experiment and experience the project and the challenges, too. Don’t just analyze; get things going.”

A Growing Partnership Each time Wozniak comes back to campus, he sees familiar and new faces.

Foglesong was one of his familiar mentees. She recalls the lessons she learned from him and the incredible access she had to one of the world’s brightest minds.

“What’s been so great about Mr. Wozniak is he not only offered insight on the

3

“Be innovative in your own personality. Be someone who can spot different trends, and ask yourself, ‘What is there that I can do to make this better or special?’”

– Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder and HPU Innovator in Residence

questions we were tossing at him, but also on avenues that we weren’t yet considering,” says Foglesong, who is now pursuing her master’s degree in digital production arts at Clemson University.

Like security, and what scale of security might be needed for an autonomous vehicle? And does the vehicle talk? Does it have a voice and communication features?

“He’s always told us never to be afraid to go out there and ask questions,” Foglesong says. “We shouldn’t be afraid to talk to professionals, companies or other leaders in the industries relevant to our project because we will never

4

“Be someone people like. The more people like you, the further you’re going to go in business. Whether your goal is to go up the organizational chart, or really enjoy the work you’re doing, the goal is to have people like and respect you. Respect them, too.

My rule in life is: If somebody is bad to you, you’re still good to them.”

know who might be willing to help unless we dare to try.”

He often drives that message home.

“Don’t believe that the answers are always in a book,” Wozniak told the circle of students committed to making the self-driving vehicle a reality. “A lot of people take a test and come up with the same answer that’s correct. That’s OK — that’s intelligence. But it’s the same answer that everyone else has.

“My approach is to write your own book. Do something that has never been done before and devote yourself to it.” ▲

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“Always keep your end goal in mind. When Steve Jobs and I started Apple, we had a goal to make peoples’ lives easier.

Your end goal is the most important thing.”

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THE TRAILBLAZERS:

HPU’s Physical They’re a class of 60, students from 19 states,

The Allure of Resources and Research

selected from more than 1,000 applications.

Last fall at a conference in Minnesota, Coty Rajek listened to HPU’s Dr. Kevin Ford give details about his study into why so many females in middle and high school injure their knees playing soccer.

They came to HPU to earn a doctorate in physical therapy, help ailing people heal and make the lives of the world’s aging population better.

They are the trailblazers, the inaugural class of HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy. They’re future physical therapists, better known as PTs, who will see their jobs grow by 34 percent in eight years — almost five times the national average.

When they graduate in 2020, they’ll find employment. But they’ll also find fulfillment. They’ll know they helped craft a curriculum in a jewel of a new building and helped HPU emerge as a go-to institution in health care education.

Inside Congdon Hall, home to the Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, PT students will take 40 courses, participate in research and hone their skills using technology and equipment not found at any other PT school nationwide.

They do love their place. But really, they love what they learn.

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The National Institutes of Health funded Ford’s study, and the $528,107 grant represents the largest NIH grant HPU has received in its 93-year history.

As Ford spoke, Rajek listened. But he also watched. Ford’s video showed soccer players getting tested inside a biomechanics lab near HPU’s campus that looked as large as a football field.

Rajek, in his words, “nerded out.” He was a senior at a South Dakota university majoring in exercise science, and at his school, he used a biomechanics lab no bigger than a racquetball court.

Rajek couldn’t believe it and checked it out. It was true. He got interested in HPU’s new PT program and called Ford. Rajek applied, was accepted, left his home in Merrill, Wisconsin, and drove 16 hours east.

He was amazed then. He’s still amazed now.

“You’ll be working in the lab and realize where you are, and it dawns on you about what you have around you,” he says. “You can’t wait to take part in it.”

HPU’s NIH study is just the beginning. HPU’s PT faculty are doing research for Adidas as well as helping professional

Therapy Students athletes from the NFL, NASCAR, PGA, UFC and WNBA improve the mechanics of how their bodies move.

Two Students, Two Views HPU’s new doctoral PT program began in May and will start receiving at least 60 new students every year.

Meanwhile, faculty members see patients every week and have used the money from those consultations to start a scholarship fund for future PT students.

Students like David Boles and Layla Moran.

But it’s not just faculty members seeing patients. PT students do, too.

They work in a pro bono community clinic near campus that HPU opened in the fall. They see local patients 40 hours a week in a space containing more than $1 million worth of equipment.

Moran grew up in Westport, Massachusetts, and graduated in May from Temple University with a degree in kinesiology. She came to HPU, drawn by what Hegedus calls the three Fs — faculty, facilities and a free clinic.

During their last year, students also will see patients at three separate internships. Students can choose from more than 60 clinics in 30-plus states nationwide.

“Our input is valued, and High Point is building this place around the student,” she says. “That’s impressive because not all schools have that opportunity. Here, we can sit in class, walk five feet and be in a research lab.”

Then, there is the new Congdon Hall. It opened in May and includes a 16,000-square-foot Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab and all kinds of equipment that can put someone through any test and measure nearly every move.

Boles grew up 50 minutes west of High Point in the dime-sized town of Pilot Mountain. In 2009, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later started a banking career with BB&T.

PT students say they came because of what they saw. But they also came because of whom they would see.

That is the faculty. It all begins with Dr. Eric Hegedus.

Creating Something “Special”

But after he got married three years ago, he wanted to make more of an impact on people’s lives. He chose physical therapy because he remembered how much a physical therapist helped him in high school.

For 11 years, Hegedus taught physical therapy at Duke University. He won teaching awards and acted as the vice chief of Duke’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Division.

In 2011, he left Duke to become the founding chair of HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy because he wanted to build a new program and prepare students for the ever-changing world of health care.

When he visited HPU’s new PT program, he saw his future. Over nearly a two-year period, he took the prerequisites needed, and HPU accepted him.

He knew the need. Research shows more people are living longer, and they need help managing pain and staying healthy.

So, like a coach, Hegedus started to recruit faculty. Some were his former top students from Duke who went on to practice and teach. Others were top-flight experts in fields like biomechanics and exercise physiology.

Today, he keeps on his computer a picture of himself in front of Congdon Hall. He wanted a permanent reminder of what he calls his “leap of faith.”

They came because they respected Hegedus and knew he could do something, as they say, “special.” They also came for the opportunity to start a program at a school that offered the resources to make it happen. ▲

“I want to look my kids in the eye,” he says, “and tell them, ‘With love and support, I made my dreams come true.’”

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HPU’s Physician Assistant program:

A new tradition Dr. Linda Sekhon remembers how a professional dream of hers started out.

‘Ready For The Real World’

Three pieces of paper.

After 27 months, Anderson and Walker couldn’t believe it was over.

She wrote what she felt she needed in a building to get students from HPU’s new physician assistant master’s program ready for one of the country’s fastest growing careers.

They had spent 15 months in the classroom and the next year going through nine different rotations that introduced them to everything from orthopedic surgery to the trauma of the emergency room.

Today, after the program’s first cohort of 19 graduated in August, Sekhon can walk through the new $120 million Congdon Hall complex and smile at everything she sees.

The hands-on practice helped them zero in on what they believed would be their professional life’s intent. Anderson wants to help families; Walker wants to help soldiers and civilians in the far reaches of the world.

Ask Sekhon about that, and she takes a deep breath.

So, Anderson will practice in New York City; Walker will practice in the military. They both say the education they received at HPU prepared them well.

“Oh my goodness,” she says. “I tell people over and over, this is where the magic happens.”

“They’ve made us ready for the real world,” says Walker, 26.

The magic is the education the next generation of physician assistants, better known as “PAs,” will receive.

Two recent grads, Megan Anderson and Rachel Walker, know that firsthand.

Both Anderson and Walker remember when learning became life.

For Walker, it happened in a local emergency room. She inserted two tubes into the body of a car accident victim to help save his life, and with her hand deep in his chest, what she was doing began to sink in.

“Holy smoke,” she thought. “I can probably tickle his lungs!”

For Anderson, it happened at a patient’s bedside. She heard about the ordinary, yet important, moments of his life — bowling every other Sunday with the woman he loved.

“To me, that is so rewarding,” says Anderson, 28. “You get to know them from a medical and personal sense, and begin asking yourself, ‘What should I do differently? What did I do well? What will I carry with me in the future?’

“That is really cool.”

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begins

Relevant Experience:

A Promising Future of Possibilities Since its first cohort, HPU now receives more than 1,500 applications for its new PA program, and the competition is fierce for a handful of slots.

They’ll also participate in community service, checking blood pressure and offering other pointers about preventive medicine at various spots around campus.

Next August, 21 PA students will graduate followed by two more graduating classes of 35.

Then, they’ll take part in what Sekhon calls a “golden opportunity” — collaborating with HPU’s physical therapy and pharmacy students as well as others studying nursing and social work at universities nearby.

Then, starting in 2020, the program’s goal is to graduate between 55 and 65 students every year and prepare them for a career where they can earn an average of $104,000 a year in an occupation that will grow 30 percent by the year 2024.

That’s faster than the national average, a growth caused by aging baby boomers and millions of individuals introduced to health care because of new governmental programs.

The new Congdon Hall attracts students, the curriculum convinces them, and the professors and a promising job market prove the program is worth their investment.

Like Anderson and Walker, students take part in clinical rotations, with nearly all of them happening within 25 miles of campus and a few as far away as Connecticut and Texas.

That collaborative spirit, Sekhon says, is crucial. HPU students will see firsthand the importance of a team approach in medicine and see up-close what makes HPU’s PA school different than almost anywhere else.

“We’ve taken the best of what I’ve seen at other places to create a hybrid education that really helps students feel the pulse of where health care is going to go,” Sekhon says. “And HPU has allowed us to push the limits, explore opportunities and do it right.”

That’s what Sekhon means by magic.

Inside HPU’s new building, she knows it’ll happen everywhere. ▲

Demand for physician assistants will increase 30 percent by 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Innovative Curriculum Students spend 15 months in the classroom and 12 months in nine different clinical rotations in a curriculum created

by HPU’s Linda Sekhon, a PA educator since 1996.

Experiential Learning Students receive hands-on instruction with talented faculty using problem-based learning techniques as they work in teams and collaborate with other health care students to understand the future of medicine.

New Facility Students learn in a 220,000-square-foot building that includes eight patient examination rooms, eight problem-based learning rooms, two classrooms, a cadaver lab and six simulation labs that include a labor and delivery critical care unit and other emerging technologies.

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There’s a ‘Skill’ for that:

Students Bring HPU to Amazon Alexa Thanks to the work of HPU students, you can access HPU’s Daily Motivation on the popular device.

Parker Ramsey never imagined that the Amazon Echo sitting next to his bed at High Point University would turn into an impactful research project.

But after weeks of coding, troubleshooting, putting classroom concepts into action and utilizing Amazon Web Services, it’s become just that.

Ramsey and a group of fellow computer science students adapted HPU’s Daily Motivation email that features President Nido Qubein with video life lessons and inspirational quotes into an Amazon Alexa “Skill.”

The technology allows Echo users to play HPU’s Daily Motivation and retrieve facts about the university, connecting his alma mater with people around the world.

Qubein reads each Monday’s quote, and HPU students, alumni, faculty and staff read quotes throughout the rest of the week.

Ramsey, who is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from HPU in May with degrees in computer science and philosophy, led the project as part of his semester-long research focused on machine learning.

He was searching for a way to bring his research to life when Roger Shore, associate professor of computer science, brought the Alexa idea to him.

How to download HPU’s Skill on Amazon Echo and Echo Dot: • Go to www.highpoint.edu/alexa and select “enable.”

• Or, tell the device: “Alexa, enable the High Point University Skill.”

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“He asked me if I would spearhead the creation of an Amazon Alexa Skill, and I thought, ‘Why not?’” Ramsey says. “I love working in Amazon’s environment, and I had been wanting to turn my computer science research into something actionable here at HPU.” The student team knew that designing a user-friendly app to represent the university in millions of homes would be a major undertaking. But much of the academic curriculum at HPU is experiential and project-based, preparing students to create value in the marketplace.

“I want students to become experts in an area that’s interesting to them, where they can apply the core concepts we teach,” Shore says. “Parker takes what we do in the classroom and applies it in his own way. I don’t want students to be afraid or ask me what I want them to do. I want them to figure out what they want to do with it and know how to take something and apply it in a way that solves problems.”

“It takes an environment like HPU to inspire you to apply what you’ve learned and see what you can do to improve the lives of other people.”

Ramsey says the challenges of the project stretched and grew his abilities. He began writing the Skill in JavaScript but eventually scrapped that code and rewrote it in Python. The university had – Parker Ramsey, 2017 Graduate previously funded him and his peers to attend the Amazon Web Services conference in Since graduating, Ramsey launched his career at Duke Energy Atlanta, giving him further insight to conquer the in Charlotte as an IT associate. Creating the Skill has been challenge. He has also served as technology chair for rewarding, but so too has starting a project that his peers can the Student Government Association and worked continue to grow as HPU’s Daily Motivation subscribers and alongside Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder and the device’s popularity also grow.

HPU’s Innovator in Residence.

“Creating this Skill was a very interesting thing to learn,” Ramsey says. “But it really takes an environment like HPU to inspire you to apply your knowledge and see what you can do to improve the lives of other people.”

“The spirit of camaraderie we have in our department and throughout HPU had a big impact on me,” he says. “I try to pass it down and am happy to share it. We have a community environment inside our labs and see it as a big family.” ▲

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Nido R. Qubein School of Communication Provides

Real-World

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Preparation for Real-World Success Hayden Bardorf sat among fellow interns at the NBA headquarters in New York City. Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, addressed the group, speaking of the latest developments and initiatives the league is planning to implement.

Silver finished his speech and fielded some questions.

Crunched for time, Bardorf didn’t have a chance to ask his.

Later that day, while leaving the office, Bardorf took the elevator. On its way down, the door slid open and Commissioner Silver stepped in.

Bardorf was prepared for the situation. High Point University had taught him the skills necessary to market himself — even when time is limited.

“I literally gave him my elevator pitch,” says Bardorf. “And he answered the questions I had prepared for the meeting. It was surreal to have a one-on-one conversation with the man who runs one of the largest sports organizations in the world.

Luckily, I was ready for it.”

Bardorf, a senior strategic communication major at HPU, spent the summer interning in the International Basketball Operations Department. He focused on NBA initiatives that grow the game internationally, and he worked across departments to develop a marketing strategy for the NBA’s new 2K esports league, which will debut in 2018.

His years in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication prepared him for his time with the NBA. “Multiple communication professors helped me prepare for the internship. The content I learned through their respective

courses and mentorship was crucial,” says Bardorf.

“Professor Phil Watson and Dr. Brandon Lenoir have both guided me in my academic growth and taken the time to ask about my plans and professional goals. Their opendoor policies have given me the opportunity to share constructive dialogue with communication professionals and to take advantage of the knowledge that they have.”

Preparation is the primary goal of the School of Communication so that students not only meet industry standards upon graduation, but exceed them.

Having thrived in a professional setting during his internship, Bardorf now credits the curriculum, faculty and experiential learning opportunities.

“It’s hard to pinpoint what helped me the most, but Professor Lenoir’s campaigns in strategic communication class comes to mind. It was definitely the most beneficial to me while I worked at the NBA offices,” says Bardorf.

“During this class, I was able to take everything I had learned throughout my three years and apply it to one large strategic communication campaign. I was able to see marketing strategy and communication practices in real-world situations. That experience became invaluable as I moved into a professional environment.”

Invaluable experience — the School of Communication excels there. Experiential learning opportunities are available for every student, no matter their sequence.

Whether electronic media production, journalism, strategic communication or any of the other eight disciplines offered in the school, students are invited to immerse themselves in the field they plan to pursue.

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Nido R. Qubein School of Communication:

Always Relevant. Always Distinct.

Experiential Learning

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Whether it’s developing a campaign to improve community health, managing a sports venue, announcing an athletic event, or producing a video documentary, students gain valuable real-world experience before entering the marketplace.

Students have access to the latest technology and advanced facilities. Just this year, the television studio received a $1 million upgrade that includes a high-tech control room, new lighting, upgraded sets and all new 4K camera equipment.

Experienced Practitioners Faculty include Emmy Award winners, directors and producers who have years of experience at major networks such as Lifetime and NBC, along with major political campaigns, international news networks and advertising agencies.

B.A. to M.A. The BA to MA program in Strategic Communication allows students pursuing an undergraduate degree at High Point University to complete an undergraduate degree in any major and a master’s degree in strategic communication within a five-year time frame.

Students majoring in strategic communication spend their days crafting real campaigns for real clients — nonprofit companies being the primary focus.

For example, next door to Watson’s office is Dr. Ginny McDermott, dean of the school. In the past year, McDermott’s classes have worked with the Congdon School of Health Sciences and HPU’s Wellness Center to create a “Go For 10” campaign that promotes exercising at least 10 minutes a day.

The Real Deal Housed in the School of Communication is the strategic communication major — one sequence that encompasses the traditional practices of both public relations and advertising.

This hands-on approach to learning allows students to find their passion early in their college career. And for the students who aren’t sure of their exact path in the School of Communication, there are classes to help with that, too.

Students who choose the strategic communication pathway spend their time gaining practical experience through connecting with the local community.

Watson teaches an introductory course called The Foundations of Strategic Communication. During his lectures, he aims to provide students with a general knowledge of the field.

Phil Watson is a strategic communication professor who believes in the experiential approach employed by the school.

“That class gets them going. Then they can break apart from there and take courses in, let’s say, just marketing or advertising,” Watson says. “That’s the fantastic thing. If you do have a lot of interests, the School of Communication has a lot of tracks and a lot of options for students when they come in.”

“We do a lot with organizations that need help, giving our students experience with outside clients,” he says. “One of the great things about High Point University is that you can come here and get a liberal arts education, but beyond that, you also graduate equipped and ready to enter the workforce.

And that’s a real plus.”

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From photographing subjects, to creating logos and advertisements and managing language, students build campaigns from the ground up — oftentimes for local nonprofit organizations that would otherwise struggle to promote their mission.

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One of those tracks, and another example of experiential learning, can be found just downstairs from Watson’s office in the Game and Interactive Media Design lab.

An Impactful Education Audio description is an auditory narration of visual representations in mediums such as television programs, films and live performances. It’s intended to give blind or visually impaired people a more complete picture of what’s being shown, enabling them to fully enjoy the experience.

Kira Foglesong was always interested in a career that combined both technical skills and creativity. She was drawn to HPU when she researched and found out about the game and interactive media design major — the outlet she’d been looking for.

While honing her skills as a creative director and producer at HPU, Foglesong uncovered a passion for audio description and, during her senior year, attended an audio description retreat.

There, she met an instructor with a visual impairment who expressed wishes for a video game that met her needs.

“Oftentimes, when people think of visual impairment, they don’t associate it with young people,” says Foglesong. “Many forms of entertainment have been audio described, like movies and plays. But, no one has ever applied the concept to video games.”

No one, that is, until Foglesong.

As part of her senior year capstone project, Foglesong partnered with fellow classmate Taylor Anderson-Barkley to bring such a game to life. They named it “Levy.”

With all of the resources they needed found in the School of Communication — the technology and a team of professors who guided them — Foglesong and Anderson-Barkley completed their game before graduation and submitted it to several competitions.

With word of their game out, the team received an invitation to an audio description conference in York, England.

In October, they presented their game to educators, researchers and industry innovators.

“We are so excited to attend because video games aren’t often seen as making strides in education,” says Foglesong.

“But having a game like this, that’s accessible to visually impaired people, there has not been a game that has used audio description as a means of doing that. It’s untouched.”

That’s what HPU’s School of Communication offers — endless opportunity. Chances not only to prepare for the real world, but to change the world.

