Fall 2021
RESULTS RULE:
Discover why HPU graduates outperform the national average and launch impressive careers at major organizations, such as the ones featured here.
Experience A Nationally
RANKED campus
Students appreciate that High Point University’s campus is designed to holistically support their success — intellectually, physically and spiritually. HPU’s campus is filled with spaces to connect, create and collaborate, from innovative classrooms, to beautiful gardens and outdoor areas. Pictured here is The Island at David R. Hayworth Park. The circular shape invites students to engage with each other, while the sounds of water provide a moment to relax and rejuvenate on a campus recognized with the Tree Campus USA Higher Education designation and ranked #9 Most Beautiful Campus in the Nation by the Princeton Review.
RECOGNIZED FOR
EXCELLENCE #1
2013–2022
FOR
10 YEARS
#1
2016–2022
MOST
INNOVATIVE
High Point University Magazine
c o n t e n t s
EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION
4
8
97% Outcomes Rate
HPU is a national leader in student success.
TOP 30
2020–2022
FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCES
INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT
92
TOP 20
CAREER SERVICES
BEST CAREER SERVICES I N T H E N AT ION
THE PRINCETON REVIEW
The Princeton Review
# 19
#1
DORMS
BEST COLLEGE DORMS I N T H E N ATI O N
THE PRINCETON REVIEW
The Princeton Review
#1
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MOST BEAUTIFUL CAMPUSES
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STUDENT
GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATIONS
MOST BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS IN T HE NATION
The Princeton Review
THE PRINCETON REVIEW
#9
MOST ACTIVE STUDENT GOVERNMENT I N T H E NATION
The Princeton Review
# 19
100
HPU’s Energetic and Engaged Campus
HPU provides the in-person learning and living experience that students deserve.
CARING PEOPLE
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122
God, Family, Country
Students honored first responders at a drive-through dinner. THE PRINCETON REVIEW
On the cover: As the Premier Life Skills University, High Point University is committed to transforming the lives of students. Our distinctive educational model instills the latest technical skills, but also the critical life skills that outlast inevitable change. HPU’s approach to life preparation is perhaps best showcased by the fact that 97% of HPU graduates begin careers or graduate school within six months of graduation — 11% higher than the national average. Featured on the cover of this magazine is only a small sample of the many impressive organizations and career paths where HPU students create relevant impact. Turn the pages to meet more HPU graduates leading lives of success and significance.
campus with students living in residence halls and attending classes in person. We also held memorable and safe in-person commencement ceremonies for the Classes of 2020 and 2021 with up to six guests for each graduate in attendance (page 104). You may be wondering, what is the common denominator in these instances? It’s faithful courage. And it’s something I talk to HPU students about frequently.
Value DELIVERING
HPU’s unconventional approach is appreciated by students, families and employers.
In 2008, the United States fell into the Great Recession. High Point University decided not to participate! We continued to build academic programs, top-notch laboratories and residential facilities to attract stellar students and outstanding faculty. Our enrollment continues to grow faster than we anticipated. In 2020, much of the world defaulted into taking a pause for the pandemic. HPU, instead, decided to carefully proceed forward. Our 20202021 academic year was safely completed on
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You can’t claim to be “The Premier Life Skills University” if you aren’t prepared to operate in a way that supports this bold statement. The leaders of tomorrow, who are the college students of today, must learn how to quickly amass information, manage risks (not merely avoid them), make decisions without having 100% of the information available and take positive action. Then, they must be prepared to nimbly alter the course as conditions change. We even arm every freshman with a professional Success Coach, and we weave students into this HPU family. That’s what students and families observe through HPU’s actions. They see a university that honors the investment families make in order to prepare students for a life filled with success and framed with significance. No, HPU is not perfect! But HPU is indeed extraordinary. We are distinctive and highly relevant in a changing world. We are grateful to have families who insist on sending not just one of their children here, but several or all of their children. I don’t think there is a greater compliment to our faculty and staff or to our unique culture than that.
Experience Is Required HPU develops students to become “actionists.” It’s one thing to take a political science class on local government. It’s quite another thing to hand a hot meal and a patriotic T-shirt to a first responder as a way to thank them for their service during a global pandemic (page 122).
It’s one thing to learn about educational disparities among inner city youth in a social justice class. It’s quite another thing to work one-on-one with children in the community on a regular, impactful basis (page 120). It’s one thing to take a class on building a business plan. It’s quite another thing to present your business plan to Netflix Co-Founder and serial entrepreneur Marc Randolph and listen to his honest feedback and insights (page 78).
same beliefs seem to appreciate that we are so genuine and transparent about it all. As just one of many examples, you’ll enjoy the perspective of Kathy and Lou Esposito of Andover, New Jersey (page 86). They are parents to four HPU students, and they’ll tell you why HPU is right for their family.
Onward with Faithful Courage
“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson later.”
The stories in this magazine showcase how HPU is both an outcomes-focused and values-based institution. Since 2005, the HPU campus hasn’t stopped growing and changing, and we don’t plan to slow down anytime soon.
That’s exactly why HPU has been positively obsessed with preparing students for the world as it is going to be by building a powerful combination of experiential learning opportunities along with impactful classroom learning.
Consider the $350 million we’ve invested in the Innovation Corridor (page 22), including a new School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health announced last spring. HPU will be home to North Carolina’s only private dental school.
Yes, Major League Baseball player Vernon Law was right when he shared this razor sharp insight:
And it’s why 97% of HPU graduates continue to be employed or in graduate school within six months of earning their HPU degree — outperforming the national average by 11 points.
It’s About Sustaining Values A writer in a popular lifestyle magazine recently opined that college students are looking for, among other things, “the experience of having your brain stripped bare and rebuilt.” As a parent, I can tell you that scares me to death! My wife and I spent 18 years working to raise our four children to live by a set of values we’ve always strived to model. We didn’t want any one or any institution messing with our life’s work! And we hear parents share the same concern today. It’s why I want prospective families to know that HPU is a God, family and country school. We welcome one and all. But we are not for everyone. Our families love HPU for our commitment to values that include faith, civility, patriotism, generosity, respect and lifelong learning. And honestly, even families who may not share the
And look forward to visiting the newly opened Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center. With 4,500 arena seats, 2,500 conference center seats and 350,000 square feet of space, this facility will serve as the new epicenter for major events, speakers, concerts, entertainment, academic symposia and recreational activities on our campus and in our community. We also continue to grow our incredible list of executives in residence (see the insert in the middle of this magazine) with industry leaders like Russell Weiner, chief operating officer and president of Domino’s U.S., as HPU’s Corporate Executive in Residence. HPU lives in a constant state of purposeful transformation! I hope you’ll visit our nationally ranked campus in the future to experience the incredible energy and clarity that attracts families from all 50 states and more than 50 countries. Sincerely,
Nido R. Qubein nqubein@highpoint.edu
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EXTRAORDINARY
EDUCATION THE FOUNDATION OF HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY’S DISTINCTIVE LEARNING MODEL Throughout this magazine, you’ll find watercolor depictions of High Point University’s nationally ranked campus. These artistic images were commissioned in honor of the grand opening of the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center and are displayed throughout the new, state-of-the-art facility.
The watercolor image on the right features Cottrell Hall, HPU’s hub of experiential learning and career development. Cottrell Hall is a facility filled with students, exciting energy and endless opportunity. That’s because it collectively houses growth and career-boosting opportunities for students, such as the Office of Career and Professional Development, the Office of Global Studies, the Belk Entrepreneurship Center, the Harris Sales Center, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, the Office of Student Success and many others. Cottrell Hall is a reflection of HPU’s commitment to hands-on and mentorship-guided learning opportunities that prepare students to stand out to employers and graduate schools in a competitive, global marketplace.
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&
HPU SUCCESS COACHES:
Mentors Navigators Every HPU freshman receives a Success Coach with expertise to support that student’s personal journey.
Robert Tillman will walk through Cottrell Hall and see so many students he knows.
He’ll catch up with them everywhere on campus and keep up with them through text, email and Snapchat. They’ll eat together, and they’ll worship together.
And they know him.
Tillman is an ordained Baptist minister, the senior pastor at High Point’s Oak Grove Baptist Church. Students have come to hear him preach, including Alon Parker, a sales major from Concord, North Carolina.
They’ll give Tillman a fist bump, and Tillman will come back with something like “What’s up, boss man?” Tillman is a Success Coach at High Point University. He also is an HPU graduate and a native North Carolinian usually wearing a bow tie. He helps business majors, both freshmen and sophomores, navigate one of the biggest transitions in their young life — college.
HPU Success Coach Robert Tillman, left, mentors new students and develops lasting relationships with them, including Nabyant Wagner, right.
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“He is a Success Coach, he’s Preacher Tillman, and they both go hand in hand,” Parker says. “When he’s preaching, he’s talking about how even if you don’t think you have that strength to get over the hump, faith in God will help you. He’s in a similar position as a Success Coach. He helps students believe they can get over the hump.”
“In my opinion, coaching is seasonal, not lifelong,” Tillman says. “My job goes so much deeper than academic advising. I’m in a position to help teach students the essentials about accountability, discipline, teamwork and the value of connection — things they can use for the rest of their life. “Once the season is over, they move on,” he says. “But until then, I tell them, ‘You can do it.’ Students need a coach to remind them of that.”
‘We Are Their Family’ When students walk into Pam Francisco’s office, the first thing they see is a sign that says: “You Make My Heart Smile.” As the director of HPU’s Success Coach program, Francisco wants students to feel comfortable. Sometimes the students she sees are homesick, or they’re dealing with a tough class or course schedule. Francisco knows how to help. It’s like the picture she has in her office that shows a little girl trying to grab a heart-shaped balloon. On a concrete staircase are four words Francisco tells her students often: “There is always hope.” “What we strive to be is the first person they come to when they don’t know where to go,” Francisco says. “We are their family.” In 2014, after 30 years of experience in public education in North Carolina, Francisco came to HPU as a Success Coach. A year ago, she became the program’s director. She now supervises Tillman and 14 other Success Coaches.
“I’m in a position to help teach students the essentials about accountability, discipline, teamwork and the value of connection.” - Robert Tillman, Success Coach When Francisco was a Success Coach, she helped dozens of business majors. One of those was Sean Kelly, then a Sean Kelly, 2018 Graduate freshman from Newton, Massachusetts. Francisco convinced Kelly to minor in finance and computer science and helped him fit those classes into his schedule. Those minors, Kelly says, helped him get his job today. He now works as the head trader at Birch Hill Investment Advisors in Boston. He’s also a member of the company’s operations, compliance and information technology teams. He lives downtown, a six-minute walk from work and 20 steps from one of the prettiest spots in America — Boston Common. “I was intimidated by computer science, but she kept telling me, ‘Sean, you got this!’” says Kelly, a 2018 HPU graduate. “I am so glad I did it. It probably got me the job I have today. The finance minor was the cherry on top.” And Francisco’s role? “She helped me find my path,” says Kelly. “Every student deserves a Pam Francisco.”