Whether it’s reporting, advertising, broadcast or digital media, HPU students have the tools they need to positively impact their world during and after their college years. ▲

‘TODAY Show’ Director Mentors Students

Joe Michaels joined HPU in 2015 after retiring from a 22-year career at “TODAY.” The eight-time Emmy Award-winning director and two-time Director’s Guild of America Honoree came on board as an artist in residence.

He thought he would stay for one year, see what the teaching thing was all about and then go back to retirement.

“Now at the start of his third school year, he sees no reason to leave.”

“You get so attached and invested in HPU students,” he says. “At the end of my first year, one of my students came up and asked me, ‘Are you going to teach another video class next year?’ and I told him, ‘Yeah, I think I will.’ I couldn’t imagine missing out on these kids’ journeys.”

Michaels teaches his students everything from light setup to running a control room, and he is particularly excited to be in HPU’s television studios.

Over the summer, the studios and mobile equipment underwent a $1 million makeover, providing students with state-of-the-art 4K cameras, new lighting, upgraded sets and a high-tech control room — the kind of studio many national news markets would envy.

And that’s the way Michaels likes it. In order to produce students who excel in the industry, you have to give them the tools and experience that advances them to a larger stage.

“I love that HPU is truly dedicated to giving students the resources they need to achieve excellence,” says Michaels. “It’s fantastic the lengths everyone will go to in order to make sure our students graduate equipped to handle real-world challenges.”

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HPU’s School of Art and Design:

Designing Your

Destiny from campus, and they connect with some of the world’s most well-known creators both in High Point and in New York City.

They take classes from Allan Beaver, HPU artist-in-residence, an award-winning designer who has worked on memorable campaigns for Subaru and Matchbox Toys. He teaches his students in an HPU studio ringed with quotes like, “Design is intelligence made visible.”

By graduation, they know what’s visible.

Their future. And an entrepreneurial spirit all their own.

Beyond Norton Hall’s third-floor atrium, inside studio walls painted canary yellow, HPU students create around the clock.

As hours feel like minutes, they work on projects. Their classmates become friends, their professors become mentors, and their dreams become real.

Eight floors above Manhattan and a 10-minute walk from the Empire State Building, Kim Greve works as an interior designer for Ageloff and Associates, a high-end interior design firm.

She worked there first as an intern. She’s now an employee.

That wasn’t luck.

They’re the artists, the designers, the students of HPU’s School of Art and Design.

She spent five months at the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute in Florence, Italy, during her junior year and studied art history, lighting design and Italian. She visited nine different countries and discovered culture, architecture and design that opened her eyes.

They embrace what their dean, Dr. John Turpin, believes: Creativity is the touchstone of the human experience, and a degree in art and design molds students into innovative problem solvers invaluable in today’s global economy.

She worked the High Point Market six times and interned with Century Furniture and Corinthian Furniture, where she helped set up showrooms and work with interior designers.

So, they stay busy.

They study abroad in cities like Paris and Florence, Italy. They intern at the world’s biggest furniture market a five-minute drive 34

HPU’s World-Class Reach

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Her experience caught the attention of Scott Ageloff, the firm’s founder. He has had three HPU interns work for his firm, and Greve was hired as a full-time employee.

It’s no coincidence.

Left: Kim Greve leads an interior design career at Ageloff and Associates in New York City. Below: Brittany and Brandon Hubschman launched careers at Zimmerman Advertising, the world’s largest retail advertising agency. Both are graduates of HPU’s School of Art and Design.

He sees HPU students as disciplined critical thinkers who communicate well with clients, work well in teams and know about the world and the culture at large. That, he says, is crucial in his business — and business in general.

“Ever since we’ve had our first intern, I’ve felt that those are the kind of attributes students and graduates from High Point bring to the table,” Ageloff says. “It’s not an anomaly. It’s a pattern. I can count on that.”

Greve is now 23. She grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, the middle of three, the only girl. Her dad works in the financial industry; her mom, a pre-K teacher. She knows what her education at HPU did for her.

It gave her confidence.

“I gained more than just textbook knowledge,” she says. “I opened my eyes to the variations in culture, values and ideas during my travels, and I apply that understanding to my everyday work. That is what employers are looking for.”

The Roots of Inspiration, The Joy of Discovery Students talk volumes about what they learn from their professors.

Like Catherine Hillenbrand-Nowicki, an assistant professor of interior design. She guides her students through a course they call “How To Get A Job 101.” They approach different firms about opportunities, overcoming fear, creating connections and ultimately getting jobs.

Or Benita VanWinkle, an assistant professor of art. Every spring, she takes students to Paris to shoot thousands of photos for a 20-picture portfolio. Her students end up seeing their world in a different, more meaningful way.

Students like Tay Thompson, a graphic design senior from Florence, South Carolina.

“I have found a new light in the vast city of Paris,” she wrote in her artist statement, “and I feel a little more whole than I once did.”

Brandon Hubschman knows that feeling.

Today, he works in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as a junior art director for the world’s biggest retail advertising agency, Zimmerman Advertising. His sister, Brittany, a graphic designer, works there, too.

But HPU is never far from their minds.

They both graduated in 2015 with degrees in graphic design, and Brandon remembers it like yesterday — the trip to New York City, the visit to creative companies like Google and the lessons learned from legendary graphic designer Paula Scher.

That trip, arranged by HPU’s Allan Beaver, still inspires Hubschman. He knows he’ll work in New York City some day. But he also knows where that idea first took root — his alma mater.

“At High Point, everyone is looking toward the future, planning for things so much bigger, and that rubs off on you,” he says today. “It’s hard to be complacent around so much promise.” ▲

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HPU’s PHILLIPS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS:

Helping Students Discover, Differentiate and Direct their Path to Success The Earl N. Phillips School of Business mission is simple: “Prepare students to become tomorrow’s business professionals.”

It keeps faculty focused on their core goal to help students gain relevant experience and valuable skills. They accomplish this in a variety of ways, both inside and beyond the classroom.

Faculty use every opportunity to inspire students to embark on a program of self-improvement and analysis known as the 3D Experience: Discovery.

Differentiation.

Direction.

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Discovery Before students can forge successful careers, they must first discover the many avenues and opportunities available to them. The Phillips School of Business opens that door of discovery in many different ways.

One is the PSB Speaker Series.

Business students are exposed to all kinds of tremendously successful

people with great stories to tell. The theme is always to teach students about the career paths and how to handle the curves and opportunities that life may bring.

The series, which comprises 18 events, each one featuring a renowned business professional, has reached over 2,500 attendees.

The speaker list is composed of successful CEOs, CFOs, corporate VPs and co-founders from a variety of business backgrounds.

Another means of discovery comes from the classroom, including a freshman course titled, Introduction to Business Careers. For the students who know they want a career in business but can’t decide which specific path to follow, this class explores many options.

Differentiation Once students have discovered the path they wish to pursue, they turn their focus to differentiating themselves with unique skills and talents.

PSB has established a number of ways for students to gain crucial experience and skills that are necessary to stand out in the workforce, and faculty are always adding more.

This past year, a four-week professional selling module was added to the business core curriculum. Now, every business major and minor will be taught the technical skills to sell and the skills of persuasion.

Their leader? Professor Larry Quinn, who worked for decades in the corporate world as a national sales training manager at Xerox and vice president of sales and marketing at Thomson Professional Publishing Group and Duplex Printing Corp.

Today, Quinn chairs the Department of Marketing and Sales at HPU’s Earl N. Phillips School of Business.

Quinn was a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot. Though he forged a successful business career as a top corporate executive after his military service, it’s his time spent in the Navy that Quinn draws on often when teaching HPU students the most crucial aspect of selling.

“When I was in the Navy, I would take new pilots up in a jet, just the two of us with me sitting behind them, and teach them how to land on a carrier,” says Quinn. “The jets were big, noisy and bumpy. And, there’d be a carrier below us that looked to be the size of a postage stamp. I could feel them shaking as they held the control stick and prepared to steer.”

Quinn, sitting behind his student, would also have a means of steering the aircraft. He would tell the newcomer to let go and allow him to take over. Relaxing under his guidance, Quinn would land the plane.

Then it was the student’s turn.

Students Compete for Start-Up Funds Winners of High Point University’s Business Plan Competition received thousands of dollars toward their business idea during the seventh annual event.

Hosted by High Point University’s Belk Center for Entrepreneurship and supported by BB&T, the five finalists competed for $25,000 in start-up funds. The event was held in the Michael L. and Laura M. Baur Institute for Executive Education inside Cottrell Hall on HPU’s campus.

Each finalist presented their business plan to a panel of judges who scored the competitors based on a list of criteria. Funds were then divided among the finalists based on where they placed in the competition. Ryan Gilbert was selected as the first-place winner, receiving $9,500 for his company, Student Storage.

Student Storage is a company that partners with colleges to help the institutions develop and manage their own storage service for the ease of students. By partnering with universities and utilizing a unique crate system, Student Storage is able to undercut existing storage options. The system includes a crate that is dropped off at the student’s dorm and can be loaded by Student Storage employees.

Unlike other storage companies, Gilbert’s crates are on wheels, can be lifted easily by two people and fit through double doors. Crates are then stored at a location the college owns, such as a warehouse or vacant building that can be locked.

“These competitions are one of the reasons I chose to attend High Point University,” says Gilbert. “I knew the opportunities and the programs here would be so helpful. Now that I’m here at a university that hosts these sorts of competitions, I’m so grateful. One of the best parts of being in this competition has also been meeting my competitors. I didn’t know them before, and I’ve learned a lot from them.”

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“The ability to turn fear into bravery sets HPU business majors apart.”

– Larry Quinn, marketing and sales professor in the Phillips School of Business

“I’d reach over their seat and put my hand on their shoulder.

They’d be shaking again,” says Quinn. “I’d say, ‘Okay, now you try it. Let’s do this again.’”

The student would continue to shake.

Quinn, knowing the nerves and anxiety were high, would offer feedback and encouragement.

“Listen, you were great. You handle this well. You could improve on that. Maybe adjust here. You can do this.”

They’d take off. The student would land. Ten more rounds of landing, and they’d have the trick of it.

“It’s kind of my thing,” says Quinn. “I like to take fear and anxiety and turn it into bravery. That’s why I love this job. I do the exact same thing every day with my HPU students. As long as they can overcome that initial fear and find their self-confidence, they can sell themselves.

Students use the plane as a setting to practice the skills they are taught in the classroom or the various business clubs. For instance, the Selling Club.

Quinn is the founding advisor of the Selling Club with Professor Randy Moser. Since it’s creation in 2013, the club has grown from three members to over 230.

Each semester, the club sponsors a speed dating-style meeting between students and local executives. Six business professionals are placed in a room while HPU students circulate among them for two-minute rounds of conversation.

In those two minutes, the professionals will instruct the students to tell them about themselves.

“It’s this ability — the process of turning fear into bravery — that sets HPU business majors apart,” says Quinn. “Their confidence and the practiced art of selling themselves differentiates them in a competitive marketplace.”

By the time students reach their sixth professional, they have perfected the art of pitching themselves in a short amount of time.

And while Quinn no longer trains Navy pilots, he still makes use of an airplane.

The next day, the students take part in a career fair, where they are excited and ready to communicate with potential employers thanks to the practice they received the previous day.

It won’t be found in a hangar or on an aircraft carrier. No, instead it’s located just feet from Quinn’s office inside Cottrell Hall.

The International Student Concourse anchors the building’s international theme. Most notably, it boasts the airplane fuselage — a profile of a plane’s interior complete with power outlets for laptops, overhead storage, reclining seats and inspirational quotes that scroll through the windows of the plane.

Why a plane?

The intentional design creates a space where HPU students can practice their social skills, harnessing their ability to sell themselves to a stranger when one takes a seat across the aisle.

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“We installed these seats, because they aren’t just airline seats,” says Quinn. “They’re another sales call. Well, I call it a relationship call because you have to sell yourself before you sell anything else.”

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“HPU’s sales program and PSB Selling Club have done so much to help me get where I am today,” says Class of 2017 graduate Alex Smolan.

Smolan began his career with Amica Mutual Insurance as an account manager after landing the job months ahead of his May graduation.

“Professors Quinn and Moser give you the tools that you need to reach your full potential,” he says. “They help you grow and find success so that you are able to land your dream job. Their end goal is to get all of their students jobs by graduation, and they really stick to that with all of the opportunities that they provide.”

NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK

Direction The final step for business majors: choose their direction.

Once students have acquired the skills necessary to stand out in a competitive marketplace, they often ask experienced faculty to help channel their talents in the right direction.

For Ben Lonza, that professor was Kathy Elliott, assistant professor of the practice of entrepreneurship.

Lonza graduated in the spring with a degree in business administration and immediately put it to use as the owner and manager of his own restaurant, 1st Ave Pizza in New Jersey.

The young entrepreneur credits Elliott for his success.

“Professor Elliott was one of my biggest inspirations to pursue a career as a business owner,” says Lonza. “With an incredible amount of knowledge and experience, Professor Elliott guided me through the process of purchasing 1st Avenue Pizza. I can say with confidence that I would not be in the position I am in today if not for the never-ending aid and support I received from her.”

And sometimes, students find guidance from not just one professor, but an entire department.

“The accounting department as a whole has definitely shaped me into the person I am today. Specifically Professors George Noxon and Scott Davis. They have been the most impactful in my life,” says Kristine Faxlanger, a 2017 graduate and financial analyst for Datto, a data protection agency. “They gave me great guidance and advice that led me to where I am today. I know their wisdom will stick with me for years to come and help me in the decisions I make in the future.” ▲

Air travel offers you a great quick-pitch opportunity. When you’re seated next to a stranger, take the initiative to make a connection.

Larry Quinn, HPU’s Sales Education Director, has developed a set of principles to help you take advantage of these chance encounters — guidelines for selling yourself at a moment’s notice. On a plane, in a line, at a table, or in a car — never miss an opportunity to network.

believe in yourself Before you can promote yourself to a stranger, you must first have self-confidence.

Wake up, fill your heart with joy and don’t fear failure. Once you have the courage to speak up, half the battle is over.

GET PSYCHED Before meeting a client for the first time, look in the mirror and say, “This client is going to like me.” Like a track runner before a big meet, you have to pump yourself up.

Before you introduce yourself, take a moment to give yourself that pep talk.

BE SOCIAL In order to have a life of significance, you have to be socially generous. You’re sitting next to a stranger on the plane and they ask where you’re headed. You could say “home” and then open your iPad. That’s not enough. You’re building your brand right now and that requires thoughtful engagement with others.

BE THE DOCTOR When you go to the doctor with a pain, a good one will ask you tons of questions before diagnosing you. You trust the doctor because they listened to you. You must be the good doctor. Ask questions, earn trust and in turn, people will want to know you.

STUDY THE PERSON You have to quickly figure out what’s going on in their mind. If they’re quiet, with their head in a book, introduce yourself and have a quick chat, but give them their space. If they are a fast talker, keep up with the pace. Mirror their energy and they will remember that it was a great meeting.

KEEP EYE CONTACT When you ask someone a question, it’s crucial that you maintain eye contact. If you ask a question but then look down at your screen, it’s a signal that you’re uninterested.

BRING JOY Above all, you must bring joy to the encounter. No matter if the person you meet is an introvert who won’t look up from their phone, or an extrovert who can talk to you for hours, people won’t remember everything you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.

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COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:

Performance Opportunities Provide Relevant Skills It’s one thing to perform onstage. It’s another to sing in an 800-year-old venue in the homeland of great composers like Bach and Beethoven.

Chamber Singers is HPU’s premier vocal ensemble, but auditions are open to all students. The group tours throughout the United States and abroad.

The performing arts at High Point University provide experiences that stick with students throughout their lives and prepare them to perform at their highest level, on Broadway or in the boardroom, operating room or research lab.

“Sometimes we study music history, and other times we are immersed in it — walking, living, singing and learning amongst the sights and sounds that have inspired people for millennia,” says Dr. Marc Ashley Foster, chair of the music department and director of choral activities. “That’s what experiential learning is all about.”

Whether students major in music, theatre, dance or any of the social science programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, such as psychology, human relations or nonprofit leadership and management, immersive experiences in the arts prepare them for what it takes to be competitive in the workplace and get results.

“Throughout all majors, we strive to connect what students learn in the classroom with everyday life,” says Dr. Carole Stoneking, dean of the David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences. “Students are encouraged to participate in ways that go beyond the classroom and help them synthesize what they are learning.”

Experiential Learning That’s where the Chamber Singers found themselves during a five-month European tour and study aboard experience.

While rehearsing and studying music history, the group performed throughout the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Austria and Hungary.

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Taking the Next Step Experiences like these prepare students with specialized skills and creativity, but also broad, transferable knowledge leading to real, productive work at the professional level.

Roxanne Daneman, ’16, recently performed a lead role in “The Fantasticks” with the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in Baltimore. She landed the role after working as an apprentice through HPU’s exclusive relationship with the company.

“HPU taught me to be a professional — everything from picking audition material to networking and building a brand for myself,” she says. “You do more than perform. You participate in technical aspects too, which makes you into a well-rounded craftsperson.”

Dan Moldovan, ’12, started out in a playwriting class with Ed Simpson, chair and professor of theatre. This summer, his play, “Sonder,” opened Off-Broadway at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village, New York.

Senior Shannon Howard, a music and theatre major, describes the experience as life changing.

“The work ethic instilled at HPU gave me professionalism that makes me stand apart from my peers,” he says. “HPU gave me the tools to lead by example and have confidence in my career.”

“Being able to do what I love all around Europe was a dream come true,” she says. “It opened my eyes to what music can do. I wouldn’t change it for a thing.”

Students work dozens of productions and learn from guest artists and top industry professionals. And faculty members help them build their network.

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Open to All Majors HPU’s performing arts programs produce desirable outcomes for graduates, but there are opportunities for all students, regardless of their major. Anyone can learn an instrument, audition for a choir, take a dance class or join a stage production.

Rebecca Reese, a senior majoring in sport management, has been a part of University Singers and Chapel Choir, studied voice with HPU instructors, performed in the musical “Curtains,” and toured Europe with the Chamber Singers.

Developing Leaders

“Being part of a music ensemble in college is something special,” she says. “Choir has given me an outlet to express myself and introduced me to some of the most fun and caring people I’ve met.”

Human relations majors tap into leadership development thanks to a special fund for experiential learning.

Skills like meeting deadlines, time management, creative problem solving, collaboration with others and becoming a “self-starter” make students marketable for any career.

New Opportunities The strength of these programs has led to new additions, like a minor in musical theatre.

“Our music and theatre departments have a great working relationship, and we’re building on their success,” says Simpson. “The minor will provide a more in-depth educational experience for those who want to perform or go on to earn advanced degrees.”

There is also a new dance major. The minor has already produced outstanding graduates, including Kelsey Swann, ’14, performing in Branson, Missouri, and Dani Criss, ’16, a freelance artist and teacher in Brooklyn, New York. The major will further prepare students for the professional dance world, graduate study or related career.

“I’m so proud of how our program has developed,” says Lindsey Howie, instructor of dance. “The major will encourage students to collaborate within the art community, foster talent and expression, and encourage students to examine the world through a cultural and artistic lens. I’m truly excited to offer it to our students.” ▲

HPU Parent Invests in Human Relations Majors

Cathy Bernard, the mother of two HPU graduates, Alex, ’13, and Amanda, ’15, established the Bernard Family Human Relations Leadership Initiative through a major gift because of how her children were impacted by their education. The fund brings nationally recognized speakers to campus and provides opportunities for students to hone their skills at conferences.

“These opportunities provide dynamic and impactful experiences that enhance what is taught in the classroom,” says Dr. David Bergen, chair of human relations, sociology and anthropology, and nonprofit studies.

“Students and parents continue to celebrate these stellar leadership development programs and the numerous exciting plans we’re developing for the future.”

In the past year, students gained insight through a lecture series featuring Sam Soloman of the Center for Creative Leadership, who delivered a presentation on leadership integrity, and James Robilotta, author and personal coach, who spoke on authentic leadership.

They also attended the Lead365 National Conference and the National Conference on Student Leadership, which offered the chance for them to practice effective interpersonal leadership and network with others.

“I grew and learned so much at the Lead365 conference,” says Meghan Lemmo, a junior from Olney, Maryland. “Getting to hear from the speakers on campus also led to an opportunity to connect with Sam Soloman after he spoke and an internship at the Center for Creative Leadership. The opportunities provided in the human relations department are incredible, and the connections are helping me pursue a motivational speaking and leadership path one day.”

HPU’s human relations major prepares students to lead corporate and nonprofit organizations with an emphasis on communication, team development, conflict resolution and negotiation, project management and intercultural dynamics. Graduates obtain positions in corporate leadership development, management training programs, marketing, sales, public relations and event management, and pursue advanced degrees in business, public administration and counseling.

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Teacher Prep Review ranks HPU in the Top 10% of Undergraduate Education Programs in the Nation.

The Blocks that Pave the Way

INSPIRING EDUCATORS

AT EVERY LEVEL Courtney Chambers knew she wanted to be a teacher. Elementary education was the path she planned to pursue. But, it wasn’t until she came to High Point University’s Stout School of Education that she discovered her true passion and an avenue to her dream job — STEM Education.

She quickly discovered that math and science were her favorite classes in the School of Education. Her professors knew how to make the subjects fun — a skill she admired. That’s when she knew that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education was an area she’d be interested in teaching.

And the school made a path for her to pursue. Offering a B.A. to M.A. program in Elementary STEM education, the School of Education invites undergraduates to apply for a fifth year following the completion of their bachelor’s degree. In one additional year, students graduate with their M.Ed. in STEM education, making them specialists on the subject and in the field of elementary science and math instruction.

After graduating from the master’s program, Chambers heard of a charter school opening in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina. The school was a STEM academy, and Chambers knew it would be a rewarding career path.

She’s now the STEM and robotics teacher for kindergarten through fifth grade at the school, and it’s nothing short of her dream job.

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While Chambers was a student, she worked under HPU’s Dr. Shirley Disseler, affectionately known as the “Lego Lady.”

Disseler is an associate professor in the School of Education and heads the STEM education program.

As a Certified Lego Trainer, Disseler leads the Center for Educational Outreach and Teacher Training at HPU, where she works with local teachers in Lego Education product training.

“HPU’s School of Education is known for the amazing Lego Days that Dr. Disseler hosts for the surrounding areas,” says Chambers. “While I was a student, I was able to work these Lego Days and learn all about the different Lego Education curricula available for the classroom. I was working hands-on with local elementary-age students using what would turn out to be the exact Lego products I have in my very own classroom today.

“These Lego Days prepared me for my job more than I can explain. I’ve been able to teach, using the Lego knowledge Dr. Disseler gave me, to six different grade levels at my school. I’ve also been able to assist fellow teachers in using Lego Education in their own classrooms. I can’t image the struggles I would have had in my first year of teaching if it weren’t for those experiences.”

And Lego Days, which have welcomed more than 10,000 community children and their families to the HPU campus, are just one of the many ways that HPU students gain hands-on experience.

STEM Camp is another. Each summer, the school invites community children to participate in 10 days of rocket-designing, slime-making and robot-building activities that provide elementary and middle school students with an outlet for learning essential math and science skills, disguised as fun.

“I’ve always said that you can’t learn without laughing,” says Disseler. “Laughter leads to creativity. Creativity leads to engagement. Engagement leads to motivation. And motivation leads to learning. If you can’t laugh, then you can’t learn. We want our children to enjoy this process of embracing STEM concepts.”

Not Just a Teacher, Also a Leader STEM is one of the many areas where HPU goes above and beyond to prepare students with real classroom experience. Another area is principal preparation.

January 2017 welcomed the start of HPU’s Leadership Academy. The new program designed for aspiring principals was made possible by a competitive, $1.87 million grant established by the North Carolina General Assembly. The school was only one of five recipients in the State of North Carolina to be awarded the grant.

With a goal to transform low-performing schools into learning environments that result in high performance for all students, the High Point University Leadership Academy produces future principals after one year of intense groundwork, allowing them to earn alternative licensure in school leadership.

The academy welcomed teachers from seven different school districts. Of those participants, Jairo Lopez, who attended HPU for his undergraduate degree, says that the program has prepared him for a higher level of leadership.

“What first attracted me to HPU as an undergraduate were small classes and the relationships you’re able to form with professors,” says Lopez. “The School of Education was great for my undergrad experience. We had a required practicum that put us in the classroom long before we began student teaching, so I knew the school went the extra mile to prepare students. This program reflects that same level of dedication.”

In December, Lopez will complete the program with a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and the certification to serve as a principal in a high-needs school. He says the experience has changed his outlook on the task, and he believes that HPU has provided him with the training necessary to make a difference.

“This program has definitely changed the way I see the principal role,” says Lopez. “It’s more than just being a boss or manager; it’s being a lead-learner. And when I think of myself as a future principal, my expectations for myself have definitely changed for the better.” ▲

Stout Family Supports HPU’s School of Education Robert “Bob” and Maggie Stout of Greensboro, North Carolina, supported High Point University’s School of Education with a multi-million dollar gift in the spring. The Stouts are longtime business, civic and city leaders in the Piedmont Triad.

Bob Stout is a lifetime High Point University Board of Trustees member who retired from Steel Bar Corp. in Greensboro. He served as chairman for Goodwill Industries, the Greater Greensboro Open (now the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour) and a number of other groups in the Triad.

He graduated from the University of Tennessee, where he played football, and served in the U.S. Air Force. Maggie Stout grew up in Kernersville, North Carolina, and worked as a medical secretary.

Her mother was a first-grade teacher at Forsyth Country Day School.

“Bob and Maggie’s stewardship exemplifies the caring spirit that we model on our campus,” says Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president. “The impact of this gift will benefit not only our future teachers, but the lives of students in their classrooms.”

In recognition of the family’s commitment to their community, HPU named the School of Education in their honor.

The school’s 31,000-square-foot, LEED-certified facility opened in 2012 to house the education and psychology departments in technologically advanced classrooms, computer labs and offices.

It features high-tech educational equipment, such as smart boards, a children’s book library, math and science touch-screen games, a methods lab designed to look and feel like a real elementary school classroom, a Mac lab and psychology research booths.

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STUDYING UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

By Katherine Dunleavy, Class of 2018

It was noon on a hot August day when I landed at Florence’s little airport. In the distance, I saw the Tuscan hillside and its rolling landscape and vineyards. The bright Italian sun hit my cheeks, and the apprehension I had before leaving America, before leaving HPU, vanished.

I strolled past the childhood home of Dante on my way to class and traveled through the Medici Palace, where Michelangelo used to live. I walked past the world-famous Duomo, a fixture in the city’s historic skyline. I volunteered at a local kindergarten class, and the children ended up teaching me Italian. Every corner of Florence had a story to tell.

Among the many things that drew me to HPU were the vast study abroad opportunities. England, Spain, Italy, Australia, Brazil, China and beyond. Florence, Italy, found its way to the top of my list, and HPU offers an affiliated program in the heart of the city.

The pace of the city was slower than back home, and I learned the value of pausing to fully embrace opportunities and the value of discovery. I learned that even in the hustle and bustle of college life, I can make room to slow down and embrace these years, absorbing all that HPU offers. I learned to find adventures, even at home — at HPU.

Fast forward to the spring semester of my sophomore year when I accepted my offer to study at Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute for the fall. I was ready to experience a new culture — an entirely different world. Little did I know, my time spent at HPU had prepared me for this adventure. Entering a world far beyond my college campus didn’t feel so foreign after all.

The first week or two was an adjustment period. I was far away from my usual life with all of my friends and sense of familiarity back at HPU. Life in Italy was as wonderful as it was different from my life in America. But I saw it as an opportunity for growth. My knowledge of Italian grew each day as I picked up words and phrases from conversations. And when my Italian failed, I figured out other means of communication. Walking around was the only mode of transportation, meaning I averaged seven miles a day and managed to see some of the most historic sites the city had to offer.

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Over the course of four months abroad, I was able to travel to 10 countries outside of Italy. I experienced Europe’s history from walking along the former Berlin Wall, to taking in the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum in Rome. I applied the knowledge I gained from my HPU history courses to the sites I visited and developed a newfound sense of appreciation for my education. I realized how far my university had gone in preparing me to face the unknown, and even the oftentimes uncomfortable. For me, going abroad was about jumping out of my comfort zone, something I’ve been encouraged to do at HPU. I had the courage to leave because of the confidence and support that I’ve received during my time on campus.

“For me, going abroad was about jumping out of my comfort zone, something I’ve been encouraged to do at HPU.” – Katherine Dunleavy, a senior from Chapel Hill, North Carolina The Study Abroad office guided us, removing barriers in the process so we could focus on academic and experiential learning while abroad. We encountered students from various universities while traveling, and I soon found out that other programs left housing up to the students. But HPU offers housing options abroad for students, allowing us to concentrate on the goals of our trip. Being abroad brings its own challenges, but knowing where I would be living allowed me to focus on the educational aspects of the experience.

Leaving HPU for four months wasn’t easy. I missed my friends that were back at school and the familiarity of my college life.

But, going abroad showed me how strong and independent I am. I was thrown into a new way of life and learned to adapt, embrace and thrive in a new environment, like beginning a new job or making a career change. It gave me a newfound global perspective and made me more mature and aware of the world.

Back at HPU, I have applied this in my classes as well as my internship search. The travel experience I amassed abroad isn’t common for someone my age, which sets me apart from applicants. Soon after my return, I accepted an offer to intern at a public relations agency in New York City that boasts a list of domestic and international clients.

From adding to class discussions on foreign topics to working with clients from overseas, my study abroad experience is a gift that keeps on giving. More than endless memories, new friends and a new favorite city—studying abroad has prepared me for my future. ▲

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Creating a Community of Scholars 46

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When Deanna Lee came from Arizona to study at High Point University, she didn’t think of herself as a scholarly researcher.

But before her senior year arrived, she had a list of research accolades, projects, papers and experiences that have led her to become what Dr. Joanne Altman, director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, calls “distinguished from the rest.”

“Academic research has given me purpose,” says Lee, now a senior who is double majoring in biology and psychology and preparing for graduate school. “It has shown me how to leave my handprint on the world.”

It began with the Research Rookies program, which Altman designed to engage new students as scholars.

That helped Lee hone writing, research, presentation and data collection skills. It also introduced her to her first mentor in the biology department, and later to her second mentor in the psychology department.

She presented her work at numerous conferences, won an award at a conference in San Francisco, and has devoted summers to research projects that span from science labs to assisted living facilities.

It’s all part of the HPU mantra.

“Our mission to engage students in research reflects what Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president, often asks our students regarding career preparation — ‘What makes you stand out?’” Altman says. “I remind students that they will be one of 1.98 million other college graduates across the United States looking for jobs. What is it that will make them different?

“Undergraduate research separates them from the crowd.”

STUDENTS WHO ARE ‘WELL-ENTRENCHED’ The first summer that Lee devoted to research was in the biology lab of Dr. Veronica Segarra. They worked to derive data from a yeast protein that might have the ability to carry nutrients or other molecules.

The next summer, she went out into the community to see if narrative storytelling — the art of telling stories from one’s past — could improve the health of elderly residents at an assisted living facility.

In both cases, she had faculty mentors who guided her — Segarra, assistant professor of biology, and Dr. Kirsten Li-Barber, associate professor of psychology.

“In Dr. Segarra’s lab, she treated her students as true team members,” Lee says. “She allowed us to explore scientific methods and ask big questions. I met Dr. Li-Barber through the Research Rookies program and knew she expected a lot of her students. I knew if I could be her research assistant, she would really push me forward.”

Lee’s experience is built intentionally by Altman, who connects students with research opportunities and mentors across campus, and in some cases, even other continents. It starts with the Research Rookies program and a clear vision in the way research benefits students.

“Undergraduate research separates HPU graduates from the crowd.”

– Dr. Joanne Altman, Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works

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Amanda Vo (left) and Graham Davis, pre-law majors, built a database that documents the amount of money new law school graduates may have to pay up front to practice in different areas of law.

Altman, an animal behaviorist researcher, has seen those benefits in the lives of graduates.

“The foundational skills of research are the same skills employers want — being able to work in teams, communicate complex findings and make a compelling argument for your work,” she says. “I once had a student conducting very high level research, but her project title was a mouthful. I kept asking her why it was important. It took four “whys” before she got to ‘potential cures for cancer.’

“That’s what our program does for students. It teaches them how to conduct the research, but also how to convey the ‘why’ first and foremost so they can present their work to people who are different from them.”

A CULTURE OF SCHOLARLY LEARNING

And HPU begins that process earlier than other institutions.

“Senior capstone and research projects are common, but no one else is doing this with freshmen. We welcome them immediately into a culture of scholarly learning,” Altman says.

HPU’s approach has depth and breadth, too. Undergraduate science students conduct research in labs on campus, while English majors can examine literary theory, theater majors can produce creative works, and a wealth of other majors, such as business or communication, can implement studies on campus or in the community like Lee did with narrative storytelling.

RELEVANT RESEARCH Here is a sampling of recent scholarly research achievements from faculty.

CANCER CELL BIOLOGY – Dr. Kevin Suh, assistant professor of biology, is growing prostate cancer cells in his lab and treating them with natural compounds that can be found in fruits and vegetables. Previously, scientists found that a natural compound called fisetin, which can be found in strawberries, can kill these cancer cells, but not normal prostate cells.

His goal is to find the mechanism that leads to the cancer cell death.

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STRENUOUS ACTIVITY AT HIGH ALTITUDE – Dr. Matt Kuennen, assistant professor of exercise science, is conducting research in HPU’s state-of-the-art Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab to determine if gastrointestinal barrier permeability is increased when people perform work or exercise at altitude. Gastrointestinal barrier permeability is known to drive the pathogenesis of exertional heat stroke. He suspects that exercise at altitude creates a hypoxic environment in the gut that feeds forward to cause gastrointestinal barrier permeability. This could have profound implications on our understanding of altituderelated disorders like acute and chronic mountain sickness.

Graham Davis and Amanda Vo, pre-law majors, conducted research relevant to their field. In their preparation for law school, Altman connected them with a firm in High Point and helped them build a database surrounding the economics of practicing law. They documented the amount of money new law school graduates would have to pay up front to practice in different areas of law.

“Their database considers how much time and money go into cases in different types of law, such as family law or personal injury, and what the actual return on investment is,” says Altman. “Their work can help new law school graduates pick the best types of law to practice based on their circumstances and goals.”

just someone who will do a job, but someone who will make their job or their team or their organization better.”

For Lee, she’s gained more than a robust resume. She has grit, vigor and perseverance. She earned it in the lab where experiments, as they’re bound to do, failed.

“You have to keep pushing yourself,” Lee says. “You learn that in research.”

And by connecting with the elderly in High Point to test her narrative storytelling hypothesis, she also found a calling.

That isn’t something every job or law school applicant can say they’ve accomplished.

“We all reach a certain age like the people in my study,” Lee says. “I have seen how these elderly people don’t always have someone to listen to them, though that’s so important, and I’ve noticed that there is not a lot of research done on their age group.

“As a result of research, students end up with this project they can talk about that demonstrates how they found solutions for problems,” Altman says. “Real world employers want that — not

“If I can leave a hand print on the world, I know now that it will be through geriatric studies. My project has filled me with that passion.” ▲

EXAMINING THE PORTRAYAL OF “FAT CULTURE” – Dr. Tony Kemerly, professor of exercise science, and Dr. Jenn Brandt, assistant professor of English and director of Women’s and Gender Studies, were recently published in the Fat Studies Journal. Their article, “Shuffling Toward Oblivion: The Long Walk of the Fat Body,” examines the portrayal of the plight of the fat body in society in Stephen King’s novel “The Long Walk.” Through their analysis of the story, they examine how society treats those with bodies coded as “fat,” and how being fat is perceived as a physical and moral weakness that results in a person being seen as “lesser” in society.

STUDYING SCIENCE FICTION – Dr. Kate Fowkes, professor of media and popular culture studies in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, gave the opening keynote speech at an international conference in Lisbon, Portugal. The Messengers from the Stars conference, hosted by the University of Lisbon, focused on science fiction and fantasy in film and literature. Fowkes’ presentation, “A Deal with the Devil?: Zombies vs. Tricksters as Cinematic Magic,” discussed the effects film can have on people’s imagination and their concept of what is possible.

To view more scholarly and scientific research conducted by faculty, visit www.highpoint.edu/lightedlamp.

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LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

HOW HPU TEACHES COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION By the Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser, R.G. Culp Director of Service Learning

How do you show love to your neighbor?

The question is harder to answer than it first appears.

There is a time for immediate charity and giving things away, but when we treat every instance of need as a crisis, we create dependence, which demeans both our humanity and that of our neighbors.

Truly loving our neighbors requires that we learn to listen, recognize our own biases, and work together for the kind of community that helps us all live full lives.

My job — or rather my calling — is to walk students through this process of self-discovery, to help them recognize how they can use their gifts, their creativity, their skills and their knowledge to change the world — to show true love of neighbor.

It usually starts with a simple volunteer project. But soon we help students follow their passions. And before they graduate, we watch them begin to apply their HPU education to the real world.

They become change agents. They learn how to lead.

They learn that loving their neighbor requires more than charity.

It requires vision. It requires hard work. It requires transformation.

“The value of servant leadership stays with our students long after graduation.”

– The Rev. Dr. Joseph Blosser, R. G. Culp Director of Service Learning

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A Way of Life

A Study in Impact

Service to America

“What started as volunteering has become a way of life,” Jasmyn Alexander, a senior Bonner Leader, told me recently.

“I see how I can use research to find innovative ways to improve peoples’ lives.

Working for justice is more than giving things away; it’s about committing every day to listen to others and work with them to change the world.”

As a whole, HPU students give over 100,000 hours of service each year.

But behind this number lies a story of deeper impact. Jasmyn and the other Bonner Leaders serve 12,000 hours a year.

The value of servant leadership stays with our students long after graduation.

Jasmyn started out as a freshman playing with the kids of immigrant and refugee families who were practicing their English. Soon, however, she was helping to run programs at Macedonia Family Resource Center.

Now as a senior, Jasmyn is using what she’s learned as an exercise science major to change people’s lives. She meets weekly with a group of immigrant women, helping them with cooking, grocery shopping and physical fitness.

Jasmyn secured fitness trackers for the whole group to allow each participant to follow their exercise and engage in some friendly competition. And she’s studying the effects of such a community-based approach to health.

And 10,000 hours is performed by service learning students. These are students who give skilled service as part of a class. Each year, HPU offers more than 20 different types of service learning courses.

There are strategic communication seniors producing turn-key marketing campaigns for local nonprofits.

There are business ethics students conducting research on attracting and retaining young professionals for the High Point Chamber of Commerce.

There are English and history students co-authoring books with the local community.

In fact, in the last few years, over 1,800 students have taken service learning courses.

Jasmyn will graduate from HPU in 2018 with more than a degree. She’ll have real world experience. She’ll know what it takes to transform lives.

Jasmyn and the 40 other Bonner Leaders are low-income students who commit to serve 300 hours a year for four years in a local non-profit. Bonners start off as volunteers, but by their senior year, they become change agents.

The VISTAs help HPU students learn to love their High Point neighbors.

Together they build community gardens, create fresh food co-ops, fund raise for local schools, grow after-school programs and more.

Brittaney McClure, a 2016 graduate, spent her VISTA year building community gardens.

“This experience has allowed me to work with a diverse range of people, which has helped me see things from others’ perspectives,” she says. “If you can’t see things from their perspective, you’ll never learn how to truly show them love.”