The Power of Mentorship Parker and Nabyant Wagner feel the same way about Tillman. Parker is the president of HPU’s Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and Tillman is the fraternity’s chapter advisor, as well as an alumni fraternity brother. Tillman has helped Parker with everything from being a better leader to being a better son. “He brought me closer to my family and gave me the confidence to keep them in the loop,” Parker says. Tillman gave Wagner confidence, too. He also gave Wagner roots. When Wagner felt unmoored as a freshman, he approached Tillman for help. Join HPU’s Investment Club, Real Estate Club and rush for a fraternity, Tillman said. Wagner did. He met new people. Moreover, he became more focused. “Coming to college is such a cultural change for kids,” says Wagner, a sophomore business administration major. “So, you need someone like Robert. He’ll guide you in the right way. He’s a mentor, and he has done everything he can for me.” Tillman says he works hard at that because he remembers what his mentors did for him. Now, at 45, he wants to give back what was given to him. “In the Bible, it says ‘Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another,’” he says. “I tell students, ‘You’re making me better — a better son, better fraternity brother and better HPU graduate. And I want you to be better than me.’”
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97%
Outcomes Rate
HPU is a national leader in student success. 8 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
Here’s 11 more reasons to celebrate HPU: The university outperforms the national outcomes rate by 11%. E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 9
How much does 11% matter? Think about losing 11% of your income. Now consider the perspective of new college graduates entering the workforce after four years of planning and preparing. An 11% increase in their chance to launch their career is substantial. That’s what High Point University offers. In fact, 97% of the Class of 2020 was employed or in graduate school within six months of earning their HPU degree. That’s 11% higher than the national average. Focus on career preparation starts at the top with HPU President Nido Qubein. “The world is changing,” he says. “It’s globally competitive, and our students must be ready for that.” Qubein teaches a class for all HPU freshmen, the President’s Seminar on Life Skills. In his class, students are instilled from day one with the importance of time management, professional etiquette and the power of setting goals. From there, the Office of Career and Professional Development works one-on-one with students to help them identify and
achieve their internship and career goals. It’s a recipe that’s proven consistently successful for HPU. Just ask recent graduates like Jessica Keys and Blake Jones.
A Lasting Impression Keys and Jones both secured jobs well ahead of their May 2021 graduation. For Keys, a post-graduation job offer with Nestlé USA came after interning with the company two years prior. Her application for the internship was one of hundreds. She couldn’t believe it when the company flew her to their headquarters to interview for one of their three internship spots. But it made sense — she knew HPU had prepared her well. She arrived at the Nestlé office for her interview and met other candidates from big schools like Penn State, Ohio State and more. Still, the HPU sophomore wasn’t intimidated, and the selection team saw that. They were impressed with Keys’ abilities and the way HPU had immersed her in professional development.
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She landed the internship and turned that first impression into a lasting one. In early fall of her senior year, Keys found out she’d secured a full-time position in the Nestlé Sales Development Program, a 2.5-year rotational program where she’ll experience key aspects of professional sales. Jones can relate. He too launched his career months ahead of leaving campus.
The Team Behind the Outcomes A native of Marietta, Georgia, Jones had only ever pictured himself at a big state university. He’d even secured a full-ride scholarship to an impressive school. Then he visited HPU, and he felt it. “I came onto campus and I knew,” he says. “This wasn’t a place where I’d get just a degree. People were going to invest in me, care about my future, and as long as I put in the work, they’d get me where I want to be.” Jones is an actor. It’s not the first thing he’ll share about himself. He feels it’s a smaller piece to his larger puzzle.
of graduates are employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation. HPU outperforms the national average by 11%. Data from the Class of 2020. High Point University follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers first destination reporting protocols.
He’s been featured in major Hollywood films like “Sully,” the 2016 story of Chesley Sullenberger, the commercial pilot who flew a plane into the Hudson River and saved the lives of all 155 passengers. Jones played the teenage version of the pilot. At HPU, Jones double majored in international business and marketing with a minor in Spanish. He hopes to someday combine his degrees to market international films. He has the film experience. The next step? A career that builds his marketing and sales portfolio. Career advisors worked closely with him on his resume, helping him articulate his skills. He carried that resume to an on-campus career fair hosted by the Office of Career and Professional Development. That’s where he met the kind of companies that could launch his career. Those connections paid off in the spring of his senior year when he landed a full-time job as a sales development representative with Qualtrics, a well-known online survey software company. Just like Jones, Keys knew it was the people at HPU who propelled her forward. When she accepted her job offer, she was most excited to share the news with advisors in the Office of Career and Professional Development.
YOUNG ALUMNI OUTCOMES Since graduating, HPU students have commenced many prestigious career and graduate school paths. While their success is too expansive to list here, below is a sampling of where these graduates are now. Visit www.highpoint.edu/outcomes for more of their stories.
Rachel Lynch, ’21 Deloitte
Risk and Financial Advisory Analyst Hometown: Voorhees Township, New Jersey Major: Accounting
Jordan McClung, ’20
Graduate School: Master’s in Bioengineering at University of Colorado Denver Hometown: Crofton, Maryland Major: Physics and Exercise Science
Madison Ryan, ’21
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Guest Relations Coordinator Hometown: Aurora, North Carolina Major: Event Management with a minor in Marketing
Max Gregory, ’20
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Tax Associate Hometown: Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Major: Accounting
Charlie Taylor, ’21 JPMorgan Chase
Client Associate Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina Major: Business Administration
Briana Smalley, ’20
Graduate School: Villanova University School of Law Hometown: Royal Palm Beach, Florida Major: Criminal Justice
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HPU’s Internship Guarantee Students are guaranteed to secure an internship after completing HPU’s 23-step professional development program, covering these five major categories:
1 Career Exploration 2 Professional Branding 3 Networking 4 Research 5 Interview Process and Protocol
Learn more about HPU’s Internship Guarantee at www.highpoint.edu/careerinternships
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“They were some of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters,” she says. “They helped me polish my resume, cover letter and LinkedIn account and were there for me throughout my internship and job interview process. They made sure I approached all of my interviews with confidence.” “HPU is a different caliber school,” says Jones. “Other schools give you the knowledge, and you take a test on it. But High Point focuses on real-life applications. That’s why we’re going to college — to get those real-life skills — and I feel HPU has done a great job with that.” It’s just the beginning for Keys and Jones. Amirah Darnaby believes that, too.
She also worked with Peer Career Advisors, upperclassmen who work one-on-one with students inside the career office, to polish her resume and brand herself to employers by articulating what sets her apart. As a result, the Class of 2022 human relations major from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, has several impressive internships under her belt. Darnaby’s first internship came after her freshman year at HPU. It was a role with Booz Allen Hamilton, a consulting firm where Darnaby spent the summer providing research assistance and support to further business development for the firm’s clients. One of those clients was NASA.
Out-of-this-World Experience Darnaby’s courses at HPU are practical. One course tasked her to interview five different professionals about their roles and maintain contact throughout the semester — a lesson in building her network. She also utilized the Office of Career and Professional Development. Professional career advisors walked Darnaby through step one of HPU’s Internship Guarantee, a self-evaluation called “PathwayU” that helps students identify and understand their unique interests, values, personality traits and workplace preferences. It gave Darnaby the insight she needed.
Darnaby used what she’d learned at HPU to initiate and maintain a relationship with a contact in NASA’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. “The power of networking has been huge for me,” she says. In her junior year, NASA posted an internship that fit Darnaby perfectly. She applied and quickly circled back to her NASA contact, who promised to put in a good word. Darnaby had already applied for two other internships with reputable companies, but she wanted NASA the most. In a single day, she received three phone calls. The first two calls were companies requesting an interview.
The third was NASA. But they didn’t want her for an interview. They were calling to offer her the position. Darnaby spent her summer with NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity. She successfully planned a disability conference and created virtual trainings on disability etiquette and best practices in disability employment. Now a senior, Darnaby reflects on her HPU journey. She came to campus for the life skills, and she’s seen that pay off. “My parents are very big on mentorship,” she says. “My dad is a life coach, so they put a lot of weight on the growth and development of an entire person. When we found and visited HPU, we saw that mentality reflected. It was very different from any other school I visited.” Interning with NASA is the first step to full-time employment with the agency. Interns are placed in a priority pool separate from droves of applications. Darnaby is keeping NASA at the forefront while eyeing other career opportunities. And while she hasn’t yet cemented her post-graduate position, she’s sure of one thing. “With the guidance and preparation I’ve received from HPU, my options are wide open.”
Access to All-Star Alumni
HPU frequently invites young alumni back to campus to network with students, provide career advice and even directly connect them with opportunities at their top-tier organizations. Naming only a few, these alumni include:
Tyler Heaggans, ’13
Target Corporate Headquarters
Sr. Analyst, Everyday Pricing Insights
Marco Sebastian, ’18
Bloomberg
Hedge Funds Account Manager
Nikki Sanford, ’13 BakerHostetler Patent Attorney
Tyler Yusko, ’13, ’14 Google
Senior Engineering Leadership Recruiter
Lindsay Scott, ’13
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Talent Development Manager Alumni like Scott have even worked directly with the Office of Career and Professional Development to set up on-campus recruiting events, where students looking to join Coca-Cola’s team can connect with Scott and pitch themselves. It’s one more way HPU provides opportunities for students to connect with employers on campus.
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INSIDE HPU’S $3.1 Billion
Mega There’s an animated map that almost captures High Point University’s growth since 2005.
that need graduates prepared to lead them through disruptive change.
Almost.
That includes health care fields, such as dentistry.
HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein shows it during hundreds of presentations each year. A small aerial image representing the scale of the former campus, less than 100 acres, appears on the bottom of a screen. You could cover it with your hand.
“This is another new chapter in the life of High Point University,” Qubein told a packed audience of community members during a May 2021 press conference.
“We went from this,” Qubein says, and then he pauses before he clicks. “To this.” The map unfurls, revealing today’s 500-acre campus that fills the entire floor-to-ceiling screen. You see the surge of academic, campus life and athletic facilities across campus that house new programs and opportunities. While accomplishing this level of growth in such a short time is unheard of, most have heard about HPU’s transformation. This map is one illustration of the scale of that growth, from programs, enrollment, campus and prestige, to culture. Looking at the map, you’ll know that a 97-year-old university couldn’t change that quickly without a shift in mindset, too. That’s the purpose of the map. For Dr. Qubein, it’s one way to show students just how much they, too, can achieve with a bold vision and the dedication to execute it. And it underscores HPU’s impact on higher education, the community, and industries
Another milestone was announced that day: HPU will open the only private dental school in the state of North Carolina. “But it is not the last chapter in the life of High Point University.”
Qubein Arena and Conference Center Opens Projects recently finished and newly announced are some of the largest in HPU’s history, including one named in recognition of Qubein and his family. The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center, and the adjoining Jana and Ken Kahn Hotel, opened this fall as a mammoth, multipurpose facility at Lexington Avenue and University Parkway. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything that resembles it. The space combines a 4,500-seat basketball arena where concerts and community events are also held; a 2,500-seat conference center with the latest presentation technology and the ability to be subdivided into small-group spaces; and a boutique hotel that gleams with five-star design and houses 60 guests.
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University Growth At a Glance
Inside, HPU’s athletic teams get a boost while academic programs in event management, sport management, hospitality management and other majors now have a real-world learning lab.
Undergraduate Enrollment (Traditional Students)
When ground was broken in 2018, Qubein said the facility would bring new energy and opportunity.
2005: 1,450 2021: 4,850
+234%
Graduate Enrollment
2005: 223 2021: 1,000
+348%
Full-time Faculty
2005: 108 2021: 323
+199%
Campus Size (acres)
2005: 91 2021: 500
+449%
Square Footage
2005: 650K 2021: 3.5M
+438%
Buildings on Campus (new and acquired)
2005: 28 2021: 122
+336%
Total Positions
2005: 385 2021: 1,765
+358%
Economic Impact
2005: $160.3M 2021: $765M
+377%
Operating and Capital Budget
2005: $38M 2021: $300M
+689%
United Way Giving
2005: 28K 2021: 260K
+829%
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It has. Now, students enjoy the HPU Student Suite, where they get the best view in the house during events and games. The HPU Team Store and Panther Boutique, where official Panther apparel is sold, is operated entirely by students. And Alo Restaurant, located inside the hotel, is HPU’s second fine-dining learning lab. Alo offers not only a great dining experience but also moments to practice etiquette over dinner, including job interview scenarios, just like the 1924 Prime restaurant in the R.G. Wanek Center. “This adds another dimension entirely to our academic programs, athletic programs and student life in general,” Qubein adds. “It takes us another notch above.” It’s clear that this project — a total of $170 million invested — has energy surging through it. There are more projects on the horizon, too, including a new, $80 million, 150,000-square-foot library. “The future of this university is going to be better because we’re adding facilities that are purposeful and that serve our mission to prepare students for a life filled with success and framed with significance,” says Qubein. The Board of Trustees unanimously voted in 2018 to name the arena and conference in honor of Qubein’s leadership at HPU and his family’s dedication. The board is chaired by Dr. Bob Brown, a longtime community leader and international consultant who has worked with several United States presidents. Brown has seen how HPU is positively impacting the community where he grew up and where Qubein has lived for nearly 50 years. They’ve worked on many projects together, including HPU. When you talk to HPU Board of Trustee members, you feel their appreciation for Qubein, who in 2019 committed to serving 10 more years as HPU’s president.
HPU’s signature Move-In Day, pictured above, is one example of the cultural transformation that has taken place since Dr. Nido Qubein became president. The event is now a campus-wide celebration that welcomes new students to a caring family. When new students arrive, their belongings are seamlessly transported from their cars to their residence halls by upperclassmen, staff and faculty volunteers.
“I am so grateful to President Qubein and his wife, Mariana, not only for what they are doing for this university, but what they are doing for our entire area, the state and the nation,” says Brown. “He’s lifted us all up and lifted our community up. My grandmother used to tell me, ‘Let God use you, and He will take you to the mountaintop.’ I thank Dr. Qubein for all he’s done. He is a mastermind behind much of what has been done in our city, and he’s let God use him.”
North Carolina’s First Private Dental School Leaders like Dr. Scott De Rossi are drawn to the innovative culture of HPU. In May, Qubein announced HPU is launching the state’s first private dental school, and De Rossi is leading it. As a previous dean and professor for the School of Dentistry operated by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his experience is right for the role.
HPU’S LARGEST TOTAL ENROLLMENT HPU continues to welcome record numbers of students each year with 5,850 total students for the 2021-2022 academic year. Even during the pandemic, a time when national college enrollment dropped by double digits, HPU’s enrollment grew by 5.4% from the previous year.
Since 2005, HPU’s traditional undergraduate and graduate enrollment has increased by a phenomenal 250%.
But it’s more than that. De Rossi’s values also align with HPU.
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The entrance of HPU’s future library is depicted in this artistic rendering. The 150,000-square-foot space is expected to be completed by 2024.
ra
“HPU’s innovative culture and the thriving community of health care programs are the talk of higher education,” De Rossi said during the press conference. “This is truly the ‘high point’ of my career.”
A total of $150 million will be invested in the program, including a new facility on HPU’s Innovation Corridor alongside the impressive Congdon Hall, where the Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy are thriving. The dental school will be the 10th academic school on HPU’s campus, the seventh established since Qubein became president. It will also contribute to the growing number of HPU graduate programs focused on health care.
will enroll its first class in fall 2023. At full capacity, the highly competitive and prestigious program will bring 180 new students to campus.
WEST ELEVATION
New dental schools are rare. Most have been around for decades and are built on the way dentistry used to be. De Rossi is wide-eyed about the opportunity to build HPU’s School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health on “what dentistry looks like in the future.” That includes advanced simulations, digital X-rays, 3D printing and the capability to create same-day imprints.
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1" = 30'-0"
The proposed Doctor of Dental Medicine degree program, pending SACSCOC and Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) approval,
De Rossi is a regular presence on campus now, building the future of dentistry. “Being a founding dean is a unique privilege, and helping to start and grow a school of dental medicine is a once-in-alifetime opportunity,” says De Rossi. “The distinction of doing it at a place like HPU under the leadership of President Qubein and his team is a dream come true.”
“Mariana and I are blessed that as immigrants, we could come to this nation, begin with meager belongings, start some businesses and along the way, have blessings to share with our alma mater.” - HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein on the opening of the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center
Dr. Scott De Rossi, pictured at the podium, came from UNC Chapel Hill’s dental school to lead HPU’s proposed D.D.S. degree.
HPU’s Dental School Distinction These quick facts provide a glimpse of the tremendous announcement HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein made in May 2021 when he announced the future School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health. • HPU will offer the only dental school at a private university in the state of North Carolina. • It will be the 10th academic school on HPU’s campus and the seventh established since Dr. Qubein became HPU president. • The proposed Doctor of Dental Medicine degree program, pending SACSCOC and Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) approval, will enroll its first class in fall 2023.
• At full capacity, the highly competitive and prestigious program will bring 180 new students to campus. • Dr. Scott De Rossi serves as the founding dean of the School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health. Prior to joining HPU, De Rossi served as professor and dean at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry. • HPU will build a new facility on International Avenue to house the School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health. • The total investment in the program is $150 million.
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Enthusiastic Support for
Qubein Center
The Qubein family and many others from around the world invested in this multipurpose space. Qubein Arena and Conference Center
and the adjoining Jana and Ken Kahn Hotel. Within
High Point University President Nido Qubein and
this group, 115 of those gifts have been made at
First Lady Mariana Qubein are known for their
the leadership level of $10,000 or more and will be
transformational leadership on HPU’s campus,
recognized in the main lobby on the university’s
including their philanthropic spirit. Their support
Arena Donor Wall.
includes a $10 million gift to HPU that was recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac as the third highest donor university president in the country from 2006-2016.
“At High Point University, we are forever grateful for the continued support of our parents, alumni and friends,” says Dr. Qubein. “The willingness of so many to make significant investments in
In addition, more than 230 families have
our university, including during the uncertain
generously stepped forward to support the Nido
moments of the global pandemic, is a testament
and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center
to the bright future we have ahead of us.”
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The following families have made gifts of $100,000 or more between June 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021, in capital funding to support the construction of the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center:
Stephanie and Barry Zekelman of Ontario, Canada, parents of Samantha, ’19: The university will dedicate the main concourse in the arena in their honor.
Donna, ’76, and Tubby, ’73, Smith of High Point: The university will dedicate the arena’s basketball court in their honor.
Amy, ’84, and David, ’81, Smith of High Point, and parents of Ansley, ’13, and Chas, ’15: The university will dedicate the Hospitality Suite in their honor.
Cher Cook-Boyle and her son, Matt Boyle, ’19 of Bel Air, Maryland: The university will dedicate the President’s Suite in their honor.
basketball head coach’s office in their honor.
Samet Corporation and The Christman Company of Greensboro, North Additionally,
Carolina, have supported the project.
Kahn Hotel Receives Major Contributions Ken Kahn, a High Point University trustee, and his wife, Jana, from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, have given a major contribution to support the hotel that will provide a teaching facility with 30 residential rooms and a fine-dining restaurant. As of May 31, 2021, the following donors have also made gifts of $100,000 or more for the hotel:
Dina and Tom Archipley of Okemos, Michigan, parents of Zachary, ’25
The Drobny Family Foundation of Edina, Minnesota
Amanda and Joe, ’83, Budd
Tara and Steven Grekin
of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and parents of Alex, ’18, ’19: The university will dedicate one of two student suites in their honor.
of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, parents of Andrew, ’24
Sally and Ken Hughes of Jamestown, North Carolina: The university will dedicate the men’s basketball locker room and lounge in their honor.
Donna and David H. Griffin of Jamestown, North Carolina: A sculpture depicting HPU’s God, family and country values will be dedicated in their honor.
Julie and Scott Elliott of Clemmons, North Carolina, and parents of Jack, ’20: The university will dedicate the Team Store in their honor.
The Drobny Family Foundation of Edina, Minnesota: The university will dedicate one of two student suites in their honor.
Catherine and Philip Beck, Jr.
Valerie Jenson of New Canaan, Connecticut, mother of Oz, ’23
Julie and Sanjay Meshri of Tulsa, Oklahoma, parents of Daya, ’24
Julie and Joe Murphy of Las Vegas, Nevada, parents of Nick, ’23, Joe and Chris
Dr. John and Heidi Passarelli of Syosset, New York, parents of Taylor Smith, ’21
Monique and Richard Smith of Moseley, Virginia, parents of Savannah, ’24
Shane and Holly Smith of Peachtree City, Georgia, parents of Noah, ’24, and Sam
The Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation
of Greensboro, North Carolina, and parents of Max, ’22, and Jagger, ’22: The university will dedicate the sky bridge in their honor.
of Johns Island, South Carolina, parents of Cameron, ’22, and Jacob, ’24
Kellie and George Holbrook
of Charlotte, North Carolina, parents of Connor Mosack, ’21
of High Point: The university will dedicate the men’s
Jerri and Mark, ‘83, Webb
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 21
EXPLORE HPU’S
Innovation 22 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
Corridor
These photos provide a glimpse of HPU’s incredible $350 million investment, but nothing compares to experiencing it in person. E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 23
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Have you ever stood in awe of a place that inspires you? High Point University’s Innovation Corridor does that. Awash with color and modern sleekness, this stretch of campus connects the university’s facilities, departments and students focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, better known as STEM. It begins at Couch Hall, home to the Webb School of Engineering, and concludes at Congdon Hall, which houses the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and Congdon School of Health Sciences. Along the way, research and invention abound as faculty and students uncover a world of possibility.
Other impressive labs include an insectary, zebrafish lab, biochemistry and molecular biology lab, physics undergraduate research lab and more. There’s meaning behind the blues, greens and oranges you’ll find throughout the building. Blue represents the atmosphere; green represents the earth’s surface; and orange represents the earth’s core.
FIND WONDER INSIDE THE WANEK SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES The Wanek School of Natural Sciences, (pictured left) anchors the Innovation Corridor. This $65 million, 128,000-square-foot facility is filled with state-of-the-art labs for biology, chemistry, physics, neuroscience and biochemistry majors. The Culp Planetarium (pictured right) is housed here, welcoming students and community members to a 50-foot dome and 6,000 feet of STEM programming.