Modeling Servant Leadership Our students are lucky.

THE HPU FAMILY CONTRIBUTES 100,000 HOURS OF SERVICE EACH YEAR. In recognition of her innovative community impact, Jasmyn was named a Newman Civic Fellow for 2017.

And each year, nine HPU graduates are selected to stay on campus and model these values. They are HPU AmeriCorps VISTAs, which stands for Volunteers in Service to America.

Thanks to the $100,000 given by the Silvershein/Gutenstein Family Foundation, there are now over 55 faculty in 22 departments teaching service learning.

No one models transformative change better than HPU President Nido Qubein.

He did it at HPU. And, now, he is leading the transformation of the City of High Point. Dr. Qubein has raised $100 million dollars to propel our city forward with a ballpark, children’s museum, convention center and more. He helps our students every day see what it means to truly love our neighbors.

Brittaney gets it. “There’s no way I could better express the value of ‘Love thy neighbor’ that my parents instilled in me than to help other people find ways to serve and ways to fight for equality.”

Because of the interest in service learning, HPU has added a minor in civic responsibility and social innovation. Students in this minor address community issues with entrepreneurial and sustainable solutions, including ones that generate revenue.

Our students watch Dr. Qubein. Jasmyn and Brittaney see how much he loves his neighbors in High Point.

They see — and then they go and do likewise. ▲

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Lessons in Leadership with Nido Qubein and John Maxwell

President Nido Qubein interviews some of the world’s most influential thought leaders and change agents who are drawn to the High Point University campus. Their conversations focus on leadership, innovation and values that prepare HPU students to lead lives of success and significance. These topics are also the focus of Qubein’s Life Skills Seminar, which he teaches to all freshmen.

The interviews are open to the entire community, filmed in front of a live audience, aired on public television, and shared online with viewers around the world. An excerpt of Qubein’s interview with best-selling author John Maxwell, considered one of the foremost experts in leadership development, is printed below. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity and can be viewed in its entirety at www.highpoint.edu/innovators.

Q A &

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Qubein: Welcome, John Maxwell, to the HPU campus, where we believe that strong leadership moves the world forward in positive ways. You are known globally as an expert on leadership. You’ve published more than 25 books on the topic. What is leadership to you?

Maxwell: Leadership is influence. It’s that simple. Your ability to influence people allows you to have the privilege of leading. You can’t lead anyone that you can’t influence. My favorite leadership proverb is, “He who thinks he’s leading but has no one following him is only taking a walk.” When people begin to understand that about leadership, they can begin to increase their influence. They can excel and do things they never thought possible.

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Qubein: Do you think that individuals are born as natural leaders, or can leadership be learned?

Maxwell: That’s the number one question I’m asked. People want to know, “John, are leaders born that way?” Obviously there are people with what I call “leadership leanings” — giftedness that will allow them to excel at leadership if they work to fulfill their potential.

But when you think about leadership being influence, anyone can do it. Maybe not everyone can do that at the same level, but every person can influence and therefore be a leader. For example, a mother at home with her children has influence, and there’s leadership there.

The question is not, “Are you a leader?” The question is, “What kind of leader are you, and are you continuing to develop as a leader?”

Qubein: There are studies showing that today’s college graduates may have up to 40 different jobs in their lifetime because of rapid change in our world and skills becoming irrelevant as soon as they are learned. How do you prepare leaders for that world?

Maxwell: There are probably six times in my life I’ve reinvented myself. I haven’t changed my values, but I’ve reinvented myself to fit the time and what the needs were and was able to continue to build on that.

Take for example a book I wrote called “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.” For its 10-year anniversary, my publisher asked me to revise it.

I went back to read it again and was so depressed because I thought it wasn’t very good. I thought, “What is wrong with this book?”

In the 10 years since I’d written it, I had grown.

When I wrote it, I was on the same level as the book. But 10 years later, I’m still growing and developing. I learned that when you keep asking questions, keep learning and keep growing, life is a wonderful, beautiful thing.

not because of the answers I give. I’ve learned that when I’m talking, I’m not learning anything.

But when I’m asking questions, I’m learning everything.

Qubein: How do you balance being a team player and leadership? Does a strong leader always lead?

Maxwell: While leadership is about influence, if I had to lead in an area where I wasn’t strong, I wouldn’t be the leader. For example, technology — I’m not good in that area and have very little knowledge in it. So what I say with great leaders is that they lead in their strengths, but they don’t lead in their weaknesses.

They follow in their weaknesses. There are days when I lead, and there are days when I follow. In fact, I’m not sure I would follow a leader that isn’t following somebody. I’m not sure that I want to follow a leader who believes that he or she has all the answers and always knows the path because I think we can do a tremendous disservice to people when we act as if we have answers.

Once you recognize you shouldn’t be leading an area, you become a follower. Some of my best moments have been when I became a follower. You have to value both. I want my team not to compete with me, but I want them to complete me. ▲

Qubein: In other words, school is never out for the pro.

Maxwell: I started my career off by asking questions. Everything I know is because of a question I asked. I know that I’m known for leadership and leaders are known for answers, but I don’t major in answers, I major in questions. And to this day, I still ask questions. In fact, I wrote a book titled, “Good Leaders Ask Great Questions.”

I still do that. Once a month, I take a person out to lunch and ask them questions. I choose people who are quicker, smarter and faster than I am so I can learn how to become like them. And one question I always ask is, “Who do you know that I need to know?” That question has opened me up to some of the most wonderful, incredible relationships in my life. So when you talk about learning and the appetite to grow and that entire process, know the value of questions. I am who I am today because of the questions I asked,

“Being able to meet and talk with John Maxwell individually was an inspiring experience that I will remember for years to come.”

– Mayeesa Mitchell, 2016 graduate and assistant media buyer at Horizon Media in New York City

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Parent What Future Parents Need to Know HPU’s tremendous growth over the last decade has been fueled by continued advocacy from parents. Below, current parents share insight on how the university helped their students transform into mature adults, as well as how other parents can take advantage of the many opportunities provided by HPU.

HPU Parent: Lou Samara HPU Student: Louis Samara, Class of 2019 Hometown: Mendham, New Jersey

Q. As a parent, what drew you to HPU? A. When we got to campus, we walked down the promenade.

I looked around noticing the environment. The classical music playing on the promenade, the impeccably clean, well-designed, maintained and organized grounds and the sculptures of people who have accomplished great things with their lives. I thought, ‘Wow, one could sit and be in that presence and reflect.’ I immediately got it. I told a friend that this place was designed with purpose and intention. To me, HPU was what I would envision a school of success to be like, and I knew my son must attend HPU. Then I did the research and was of course excited at the prospect of my son being surrounded by this positive and inspiring environment.

Q. In what ways have you watched your son grow and change during his time at HPU? A. Louis came in a bit unsure of himself but we agreed, with the guidance of Dr. Qubein, that the best first step was the Summer Experience. Taking classes in the summer before his freshman year officially began allowed him to settle in, get to know some students and staff on a more intimate level and really make connections that are serving him well. Since then, he has grown and is continuing to mature beyond what anyone would have expected. He is confident, bright and passionate, yet gentle and steady in his approach to his work and life. He is also well grounded and involved with different organizations. More importantly he has identified with his Christian beliefs, attends a local church with friends and has been involved in different campus ministries.

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Q. What has been your most memorable experience during a visit to campus?

A. There are quite a few. Meeting so many wonderful families and students as well as staff and special guests all stand out. But, the most memorable was our first tour.

Prior to our scheduled day, I emailed and asked Dr. Qubein if he would meet my son who was already accepted and considering HPU. He readily agreed and asked me to find him after his presentation to the visiting families. We met and immediately connected. Dr. Qubein gave us one hour of his time and attention. We discussed many important issues which confirmed my initial feelings about HPU being the best place for Louis.

Q. If you could offer advice to the parents of any incoming HPU students, what would it be?

A. Get involved with the school. I highly encourage all families to join either the Parents Council or President’s Leadership Cabinet.

My wife, Leslie, and I are honored to be a part of the PLC, which has been a fabulous way to support the school and meet other families who have similar values and aspirations for their children and our country. Your child will see your involvement and respect you and the school for that involvement.

Perspective: HPU Parents: Larry and Heather Gaetano HPU Student: Zac Gaetano, Class of 2017 Hometown: Ellicott City, Maryland

Q. As a parent, what drew you to HPU? A. We were lucky that it was part of the first college visit we did. There is nothing like setting foot on the HPU campus. You are instantly amazed. We had been to another school the day before, and it was great to have that immediate comparison.

What impressed us immediately was an enthusiastic commitment to excellence. Some schools claim to have the commitment, but they lack the genuine enthusiasm to go out and achieve. We also were attracted to the South and the friendly people.

Q. In what ways have you watched your son grow and change during his time at HPU? A. He is just many levels above where he was in his confidence and his self-sufficiency. He gets up, gets to class and gets good grades. It’s fun to look at on a big-picture level. He’s advocating for himself with his professors. We like that he was willing to take the leap of going six hours away from home. Most of his high school friends decided to go close to home, and I believe that leap has made him stronger.

Q. What has been your most memorable experience during a visit to campus?

A. When I think about HPU Convocation, that is a moment that really stands out.

The parents sit above students and you get to see the kids be together as a class for the first time. And Dr. Qubein speaks.

And what I remember most is at the end of the ceremony, Zac was ready for us to leave so he could become independent,

which is all we could have wanted. It really set the path for so many important things ahead.

Another notable moment was when Zac had the opportunity to do an independent study during his sophomore year where he wrote, produced and directed his own short film.

He and his team were shooting the Sunday after we left from Winter Family Weekend, and we got to go see him on the set and in action.

It’s one of the stories I tell for why people should send their kid to HPU. Your child gets to produce a movie during their sophomore year. It was such a springboard for him toward what he wants to do with his life, and we were glad to see that it happened so early.

Q. If you had one overarching goal for your son during his college career, what was it?

Would you say he’s accomplished it?

A. I would say that our goal for Zac was that he would develop a passion that would carry him through his entire life. And he has. He knew he wanted to major in communication and started out as a Media Fellow, which got him a step ahead.

Now, I can say that he definitely graduated with a passion.

Q. What was the best part of graduation?

A. We experienced his happiness, accomplishments and success with him that day. It was a bittersweet feeling to see the staff and the professors we have met at HPU and all of his fraternity brothers and the families we know. We are grateful to have shared that very special life step with all of them. ▲

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COMPRESSING Time: Accelerating Student Preparedness through Experiential Learning and Life Skills

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Emily De Lena was a student when she stood in front of Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph, who is now HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence. She had a clicker in her hand, a monitor behind her and a belief in the business she was building.

“I knew HPU would change my life.”

But what was the next step?

High Point University had helped her secure start-up funding through the annual Elevator Pitch and Business Plan Competitions. She met a local angel investor on campus who wanted to partner. Faculty and area business owners had mentored her, too.

– Emily De Lena, 2016 graduate and co-founder of Track Rabbit

Now Randolph, a Silicon Valley veteran, was inside Cottrell Hall’s Belk Entrepreneurship Center giving feedback to students like her.

skills she earned through her undergraduate research experiences.

“You need a prototype,” Randolph told De Lena after listening to her pitch.

Or Caroline Tucker, page 7, who was recruited by online shopping giant Amazon through her LinkedIn profile, which she built with guidance from her career advisor.

And it struck her. She’d been wondering if Track Rabbit, her device that empowers runners to build speed through an LED light system, was ready for the prototype phase.

Now she knew. So she began building the prototype and eventually preparing the product for market.

De Lena graduated from HPU in May 2016 and went on to run her company full-time. A year later, she was installing her product inside the recreation area at HPU’s Slane Student Center. At the same time, a CNBC reporter was planning a trip to interview her about the business in light of the 2017 World Track and Field Championship.

“It’s full circle,” said De Lena, who’s from Pennsylvania and has built her company in Charlotte, North Carolina.

For De Lena and thousands more alumni, the HPU journey compressed time for them. They earned in four short years the type of wisdom and experience it would typically take decades to achieve.

Like face-to-face opportunities with the co-founder of Netflix.

“The first time I toured the HPU campus, I knew something great was going to happen if I became a student here,” De Lena says. “I knew it would change my life — and it did. It was fate.”

Her story is unique, but the methodical mentorship she experienced at HPU is the standard.

Like Ashlee Branch, featured on page 107, who landed a position hundreds competed for thanks to critical thinking

Katherine Dunleavy, page 44, studied abroad in Europe, which made her an attractive candidate for a public relations internship back in the states.

And Nick Stigler, who was just a rising sophomore when he landed a New Orleans Saints internship and helped treat some of the biggest names in the NFL. He graduated in May, was hired as an athletic trainer at Duke Orthopedics and works for one of the nation’s premier health systems.

They were each drawn to HPU’s mantra — Choose to be extraordinary! And they committed to a four-year career where they’d be treated as professionals, leaders, scholars and executives as soon as they arrived on campus.

Lessons in Leadership The foundation begins early with what the business world calls “soft skills”— your ability to communicate with people different than yourself, present your ideas clearly, work in a team, be coachable, be adaptable, problem solve and persevere.

These skills are in strong demand in the marketplace. A longitudinal study conducted by the Leadership IQ Company asked employers for the top five reasons new hires don’t pan out. The overwhelming response? Coachability and emotional intelligence. Technical competence was at the bottom.

Enter the President’s Life Skills Seminar for all freshmen, led by Dr. Nido Qubein, who is HPU’s president, a serial entrepreneur and consultant to CEOs.

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That’s intentional — the seminar focuses not only on skills required by the business world, but the foundation for a values-based life, too.

“You must make choices about where you spend your time in life,” he tells freshmen. “I have lived by the rule of thirds. If you spend one-third of your life learning, one-third of your life earning and one-third of your life serving, you’ll live a life full of success and framed with significance.”

Connecting the Dots Consider the most popular apps on peoples’ phones.

Skype. Amazon. Google Maps. Uber.

They’re linked by a common thread — building efficiency. If you can access information quicker or get somewhere faster, you can create room in your life for more meaningful experiences.

HPU’s educational model has a mission to help students create capacity in their lives. They begin their professional careers as soon as they arrive on campus. Immediately, they’re treated as scholars, researchers and change agents, so they rise to the occasion.

As someone who came from humble beginnings, Qubein also lives by and shares a principle found in the Gospel of Luke: “To whom much is given, much is required.”

These words are painted above the lobby of the Hayworth Fine Arts Center, where freshmen attend his seminar in the auditorium.

Why HPU Invests in Life Skills: Employers consistently report that new hires don’t work out for reasons such as coachability and adaptability rather than technical competence. The longitudinal study featured here is one example of these reports. HPU faculty listen to the demands of the marketplace and prepare students to excel in the areas that matter most.

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And they’re encouraged to create, connect and collaborate across disciplines — just like they will in the real world.

“I want other students to know they are welcomed and encouraged to use our space, too,” says Kathy Elliott, director of the Belk Entrepreneurship Center, where students like De Lena have launched businesses. Being an entrepreneur is not just

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ECOSYSTEM OF SUPPORT & MENTORSHIP FIRST YEAR NAVIGATOR

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a professional choice; it’s a lifestyle. Whether students study dance, physical therapy or design furniture, entrepreneurs exist in every field.”

Branch applied her abilities to collect, analyze and present complex data through research for her psychology major to a job interview at an innovative organization.

For Dunleavy, Tucker, Branch, Stigler and De Lena, the dots were connected for them through mentors in the Office of Career and Professional Development, the Office of Study Abroad, the Office of Undergraduate Research, Success Coaches and more.

Mentors who help along the way make it possible for students to graduate with more meaningful experiences that bring value to employers and graduate and professional schools.

They make it possible for 95 percent of graduates — 13 points higher than the national average — to launch careers or enroll in graduate school within six months of graduation.

Those offices taught the students, too, how to interpret the value of their experiences.

Dunleavy learned to articulate how the skills she gained studying in Italy are relevant to a New York City public relations firm with international clients.

Tucker presented the multiple internships she completed in a way that attracted the attention of a recruiter for a Fortune 500 company.

“HPU is a life accelerator,” says Qubein. “We believe in higher learning, but also higher living. And when you arm a student with the knowledge of their discipline and help them discover they can light the world on fire with their passion — get out of the way! They will blaze trails, help others and move the world forward in extraordinary ways.” ▲

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Relevant Experience: A Conversation with Dr. Stephanie Crofton,

Vice President for Experiential Learning and Career Development The circular lobby inside Cottrell Hall is what Dr. Stephanie Crofton, vice president for experiential learning and career development, calls the nexus of experiential learning.

Students can stand in the heart of the facility and, from any angle, see a multitude of opportunities created with their success and this Chinese Proverb in mind: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

This is home to the Offices of Study Abroad, Career Development, Internship Services, Fellowship and Awards, Research and Creative Works, the Entrepreneurship Center, the Professional Sales Center, Student Success and more. They’re easy to find behind transparent glass instead of conventional walls, beckoning students to walk in and connect.

With more than 20 years of experience as a professor and mentor, that’s where Dr. Crofton and her team come in. She oversees each of these offices and programs that help students pave the path to the professional world.

Below, she discusses how the entire campus works to ensure students amass a lifetime of experiences in four short, impactful years.

What does “experiential learning” mean at HPU? Learning by doing. At HPU, this is woven into our culture.

It starts with the offices housed in Cottrell Hall, but there are many experiential learning opportunities across campus.

Professors don’t simply lecture; they get students involved in hands-on experiences.

Student Life activities provide leadership, cultural and religious life events. There are service learning courses, community volunteer opportunities, students traveling to attend professional development conferences and the list goes on.

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With every class at HPU, we ask ourselves, “What experiential learning concept can we provide to ensure students own this concept?”

We offer students a path to the real world, and we bring a lot of the real world into our classroom. Academic schools have advisory boards consisting of industry professionals such as alumni working in the field. Niche career fairs for majors like business, communication and education bring top companies directly to campus.

It all illustrates our commitment to experiential learning.

What outcomes is experiential learning producing for graduates?

The data speaks for itself: 95 percent of our graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.

Experiential learning takes students through the process of discovery. It helps them understand who they are and who they want to be. Do you want to study in Italy, where specialized design certifications are offered? We’ve helped students do that. Did you think you’d never be able to go to graduate school, but through an undergraduate research project, discover that you had the potential? Many students here have. Do you want to work at Apple Computer when you graduate but don’t know how to get there? Our career team can connect you with alumni already working there.

Students also gain what the business world calls “soft skills.” Employers want to hire people who can effectively communicate their ideas, work well in teams, manage relationships with a wide variety of people, manage their energy and solve problems for the company or the client.

Experiential learning gives students opportunities to develop those skills. At an internship, you’ll work with different types of people in different departments. When you study abroad, you’ll navigate language and cultural barriers.

We help students show the value of these experiences and how they translate to the professional world. We help them connect the dots.

What is unique about experiential learning at High Point University?

It also gives them permission to fail and be disappointed. Did you intern in a field you thought you would like but didn’t?

Great! Now you know to take a step in another direction.

HPU has embraced a growth mindset as a core value.

We recognize that an individual’s intelligence, talents and skills can always grow and improve.

By the way, it isn’t administrators who say experiential learning is important — it’s employers! We’re merely the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be after graduation.

We show students that they shouldn’t be intimidated by life’s obstacles. We teach them to see opportunities instead of problems. And this is reinforced most effectively through experiences.

What do students gain from these experiences?

Tons. But these two elements stand out — mentorship and soft skills.

Experiential learning is rooted in mentorship. Many students may not step out and say, “I need a mentor.” But at HPU, we make sure every student receives mentorship. If you complete an internship, you’re getting mentored on the job.

If you complete a research project, an HPU faculty member is guiding you. Our career advisors show you how to put together your resume and help you develop answers to tough questions during interviews. Our success coaches help you find a major that fits your career goals and join organizations that match your interests and talents.