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 25
BIOMECHANICS AND BEYOND
HPU’s Human Physiology and Biomechanics Lab is the only one of its kind on the East Coast. 26 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
What do the NFL, PGA, NASCAR and UFC have in common? Professional athletes from each league have utilized HPU’s Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab for athletic training, injury prevention, rehabilitation and research projects led by faculty and students.
The biomechanics lab consists of 16,000 square feet of research, teaching and clinical space. It includes 50 motion-capture cameras, three force plates, an anti-gravity treadmill, a golf simulator, turf field, a wooden court surface and an environmental chamber that allows researchers to reproduce extreme conditions.
It is housed in the $120 million Congdon Hall, home of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and Congdon School of Health Sciences. The building features 220,000-square-feet of research, lab, learning and interactive space.
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 27
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Students Discover
the Power of Plant Life
Beauty and science come together in the newest addition to HPU’s Innovation Corridor, the Caine Conservatory. Imagine walking into a rainforest just up the street from where you live or feeling the heat of an arid desert on your face in the middle of December. These scenarios are possible for High Point University students. The Caine Conservatory, one of the newest facilities along HPU’s Innovation Corridor, offers students a special space to conduct research, enjoy a meal at the Butterfly Café and be inspired by beautiful plant life. “The conservatory provides the campus family a year-round space to interact with nature, whether walking through a tropical rainforest or exploring plants from the dry desert,” says Jason Lattier, director of the Caine Conservatory. “It’s an oasis on campus that also serves as a space for hands-on education.”
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 29
The 15,000-square-foot Caine Conservatory is named after Don and Teresa Caine, who generously gave a major gift in support of the new facility. Don graduated from HPU in 1965. A year later, he and Teresa began Greensboro-based Camco Manufacturing with one product. Today, Camco has more than 1,500 employees, 5,600 products and multiple manufacturing facilities in the United States and around the world. Camco has also been named to the North Carolina Top 100 by Business North Carolina. Don passed away in 2020, leaving an incredible legacy. In addition to the Caines’ generous gift, they previously established an endowed scholarship to support students who demonstrate academic merit and financial need. Teresa also serves on HPU’s Board of Trustees.
The Caine Conservatory contributes to the extraordinary education and inspiring environment HPU provides to students. The space provides a living laboratory for classes in the sciences to teach topics related to biogeography, comparative anatomy, horticulture and more. Classes from the arts also use the space for sketching and even dance performances. “Conservatories by nature are inspiring environments,” explains Lattier. “The ability to be transported to a rainforest or high desert in the middle of a North Carolina winter helps inspire students to think more globally about our place in nature and our need to be good stewards of the natural world.” For Class of 2022 student Trinity Erjo, from Bristow, Virginia, the conservatory represents a bright future.
Orchids And Opportunity Erjo is completing undergraduate research as a lab assistant for the Department of Biology and has seen the positivity the conservatory brings to students through its ability to provide educational experiences and tranquility. She’s had the opportunity to maintain a collection of Cranefly Orchids for monitoring and experimentation within the orchid bay of the conservatory.
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“The conservatory allows me to conduct research in a professional environment that simulates how high-level research is done. I get amazing and accurate future research experience.” - Trinity Erjo, Neuroscience Major in the Class of 2022 from Bristow, Virginia
“The conservatory has had an amazingly positive impact on me,” says Erjo. “As a student, it is simply a beautiful place to engage with a variety of plants. As a research student, it is the perfect place to keep plants that we’re studying. It helps reduce variables and makes the results of our experiments replicable and reputable.” This research is beneficial to Erjo’s future in the sciences and will help her stand out from her peers. “While I may be a neuroscience major, research is still an important aspect of my life,” she says. “The conservatory allows me to conduct research in a professional environment that simulates how
high-level research is done. I get amazing and accurate future research experience.” The innovation found in the Caine Conservatory also reflects the university’s commitment to perseverance, adaptability and a growth mindset.
Caine Conservatory Facts: • 15,000-square-foot space • 8,000-square-foot glass roof • Several hundred species of tropical and desert region plants from throughout the world
“It’s an oasis on campus that also serves as a space for hands-on education.” - Jason Lattier, Director of the Caine Conservatory
“Gardens and conservatories are always a work in progress and require constant maintenance,” says Lattier. “They only survive with an active core of skilled staff, volunteers and student interns. Though it has faced its own challenges, the students’ passion for the conservatory has kept us moving forward.”
• 10+ species of palms • A living, 20-foot green wall containing 1,800 plants that regulates temperature in the conservatory by acting as a layer of insulation • Cacti from private collections that are 40+ years old • Plants native to the neotropics (Florida to South America and the West Indies), Africa and surrounding islands such as Madagascar, Southeast Asia and Northern Australia • Amorphophallus titanum — an aroid producing the world’s largest flower that grows more than 10 feet tall
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 31
Preparing Health Care Professionals
for the World as It’s Going to be Students and graduates serve in critical health care roles throughout the pandemic. 32 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
Innovation is in High Point University’s DNA.
Pharmacists on the Frontlines
The Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, housed in Congdon Hall, form the cornerstone for medical innovation on HPU’s campus.
In the midst of the pandemic, HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, the Piedmont Triad’s only pharmacy school, achieved two milestones.
If you ask the leaders of these schools about their mission, they’ll tell you it’s to prepare health care leaders for the world as it is going to be. And if you ask them what that means, they’ll tell you to look no further than the global pandemic. In 2020, when both academic schools graduated their first classes of physical therapy and pharmacy students, the need for adaptable health care providers was more apparent than ever. When the pandemic began, HPU’s own health care heroes persevered to help their community. Professors, students and soon-to-be graduates found ways to complete their education while they served others on the frontlines.
DID YOU KNOW?
First, the school graduated its inaugural class in May 2020. Second, the school was awarded full accreditation status by the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The pandemic made the year look different with the inaugural graduation ceremony becoming virtual. Even during a pandemic, however, graduates who have taken the pharmacy licensing exam have achieved a pass rate that surpasses the national average. Now, they’re practicing in community retail, hospital and long-term care settings. They’ve also been accepted to clinical pharmacy residencies or other graduate programs. Take the Houpt twins, for example — two brothers, two 2020 graduates and two success stories. Both were members of the inaugural pharmacy class.
Now, Chris Houpt is a first-year pharmacy resident at Novant Health-Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Alex Houpt is a pharmacist at Walgreens. “HPU has done a fantastic job preparing their students for life after graduation,” says Chris Houpt. “The numerous opportunities for standardized client encounters, starting in my first year, strengthened my patient communication skills and my comfort with providing direct patient care as a member of Novant Health’s team.” Like other pharmacy students, the Houpt brothers used their pharmacy skills to care for others through vaccination clinics, including COVID-19 vaccinations. “During my time at HPU, I worked with Dr. Jordan Smith, who set up local influenza vaccination clinics,” says Alex Houpt. “This helped prepare me for my current role as an immunizing pharmacist administering the COVID-19 vaccine in long-term care facilities by providing me with hands-on experience.”
The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy is fully accredited by the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 33
Smith, assistant professor of pharmacy clinical studies and co-curricular coordinator, has coached current students working on the frontlines during the pandemic, from administering tests to vaccines. “We’ve got students at local hospitals drawing up and diluting the vaccines because this is a process,” says Smith. “They’re handing them off to nurses to be given. We’ve got students who are in their retail settings who are giving the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Pioneering the Physical Therapy Doctoral Program The Department of Physical Therapy also graduated its first class of doctoral students in 2020 — another milestone for HPU’s health care education programs. Jesse Perry, from Syracuse, New York, joined HPU’s first PT cohort in 2017 to get handson experience in facilities like the Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab alongside accomplished professors. Three years later, members of the class are now the pioneers of the program. Perry was participating in his final clinical rotation in spring 2020. While the rotation only ended a week shy of its scheduled completion due to the pandemic, PT professors lined up standardized patients so students could finish their requirements.
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The Class of 2020 went on to receive an ultimate pass rate of 100% on the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), four points above the national average. The class also received a first-time pass rate of 93%, two points above the national average. “This illustrates the diligence of our graduates and the tremendous effort of our faculty and staff to mentor our students and design and implement a curriculum that educates students for the licensure exam and beyond,” says Dr. Jeff Taylor, chair and associate professor of HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy. At least 61% of the class is licensed to practice in the state of North Carolina, and Perry is a part of that statistic. He serves as a full-time physical therapist at O’Halloran Rehabilitation in Greensboro, North Carolina. He evaluates and treats individuals with musculoskeletal injuries. “My primary patient population is high school and recreational athletes,” says Perry. “Every day, I am performing movement analyses to determine how I can devise a plan that will make my clients more efficient movers and ultimately better performers in whatever task they are required to complete.” He and Kassidy Treadway are just a few examples of how the Class of 2020 had to adapt, pivot and pass the NPTE exam during challenging times. Treadway graduated
with Perry and is currently a lead physical therapist at Calso Physical Therapy, also located in Greensboro, North Carolina. “HPU more than prepared me for my current role,” says Treadway, originally from Anderson, South Carolina. “HPU taught me how to use the most evidence-based approach in treating multiple illnesses, diseases and injuries across a wide spectrum in order to provide the best care. I also learned to value the patient above all else; therefore, I feel that I have learned to use patient-centered care rather than just trying to do a job.”
Physician Assistants Put Patients First Today, Sarah Winter is a physician assistant with Novant Health Urology in WinstonSalem, North Carolina, where she assesses, diagnoses and treats patients for urological issues in clinic and hospital settings. In the spring of 2020, she was earning her master’s degree from HPU’s Physician Assistant Studies Program while completing a pediatrics clinical rotation. Then the pandemic began, halting many clinical rotation opportunities across the country. In two weeks, the department’s clinical team developed a COVID-19 research elective and a telehealth elective to keep students on track to meet their educational requirements.
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 35
100% PASS RATES Recent graduates in High Point University’s Departments of Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies and Athletic Training received 100% pass rates on the national exams. The Department of Physical Therapy’s inaugural Class of 2020 received an ultimate pass rate of 100% on the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), four points above the national average. Class of 2020 graduates in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies received a top score on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). The Program First-Time Taker Pass Rate for the Class of 2020 was 100%, which is five points higher than the national average for First-Time Takers, on the PANCE for 2020. The Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) Class of 2021 scored a perfect pass rate on the National Board of Certification (BOC) examination. HPU’s 100% firsttime pass rate far exceeded the three-year aggregate national average of 72.33%.
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“HPU worked tirelessly to create a new remote curriculum that supplemented our learning opportunities until students could return to rotations,” says Winter. “The clinical team at HPU was determined that we would still receive a remarkable education, even during a pandemic.” Their commitment to educating PA students paid off. The PA program’s Class of 2020 received a top score on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). The Program First-Time Taker Pass Rate for the Class of 2020 was 100%, which is five points higher than the national average. The Class of 2020 was the fourth class to graduate from HPU’s PA program. Now, PA students like
Winter are helping others in full-time roles across the nation. In fact, approximately half of the Class of 2020 is practicing in North Carolina, while the other half is practicing outside of the state. “Our team of faculty, staff and students have exhibited a strong commitment to work together during this difficult and persistent time to achieve some truly remarkable outcomes,” says Dr. Kevin Ford, dean of HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences. “We are not only preparing our students for the future of health care, but our teachers, scholars, clinicians and leaders are helping to determine what our future will be.”
While state mandates regarding the pandemic were in place during the spring of 2021, HPU re-imagined major events so students could experience these milestones in person. Pictured below is the graduation ceremony for Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Pictured top right is the Pinning Ceremony for Doctor of Pharmacy students.
Serving at the Super Bowl HPU graduate Nick Saul provided athletic training services at Super Bowl LV for the champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Saul, a certified athletic trainer, received his master’s degree in athletic training from HPU in 2019. “HPU provided me with hands-on opportunities in clinical settings that aligned with my future goals and aspirations, which helped me obtain this opportunity with the NFL,” says Saul. “HPU has a tailored approach to placing students in clinical rotations that help them reach their goals. That’s one of the reasons I went to HPU and why I felt so prepared when I graduated.”
EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION 37
Meet the Founding Chair for HPU’s
DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
Dr. Racquel Ingram joins the university’s established health care education programs. High Point University has welcomed Dr. Racquel Ingram as founding chair and assistant professor for the Department of Nursing. Ingram is leading the charge as HPU intends to welcome its inaugural nursing class in fall 2022. These students will benefit from Ingram’s 24 years of nursing expertise, which includes serving as a member of the North Carolina Board of Nursing, specifically as a BSN/Higher Degree Nurse Educator. HPU’s future nursing students will learn alongside students in other successful health care education programs, including doctoral degree programs in physical therapy and pharmacy, and master degree programs in physician assistant studies and athletic training. A School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health is also on the horizon. Below, learn more about Ingram and her passion for educating future nurses. Q: What attracted you to become founding chair for the Department of Nursing at HPU? A: I am excited about joining such an extraordinary institution and honored to have the opportunity to develop a BSN pre-licensure program that will enlighten, challenge and prepare future nursing graduates as stellar leaders and managers of care. I admire the commitment that HPU has to its mission in assuring that all students have an extraordinary experience and are especially prepared for real-world outcomes upon graduation. Much thought and care go into all aspects of the university in terms of promoting student success, and I love this philosophy!
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Q: What are your priorities as you build this new program? A: I am working closely with Dr. Daniel Erb, provost, Dr. Angela Bauer, vice president of academic affairs, and Dr. Kevin Ford, dean for HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences, to lay the groundwork for the nursing curriculum. I aim to develop a nursing program where students are excited about mastering the rigorous requisites, leading to their reputation of exceeding the didactic and clinical requirements of entry-level nursing practice. This will result in a plethora of employment opportunities for our graduates to lead and manage care in diverse environments.
culturally appropriate and evidence-based approach toward illness prevention, health promotion and community engagement partnerships. Q: What motivates you most about educating the world’s future nurses? A: The global pandemic, along with the continual nursing shortage, are certainly at the forefront of my thoughts as I work toward developing HPU’s nursing program. Having this in mind, along with understanding the need for nurses who are well prepared to deliver quality care and to navigate extraordinary circumstances, has certainly generated creative and productive initiatives.
Q: How will you help students develop life skills that they will use to achieve lives of success and significance after they graduate from HPU? A: In order to best educate future professional nurse leaders and managers of care, our nursing program is being designed so that graduates are prepared to meet the complex health care needs of diverse communities with a focus on health disparities, illness prevention, health promotion and community engagement partnerships. Graduates will also be academically prepared as competitive applicants for future graduate-level programs as they continue with their personal and professional trajectories. Q: What are some distinctive elements you’re building in the nursing program? A: One of the standout elements for our program is that graduates will not only be fully equipped for clinical practice and leadership, but they will also have the essentials to lead and manage within various health care industries. That’s because we are developing a program that will be recognized locally, nationally and internationally as a producer of extraordinary nurse leaders and managers with exceptional abilities to address disparate, complex health care needs for diverse communities across the lifespan. HPU nursing graduates will be fully prepared to lead and manage using an inclusive,
E XEXTRAORDINARY T RAORDINARY EDUCAT EDUCATION ION 39
HPU’s
Student-Centered Science Community Flourishing programs in the Wanek School of Natural Sciences produce standout graduates. 40 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
The Wanek School of Natural Sciences is filled with lab spaces that buzz – sometimes literally – with research projects and hands-on learning. Inside the insectary, students examine the genes that insects use to sense their surroundings. What they find contributes to insect control methods. Images of stars, space and asteroids light up the full-dome screen of the Culp Planetarium. This one-of-a-kind facility is led by an astrophysicist with a NASAfunded research project. Other students use a biochemistry lab to examine deworming drugs that could fight cancer. And the list of projects that give high-level experience to undergraduate students goes on. You’ll find it all inside a bright, inviting four-story facility. Many of these spaces are visible through glass walls where you can see the professors, the students and the tools they’re using to ask big questions. Together, they form a collaborative community working toward answers — even throughout the global pandemic. Just ask Dr. Brett Woods, dean of the school.
Where Research Takes You Grayson Norris, Class of 2020, chose to study at HPU because he wanted a supportive science community that would help him achieve his big-picture goal — medical school. Today, he’s a student in the M.D. program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. “High Point University has a way of connecting you with people,” says Norris, an Oklahoma native who majored in biochemistry. “I made a lasting connection with every professor. There were times when I sat in each of their offices simply talking about modern science and my future direction.” HPU’s science programs have transformed along with the entire university over the last 15 years, from opening multimillion dollar facilities with the best equipment, to attracting accomplished professors.
One of those professors is Dr. Jackson Sparks, assistant professor of biology who leads the insectary. Before coming to HPU, Sparks previously conducted research at labs in Japan and Germany. Now, he works alongside HPU students who have big dreams like Norris. “Most students I work with have ambitions to go to medical, veterinarian or graduate school,” says Sparks. “These programs are so competitive that high GPA and test scores are no longer enough. They need experiential learning projects that show they’re mature enough to handle responsibility and complex problem-solving.” That’s where labs like the insectary and professors like Sparks come in. They offer students the chance to not only learn laboratory protocol and research methods, but also the chance to contribute, be coached, grow and lead.
Haley Kissell, a Class of 2021 neuroscience major, conducted high-level research guided by mentors like Dr. Jackson Sparks, assistant professor of biology.
“Our students and faculty remained resilient, continuing work in a way that was strong and healthy,” says Woods, a biologist. “Their relationship grew, lab work continued, and now we’re moving forward faster and stronger than ever before. You can feel that in this building we call home.”
E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 41
Then their resumes and graduate school applications begin to shine. That’s why Haley Kissell contacted Sparks even before she stepped on campus as a freshman. Kissell was interested in the Natural Sciences Fellows program that Sparks helps supervise. Weeks before she came to campus, Kissell emailed Sparks frequently about the program and the possibilities. Sparks could sense Kissell’s laser focus on academics. He saw she never received a B in high school, so he didn’t hesitate in selecting her to join his lab. He’s watched her run meetings, and he saw how students liked and respected her. Kissell earned her neuroscience degree in May 2021 and is continuing her education in HPU’s Communication and Business Leadership master’s degree program. “I liked the idea of going to a smaller school, and I felt like
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my professors would know me better at HPU,” says Kissell. “I wanted somewhere I would be able to make a difference and stand out and be surrounded by good people.”
Holistically Supporting Science Students The sciences at HPU are flourishing in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, neuroscience and physics. Faculty members already are getting more grants and doing more research involving students every step of the way. But HPU’s caring culture remains the backbone of the entire campus, including its science programs. Rather than a large university where professors are busy competing for funding, HPU professors are positioned to support their students as
individuals while providing stellar opportunities. A good example is what Woods and Dr. Kristen Ackerman did with their HPU Think BIG Grant. Three years ago, they created what they called a Science Advantage Camp — a boot camp to help increase retention of students majoring in science, particularly students of color. The first year, the retention rate was 93%; the second year, 100%. One of the first freshmen involved was Laylah Welch. That six-week boot camp introduced her to college and helped her get connected with faculty members, which later led to researching groundhogs in eastern North Carolina with Woods and presenting a paper on her findings at a conference at Duke University. Moreover, though, the boot camp introduced her to people who were just like her.
“It allowed me to see I was valid in who I was,” says Welch, a senior biology major from Charlotte, North Carolina. “In the space of our STEM camp, I met male and female students of color who showed me that I can be proud in my ethnicity, my culture and not hide that for the sake of being a professional.” Woods and Ackerman found what keeps students engaged are what Welch discovered — the opportunities in research. They also found what motivates
students majoring in science are the professors. “The faculty here go above and beyond with their students more than any other place I’ve taught,” says Woods. “It’s the culture here. There is a real expectation to do our best for the students. I also think it’s the leadership here, too. They’re not hiding in offices. Dr. Qubein and our academic vice presidents are just as involved as everyone else is. “There is a real feeling that we’re all in this together.”
Laylah Welch, a senior biology major, benefited from the six-week Science Advantage Camp led by Drs. Kristen Ackerman and Brett Woods.
From
PLANETARIUM OPERATOR to FUTURE PHARMACIST Ivana Korankyi came to High Point University after watching her older sister thrive here.
professor of chemistry, and Comfort Boateng, assistant professor of basic pharmaceutical sciences.
A Presidential Scholar and a member of the Honors Scholar Program, Korankyi enrolled as a pre-pharmacy major. She’s now in her second of four years of graduate study in HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy.
She’s an entrepreneur who received feedback on her business idea from Marc Randolph, the first CEO of Netflix who serves as HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.
The Wanek School of Natural Sciences is where students like Korankyi build their foundation in the sciences. Students begin here when their goals include medical, dental, veterinarian, or pharmacy schools, Ph.D. programs and more.
And she became a trained operator at HPU’s Culp Planetarium, located inside the natural sciences school. She’s used the planetarium’s software to create programs for local schoolchildren during HPUniverse Day to get them interested in science.
At HPU, she’s gained a list of experiences impossible to build at any other university. The Wanek School of Natural Sciences is a pivotal part of that.
She’s a Student Justice on the Student Conduct Hearings Board, and she has volunteered at the Community Clinic of High Point, helping patients navigate the confusing language of health care.
She’s conducted research with Drs. Andrew Wommack, associate
She has stepped onstage at HPU’s Pauline Theater and talked to families and
prospective students about the honors program during HPU’s Open House. She calls the event “open heart” because she speaks from the heart and tells them her time at HPU has been “drastically transformational.” Afterward, parents ask her more questions. One time, after her Open House presentation, a dad of a prospective student saw her studying in the Slane Student Center, and he stopped by her table. “I can tell it’s real here,” he told her. “You spoke from the heart.” Korankyi beamed. “I hope your daughter comes here to experience what I have,” she responded.
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10
Life Skills Advantages HPU Students Gain
High Point University students are offered many different opportunities to grow professionally and academically beginning their freshman year. Here are 10 Life Skills Advantages HPU students have that students at other universities don’t.