Meanwhile, most mentors and their students build an established relationship. So not only have you accomplished a goal with their help, but you’ve made a lifelong connection.

In my former economics class, we implemented “discovery learning” in a research-based problem. Instead of telling students what a theory predicts about supply versus demand, we let them discover what happens to a product when supply or demand increases or decreases in real time. Students built an app for iPhones and iPads on which they bought, sold and traded with each other using mock currency. They learned by doing and discussed existing theories afterward.

The graduates who built the app are either working for major companies or have launched their own businesses.

The Professional Sales Club and the Entrepreneurship Center are also hallmark examples. They attract students from all majors. Communication majors need to know how to sell their ideas and their stories. Scientists often want to launch start-up companies. These umbrellas bring a diverse group of students together to connect, create and collaborate. They foster a growth mindset because they teach students that anything is possible and any problem can be solved. ▲

“HPU is the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be after graduation.”

– Dr. Stephanie Crofton, Vice President for Experiential Learning & Career Development

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A GIFT THAT GIVES FOREVER Willed Body Program Director Discusses the Benefits for Students and Donors Amanda Mittelstadt has a positive energy you can feel in her handshake and hear in her voice.

Her nature is upbeat and passionate. After she graduated from mortuary school and began her career, she discovered how her positive disposition benefits families in mourning.

“The energy I naturally have helps families because they don’t see the stereotypical idea of a solemn funeral director,” says Mittelstadt, who has 10 years’ experience in the funeral industry. “They see someone they can open up to.”

“You will help not just one student, but many students and many patients.”

– Amanda Mittelstadt,

“By donating your body, you will help not just one student, but many students and patients,” she says.

director of HPU’s new Her previous work in the funeral industry in Willed Body Program Pennsylvania and North Carolina prepared her for the opportunity. She has worked with many families who are grieving and understands the importance of fulfilling a loved one’s wishes. And she knows the value of community outreach and educating the public — she and her former co-workers once treated Hospice nurses and volunteers to a vacation in Key West, Florida. During the trip, they educated the group on the funeral industry so the volunteers could, in turn, help families who didn’t know how to navigate a difficult situation.

Donors will contribute to the education of future health care providers in the Congdon School of Health Sciences, including physical therapy doctoral, and physician assistant and athletic training master’s students. But their contribution will go far beyond the lab.

“Building relationships and trust is important so we help families move to the next step,” she says. “That’s what funerals are about — bringing communities together to say we support you and we love you, and High Point is a supportive and loving community.”

“They’ll remember you as their first patient who helped them develop the understanding of humanity — how to be kind and gentle. And they will take that with them when they begin to treat patients. It’s something that will always live on and continue to give back.”

Her clinical skills and her love for helping others are a benefit to students, too, who learn from Mittelstadt and faculty inside a gross anatomy lab that rivals the best medical schools in the country.

That makes her new position as director of HPU’s Willed Body Program ideal. Through the program, individuals can donate their body to science after death. Mittelstadt educates families on how the process works and how impactful their gift can be.

Not only is she building relationships with these families, alumni, community members and anyone interested in contributing, but she’s also working with students in a new anatomy lab and supplementing their education.

The program launched in October and covers the following costs for those who meet the program’s criteria: transportation within a 300-mile radius; cremation, burial at sea or internment 62

in HPU’s Memorial Garden; donor’s name permanently engraved on the new Tree of Life outside the anatomy lab in Congdon Hall; and an annual memorial service held for all donors.

extraordinary education

“This new space and new program are educating the next generation of health care providers while helping families honor their loved ones,” Mittelstadt says. “I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.” ▲

Championing Scholarship Dr. Meredith Malburne-Wade Leads the Office of Fellowships and Awards Sometimes students need a teacher and other times a cheerleader or taskmaster to help their dreams take flight. Dr. Meredith MalburneWade serves as all three.

As founding director of HPU’s Office of Fellowships and Awards, she guides students in pursuing more than 85 different scholarships and fellowships. Among them — with names like Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall and Truman — are some of the most prestigious, selective programs available to college graduates in the U.S. Malburne-Wade discusses her approach, how these awards impact students’ lives, and what sets the process apart at HPU.

How do students benefit from achieving prestigious fellowships, and how do these opportunities influence their future?

The benefits can be immense. Many of the awards offer fully funded graduate study, funded work or travel abroad, or other amazing experiences. They can open doors professionally and shape what graduate schools they apply to or their entire sense of self and purpose.

These are highly competitive awards; indeed some are the most competitive in the world, and the process itself is both important and meaningful. Students earn valuable skills, such as the ability to communicate clearly and concisely about who they are and what they want to accomplish. They also develop stamina and commitment in pursuing their best selves. More importantly, they develop a bit of fearlessness when it comes to taking on big challenges.

What’s it like applying to these programs, and how do you support that process?

Students would say the process is intense, and it is! In our first meeting, I get to know them, find out what they are passionate about and where they envision themselves in years to come. I suggest fellowships that may be of interest, and once they’ve selected the ones they want to apply for, the real work begins. Part of my job is helping students understand what is important to highlight in their application. For awards that allow it, I work closely with students as they draft their applications. We focus on increasing detail and clarity,

but as an assistant professor of English, I coach them in all aspects of writing. Students may work on 15, 20 or even 25 drafts before submission. It’s a tough process, but one that’s useful, regardless of the outcome.

How is the office already making an impact, and what are your goals looking forward?

It’s been wonderful watching the journeys of students who applied for awards this past year. Liz Reichart, our Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant recipient, is pursing her passions through a fully funded, yearlong experience in Germany. Christine Rickert, who secured a placement with Mississippi Teacher Corps, now has the vehicle to make a real difference in the lives of students through education while also receiving a fully funded master’s degree. We have a large, dedicated audience of students who want to be engaged in these experiences. My goals for the new office are simple: grow the number of applicants and award recipients, and celebrate those who undertake the process.

What sets HPU apart in connecting students with these opportunities?

I’m in the unique position to guide students long before they are seniors. It can be incredibly useful for freshmen and sophomores to think through the kinds of experiences that will benefit them when they want to apply for a fellowship years from now. HPU is, in many ways, built on pursuing big dreams through hard work and preparation, and I’m honored to be a part of it. ▲

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THIN SLICES

Twelve students and Dr. Brandon Lenoir, assistant professor of political communication, attended the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

Jeff Regester, HPU instructor of physics and astronomy, was a lead observer during a South African expedition that collected data for NASA’s New Horizons probe.

The team’s efforts focused on determining the size of MU69, an object located in the Kuiper Belt.

PBS NewsHour featured Dr. Scott Hemby, chair of basic pharmaceutical sciences, and the research he’s conducting on kratom.

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From January through May, HPU’s Chamber Singers toured Europe and performed in venues more than 800 years old.

The tour included five countries — Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Austria and Hungary.

THIN SLICES

Christina Saldanha, a physician assistant student, received a national award from the Association of Physician Assistants in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Three thousand people wearing purple eclipse shades lined HPU’s promenade in celebration of the total solar eclipse. Organized by the Department of Physics, students had access to multiple telescopes for the viewing.

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THIN SLICES

HPU pharmacy students gained practical experience during High Point’s annual Over-the-Counter Medicine Giveaway. They served as on-site consultants, sorted medicine and performed health screenings for members of the community.

Dr. Chris Lootens, assistant professor of psychology, was featured in a Reader’s Digest article about the health benefits of practicing patience.

HPU student Taylor Lord was named a 2017 Pulitzer Fellow by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. This competitive opportunity took her to Casablanca, Chile, to report on climate change and its impact on wine production.

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Erika Bridges, Jacqueline Stein, Joseph McCabe, Ryan Gilbert and Charlotte Thompson were named finalists in HPU’s annual Business Plan Competition and received thousands of dollars toward their business ideas.

THIN SLICES

Dr. Linda Sekhon, founding chair of the Physician Assistant Studies Department, was recognized as one of 50 “Exceptional PAs”

by Certified Medical Educators, the nationwide company that preps PAs for the national board examination.

Junior physics major Thomas Boudreaux’s paper, “A search for rapidly pulsating hot subdwarf stars in the GALEX survey,” was published in the Astrophysical Journal, a prominent, peerreviewed scientific journal of astronomy and astrophysics.

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INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT

68 68 inspiring inspiringenvironment environment

#SQUADGOALS Through hundreds of clubs and leadership opportunities, students find their second family at HPU. See a glimpse of the many club sports on page 86 and an array of religious life offerings on page 76.

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WOLF Blitzer Inspires the

Class of 2017 Before he became an Emmy Award-winning journalist and CNN anchor, Wolf Blitzer had to learn to show up, be curious and work hard. He inspired High Point University’s Class of 2017 to do the same when he addressed them on the Roberts Hall Lawn on May 6.

Blitzer, who said he began his journalism career as a “young man sheepishly introducing myself” at the Reuters News Agency in Tel Aviv, Israel, also told the 10,000 people in attendance that the first major assignment he turned in to an editor drew heavy criticism.

“I thought maybe journalism wasn’t for me,” Blitzer said. “Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe I should consider quitting. But you know what? The next morning I showed up for work and the next day and the next days after that. I didn’t give up.

“It stuck with me throughout all of my experiences, and I’m glad it did.

I’ve been showing up for work every day since then. And life, as you will learn, graduates, is about showing up day after day, week after week. People notice when you show up, when you put your head down, when you work hard. You won’t always succeed. You won’t always be the best. But nothing in life comes easy. So show up, be on time and be ready to work.”

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“Light the world so much that your impact and your influence can be felt for a long time.”

– Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president, at the Onward with Faithful Courage Senior Send-Off event

His early experiences learning from tough editors and veteran journalists, covering events in the Middle East and then joining CNN in the 1990s as a military-affairs correspondent, gave him the kind of grit he encouraged graduates to have.

And while the world will always experience turmoil, Blitzer told graduates and their families that they all play a vital role in moving it forward.

“We take our responsibility as journalists very seriously, and we do it because we want to make sure people like you are ready to take the mantle and lead our country,” Blitzer said.

“I mean that quite seriously. People like you, Class of 2017.

Among you may sit future leaders, maybe presidents, maybe members of Congress, school board members or city council chairs. Our democracy will not survive without you being very much involved, and we won’t be our best without you showing up, working hard, practicing your craft and treating everyone fairly and with kindness.”

As is tradition at HPU’s graduation, a bald eagle soared over the graduates at the end of the ceremony to symbolize the ideals of free enterprise, independence and the ability to pursue new opportunities in America.

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The university bestowed an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to David Cottrell, parent of HPU graduate Leah Cottrell and co-chairman of RetailData, an international company that employs more than 2,300 people.

“David, this honor comes your way because of your service to God and country,” HPU President Nido Qubein told him.

“Because of your selfless service to humankind, because of your life achievements, your leadership in the community and your personal friendship with this institution.”

Graduates also received a powerful senior send-off on May 5 from Qubein, who encouraged them to live lives of both success and significance.

“Graduates, you are the light of the room,” he said. “Shine so this universe will become better because you exist. Let your light shine the pathways and the highways of all you meet.

Plant seeds of greatness in their minds, hearts and souls.

Don’t be just a light that lights up the room — carry it down the hallway. Light the world so much that your impact and your influence can be felt for a long time.” ▲

HPU bestowed an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to David Cottrell. He is the father of graduate Leah Cottrell, a major philanthropic supporter of HPU and co-chairman of RetailData, an international company that employees more than 2,300 people. Christine Cottrell, co-chairman of Retaildata and his wife, is also a member of the HPU Board of Trustees.

Words of Wisdom Top Highlights from Wolf Blitzer’s Speech:

“Life is about showing up day after day, week after week. People notice when you show up, when you put your head down, when you work hard. You won’t always succeed. You won’t always be the best.

But nothing in life comes easy. So show up, be on time, be ready to work.”

“You will meet people who are on their way up and on their way down as their careers begin to unfold. Treat them the same.”

“Whether you go on to become a lawyer or a landscaper or carpenter, congressman or congresswoman, find the things you’re passionate about and do them well.”

“My dad said, ‘Remember son, if you don’t promote yourself, no one else will.’

So don’t be shy, get out there and do what you need to do.”

“Here’s what I wish for you: That you find the passion that I’ve had and you pursue it; that you do what you love and you seek to make a difference in whatever career you pursue.”

“Our democracy will not survive without you being very much involved, and we won’t be our best without you showing up, working hard, practicing your craft and treating everyone fairly and with kindness.”

“You will falter; you will make mistakes. All of us do. What will keep you going is if you truly love what you’re doing.”

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Surrounded

by Beauty and

Opportunity

Everything has a purpose. From the inspirational quotes and sculptures of historic figures along the Kester International Promenade to the water features throughout, every aspect of High Point University’s campus is strategically designed to surround students with learning opportunities.

This includes the 26 gardens, 3,500 taxa of plants and more than 600 varieties of trees in the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

The gardens spread throughout campus and are constantly expanding with an overall goal of increasing plant diversity. Through collaboration from committee members, the landscape team, volunteers and students, the gardens have grown, literally, at an impressive pace.

As envisioned by First Lady Mariana Qubein when she spearheaded their development in 2006, HPU’s gardens blend seamlessly with the buildings and spaces they surround. They showcase the beautiful natural gifts God has provided while offering unique educational opportunities for students and visitors alike.

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An Outdoor Classroom The arboretum and gardens deepen and further inspire learning that takes place within classrooms by serving as an outdoor learning lab for research in the natural environment.

Working with Jon Roethling, curator of the gardens, faculty find plant specimens for their research without having to leave campus.

Rather than using prepackaged samples from lab kits, students get the hands-on experience of collecting their own samples.

They also are inspired to ask questions about the plants growing around them.

Dr. Niky Hughes, assistant professor of biology, and a group of students have studied an elephant ear plant called ‘Mojito’ found on campus to learn why some plants have pigmentation on the top and bottom surfaces of their leaves. Their results, published in the international journal Planta, show that the pigments act as sunscreen for the plants.

She and senior Sarah Forget are also studying Christmas fern to learn why the plant lays its fronds flat against the ground during winter.

They have found that this helps regulate temperature and humidity, reducing stress to the plant during cold weather.

Hughes’ colleague, Assistant Professor Cindy Vigueira, is conducting a study of the genetic relationships between the many varieties of Liatris, also known as blazing stars or gayfeathers. She hopes to start a breeding program to develop improved garden cultivars for this group.

Planting Seeds for the Future

There’s also a study underway by Dr. Dinene Crater, biology professor, who is performing DNA sequence analysis on a variety of plants on campus.

Thanks to a major gift from Don and Teresa Caine of Greensboro, North Carolina, a new conservatory will be added near a new undergraduate science building. It will include a plant display area, working greenhouse for plant research, classroom and bistro restaurant. It will allow for the addition of plants that otherwise would not thrive outdoors and provide resources for students and faculty to pursue research projects that previously would not have been possible.

“It is a great asset to be able to teach botany in a botanical garden and arboretum,” says Hughes. “The campus becomes the classroom when we step outside to see the plants we are learning about in class.”

Growing New Opportunities HPU’s gardens provide endless opportunities to learn from nature, and as the university’s footprint grows, new landscapes and plant species are added to the mix.

The newest space is the Medicinal Landscape Garden surrounding Congdon Hall, home of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and Congdon School of Health Sciences, which opened this fall. As a natural extension of the learning space, the plants are incorporated throughout the landscape rather than being confined to one area.

“What we’ve created is a full landscape of plants with medicinal properties,” says Roethling. “This unique approach is more aesthetically pleasing and ties in with the overall inspiring environment on campus. There’s a purpose to each plant selected for this area.”

As the gardens continue to grow and expand, a new indoor space will bring even greater opportunity for students and faculty to experience a wide variety of plants.

“The research greenhouse of the conservatory will allow for training students in plant research techniques that are highly sought after in the plant biotechnology field,” says Vigueira.

“This will open up a number of exciting and important careers for our students at HPU.” As one of a limited number of conservatories in North Carolina, it is expected to become a destination for visitors, adding even more potential for community education and engagement.

Already, hundreds of visitors tour the gardens each year, and the number is growing with new additions and recognitions.

“What started as just a vision has established deep roots for the future,” says Qubein. “The gardens fulfill so many purposes.

They provide substance for research in the classroom, as well as a beautiful backdrop for our campus.” ▲

Roethling worked with Dr. Ron Ragan, dean of the pharmacy school, to select plants for the landscape. It features plants with a variety of therapeutic properties, like turmeric, which acts as an anti-inflammatory for the joints, and vinca, a wellknown summer annual that possesses a compound used in the treatment of cancer.

“When students see the plants growing in the medicinal garden and realize they are the source of drugs commonly used in clinics today, it helps them understand the impact the environment has on our health,” says Ragan. “Plants can be beautiful as well as potent pharmacological agents. The next novel therapeutic agent may be contained in a plant found on our campus, only in the jungles of the Amazon, or any place in between. This valuable insight into the drug discovery process prepares our students for a bright future in the profession.”

Don and Teresa Caine committed a major gift in support of HPU’s future Caine Conservatory, which will support botanical research and growth of HPU gardens. Don Caine graduated from HPU in 1965. A year later, he and Teresa began Camco Manufacturing with one product. Today, Camco has more than 1,200 employees, 3,000 products and multiple manufacturing facilities in the United States and around the world.

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THE DIFFERENT ROUTES OF HPU’S

WALK OF FAITH The Rev. Preston Davis sounds like an excited professor when he talks about faith and its effect on the students he sees.

He should know. He sees hundreds. As minister to High Point University, he preaches and teaches, counsels and sings as he and the Rev. Andria Williamson, manager of chapel programs, help students dig deep to find who they are and what they represent.

With the many activities offered by HPU’s Chapel and Religious Life, they do.

Here are a few:

The Importance of Chapel Every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., students come to chapel to hear the sermon of the Rev. Davis, Rev. Williamson or one of their own.

During the 50-minute service, students can tithe to a local nonprofit and hear the Chapel Choir, the Genesis Gospel Choir or the Collision Worship Band.

One of the biggest services of the year is Lessons and Carols, a century-old tradition first produced in King’s College in Cambridge, England, where parishioners lift candles skyward and sing.

“This service comes during a high-stress period,” Davis says.

“They’re getting ready to take exams, and this reminds them the importance of keeping first things first — that is, the birth of Jesus Christ.”

The Value of Service On the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., noteworthy clergy such as Bishop L. Jonathan Holston of the United Methodist South Carolina Conference come to campus and preach about the importance of King’s legacy.

Meanwhile, hundreds of students, faculty and staff participate in various local service projects to underscore HPU’s longstanding commitment to its hometown.

The one-day service project complements the 100,000 hours HPU students volunteer throughout the year in High Point.

Students can volunteer with three different service organizations of faith — Alpha Delta Theta, a Christian service sorority; Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed Christian service fraternity; and Impact, a Christian club.

These members do everything from helping a hurricaneravaged community recover to packing 1,000 lunches for impoverished children to eat.

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A Pilgrimage of Faith Every year, students can travel to Haiti, New York City or central North Carolina to see and feel their faith in action as they help the disenfranchised and the poor through various activities and initiatives.

Rebecca Ulrich, a biochemistry senior, went to New York City. She helped feed local homeless, and that moved her. But when she stood in a church in Harlem and heard the parishioners sing “Welcome to the family … we love you,” she cried.

“The Bible commands us to seek justice and love others,” she says. “And seeing that many people and ministries live those values out in their daily lives challenges me to fight for justice and love for the oppressed.”

Different faiths, different dinners, one mission It’s the breaking of bread, the sharing of a meal, Davis says, that deepens anyone’s understanding for someone — or something — they don’t know.

Take Hillel, HPU’s Jewish student organization. Members offer a dinner of Jewish food for people of all faiths to celebrate Passover Seder and Hanukkah.