1. Student Success Coaches Every freshman is supported by a caring, full-time coach. They help students build a personalized path for their educational journey!
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2. Lessons from a Life Skills Leader All freshmen benefit from the President’s Seminar on Life Skills, led by HPU President Nido Qubein.
3. Unprecedented Connection to Innovators Only at HPU can students learn from a “Justice League” of global entrepreneurs, leaders and change agents who visit campus to work with students throughout the year. This includes Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence, and Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, pictured below.
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4. Life Skills Learning Labs While some colleges provide an etiquette class during a student’s senior year, HPU provides students with four years of career preparation inside 1924 PRIME and Alo, HPU’s fine-dining learning labs. Here, students build confidence in professional settings beyond the office and experience international cuisine and culture.
5. Accelerated Access to Research At HPU, students are introduced to undergraduate research opportunities beginning their freshman year.
6. Internship Guarantee This program, overseen by HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development, removes the guesswork out of how to land a resume-boosting internship and guides students toward success.
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7. Guaranteed Tuition-Free ‘Go Global’ Experience Through this tuition-free opportunity available to incoming freshmen, students are empowered to see the world while developing the life skills they’ll need to make an impact in their future careers.
8. Four-Year Graduation Guarantee
10. Instant ROI on an HPU Degree
There’s no reason for HPU students to stress over graduating on time! HPU faculty and staff help students create a clear path to complete their educational goals.
97% of HPU graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of earning their HPU degree. HPU outperforms the national outcomes rate by 11%.
9. Tuition-Free Master’s Degree Students won’t find this opportunity anywhere else! When students complete their undergraduate degree at HPU, they’re eligible for the Tuition-Free Master’s Degree in Communication and Business Leadership — designed to be relevant to all majors.
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The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication
Where Ambition Becomes Reality Led by an all-star team of faculty mentors, students conquer their communication dreams. 48 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
ABC News’ “Nightline” anchor and HPU’s Journalist in Residence Byron Pitts, pictured center, works regularly with students inside HPU’s state-of-art TV studio.
It was noon on a Wednesday when he got the call. “This is Joe,” he answered. It was a senior recruiter with ABC. She had good news. A smile broke across Joe Maronski’s face as she spoke. He’d been chosen for an internship with “Nightline,” ABC News’ evening show. He was excited but not surprised. Maronski, a Class of 2023 journalism major, had put in the work to get there. And he had special mentors
inside the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication that guided him along the way.
Mentorship Matters Just two years prior to that phone call, Maronski was a high school senior set on attending college in Boston. The city offered plenty of impressive universities, and it was close to his home state of New York. His dad was visiting North Carolina and insisted the two visit HPU while there. Maronski reluctantly registered for an HPU Open House.
Maronski is ambitious. He plans to one day become the White House press secretary. He knows that the journey to the White House podium is typically paved by working as a member of the news media, and he needed a university that would set him on the right track. At the HPU Open House, Byron Pitts, ABC News’ “Nightline” Co-Anchor and HPU’s Journalist in Residence, took part in a Q&A session with HPU President Nido Qubein. Maronski sat in the audience enthralled by the broadcaster.
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Maronski, HPU Class of 2023, met Pitts, co-anchor of ABC’s “Nightline” and HPU’s Journalist in Residence, during an Open House at HPU. Their relationship has since led Maronski to an internship with ABC. They are pictured here inside the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication’s TV studio. Pitts talked about his life as a journalist and his time mentoring students inside HPU’s School of Communication. Maronski entertained the thought of attending college outside Boston for the very first time.
thanked him for an amazing day on campus.
The Open House concluded, and the Maronskis made their way to the airport. Sitting at the same gate for the same flight back to New York was Pitts.
Before he was even enrolled, Maronski was already seeing the benefits of attending HPU and learning under seasoned experts inside the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication.
Maronski approached Pitts, introduced himself and
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Then, without being asked, Pitts gave Maronski his cell phone number and told him to reach out any time.
He filled out his HPU application on the flight home. When Maronski was accepted and Pitts found out, he was one of the first to congratulate the soon-to-be college freshman. It was the start of Maronski’s accelerated professional journey.
Calm, Cool and Connected It was shortly after Maronski arrived to campus as a freshman that Pitts returned to work with
Pitt’s co-anchor, Juju Chang, plus executive producers, editors, behind-the-scenes staff and more. The studio is 13 floors. Pitts took Maronski through each one of them.
When he got the news, his first call was to his parents. After that came Bobby Hayes, Maronski’s adviser in the School of Communication who always serves as a sounding board for Maronski’s ideas.
Maronski has learned a lot through watching Pitts, and he’ll often send Pitts a piece he’s working on for feedback before submitting it to his professors. Pitts is happy to help.
Next was Michaels and School of Communication Dean Dr. Virginia McDermott.
When it came time for Maronski to line up his summer internship, it was natural that he asked Pitts for advice. Pitts guided Maronski through ABC’s internship application process. He was called soon after for an interview with two “Nightline” producers. Maronski’s network of mentorship and support at HPU is vast. As it turned out, those producers shared a connection with another HPU School of Communication faculty member — Joe Michaels, HPU’s Broadcaster in Residence.
students inside HPU’s stateof-the-art TV studio. Pitts gave guidance, took questions and met with students individually. Maronski was one of them, and Pitts very much remembered his friend and mentee. Seeing an opportunity, Maronski asked Pitts for the chance to shadow him in ABC’s New York City office. Pitts promised to make it happen, and he did. In New York City, Maronski met
The Story Within the Story Michaels directed NBC’s “TODAY” show for more than 20 years before arriving at HPU. He oversees students in journalism and video production and has worked closely with Maronski. Ahead of Maronski’s interview, Michaels reached out and put in a good word. Soon after, Maronski got the call from ABC offering him the 10-week internship with the “Nightline” team.
“If students come to us with an idea, no matter how big it may seem, we’re going to do everything in our power to help them get there,” says McDermott. Maronski has since returned to campus for his junior year. His biggest takeaway from the internship? He was more prepared than he realized for those late nights at ABC. He has the School of Communication to thank for that. Maronski has learned that good journalists don’t just tell a story. They find and tell the story within the story. Maronski believes that he is the story within the story of HPU’s School of Communication — a reflection of what HPU can do for anyone with a dream. “I used the connections I’ve formed inside the School of Communication to propel past the awkward, get-to-know you part of my internship interview,” says Maronski. “ABC got to know more about me faster. My hard work got me the internship, but HPU opened the door.” Maronski may be the story within the story, but his tale is one of many. Just ask Amy Stamm.
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Amy Stamm, a 2014 graduate, found her confidence inside the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication. She now works as the head of social and editorial content for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Dreams Take Flight Stamm arrived to HPU’s campus from Maryland as what she now calls “awkward little Amy.” After four years in the School of Communication, she graduated in 2014 with confidence and a job. She interned at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum as a student and was offered a full-time position after graduation. HPU’s School of Communication transformed her. Guided by caring faculty members, she was equipped with not only the skills she still uses today, but the experience needed to launch her career. As a strategic communication major, Stamm took classes where she created real campaigns for organizations in the local community. “My classes focused heavily on the idea of preparing me for the real world,” says Stamm. “When I was applying for jobs and internships, I
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could show employers a real plan and campaign I made for a real client. I could go into those interviews with confidence.” Stamm landed an internship with the National Air and Space Museum ahead of her senior year at HPU. She made a lasting impression that was proven when she received a full-time position after graduation. In the years since, her role has grown. Stamm is now the head of social and editorial content for the museum. The School of Communication didn’t just prepare Stamm for the first job. It prepared her to excel in an entire industry. How does the school do it? Through constantly evolving curriculum and experiential learning opportunities that exceed the needs of a changing professional landscape.
“At HPU, you become comfortable in an environment that mimics what you’ll face in the industry. The School of Communication taught me what the world is like and that I shouldn’t be intimidated by it.” - Amy Stamm, ’14, Head of Social and Editorial Content for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Majors in hospitality management; social media and digital communication; media production and entrepreneurship; and more have recently been added or fine-tuned to meet industry expectations. Take hospitality management as an example. Students majoring in this field earn more than 800 hours of hands-on experience, much of it spent right on campus in the new Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center, and the adjoining Jana and Ken Kahn Hotel. The complex provides students the opportunity to host executive groups, visitors and more, much like they’ll do in their future careers. Social media majors work with real businesses to run campaigns. Journalism students produce live broadcasts from the TV studio. Game design majors craft video games using the latest technology. It’s why students like Stamm and Maronski step into the world with internships, jobs and the ability to tackle the career of their dreams. “I work with the museum director and deputy director, and I’ve never felt unsettled by that,” says Stamm. “At HPU, you become comfortable in an environment that mimics what you’ll face in the industry. The School of Communication taught me what the world is like and that I shouldn’t be intimidated by it.”
ALUMNI POWER GLOBAL BRANDS Alumni from the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication lead impressive careers with powerhouse organizations across the world. Here’s a glimpse at a few successful young alumni:
Courtney Leopold, ’18 Booker
FOX News Media’s “America Reports”
Mikaela Campbell, ’18 Global Partnerships Coordinator
The National Basketball Association
Mitch Rissmiller, ’19 Associate Producer
CBS “The Drew Barrymore Show”
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THE PHILLIPS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS:
Forge
The Academic
of Talent
Faith Griffin and Erin Morrow had practiced for weeks.
Now, it boiled down to five crucial minutes on a Wednesday night in April. They came to Callicutt Auditorium to participate in the finals of High Point University’s Business Plan Competition. The room was filled with professionally dressed students pacing back and forth, practicing their pitches, trying to relax. They came because they wanted start-up funds to support their business ideas. For Griffin and Morrow, this was another moment of truth to test their ideas, though not the first opportunity they had at HPU.
Vietnamese student in math in her hometown of Windham, New Hampshire, and was brought to life through the help of her friend, Jacob Parker. She wants to utilize the small drones Parker builds to help students understand the concepts of science, technology, engineering and math.
her enterprise Finger Flyer Educational STEM Kits.
Griffin’s idea came to her in the shower. She wants to manufacture and market a step stool to help women shave their legs while showering.
Griffin used her $1,000 to obtain a provisional patent and create a prototype of the Shaving Step. Morrow used her $2,500 to buy more components, obtain a patent and build more Finger Flyer kits.
Griffin calls her idea the Shaving Step, and Morrow has dubbed
Both entrepreneurs had already pitched their ideas months earlier in HPU’s Elevator Pitch Competition. They did well. Morrow finished first and won $2,500; Griffin placed third and won $1,000.
Each year, students compete for start-up funds during HPU’s Annual Elevator Pitch Competition and Business Plan Competition.
Thousands of dollars in startup funds were available. Would they win?
Worth the Wait Morrow’s idea dawned on her while she was tutoring a
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But the Business Plan Competition in April was an even bigger deal. It gave Griffin and Morrow more time onstage and a larger investment. The money would help Griffin find a manufacturer and Morrow make more kits for schools nationwide. After six other student presentations, their time came. Griffin went first; Morrow followed. They stood in front of a big screen showing their business plan slides and pitched their ideas to a panel of judges a few feet away. Then, they waited. More than 30 minutes later, they heard the news. Morrow finished first, and Griffin finished second. Morrow won $10,000; Griffin won $8,000. Since the win, Morrow has approached more than 200 school districts about buying
Finger Flyer STEM Kits. Morrow says she and Parker are close to finalizing a deal with one school system in North Carolina.
Center in Cottrell Hall and
The secret to her success: HPU.
“Your pitch is in your brain,” she
“High Point University believed in me,” she says.
told herself. “Just breathe. You’ll
Mentors Abound
pitching to Marc Randolph, the co-founder of Netflix and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.
do fine.” She did. “Just being able to pitch to
Griffin came to HPU as a shy freshman from Concord, North Carolina. During her first semester, she pitched The Shaving Step in her first Elevator Pitch Competition. Kathryn Elliott, director of HPU’s Belk Entrepreneurship Center, convinced her to participate and worked with her.
someone of his caliber and
Griffin didn’t place. Still, Elliott’s encouragement spurred her on. For months, Griffin honed her presentation before walking into the Belk Entrepreneurship
business majors have to speak
expertise helped me become more confident,” she says. And the competitions? “They are part of the reason I chose HPU,” she says. “I knew the university had so many great resources for entrepreneurs, but I didn’t realize how much in public. The confidence I’ve gained at HPU through these competitions will be huge after graduation.”
Pictured from left to right are Faith Griffin, Erin Morrow and Kyle Wiseman, winners in HPU’s Annual Elevator Pitch Competition.
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Mack Bonvallet honed his entrepreneurial spirit at HPU. He’s pictured in the Phillips School of Business along with the notebook where he first sketched his product, Ohana Lock.
HPU: A Dream Incubator Mack Bonvallet is ready. So is AJ Frezza. They’re both Presidential Scholars. They graduated in May as star students in the Earl N. Phillips School of Business, and they’ve started their first jobs. Bonvallet earned a degree in entrepreneurship with a minor in sales. He’s now a sales representative and business liaison for Pierre Inc., a familyrun international tapestry
company where he hopes to become a partner. Frezza earned his degree in accounting. He now works in his hometown of Orlando, Florida, as an accountant for Ernst & Young, one of the largest professional services networks in the world. Bonvallet came to HPU from Chattanooga, Tennessee, as a fourth-generation entrepreneur. He keeps his ideas in a laboratory notebook, full of sketches and symbols. Bonvallet takes that notebook everywhere.
At HPU, he honed his entrepreneurial talent with an internship at a local startup incubator. He also served as co-president of the university’s Entrepreneurship Club and secured a cash award of $4,000 from the Business Plan Competition as a sophomore. That award helped Bonvallet obtain a patent and create a limited liability company for Ohana Lock, his innovative locking device he first sketched out in his notebook.
“I knew the university had so many great resources for entrepreneurs, but I didn’t realize how much business majors have to speak in public. The confidence I’ve gained at HPU through these competitions will be huge after graduation.” - Faith Griffin, Class of 2023 Entrepreneurship Major, on participating in HPU’s Elevator Pitch and Business Plan Competitions E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION 57
“I wanted to remind them why we’re here,” he says. Bridget Holcombe knows. She’s an assistant business communications professor, and she and fellow professor Dr. Jim Wehrley team-teach a course known as Business Career Boot Camp. By the end of the course, students tell her that what they learned helped them realize who Junior Lauren McAtee pitched her prototype for a pet product during HPU’s Annual Elevator Pitch Competition.
they want to be. Kiki Joseph, a senior from Hollywood, Florida, majoring in international business, is one of those students. Joseph had been told her whole
He got the idea when he was a raft guide on the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. The Ohana Lock is plastic, the size of a small hamburger, and secures paddles to kayaks or stand-up paddle boards while in use or while in transit. Bonvallet believes his job with Pierre Inc. can help him gain the expertise to market Ohana Lock. HPU, he says, gave him the courage to go forward. “I’m able to take those risks because I believe what I can do and what I can bring with what I’ve learned,” he says. “That makes me ready.”
‘I Know Myself’ Dr. Daniel Hall, chair of HPU’s Department of Economics, became the interim dean for
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the Phillips School of Business this year. Hall has taught at HPU for 11 years, and he wants to create programs that focus on health care management and business analytics. He’s working to launch an online MBA program next fall. He will incorporate more data visualization and analytic tools in the business school curricula and create partnerships with companies to help expand the wealth of experiential learning opportunities HPU offers its students. In his first meeting with faculty, though, he zeroed in on something more personal. He approached students about giving video testimonials that shared what their professors did for them.
life she wasn’t a leader. But when she took Holcombe’s course her sophomore year, Holcombe convinced her otherwise. Holcombe used an online character trait survey, writing assignments and constant conversations to change Joseph’s longtime outlook on herself. “I found I could lead,” Joseph says. “When I realized that, I started crying.” Since then, Joseph has gotten more involved on campus and more involved in the family business of importing rice to her home country of Haiti, all because of Holcombe and her class. “I know myself,” she says, “and I know I can do it.”
THE DRIVE OF
Jenna Fortier Jenna Fortier has a motto:
“NEVER LET FEAR BE THE ONLY REASON YOU DON’T DO SOMETHING.” So, when she finished reading entrepreneur Jordan Raynor’s book, “Called to Create,” she sent him a long email. She wanted him to know his book helped show her how her Christian beliefs are applicable to business. “It changed my life,” Fortier says. That’s not all. That one email scored her an appearance on Raynor’s podcast, “The Call to Mastery.” Raynor later hired Fortier as a marketing intern. That was two summers ago. Last spring, Raynor offered Fortier a job. He wanted Fortier to help him market his growing literary and social media enterprise. Fortier’s surprises were far from over. In May came the call from Noha Abdalla, the former vice president of Hilton’s Global Media.
Abdalla met Fortier several years ago during her internship with Hilton. Fortier asked Hilton executives like Abdalla for lunch or coffee to learn how they got to where they are. That impressed Abdalla. Fast forward to last spring. Abdalla was named chief marketing officer for MyEyeDr., a growing optometry company, and she was recruiting members for her new team. She and Fortier had kept in touch. She saw Fortier as a perfect fit, and she offered Fortier a job. Fortier immediately called Raynor. His advice? Seriously consider it. It was a great offer. Fortier accepted. In spring 2020, Fortier graduated from HPU with a marketing degree and a minor in sales. In spring 2021, she received a master’s degree in communication and business leadership. She’s now back in her hometown of Ashburn, Virginia, as a brand strategist for a major company. It’s a job she always wanted. She made it happen.
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Study engineering at High Point University, and you’ll work hard—maybe harder than you ever have in your life—and you’ll love it. “This is not an easy program,” admits Dr. Michael Oudshoorn, founding dean. “Invest four years of your life, study hard, and you’ll get a good degree and a career that can last you a lifetime.” What does it take to succeed in the Webb School of Engineering? “You need to be curious. You need to be a problem solver. You need to be good at math and science. You need to like to design and build things and work with your hands. You need to think outside the box,” Oudshoorn says.
What Engineers Really Do
HPU’s
Engineer Pioneers The new Webb School of Engineering welcomes students to reimagined facilities, experienced professors and advanced opportunities. 60 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
HPU is the sort of place Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and product architect, had in mind when he said, “I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” The engineering school offers degrees in electrical engineering, computer science, data science, cybersecurity and computer engineering. But what exactly do people with those degrees do? Engineers help people solve problems. They can range from building electrical and computer systems on spaceships to designing medical sensors and software that save lives.
There’s another surprise. Being a good engineer means more than solving math and science problems. Being successful in engineering takes people skills. “You have to be a good communicator to be a good engineer. At HPU, you’ll learn how to speak and write well and understand the ethical implications of your work,” says Oudshoorn. How do you know which engineering discipline is right for you? Consider your smartphone, suggests Oudshoorn. “If you wonder how apps work, you’re probably right for computer science,” he says. “If you’re curious how chips and circuits function, electrical engineering might be for you, and if you wonder what happens when you push a button (the interface between the app and the hardware), computer engineering could be your thing.”
High Caliber Facilities and Professors The engineering school is housed in a completely reimagined building. It occupies a central position in HPU’s Innovation Corridor. That’s where $350 million has been invested in faculty, facilities and technology to boost the university’s STEM programs. Apple Co-Founder and electrical engineer Steve Wozniak plays a key role on the engineering school’s advisory board. He’s also HPU’s Innovator in Residence. This year, he’s mentoring engineering students working on a brain-computer interface. They’re building a toy car that is remote-controlled by a driver whose headset reads their thoughts. Wozniak’s involvement is the real deal. He comes to campus. He meets engineering students and other groups. He answers their
questions. When he’s not at HPU, he trades emails with students to offer them his ideas, feedback and encouragement. Bottom line: He stays in touch. “I am always reachable. You have full access to me,” he told students in a recent session. “If anything comes up, we could do a Facetime — or whatever — because it’s for you.” Students in the HPU cybersecurity program rank among America’s best in national cybersecurity contests. No wonder — they train in a world-class lab. It’s called CELF, the Cybersecurity Engineering Learning Facility, a space that’s open to all students. This advanced networking facility cost half a million dollars, a rare find in undergraduate programs. In fact, most schools don’t even have an undergrad cyber program. “It’s incredible,” says Ethan Cox, a computer science major whose concentration is in cybersecurity.
Apple Co-Founder and HPU’s Innovator in Residence Steve Wozniak mentors engineering students who are building a toy car that is remote-controlled by a driver whose headset reads their thoughts. He’s pictured on the screen during a virtual catch-up call with those students.
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“Other schools rent their servers, which creates restrictions on what you can do. Here, we get our own virtual machines where we can experiment and apply what we learn in a real-world context. It’s very unique.”
Nationally Ranked Programs The man who runs CELF is Dr. Jason Pittman, an associate professor of computer science. “I don’t know of any other university that has anything like this. This is, in all sincerity, world class,” he says. He thinks of the lab as a sandbox where students can play, feel free to fail and learn by doing. “Think about little kids. Put them in a sand box, and they come up with all kinds of cool, crazy stuff. The power of that is as they create, they learn,” he says. “It’s a very strong feedback loop for students.” Pittman also runs the awardwinning student cybersecurity club. When telling students what to expect in an upcoming regional competition, he sounds like Tom Cruise briefing his team about their next Mission Impossible. “You’re on your own. It’s going to be rigged 100% against you,”
“To the engineer falls the job of clothing the bare bones of science with life, comfort and hope.” - Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States, Engineer and Businessman Pittman warns. “You’ll be dealing with very sophisticated, coordinated attack teams. Imagine you’re the gazelle, and you don’t see the lion coming, and you wake up, and the lion is on top of you. Now there’s an exhilaration to that, right? It’s fun!” His message gets more hard core when he connects the cyber contest to the world after graduation. “One day in the near future,” he says, “you’re going to apply for an internship or your first entry-level job. You’d better start preparing now. If you want to win, you have to make the necessary sacrifices. You’ve got to take this seriously and approach this as though it’s your sole purpose in life.”