Then, there is the Interfaith Dinner Club. Members bring together students of various faiths for eight dinners a year to talk about what they believe.

Meanwhile, HPU’s International Student Affairs works with Davis and Williamson to create a dinner for all students to celebrate two important Muslim holidays, Ramadan Iftar and Eid al-Adha.

“People from our campus come from all over the world, and to find that our special holidays are a big moment on campus, that makes us feel High Point University is happy to have us,” says Bisharat Khan, a Muslim and an HPU sophomore studying pre-pharmacy.

“We feel appreciated.”

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Servant Leadership: Nita Williams’ Door is Always Open The door behind the circulation desk of Smith Library is always open.

It leads to the office of LaNita Williams, who has served High Point University students for 30 years.

Many students like Aria Real have walked through the door over the years to find Williams working but always welcoming. Her soft-spoken nature and willingness to lend a hand reminded Real, from Baltimore, that HPU is every student’s home away from home.

“Miss Nita is this beautiful person I had great conversation with and felt at ease when I saw her smile,” says Real, an interior design graduate and former co-president of HPU’s Black Cultural Awareness Club. “When I was a student, she offered me a job in the library, advised our club and was a mentor every step of the way.”

Williams’ open door policy reflects the commitment of HPU faculty and staff to serve as heroes, models and mentors to students. They follow the adage that HPU President Nido Qubein shares: You can’t teach values. Instead, you model them.

“I always tell students that I’m here if they need me,” Williams says. “If you need to talk, come see me.”

And they do.

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“Whatever I can do for students, I want to do.”

– LaNita Williams,

Circulation Manager at Smith Library

We Live, They Watch, They Learn

The Endless Pursuit of Growth

Williams is one of hundreds of faculty and staff who help students through the midst of their most transformative years.

As part of HPU’s expansion, Smith Library has undergone major renovations, and new satellite libraries have been built across campus to support academic growth.

She, too, has experienced transformation in her lifetime.

When she was a seventh-grader in the 1970s, her junior high school was integrated, and the first white classmate she sat next to pulled her desk away from Williams. By graduation, though, Williams and the girl had become friends who’d chat when they passed by each other in the hallways.

“I simply could not think that just because I was a different color, someone was not going to like me,” she says.

After earning her English degree, she became the circulation manager at High Point College’s Smith Library in 1987 and helped students found the Black Cultural Awareness Club.

When Qubein took the helm in 2005, she committed to answering an important question he posed to faculty and staff.

“Dr. Qubein encouraged us to ask ourselves: ‘What can you do for our students?’” she says. “Since then, I have seen something new on this campus almost every day, but the focus remains on the students.”

Williams also supports that every day — in the library, with campus organizations with which she’s involved, including BCA, and in conversations with her students.

Whatever students need, from credible sources for academic papers and research projects, to support in hosting major events on campus, Williams helps them conquer their challenges and celebrate their triumphs.

Like Real. She graduated with a long list of accomplishments. She paved new paths for BCA, won a furniture design competition hosted by Shermag Furniture, and now leads an impressive career as a visual merchandiser and interior design consultant at Furniture Row Companies in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“She always put education first, and she cared for me during my time at HPU,” Real says about Williams. “I’ll always remember that and the conversations we had.”

“Whatever I can do for students,” Williams says, “I want to do.” ▲

ABOVE ALL,

LOVE FOR OTHERS

Netsu Tegene is a familiar face in the Café and part of HPU’s top-ranked dining experience It’s 10:30 a.m. and the morning rush inside the Slane Student Center is slowing down. Netsu Tegene tidies up her workspace. She wants everything to be just right when students arrive for lunch.

She greets everyone warmly as she swipes their HPU Passport cards, welcoming them into the Café, a popular dining location on campus.

Tegene gets to know the students, and the students know her too.

For Will Elliott, a sophomore from Overland Park, Kansas, she is one of the first people he sees every morning.

“Netsu starts my day on a positive note and with a great attitude,” he says. “You can tell she truly cares for every person that walks through the door.”

This caring approach to service, which comes naturally to Tegene and her co-workers, helps rank HPU Dining among the best in the country. It’s also an example of HPU’s values-based, holistic approach to education.

In the classrooms, dining halls, residence halls and all across campus, HPU nurtures students’ – Netsu Tegene, HPU Hospitality Team Member academic, spiritual and personal growth — right down to the Tegene is one of the many caring menu selections served in the Café. faces students meet at HPU. She sees them daily as they enjoy meals with Tegene likes to point out the additions friends, fuel up for practice or a game, of organic and local food, cage-free eggs or grab a bite between classes. Her and grass-fed beef. She says students smile lets them know this is home and are excited about these offerings. they’re family.

But for Tegene, her job is about more She started working in the Café six years than the food and her daily tasks. It’s ago. She ran a cafeteria in Ethiopia, her about love. home country, and considered opening her own restaurant after moving to the “I love my job because I love people, United States. But HPU felt like home especially the students. I care for and she stayed. them like my children,” she says. “I’m a The atmosphere is upbeat and welcoming. Live music plays throughout the dining room and the staff, dressed in purple, serve up a delicious, wholesome variety of food to their guests.

“We are family. every student is special to me.”

Christian, and so I believe in God and follow Jesus. God is love. That is why I love everybody.”

Her supervisors have taken note of her loving approach.

“Netsu’s role in the Café is invaluable and reaches far beyond just scanning cards and greeting students,” says Pete Mandala, Aramark general manager. “She is that constant face and smile that students can rely on. Many of them are from out of state. Having someone connect with them on a daily basis puts them at ease and makes them feel at home.”

Tegene made such an impact on Elliott during his freshman year that he wrote her a thank-you note that included a Bible verse, Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

“I told her how she needs to keep being a light in this world and continue to glorify God through her positive attitude and good works,” he says. “I’m so thankful I’ve gotten to know her and will get to see her the next three years.”

For Tegene, working in the Café is a chance to be present, provide encouragement and love the students she serves.

“We are family. Every one of them is special to me.” ▲

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THIN SLICES

DNCE, fronted by Joe Jonas, performed at HPU for the annual Fall Concert.

The annual Earth Day Celebration invited students to Cottrell Amphitheater for food, a petting zoo and the chance to meet local companies and organizations that promote sustainable practices and education.

Hosted by the HPU Black Cultural Awareness Club, the fourth annual Black Heritage Service included guest speakers, music, dance and spoken word.

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The HPU Department of Theatre and Dance performed Steve Martin’s wild comedy, “The Underpants.”

Country music star Hunter Hayes headlined the annual Spring Concert held on the Roberts Hall Lawn.

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THIN SLICES

For the eighth year in a row, HPU received the Tree Campus USA Award, recognizing the university’s 600 different varieties of trees throughout campus and the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

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HPU Men’s and Women’s Basketball Strive for NCAA Tournament Appearance “If you put the work in, the work takes care of the result.”

– HPU Women’s Basketball Coach DeUnna Hendrix

Scott Cherry and DeUnna Hendrix have been at the helm of the High Point University men’s and women’s basketball programs for a combined 13 seasons and share similarities with most coaches around the country. Both preach to their respective teams hard work, putting the team before one’s self and place an emphasis on not only succeeding on the court, but in the classroom and in the community.

However, one similarity the pair of HPU head coaches share is not common elsewhere. Both Cherry and Hendrix have played in the NCAA Division I Tournament themselves.

Hendrix made the NCAA Tournament with Richmond in 2005 under Joanne Boyle, who has coached at University of California, Berkeley and currently is the head coach at Virginia, while Cherry played in the NCAA Tournament four times at North Carolina, making the NCAA Sweet 16 all four years, capped by a national championship under legendary coach Dean Smith in 1993.

Their experiences at the highest level of collegiate basketball have shaped their coaching careers and fueled them to lead the Panthers to do the same.

“Everything that surrounds the NCAA Tournament — the media, the first-class treatment you receive, the places you get to go, the police escorts, the number of people that just watch you practice — the whole package is such a special deal,” Cherry said. “There is nothing like the experience that you get of playing in the NCAA Tournament.”

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ONE

FAMILY

“I’ll never forget it, sitting in a room with the community and seeing our name pop up on the screen,” Hendrix said. “More than anything, it’s everything leading up to the game. Getting your name announced, sitting on a bus with leather seats and TVs, getting escorted and walking into the gym where Connecticut plays and realizing, ‘We’re on the same stage as UConn.’ I don’t actually have many memories from the game itself, but having that feeling that we had arrived and made it was something we will never forget.”

Even though both have been through that same unforgettable experience, the two Panther head coaches differ on how they use it in their coaching style.

“I try not to bring it up,” Hendrix said. “I think when you add another pressure, it is counter-productive, so we try to just be consistent with our approach to every game. If you put the work in, the work takes care of the result. They will come to me and ask questions about it, and I will tell them, ‘It’s just something you want to experience and something that every college basketball player should want to feel.’”

“It is a challenge,” Cherry said. “It is one thing to talk about what it’s like, but until you experience it, feel it and taste it, it is hard to describe the whole experience. There is nothing like that experience, and you should give everything and sacrifice as much as you can to try and at least achieve that once in your lifetime.”

This year Coach Cherry will have some backup in relaying his message about the NCAA Tournament. Sophomore Jahaad Proctor made the NCAA Division I Tournament with Iona, while junior Sam Berlin made the Division II tourney with St. Thomas Aquinas. Both sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, but will be on the court with the Panthers in 2017–18.

“I think it helps us this year to have guys on our team that have experienced the NCAA Tournament,” Cherry said. “One

has been to the Division I Tournament and one at the Division II level. To have guys in the locker room that can preach and follow-up what I’m saying will help greatly. It’s not just their coach saying it, it’s one of their peers describing how great it was and telling them, ‘This is what we need to do to get there, and trust me, you want to get there.’”

From their outstanding college experiences also came the foundations of the coaching philosophies Cherry and Hendrix use in hopes of leading the Panthers to their first NCAA Tournament appearances.

“Coach Boyle was huge on doing what we did well every day,” Hendrix said. “It wasn’t about the opponent ever. We went into every practice and every game the same way. That is what I learned from her. Work and preparation take care of themselves.

Every time you go into a test, if you feel prepared, then more than likely the outcome is going to be pretty good. We’re huge on doing work as a staff and preparing our kids the best we can.

At the end of the day, if they put forth the effort and do it as a team, I like our chances. She was big on, ‘It’s not about you,’ and I think our athletes have taken to that. “ “The things I learned about teamwork and about being accountable came from Coach Smith,” Cherry said. “The concepts of believing in each other, the teamwork, trying to treat the players the way he treated us with respect, and being demanding but never making it personal, were all things I learned from him. It’s all about sacrificing individuality for the team. If we all do well, then you’re going to do well individually, and that’s what I preach with our players.”

Even though they treat their own memories differently around their student-athletes, both Coach Cherry and Coach Hendrix still strive to have their teams become part of a special fraternity — playing in the NCAA Tournament. ▲

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WOMEN’S LACROSSE CAPTURES HPU’S

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In sports, many times the first occurrence of an event is the toughest to achieve, but once that occasion has happened, the floodgates open up.

This has been the case in the High Point University athletic department. Once the men’s cross country team captured the 2002 Big South Championship, the first conference title in the school’s Division I history, the HPU athletic department has won 32 additional conference regular season and tournament championships. That’s an average of two each year, and 11 in the last three school years.

With all the success at the conference level — including 11 of HPU’s 16 programs finishing in the top three in the conference standings in 2016 –17 — one major occurrence had yet to happen — an NCAA Division I Tournament victory.

But that hurdle has now been cleared.

On May 7 in College Park, Maryland, the HPU women’s lacrosse team defeated No. 18 Towson, 21 –15, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to earn that breakthrough for the athletic department.

“I was a little surprised that a team hadn’t done it before us because High Point has been successful at many sports, but it is truly an honor,” HPU head coach Lyndsey Boswell said.

“It means a lot to be able to represent High Point University on a national level like that,” co-captain Samantha Brown, ’17, said.

“Winning the Big South championship is an expectation for us, but to come out in the NCAA Tournament and pull an upset on a top-20 team is not something anyone expected High Point to do. I think that is the best feeling; doing the unexpected.

We were able to show what High Point University athletics is capable of at a national level, and I’m so proud of that.”

The Tigers jumped out to a 5 –2 lead a little over halfway into the first half, but High Point’s offense started clicking and the Panthers went on an 11– 0 run over the next 20 minutes. Towson pulled within two at 14 –12, but HPU went on another 5 – 0 run to put the game away in front of a pro-High Point crowd.

“We had tremendous support,” Boswell said. “A lot of alumni showed up for the Towson game and stayed for the weekend.

So much pride was shown for our university, our athletic department and especially the current team. It was really exciting to be a part of.”

The NCAA First-Round contest looked fairly similar to High Point’s season overall.

After starting the season with three losses to eventual NCAA Tournament squads (North Carolina, Elon and James Madison) the Panthers secured a school-record 16 victories in a row on the way to the milestone victory against the Tigers.

Along the way, HPU finished undefeated in Big South regular season play and captured the Big South title. The Panthers scored their most goals in a game with 25 against Liberty on April 15, while the closest margin of victory was seven goals against Campbell on April 19.

In the Big South Championship, High Point defeated Liberty, 20 – 9, to advance to the final before taking on Campbell again. This time, the score was not as close, as HPU captured its third-ever Big South Championship with a 19 –5 win.

The Panthers, led by Big South Offensive Player of the Year Brown and Big South Defensive Player of the Year and Tournament MVP Christina Del Sesto, ’17, broke several single-season team records, including wins (16), points (480), goals (314), goals per game (15.7), assists (166), shots (711), shots on goal (516) and caused turnovers (245).

The records did not stop with the team’s statistics. Brown set High Point single-season records for goals (61), points (87) and shots (128), while sophomore Ashley Britton, ’20, broke the school mark for draw controls with 62. In the cage, sophomore goalkeeper Jill Rall, ’20, tied the HPU mark for wins in a single season with 15.

“I thought our leadership was really good throughout the year,” Boswell said. “Our team chemistry and love for each other gave us that foundation to be the best that we could be. We tried hard to stay away from the wins and losses and focused more on being our best every day, and that gave us the momentum we needed to win the Big South and earn an NCAA first round win.”

“There’s not much more I could have asked for in my final year playing at High Point University,” Brown said. “Our team was able to accomplish so much not only as individuals, but more importantly as a team unit. There was so much heart and commitment on this team, and it was such a blessing to be able to share my final year as a collegiate athlete with this group of girls and coaches.”

And for High Point University, with an NCAA Division I Tournament win in its possession at long last, the proverbial cat is now out of the bag. ”It has also been fun to say that we are the first,” Boswell said, “but we certainly won’t be the last because we have a lot of programs that are on the same route to winning an NCAA Tournament game.” ▲

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Club Sports Celebrate Record-Setting Year With 30 teams, the options continue to expand.

A few short years ago, High Point University offered just a handful of club sports opportunities for students.

However, during the 2016 –17 academic year, HPU’s 30 club sports programs — featuring over 500 students — experienced unprecedented success while continuing to become a focal point for the university moving forward.

Thanks to the success of the club sports programs, HPU will continue to grow the options and opportunities for all students to participate in club sports throughout campus. As a result, HPU hired its first full-time club sports director, Jacob Crawford, for the 2017 –18 season and welcomed 600 athletes.

Featured on these pages are examples of successful club sports teams, as well as the expansive variety offered to students.

CLUB ROWING TEAM: Members of the 2016-17 club rowing team are pictured. The squad started as a 12-person team in 2012 and has grown to over 60 members in just five years.

MEN’S LACROSSE: The Panthers won the National College Lacrosse League’s Blue Ridge Division II Conference to earn a spot in the postseason for the first time in program history.

FIELD HOCKEY: Three seasons after qualifying for nationals for the first time, the HPU field hockey team’s 10 seniors led the team back to nationals in their final season.

BASEBALL: The HPU club baseball team experienced unprecedented success claiming its first conference championship and qualifying for the district playoffs.

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WOMEN’S LACROSSE: Like HPU’s NCAA women’s lacrosse team, the club team won its first postseason game ever — a victory over Coastal Carolina in the regional — before falling to eventual national runner-up Loyola.

Rowing The largest example of growth seen in HPU club sports has come from the university’s rowing team. The program started in 2012 with just a dozen rowers, but has blossomed into the largest club roster on campus with over 60 athletes.

Increasing size isn’t the only indicator of success for the program, however.

Over the last two years, the team has claimed six medals at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Finals, including a silver medal in the men’s lightweight and bronze in the women’s lightweight in 2017.

BASEBALL The club baseball team posted a 16–4 regular season record, including a 9–2 mark en route to a National Club Baseball Association District IV – Central title. The Panthers headed to the final week of the regular season tied for first in the conference with Lander, but swept a double-header against Lander to claim the league championship.

Despite falling in the playoffs to eventual national semifinalist Florida Gulf Coast University, the program showed incredible growth and featured an NCBA Division II First Team All-American in outfielder Chad Thomas — the program’s first All-American. Along with Thomas’ accolade, the Panthers were ranked 23rd nationally in the final NCBA poll and claimed their first conference championship.

MEN’S LACROSSE Along with the baseball team’s spring success, the men’s lacrosse team posted its best season in the program’s history. The squad went 3–0 in National College Lacrosse League’s Blue Ridge Division II Conference to qualify for the playoffs.

The Panthers entered the playoffs with a 4–2 record before falling in a hard-fought 8–6 contest against Virginia Commonwealth University.

Later that day, the season came to an end with a setback to Lynchburg.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Club Sports Programs MEN’S TEAMS: Baseball

Rowing

Basketball

Running

Brazilian Jiujitsu Soccer

The women’s lacrosse club team also took a leap forward qualifying for the WCLA Regional Tournament in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The squad went 18–5 regular season and 5–1 in Mid-Atlantic Women’s Lacrosse League action.

Leading the team, Victoria Lomangino, ’19, became the first member of the team to earn WCLA All-America honors after being named to the second team.

Lomangino settled back into her role with the club team after joining the NCAA squad to provide depth during the 2016 season.

Head coach and 2009 HPU graduate Nicole Duncan helped start the team in 2007 and has overseen the program since.

Golf

Swimming

Ice Hockey

Tennis

Lacrosse

Ultimate Frisbee

Powerlifting

Volleyball

WOMEN’S TEAMS: Basketball

Rowing

Brazilian Jiujitsu Running Equestrian

Soccer

Field Hockey

Softball

Golf

Swimming

Lacrosse

Tennis

Powerlifting

Volleyball

CO-ED TEAMS: Ballroom/Latin Dance Equestrian

WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY Behind a 10-person senior class, the HPU women’s field hockey team posted an incredible 7–0–1 record in the regular season. That mark qualified the team for nationals in the National Field Hockey League. At the 2016 Fall Championship, the Panthers recorded a 0–2–1 record tying VCU before falling to Messiah College and the eventual runner up, Virginia.

The squad was led by 2016 NFHL All-Stars Summer Stevens and Allie Zambito. Overall, High Point went 4–0–1 against fellow North Carolina universities and tallied four shutouts in 11 contests.

DON’T SEE A SPECIFIC SPORT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN? Don’t worry — HPU provides steps for current students to start their own club program.

For more information on High Point University’s club sports programs, visit HighPointPanthers.com.

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S T U D E N T AT H L E T E

Q&A MEET

Kennedy Currie Senior women’s basketball student-athlete Kennedy Currie put the finishing touches on her bachelor’s degree in just three years at High Point University.

Now, for her last hurrah, the native of the Triad will pursue a master’s in strategic communication while stepping into a leadership role on a team that possesses all the ingredients for another successful season and a deep postseason run.

After graduation, Currie envisions using her HPU degree and lifetime experience for a career as a spokesperson in the sports world.

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What was the deciding factor that led you to attend High Point University?

The biggest thing for me was the close atmosphere here at High Point.

When I came in, the team felt like a big family, from the coaches down to the student-athletes, so it’s an all-around family experience.

Being from Greensboro in Guilford County, what does it mean for you to be able to give back to your community as a student-athlete?

One thing that I love that I do in High Point is the Big Brothers Big Sisters program with my fellow student-athletes. I love my “little sister” and have been with her for three years now. The program is a great way to work on your mentoring and be able to teach the lessons you’ve learned in your life to impact someone else. But also in Greensboro, I’m able to go back to my old high school and help out the teams.

You’re entering your fourth year with the program, so what have you learned from the previous seniors that you want to incorporate into being a leader yourself?

I’ve learned that to be a really good leader, you can’t always be the most popular person. In some instances that may not be the case, but in order to be a leader you have to separate yourself from the pack

to show others the right way — not just go with the flow. I have always called the seniors on the team “grandmas,” and now I’m transforming into the “grandma.” They just watched over all of us, and in those hard moments, they always distinguished themselves from the rest of the team.

Everyone looked up to that. My goal for us as seniors is to be able to watch over our flock.

Who has made the biggest impact on your life during your time at High Point University?

I would have to say the other ladies in my class — Kat Harris, Hunter Fleming and Bre Davis. Bre came in our sophomore year, but with Kat and Hunter growing beside me from our freshman year to who we are now is just remarkable. Those two have helped me grow, and seeing their growth as leaders constantly challenged me to develop as a person.

What are your academic goals for your final year at High Point University?

Obviously, my biggest goal is to successfully defend my thesis and complete my capstone project in strategic communication with a concentration in public relations. I already have a chair from the school’s committee to work with me all year on my project. ▲

Q&A S T U D E N T AT H L E T E

MEET

Tim Troutner Jr. You had other options when choosing where you would attend college. What led you to choose High Point University?

I started off my junior year talking to Coach Jon Torpey on the phone. I came down to visit High Point University and fell in love with it. I explored all my options and waited until my senior year.

After the state semifinal game, I called him and told him I wanted to attend HPU. The biggest thing was how much I liked the coaching staff here.

How did playing with the original student-athletes who started the HPU men’s lacrosse program affect you, and what did you learn from that group?

Those three guys that stayed for their fifth year really did leave a huge impact on all of us. They made everything look so easy. All of the freshmen would talk about how hard an early morning practice was, but they never complained because they had experienced more challenges than we had. That made it easier for all of us to get through it because we saw them making it look easy. Hopefully, I can do the same for the

Tim Troutner Jr. has developed into one of the best men’s lacrosse goalkeepers in the nation at High Point University. The Annapolis, Maryland, native and junior has learned greatly on and off the field during his time at HPU and looks to lead the Panthers toward a league championship in his final two years on campus. younger guys these next two years by being the example that they can follow.

You still have time in the Purple & White, but what lessons do you feel you’re learning now that will help you once your time at HPU is over?

which will only benefit us when we enter the workforce. Also, always being competitive is going to help us achieve our goals after graduation.

What are your goals for the next two years and then after graduation?

For lacrosse, I’ve been more of a follower in my first two seasons, but lately I’ve been watching the team’s leaders more closely because I know I’m going to have to step into that role next year. Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t know much; I just played. But this year Coach Torpey has put more on my plate, which has allowed me to grow as a leader.

On the field, my goal is to win a Southern Conference championship.

For me, losing hurts, so I want to do whatever I can to help this team achieve that goal. I’m going to continue working toward graduation while majoring in business administration and find an internship to begin my career path.

As a member of High Point University’s lacrosse program, what advantages do you have in finding a successful career after your playing days are over?

How did being a multi-sport athlete in high school help prepare you for the challenges of being a Division I student-athlete?

It starts off with Coach Torpey because he has so many connections in the business world and is always encouraging us to reach out to him if we need help finding an internship or job. But lacrosse as a whole teaches us how to get up early in the morning ready to work hard,

Growing up, I rarely had any free time because I was always playing something.

If I wasn’t playing a sport in college, I don’t know what I would do with all my time. I love being busy and knowing what I have to do. My goal is to focus on the 200 feet in front of me before I move on to the next challenge. ▲ highpoint.edu

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How do you teach values?

You don’t. You model them. HPU faculty and staff strive to deliver a values-based education every day by serving as heroes, models and mentors. We live, students watch and they learn.

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SUPPORTING VETERANS THROUGH Students combine business and philanthropy through United Apparel.

Darryl Remedio and Erin Haggerty have discovered the kind of passion that gets them jumping out of bed in the morning.

They devote long days to it, and late nights, too. They remind themselves to pause, rest, then resume tomorrow.

And they always do.

Helping the men and women who’ve served their country — especially those who need it most — is their mission. Some veterans they’ve met are homeless. Some don’t have clothing, food or basic hygiene items.

Remedio and Haggerty don’t know why. But they know that’s where their organization, United Apparel, comes in.

“The military is strong in our families,” says Remedio, whose grandfathers served in both World Wars. “Our organization is here to support veterans, and High Point University is known for supporting veterans. We want to continue that nationwide.”

These two student leaders and their peers have built local partnerships so they can see United Apparel’s direct impact, and they’ve attracted the attention of a United States senator.

All while creating a business built around purpose.

“We wake up every morning wanting to get back to work,” says Remedio, a junior and business major, “and I love everything about that.”

“They fought for us, so we fight for them.”

– Darryl Remedio, junior from Delaware and United Apparel co-founder Above photo: (from left) John Gavin Rhodes, Logan Jones, Erin Haggerty and Darryl Remedio operate United Apparel. Purchases from the company benefit veterans in need.

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AN ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION Haggerty is a business and nonprofit major who didn’t plan to become an entrepreneur in her first year of college.

Instead, she focused on finding the right environment during her college search — the kind that would encourage her to dream big.

“When I toured this campus, I knew this was where I wanted to be,” says the Elmira, New York, native. “This university provides so many resources for students, and I promised myself I would use every single one of them.”

She has. Haggerty has joined HPU’s Professional Selling Club, the Entrepreneurship Club and served on the Freshman Leadership Team. Through those, she’s attended career fairs and workshops focused on elevator pitches, resume writing, email etiquette, professional handshakes and more.

Both Haggerty and Remedio were involved in these waves of activity across campus, so they decided to combine forces.

“I’ve been involved with homeless veterans for nearly four years since I was (N.C.) speaker of the house — building homeless shelters for them, reaching out to them, finding a connection back into a health care provider. You’d be amazed at what a difference you can make if you show them you care about them.”

That day made an impact on the United Apparel team members, too.

“When I went home to Delaware and told everyone that we have these big events that senators attend, their response was, ‘Really?’” Remedio says. “HPU has taught me how to market myself and my organization better than anyone else could teach me.”

SUSTAINING A LEGACY The students that lead United Apparel, including Remedio and Haggerty, will graduate in a few years. But they’ve built a model that’s sustainable so they can continue to serve veterans.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP “We had previously joined a student organization that wanted to help veterans,” Remedio says. “When the founder graduated, we took over and built United Apparel.

Since then, we’ve been growing our staff, our designs, our website and our offerings.”

“What we’ve done at HPU has helped veterans while also giving students professional development opportunities and skills,” Haggerty says. “We’ve learned to build and market a company.

We were just sophomores when we applied for nonprofit status and registered our organization with the secretary of state.”

The company works like this: Customers visit their website at www.unitedapparelusa.org to order products ranging from T-shirts, hats and hair ties. As part of their order, they also select an item they’d like to donate to a veteran from a rotating list. Items have ranged from socks, bed sheets and towels to bus passes and “blessing bags,” which are filled with essential items like soap and a toothbrush.

There are more than two dozen HPU students on their staff, each one learning to coordinate volunteers, design merchandise or build partnerships with other organizations. It’s reflective of the immersive learning environment on campus. Because Haggerty and Remedio took advantage of the resources HPU provides students, they were able to hire other students. Together, they’ve learned how to create positive change and operate a business.

The items are donated to the Servant Center, a Greensboro organization that serves veterans in need. And the impact of those items has been applauded.

“We’ve received support from every corner of campus,” Haggerty says.

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis signed up to volunteer at a United Apparel service project that was organized as part of HPU’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Alongside Tillis, students packed dozens of blessing bags that were later delivered to veterans.

“Seeing this really warms my heart, because if you’ve never met a homeless veteran, you have no idea how much that bag will make a difference,” Tillis told students at the event.

They will launch careers in the corporate world when they graduate — HPU has prepared them for that. But they’ll also continue to build United Apparel and involve students on campus. It doubles the impact of their work — improving the lives of veterans and building future leaders to do the same.

“We want to take United Apparel to the next level,” Remedio says. “We want people to know that simple purchases of shirts can change veterans’ lives. They fought for us, so we fight for them — that’s our motto. Why wouldn’t we?”▲

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FIRST GENERATION AND

SCHOLARS ‘SIGN’ WITH HPU

Just as athletes are honored during signing days for their achievements and commitment to play at a university level, High Point University honored five Triad high school students with full-tuition scholarships for committing to continue their academic careers.

HPU awards five Say Yes Scholarships annually, three of which are presented to Guilford County Schools graduating seniors, and two of which are presented to first-generation college students from the city of High Point.

This year’s recipients are Janae Dillman of Southwest Guilford High School (First Generation Scholar); Cesar Toledo-Aguirre of Penn-Griffin School for the Arts (First Generation Scholar); Radu Grecu of Grimsley High School; Ashley Banegas of Western Guilford High School; and Alyssa Dumont of Northwest Guilford High School.

High Point City Council members, Guilford County Board of Education members and other dignitaries filled the event to celebrate the achievements of these soon-to-be high school graduates and freshmen at HPU. “The five young people we honor will receive a scholarship fully funded by High Point University,” said Joe Cristy, director of undergraduate recruitment at HPU. “If that’s not a commitment to students right here in our area, I’m not certain what is. There are top student-athletes these days that have signing events and press conferences. We wanted to honor these scholars for committing to their new home and also show appreciation for so many of our community education advocates.”

Carlvena Foster, Guilford County commissioner, former Guilford County Board of Education member and a leader on the HPU scholarship committee, said the scholarships show HPU’s commitment to its community.

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About the recipients:

“These scholarships give you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve success at one of the most prestigious universities in America.”

JANAE DILLMAN is a First Generation and Say Yes Scholar who grew up in the city of High Point.

She attended Southwest Guilford High School, where she ran cross country and outdoor track. Dillman is involved with Habitat for Humanity, serves as a Miracle League Volunteer in High Point and volunteers at Greensboro Urban Ministries.

– Carlvena Foster, Say Yes Scholarship Committee Member, Guilford County Commissioner and HPU Alumnus “Money is often seen as the greatest barrier to attending college, but thanks to High Point University, their generosity and their commitment to educating young people, all five of these scholarships alleviate that barrier by providing full rides to this university,” Foster said. “This is yours to celebrate. These scholarships give you the once-in-alifetime opportunity to achieve success at one of the most prestigious universities in America.”

CESAR TOLEDO-AGUIRRE, a First Generation and Say Yes Scholar, attended Penn-Griffin School for the Arts in High Point, where he practiced his talent of playing the guitar. ToledoAguirre served as secretary of the High Point Youth Council and was vice president of the Key Club at PennGriffin. He was also a member of The National BETA Club and the FCCLA.

“All of you told us during your interview that your service and education from HPU will position you to give back to this university, the community and beyond,” Foster added.

“I say to you that a simple act of benevolence strengthens our communities and brings people together. Giving back builds hope, and where there is hope there is always a future. Remember to share the same humanity that has been given to you. For scripture says, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’”

ALYSSA DUMONT is a Say Yes Scholar from Northwest Guilford High School.

She was a competitive dancer and member of the National Honor Society.

Dumont was also a clothing model and hopes to attend medical school to become a physician.

“I feel very honored to receive this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Dillman, a First Generation Scholar from Southwest Guilford High School who will study biology and apply to HPU’s physician assistant graduate program. “I’m looking forward to continuing to give back to my community and get the extraordinary education HPU offers.”

RADU GRECU is a Say Yes scholar who attended Grimsley High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society. Grecu has served as a High Point City park attendant and he aspires to become a lawyer.

In addition to joining a university focused on academic and professional excellence, the Say Yes Scholarship recipients are also enrolled in HPU’s Bonner Leader program. The national program funds students to serve as volunteer coordinators at local nonprofit organizations. In these roles, students are able to strengthen their community while also gaining valuable skills.

ASHLEY BANEGAS, a Say Yes Scholar, attended Western Guilford High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society, a Relay for Life captain and served as co-president of the school’s MED Club, an organization that brings in speakers from the medical field and provides volunteer opportunities for students. Banegas was also a teen volunteer for Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro and serves as the president of her church youth group.

She aspires to attend medical school and become a physician.

“Our Bonners work with six community nonprofits,” said the Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser, Robert G. Culp director of service learning.

“They work 300 hours per year. This program is designed to find a cohort of people who are committed to being scholars and citizens. We seek to build up that idea of citizenship so that as they’re receiving scholarships they’re able to give back to the community and university that helped them get here.” ▲

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DRIVING THE CITY

FORWARD

HPU President Nido Qubein Raises $100 Million for Community Revitalization There’s a new, miniature purple train that whisks families along the waterfront at High Point City Lake Park, a few miles from the High Point University campus.

president in 2005, campus has transformed by enhancing academic programming, quadrupling undergraduate enrollment and launching new master’s and doctoral degree programs.

On warm summer days, kids hop into the carts and squeal with joy as it begins to chug forward.

HPU’s growth has sparked community growth.

More than 100,000 visitors are coming to High Point each year to visit HPU, and the university family has contributed more than 1 million hours of service in the last decade.

Named the High Point Express, this little locomotive was a big gift from HPU to its community.

When Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president, learned that the previous 25-year-old train was in disrepair, he wanted to help. So HPU committed $188,500 to restore the city’s time-honored tradition.

“City Lake Park has provided a safe place for families to fellowship for generations,” Qubein said. “High Point University is proud to provide the gift of time spent together and the opportunity to create lasting memories.”

Thanks to the gift, a new train is carrying the tradition forward.

Beyond its shiny purple paint and silver wheels, though, is something bigger.

Since Qubein became university

Now there are major efforts underway to develop a fully vibrant, revitalized downtown district in the city of High Point.

Qubein committed to leading projects in those efforts, too, and HPU faculty and students are lending their creativity, expertise and brain trust.

Together, it paints the bigger picture that HPU really is a purple engine — one that’s driving continuous growth in the city of High Point.

Qubein Secures Private Investments The city’s historic roots trace back to furniture and hosiery. Both energized the heart of High Point when Qubein moved here. Today, the spring and fall High Point Market home furnishings trade shows still bring 75,000 guests to High Point twice a year and provide a wealth of opportunity for HPU students.

Changes in the industry have also presented an opportunity, however — reimagine downtown for the modern era.

Qubein has. He proved that during a May 2017 community meeting filled with city leaders.

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“The time is now.

It’s up to us.”

– Dr. Nido Qubein HPU President Forward High Point, an economic development group, had unanimously requested Qubein to lend his experience for a downtown project that includes a new baseball stadium and team. At the meeting, he accepted their request to lead the team’s acquisition and naming rights for the stadium.

The $50 million in private donations will fund catalyst projects surrounding the stadium area that will attract visitors to High Point’s downtown year-round and improve quality of life for residents.

The $50 million from private developers will support the team, stadium and additional growth. Projects include:

And then he committed to doing more.

u A children’s museum, an urban

Qubein said he would personally raise $38 million in private donations to revitalize the downtown area surrounding the stadium. A few short months later, he announced he had far exceeded his original commitment by raising $50 million in philanthropic gifts to support catalyst projects. He also secured another $50 million from private developers who pledged to support stadium naming rights, a baseball team, 200 apartments and a new hotel.

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park, an educational cinema for families, and an events center. u Triad developer The Carroll

Companies will build a hotel in the downtown stadium area. u Blue Ridge Companies will build

200 apartments in the downtown stadium area. u BB&T will provide naming for the

stadium. u The Atlantic League of Professional

Baseball will bring a professional baseball team to High Point.

The feat wasn’t surprising for Qubein, who has raised more than $350 million for HPU since he became president.

And of course, the HPU family is contributing.

“I was compelled to say yes,” Qubein said. “My involvement is strictly as a volunteer. My sole interest is helping High Point thrive.”

Senior Brianna Bruggeman is from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. But when she heard Qubein’s plans for the city that she and her classmates have also

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adopted as their home, she reached out to get involved.

“I am excited for President Qubein’s efforts,” Bruggeman said. “My peers and I are working to volunteer our time and help in any possible way to revitalize downtown High Point.”

And local alumni who have graduated but stayed to work in the city of High Point are helping, too. Like Sarah Belle Tate, a 2015 graduate who serves as senior director of events and marketing at Business High Point, Inc. She has since hired HPU students for internships and leads a task force working to make the city attractive to young professionals.

“The education and experiences I received from High Point University undoubtedly prepared me to take on my role here,” Tate says. “Through the partnership of the university, our organization and city leaders, we are building exciting opportunities for students, parents and visitors to experience downtown High Point. It’s an honor to be involved in this process, knowing I am helping to make a better experience for future HPU students and city residents.”

Moving Forward Together From plans to reality, High Point’s stadium and downtown district projects are moving forward.

Each one is supported by the strong relationship between the HPU family and community.

That’s because HPU is High Point’s University — something Qubein first proclaimed when he became HPU president more than a decade ago.

The people of High Point know it, too. They work alongside HPU students in community gardens, at local food pantries, or during over-the-counter medication giveaways held in the HPU Community Center.

They board the purple train with their children.

They hear the nostalgic tunes of the HPU ice cream truck — another staple of community events — as it pulls up to another school, church or nonprofit event.

They come to campus for HPU Community Christmas, which has welcomed thousands of people for six years in a row to complimentary hot food, visits and photos with Santa Claus, carolers, lights, simulated snow and so many festivities.

Business owners request and proudly display signs that say “We Love HPU” because their patrons are often HPU families. HPU flags wave up and down Main Street.

Purple is the color driving the city of High Point forward with renewed enthusiasm.

Qubein is leading the charge. HPU students, faculty, staff and community members are doing their part.

Plans are moving full-steam ahead.

And individuals with faithful courage are coming together to produce impactful results.

“I pray that God will pull our community together as we move forward with commitment, conviction and creativity,” Qubein told city leaders at that first meeting in May. “Our future can be abundantly promising. Our city is blessed with many strengths, including responsible leaders, loyal citizens and people with passion to persevere through challenges and opportunities. The time is now. It’s up to us.

“Together, yes we can.” ▲

A Campus Serving its Community

$

High Point University has generated the following economic and philanthropic impact for the community: CONTRIBUTING

GENERATING

$1,603,699

$500

to the United Way of Greater High Point since 2005

MILLION in economic impact annually

1 MILLION

hours of service since 2005

DONATING

30,000 POUNDS

(and counting) of surplus food from campus to Open Door Ministries’ kitchen

DONATING

$10,000

$110,000

Giving to the Learn to Swim program that aims to provide swimming lessons free of charge to every second-grader

to the High Point Fire Department to purchase new breathing devices that heighten safety for firefighters

25,000

$100,000

Welcoming guests to the Annual Community Christmas Celebration for residents to enjoy complimentary food, fellowship and faith for two nights on campus

to the High Point Police Department to sponsor the Youth Leadership Academy

Empowering more than local children to embrace STEM concepts through HPU’s LEGO Education initiative

Donating

10,000

$100,000

Making the lead gift to the Carl Chavis YMCA for a new splash park for local children and families

Attracting

Hosting more than

200 EVENTS free of charge for local nonprofits in the HPU Community Center

100,000 VISITORS to the city each year

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4

CARING

PEOPLE AT HPU

Kayla Jones

Civitan International Kayla Jones, a senior and strategic communication major from Cary, North Carolina, is president of the HPU Civitan Club. Her commitment to service was honored in 2016 and 2017 when she was named Campus Civitan of the Year.

The award, presented to the top Campus Civitan each year out of all campus clubs in Civitan International, recognizes her deep involvement in service and her work toward raising awareness of the organization.

Jones has coordinated several service projects within the community, including a pancake fundraiser for Open Door Ministries’ CROP Hunger Walk, and is planning another large-scale service event this fall. Jones also serves as a French tutor and is a member of Alpha Delta Theta Christian Service Sorority, French Club, Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Pi Delta Phi French Honor Society and the HPU Book Club. The efforts of Jones and her team members were also honored on campus last year.

“There really is no greater feeling than helping those in need, and I’m thankful that High Point University has given me opportunities to give back to my community,” Jones says. “I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love to serve. I’m extremely grateful to be included.”

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Jacob Lancaster

The Pre-Ministerial Group He’s only a sophomore, but Jacob Lancaster is already a familiar face throughout the High Point community.

Lancaster greets students and community members who attend chapel services in the Charles E. Hayworth Memorial Chapel. He’s the drummer for Collision, the chapel’s contemporary worship band, and a behind-the-scenes leader for the chapel’s biggest services of the year, such as the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service or the Lessons and Carols Christmas service filled with scripture readings and songs of the season.

He helps lead regular Bible studies for The Pre-Ministerial Group on campus. He also volunteers monthly with the group to serve food and clean the kitchen at Open Door Ministries, a nonprofit organization near campus that serves three meals a day to anyone in need.

He’s a regular contributor to multiple other service projects planned by The Pre-Ministerial Group and the Chapel Board of Stewards throughout the year.

He helps children from low-income communities develop literacy, art, health and science skills during the summer at Project Transformation Tennessee, a United Methodist Church camp.

“Service is important because as a disciple of Christ, I strive to live according to the model of the life of Jesus, a life that emphasizes service to others,” said Lancaster.

Grace Barrett

Kayla Quick

Colleges Against Cancer

West End Ministries

Grace Barrett knows that young women in college don’t think about getting cancer, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. That’s why she and members of Colleges Against Cancer have been working with Dr. Sarah Nielsen, a survivor of vaginal and cervical cancer, to raise awareness and funds on the HPU campus.

Quick is a sophomore and recipient of HPU’s First Generation Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship for Guilford County high school students who are the first in their family to attend college.

She is also a member of the Bonner Leader program, which is a group of students who are partnered with a local nonprofit agency where they serve at least 300 hours annually. The nonprofit organization that Quick serves is West End Ministries, where she devotes time to community gardens and initiatives that battle food insecurity in the area.

She continuously sorts food in the organization’s food pantry and packs food boxes that contain as many nutrients as possible to distribute to families each week. She also contributes to the weekly community meal that West End provides.

In April, Barrett helped lead efforts to raise $10,000 for the American Cancer Society at their Relay for Life event.

Those battling cancer, cancer survivors and caregivers were honored with a lap that recognized their fight against cancer while luminaries representing those lost to cancer were lit. The event concluded with a closing ceremony that celebrated its success. Barrett also served as a team leader for “Blowouts and ManiCURES” — an event that provided makeovers to students in exchange for their donations and their time to learn more about the warning signs of cancer.

Local stylists and salons donated their services to the event, designed not only to be fun, but also encourage students to join in the fight against cancer.

“This event was a great way for girls to get ready for a Friday night while also raising awareness for cervical cancer and fundraising for the American Cancer Society,” said Barrett. “At the end of the night, we raised hundreds, and I could not be happier with the turnout. I know that it was only our first year, so I look forward to what we can do next year.”

“I’ve become more humble as I realize there are many people who are less fortunate,” Quick said about her work at West End. “I see so many people and children who come here very excited to get food. It makes me feel as if I’m doing something that will benefit peoples’ lives. I look forward to offering programs that will teach people how to be independent through classes and other means.”

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THIN SLICES

For the second year in a row, Kappa Alpha Order fraternity raised $25,000 and purchased an all-terrain Track Chair for a wounded veteran, allowing him to regain mobility and independence.

New to HPU’s campus, Colleges Against Cancer raised over $10,000 for the American Cancer Society with its Relay for Life event. The organization promotes cancer education and awareness among college students year round.

Sigma Nu fraternity hosted its second annual Car Festival, displaying over 150 prized cars from across North Carolina and raising over $14,700 for the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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thin slices

HPU students, faculty and staff raised more than $240,000 for the United Way of Greater High Point, and participated in 100,000 hours of community service with local and national organizations.

THIN SLICES

HPU’s Zeta Tau Alpha sorority hosted its 12th Annual Crown Classic Golf Tournament, raising $28,000 for Breast Cancer Education and Awareness.

The HPU family kickstarted the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive with a record-setting donation of nearly 7,000 pounds of nonperishable food.

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2017 CLASS OF

S U C C ESS STO R I ES

Recent High Point University graduates commence prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other esteemed organizations thanks to their journey at HPU. Here’s a glimpse of their success.

To see where more than 100 members of the Class of 2017 are launching careers, visit www.highpoint.edu/classof2017.

SYDNEY RICHARDS

Pursuing her Master of Divinity at Duke University Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina Degree: Anthropology and Sociology

“High Point University has provided me with connections and an inspiring environment to thrive in every day as I sorted through my academic and personal life. I utilized the Office of Career and Professional Development in perfecting my resume, applying for graduate school programs and finding guidance through internship inquiry.

If you utilize your resources, aren’t afraid or ashamed of who you are in and out of the classroom, and do everything that is tasked to you with all your might, there is no way you can fail at HPU.”

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NICK BELLAMY

Assistant Buyer for Pottery Barn Hometown: Carmel Valley, California Degree: Visual Merchandising

“HPU helped me prepare for a future by surrounding me with opportunities and individuals that gave valuable insight into the professional post-grad world.

Being a visual merchandising student here and having the opportunity to not only work at the High Point Furniture Market during market season but also being able to hold an internship with a company while taking classes at HPU helped prepare me for a full-time career. The opportunities that HPU is able to offer students majoring in design, business and sales at the High Point Furniture Market are so valuable and hard to find at other learning institutions across the country.”

EMILY KROL

Accelerated Sales Rotational Program Associate at Lenovo Hometown: Merrick, New York Degree: Communication

“HPU taught me the importance of transferable skills and greatly prepared me for the professional world. By the time I began interviewing for jobs, I had already attended multiple professional career fairs, performed in front of thousands of people, and I had become accustomed to HPU’s state-of-the-art campus. I studied video game design and vocal performance.

I met with Doug Hall, my freshman success coach and career advisor, on many occasions to create a striking resume that would stand out in the crowd, to amp up my LinkedIn profile, and to consider various job prospects. HPU taught me the significance of transferable skills, and I was able to land an incredible job at the headquarters of the biggest PC company in the world. I was able to hold many leadership positions at HPU and discover my true potential as a student, a leader and as a professional.”

MICHAEL ROSSI Merchandise Services Coordinator for Richard Childress Racing Hometown: Pennington, New Jersey Degree: Business Administration

“HPU helped me by simply giving me the confidence to achieve my goals from day one. All the resources were here for me to take advantage of, and when utilized, it’s amazing how well they set me up for my career. From the start, I was told of the importance of getting involved outside of the classroom and the importance of obtaining experience that would set me apart from my competition. HPU’s fierce dedication to students and unparalleled resources deserve a lot of the credit for where I am today. Career services gave me the tools I needed at every turn, and no matter what challenge was presented to me, I felt that I had a team of people in my corner to give me advice and the courage to keep going.”

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Alumnus Manages Gov. Christie’s

Presidential Campaign Never a Number McKay grew up in Rhode Island, where his family owns a furniture store. In high school, he struggled academically and joined the Army after graduation to serve in the infantry. He pursued college in his early 20s, and his family’s connection to furniture and the High Point Market furniture trade shows brought him to High Point.

McKay was directing the political division of the Republican Governor’s Association when he met Christie.

The two worked well together, and Christie asked McKay to manage his presidential campaign team.

There were blinding flashes, thousands of reporters and hundreds of events crammed into the days that led up to the 2016 Republican National Convention and vote for the party’s official nominee.

The Army improved his confidence, but he still worried. College, he knew, would be academically strenuous. He moved into his residence hall with nothing but his duffel bag and immediately felt underprepared.

But the familial atmosphere of this campus made him believe he had a chance.

Inside the long hours, the wins and the losses, there was beauty.

Plenty of candidates were vying for the spot as the world watched. Ken McKay knows. He was there, behind the scenes, managing the presidential bid for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

“I was never a number here like in the military,” McKay recalls. “It was a close-knit community where people knew who you were and held you accountable.”

“The thing about campaigns is there is great camaraderie and finality,” he says. “That’s the most important thing. There is no price tag for believing in the mission you’re trying to accomplish.”

Somewhere between the sleepless nights, long drives across Iowa and flights that zig-zagged the country, McKay drew on what he learned at High Point University.

He wasn’t a political science major back then, though HPU now has majors in political science, communication and political communication. McKay was a biology major who graduated in 1991. He’d served in the military before coming to HPU and attended law school after graduation.

HPU was the bridge in between that gave him the confidence to realize he could accomplish big things.

“High Point is the place that gave me a chance,” McKay says.

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He went on to lead and contribute to gubernatorial campaigns. McKay was chief of staff for Gov. Donald Carcieri, who served Rhode Island from 2003 to 2011. McKay then worked for Gov. Rick Scott, who’s served Florida since 2011.

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He chose biology, a challenging major.

But he committed and soon, his professors were praising him.

“That had never happened before,” he said. “Everyone here was so supportive of somebody like me who had very little confidence.”

Preparing a Presidential Campaign McKay reached graduation with good grades and discovered a new sense of self and purpose. It helped him prepare for the next big leap — law school.

He practiced law at a small firm after law school. There, he met contacts in the political world who hired him to run campaigns.

McKay accepted the offer and the whirlwind of public forums, press events and town halls that followed.

McKay’s team led a campaign during one of the most watched primary races in history. And he wouldn’t change a thing about it. High Point helped him with that.

“High Point taught me if you don’t let yourself get overwhelmed and learn to manage your time, you can do it. Keep moving forward and never quit.”

Today, McKay is the vice president for state government affairs at PhRMA, where he works to enhance the execution of the company’s state advocacy and strategy on key issues.

And he knows there’s always an election somewhere on the horizon.▲

PUTTING A

GROWTH MINDSET TO WORK

By Ashlee “Tree” Branch, 2015 Graduate and Account Specialist at Mirasee

I graduated in 2015 with a psychology degree, two minors, and a lot of ideas about what I wanted to do next.

I applied to graduate school and even received a scholarship! But then in my final meeting with the program director, I admitted to myself — and him, which was awkward — that this did not seem like the right path for me.

With my academic plan derailed, my future was a giant question mark.

But I’d learned of a job opportunity with a business education company called Mirasee. I applied, and everything quickly changed.

The application process took three weeks. Instead of submitting my resume, I had to contend with this: • 8 thought and morality essays (that could have been assigned

by Dr. Thaddeus Ostrowski, my former ethics professor) • A website design assignment • 2 video production assignments (helped along by Dr. Jenn Brandt and Dr. Judy Isaksen) • 3 psych evaluations (Yay! I get to use my major!)

• And an IQ test

232 people applied for the position.

I was hired.

It’s been a year and a half now, and I’m still working for Mirasee. I’ve gotten to contribute to Inc.com articles, perform research for a best-selling Amazon book, and work with my favorite people.

Mirasee is an organization that coaches entrepreneurs on how to start and grow their online businesses. We help people make their visions a reality under our founder Danny Iny’s mantra:

Point University Magazine landed on my doorstep.

“Business is about building a sustainable way of making the impact that you care about making.”

Despite all of this feel-good energy from my job, I still had doubts about myself. My coworkers have doctorate degrees, book publications, and business ownership under their belts.

One of my closest friends came to us from Wired and ESPN. So what was I doing here?

On the cover were the words: “Growth Mindset.”

Inside were all the ways HPU instills in its students the entrepreneurial spirit — regardless of their chosen field.

It applies to everyone.

And that was my “A ha!” moment.

Suddenly it all clicked! Without even knowing it, I had been preparing for my job for years.

Why was I, a 22-year-old with a psychology degree and no business background, chosen?

My ability to adapt and innovate and think like an entrepreneur mattered much more to Danny Iny than my major.

This remained a nagging mystery until the Spring 2017 issue of the High

So thank you, HPU. You’ve helped me find the place I’m meant to be. ▲

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ENGAGE

WITH HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY

GET INVOLVED A caring and engaged HPU network is vital to the strength and success of High Point University. We need your talents, energy and commitment in preserving the legacy of High Point University. There are opportunities to volunteer your time as:

ALUMNI Population Centers COLLEGE FAIRS HPU CONNECTS Event Locations HPU IN THE CITY Event Locations

• Admissions Advocates • Regional Event Hosts • Social Media Ambassadors • Alumni Peer Agents Volunteering is a great way to stay connected to High Point University and to build your HPU network.

Learn more about each opportunity and submit your interest by visiting: engage.highpoint.edu/get-involved

ENGAGE ONLINE Create your account today at engage.highpoint.edu.

Join our online community of alumni, family and friends to access exclusive information about High Point University. You’ll find: u Alumni Class Notes u Upcoming Events u Ways to Leave Your Mark and Support Campus Initiatives u Family Resources u Alumnihood Benefits u Social Media Networks to Join

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BECOME AN ADMISSIONS ADVOCATE We encourage our HPU alumni and families to serve as Admissions Advocates, sharing stories and positive experiences with prospective students and families exploring the university.

To learn more about college fairs in your area and how you can assist, email engage@highpoint.edu. View the full list of dates and locations online at highpoint.edu/admissions/collegefairs.

SAVE THE DATE

#DayforHPU March 15, 2018

Join with alumni, families and friends worldwide on this special day to show your HPU Pride and support the $33 million in scholarship assistance awarded to students each year. No matter where you happen to be on March 15, you can show your support by giving to student scholarships, wearing your purple and sharing your HPU story!

Visit engage.highpoint.edu/DayforHPU for ways to get involved.

HPU IN THE CITY High Point University alumni and families have provided mentorship and insight into career exploration in these cities for today’s students during semester breaks. In the program’s third year, students will continue to explore various fields including fashion, marketing, finance and corporate communication. An evening networking reception will be held in each location for attendees, current HPU students, families and alumni.

Boston New York City Philadelphia Washington, DC To apply, host or attend our networking events, visit: engage.highpoint.edu/HPUintheCity

HPU CONNECTS Network with alumni and families in your area at an HPU Connects event! HPU Connects is a series of regional events that consist of networking events, social outings and more. Currently events are scheduled in North Carolina cities such as Raleigh and Charlotte, but also throughout the country in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Cincinnati, Atlanta and New Jersey.

Interested in connecting in your city?

Visit engage.highpoint.edu/HPUConnects to register or host an event.

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FAMILY VALUES: Parents are some of HPU’s strongest advocates. Their philanthropic support has established a caring legacy that directly impacts the lives of students. In addition to establishing new programs and facilities, many gifts provide endowed scholarships that assist with financial need and experiential learning programs that offer students access to leadership and professional development opportunities. Each gift paves the way for future advancements. The university is grateful to the families listed below, as well as every parent, student, alumni and friend who contributes.

Kushner Family Honors the Entrepreneurial Spirit

W hen Dede Rakestraw and her son, Sam, toured High Point University for the first time, they found the same values their family holds dear celebrated throughout campus.

Dede and her husband, Rob, hail from Chicago, where they raised five boys. The family is a strong supporter of free enterprise thanks to Dede’s father, Ron Kushner, a successful entrepreneur. Ron came from humble beginnings and founded S&S Automotive Group, an after market auto company that he built from the ground up. His hard work and determination cemented the entrepreneurial spirit in their family, and they experienced that same spirit at HPU. “There are many parallels between my father and Dr. (Nido) Qubein, (HPU president),” Dede says. “They are both self-made men and strong supporters of business.”

As the Rakestraws explored campus on that first tour, they met the many people who are part of HPU’s ecosystem of support.

“We knew there would always be people here that Sam could talk to if he needed help,” Dede says.

Fast-forward three years later, and Sam is a thriving junior majoring in communication with a concentration in journalism. He has published writing in the Greensboro News and Record, a major metropolitan newspaper,

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caring people

along with the Campus Chronicle and HPU’s Infinite Space — Spiritual Journeys Magazine.

The Rakestraw’s made a major gift to honor Kushner, who passed away in 2015, The Kushner International Networking by supporting the Kushner International Marketplace in Cottrell Hall is named in honor of Ron Kushner, grandfather of Networking MarketHPU student Sam Rakestraw. place in Cottrell Hall.

This bright, collaborative space is where networking events and entrepreneurial speakers are hosted each year. The plaque by the door features a tribute to Kushner’s success and the American dream.

“My father loved America as the land of opportunity,” Dede says. “He knew that if you came here and worked hard, you could make something of yourself. High Point University believes that, too. We see his entrepreneurial spirit everywhere on campus, and every student can now be inspired by his life. Supporting the Kushner International Networking Marketplace was the perfect way for my family to honor his legacy.”

Reed Family’s Longstanding Support of Education Leads to Endowed Scholarship

T he Reed family’s

commitment to providing educational opportunities goes back at least four generations.

Long before the family’s recent gift helped students attend High Point University, junior Kelly Reed’s great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather founded an American language school while serving as missionaries in Turkey. Now operating in Beirut, Lebanon, the school enrolls more than 3,000 students.

Harold “Hal” and Kate Reed, of North Palm Beach, Florida, likewise wanted to make a contribution that would have lasting impact for years to come. In recognition of their daughter Kelly’s extraordinary education at HPU, they

donated $500,000 to establish an endowed scholarship and give future students the opportunity to receive a college education.

“We have been so impressed with the quality of the professors that Kelly has had in her two years at HPU, and we want to be certain that others who might not be able to afford it can experience this same education,” says Kate.

The Harold and Kate Reed Family Endowed Scholarship Fund is awarded to students based on financial need.

This gift adds to the $33 million that HPU provides in scholarship assistance each year to support its students.

“Education is our philanthropic concentration because of the long-term benefits gained through a well-grounded learning environment, and we are excited by the wonderful things happening on this campus,” Harold says.

“We really do recognize and appreciate the HPU experience that is so deeply based on sustaining great values and integrity.”

Long Island Family Supports HPU Students

“H ow can you not fall in love with High Point?”

Marianne and Richard Kreider remember thinking that when they toured High Point University for the first time with their son, Kevin. The family felt an instant connection on campus. And though HPU is hours away from their home in Long Island, New York, they knew their student would thrive here.

“We were engrossed by the campus and the culture,” Marianne says. It starts at the top with Dr. Nido Qubein.

His level of passion and involvement with the students is extraordinary. It became Kevin’s second home, and he underwent a complete transformation during his time as a student.”

After their son graduated in 2016, the Kreiders found a meaningful way to stay engaged. By becoming an HPU Forever Family, they endowed a scholarship that supports a student who achieves academic merit, demonstrates financial need and is passionate about pursing a healthrelated field, such as physician assistant studies.

It makes sense for them.

They have five children, several of whom work in the health care profession. With the new programs at the Congdon School of Health Sciences, they’re able to help future leaders while continuing a meaningful relationship with the university.

In partnership with other Long Island families, the Kreiders also host HPU Connects events for families who live near them and have students interested in attending HPU. They discuss HPU’s educational model with these families and how it prepared Kevin for a successful life.

“Being able to help another person receive a quality education is important to us, because these students are tomorrow’s leaders,” Richard says. “There is something very special about High Point, and we’re honored to be able to help another student experience it.”

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