Developing Engineering Leaders Employers want to hire engineers who have real-world skills. “You can learn theory at any school,” says Oudshoorn. “But
here at HPU, we have a handson focus. The strong work ethic you’ll learn here is what employers want, and it will really pay off when you’re looking for employment.” That personal touch is constant at the engineering school. Students get quick, easy access to professors. “We have a very caring faculty,” says Oudshoorn. “If you’re struggling, you’ll get extra support, access and personal relationships with professors you need to succeed.” “Class sizes are super small. At other universities that’s not the case,” says sophomore Nichole Detushev, an electrical engineering major from Rocky Hill, Connecticut. “What separates HPU from other schools is that here you’re not just a number,” adds Emily Lattanzio, a junior in computer engineering who likes to code
THE WEBB SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING OFFERS THE FOLLOWING MAJORS:
Department of Computer Science B.S. and B.A. degree in computer science B.S. degree in cybsersecurity B.S. degree in data science
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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering B.S. degree in computer engineering B.S. degree in electrical engineering
Department of Mathematical Sciences B.S. degree in actuarial science B.S. degree in data analytics and statistics B.S. and B.A. degree in mathematics B.S. degree mathematical economics
and build circuits. “My professors know me. They know my name.” In her Digital Logic class, Lattanzio wrote software she used to program a chip and then built a circuit. “That was really exciting,” she says. Detushev loves that the program is hands on. “We designed and made 3D models through a CAD (Computer Assisted Design) program where we learned to create virtual models. It was pretty cool,” she says. “You do real-life measurements and then you create an exact replica on the computer and 3D print it.”
This action happens in the MakerSpace, a state-of-the-art workshop outfitted with a rich collection of the latest high-tech gear — computer-controlled routers, a laser cutter, saws, 3D printers, and a computercontrolled sewing machine to build electronics into garments. MakerSpace is where students studying different disciplines learn to work with each other. For Wozniak’s thought-control project, neuroscience students interpret brain functions, engineering students build the car, computer science students
handle telecommunications to the device, and all three groups must work in harmony. Studying engineering is hard, Detushev admits. “It’s a challenge, but that’s what I really like about the program,” she says. The long hours and hard work go smoothly, thanks to what she says is “a very tight-knit student community. Engineering students know they can always rely on each other, and we can go to our peers for help.”
Apple Co-Founder Recommends HPU Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer. Now he helps HPU engineering students build the foundations of their lives and careers. As HPU’s Innovator in Residence, he’s part of more than a dozen legendary figures from business, sports, media, arts and other fields who share their time, advice and support with students. “I honestly didn’t know what to expect,” says engineering major Nichole Detushev about interacting with Wozniak for the first time. “It was really cool to see how someone in such a high position thinks and that he took the time to talk to college students.” Wozniak, who is an electrical engineer, is mentoring engineering students who are designing a headset-controlled, brain-computer interface that will
let the thoughts of student users drive a toy car. “This is the sort of cool thing I would have done when I was young before I got to Apple,” he told students. He said the project intrigued him so much he bought his own headset. During their recent session with Wozniak, students fired off questions like: “How much processing power will we need?” “How do we filter out subconscious thoughts?” “What advice do you have based on your own thought-control experiences?” and “What safety issues do you foresee?” Wozniak gave answers and inspiring advice — “Hard work is more fun than anything. When work is fun, you enjoy doing it.”
He also shared: “Don’t expect to go fast — that’s my experience with these brain-thinking things;” and “Keep the project joyful.” Detushev came away with a new perspective on creating. “He emphasized that he loves to go into detail on every project, take baby steps, not rush and figure out basic concepts. We’re always told we should start with the basic concepts, and for him to emphasize that was a cool experience,” she says.
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Collaborative Arts
Enrich
Campus & Community
The David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design infuses HPU with creativity and opportunity. Throughout campus, the David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design creates an artistic haven. From a theater production taking place in the Hayworth Fine Arts Center, to interior design majors sketching corporate office plans inside Norton Hall, students find opportunities for creative growth and professional development. The academic school is home to flourishing arts programs in the performing arts, such as dance, music and theater, as well as interior design, fashion merchandising, graphic design and studio art. Together, these programs create a stimulating environment that
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encourages the exchange of ideas and intellectual and creative development. “As a unit, we make a strong impact on the campus community, showing them the strength and necessity for art and creativity in their academic and daily lives,” says Doug Brown, associate professor and chair of
the Department of Theatre. With much of class dedicated to hands-on and experiential learning, professors cultivate an appreciation for artistic expression, an understanding of visual literacy and an awareness of design. Then, they produce work that brings these elements to life.
“I'm not only growing my skills, but I’m also teaming up with a broader range of majors to create innovative productions.” - Jackson Barnes, Senior Theater Major and Musical Theater Minor
“Our goal is to prepare globally aware students for continued growth in a diverse range of fields by instilling professional values and fostering the ability to engage in critical inquiry through a variety of creative methods,” says Dr. John Turpin, dean of the School of Arts and Design.
don’t just talk about these skill
Harmony in the Arts
King came to HPU from Suffolk,
HPU students interested in the arts, whether majoring or minoring in them or simply growing their campus involvement through theater, design and music clubs, find opportunities everywhere.
degrees in studio art and
“I enjoy having a community of diverse artists established all under one school,” says Jackson Barnes, a Class of 2022 theater major and musical theater minor from Archdale, North Carolina. “I’m not only growing my skills, but I’m also teaming up with a broader range of majors to create innovative productions.”
As an HPU student, King’s
This collaboration offers students the opportunity to work across disciplines and discover new means of artistic expression — skills essential to thriving after graduation. “Teaching life skills is what the arts are all about,” says Brown. “In the arts, you cultivate proficiency in critical thinking, time management, group collaboration and presentation skills. Most importantly, students develop a strong core of empathy, which is essential for success in any profession. We
sets in the classroom, we put them to work every day.”
Combining Majors, Designing a Career Take Cassie King, Class of 2021, as an example. Virginia, and graduated with psychology. Today, she’s earning her master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Hertfordshire in England and is conducting research on art therapy techniques. experiences spanned beyond the classroom. She took part in a fall break trip to Disneyland, where she met one of the last living Disney imagineers who worked with Walt Disney. She also presented a bill to HPU’s Student Government Association and requested funding to attend the National Art Therapy Association Conference. Then, there was her Maymester course in Italy led by Scott Raynor and Mark Brown, HPU art professors. The four-week study abroad program expanded her global perspective. “I am now a more confident and worldly person thanks to the hands-on experience I gained throughout my undergraduate career,” says King. “I had these resources at my fingertips thanks to the School of Arts and Design, and I’m forever grateful.”
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STOUT SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Equipping Educators TO LEAD
High Point University. In her “Nature of the Learner” course, she helps her undergraduates better understand the concepts she teaches by making collaborative learning fun. It’s like that sign she has in her office. It’s the last thing students see when they leave: “Do what you love.” “Life is short,” says Davis. “You want it to be more than just a job.”
Dr. Kristy Davis walks around her High Point University classroom and stops at every desk. She knows the names of her 14 college students and talks with them about the differences between discovery learning and guided discovery. She crouches at their desk, gets eye level with them and listens. As they explain to her some concept she’s teaching, she nods.
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“Tell me a little more about that one,” she says. Davis wants her students to feel the same passion she has for education, particularly with special education. She started working with students with disabilities as a sixth-grader in western North Carolina when she helped her mom, a teaching assistant. She’s now an assistant professor of specialized curriculum at
Whether they’re an undergraduate or a seasoned educator seeking a doctorate, every student who makes the Stout School of Education their academic home understands that.
Understanding the Why The School of Education has created North Carolina’s first Adapted Curriculum Learning Lab to support special education
majors. The lab was created with the help of Davis, as well as professors Dr. Heidi Summey and Teresa Owens, and Dr. Amy Holcombe, dean of school. It was dedicated by Frank and Karen Sheehy from Ridgewood, New Jersey, parents of Kristina, Class of 2021. In addition, Shelton Innovation Lab, named in honor of retired HPU education professor and graduate Nancy Shelton, opened this fall. The Stout School of Education now has three learning labs that will help prepare education majors in three areas of teaching — literacy, special education and STEM, the acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. Holcombe sees these labs as “innovative learning spaces.”
“In a lab situation, students can learn at their own pace,” she says. “And in order for students to be well-prepared once they go into the field, they will come into an authentic space and learn how to use the tools so they can better serve their students.”
HPU gets about a dozen requests a week from employers wanting to hire its teacher graduates, Holcombe says, and employee surveys show school districts are impressed. They tell her they will hire future HPU graduates from the Stout School of Education.
Room 201 is now the school’s new specialized curriculum learning lab. Special education majors will get a three-dimensional education into how to adapt a room so students with disabilities can thrive in their lives.
“That tells me they’re wellprepared,” Holcombe says. “That’s the reputation of HPU.”
“The learning lab allows students to apply their knowledge and practice the skills they learn in the classroom,” Davis says. “There, they understand the why.” The school’s approach to handson learning has helped prepare their graduates well.
Two Students, Two Stories Courtney Loux and Ben Miller came to HPU because they liked what they saw and heard when they first walked into the Stout School of Education. Miller is a senior, an Education Fellow and an elementary education major from Pittsburgh. He’s wanted to be a teacher since
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third grade. This fall, he began his student teaching. But really, it began his freshman year at HPU. He observed a history class at a high school just east of campus. He later observed an elementary school south of campus. Then there is the Education Fellows, a four-year program that provides additional opportunities for undergraduates. As a senior, he has seen firsthand the benefits. “I know everybody, and they know me,” he says. “I’m the Star Wars guy, the guy in Army ROTC, and we help each other out. If I ask, ‘Hey, can you lend me a hand?’ I have enough faith they would help me, and I know I’d do the same thing for them.” Courtney Loux is a Class of 2021 graduate. In May, she received her degree in special education.
Courtney Loux, Class of 2021
Ben Miller, Class of 2022 She is now pursuing her master’s in elementary education with a concentration in STEM. Last year, she did her student teaching in an exceptional children’s classroom at a nearby middle school. By the spring semester of her senior year, she became the head teacher and created lesson plans for 18 seventh- and eighth-graders. The Friday before she graduated, she closed on a house minutes from campus. She now works as a special education teacher for Guilford County Schools. She stayed close to HPU, the place where she honed her leadership skills, excelled as an undergraduate and knows many professors as her mentors. “If I didn’t come here, to HPU, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” says Loux, who grew up playing teacher as a first-grader in the basement of her home in Parsippany, New Jersey. “You’re in a classroom your first year at HPU, and at other schools, that’s not guaranteed. “But I knew this is what I wanted to do since first grade,” she says. “And just the support and the
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confidence they give you at the School of Education — and having someone there pushing you and being there for you if you had a question — that gave me what I needed.”
Finding Confidence, Finding a Career In Room 507 at Simkins Elementary in nearby Greensboro, Jasmine Cooper had a big poster in her fifth-grade classroom last spring. It pinpointed one of the many teaching strategies she learned in her fifth-year master’s program at HPU. “Oh, this is hard!” her students would tell her. Cooper would then motion to her classroom wall. “This is what I want to hear,” she’d say, pointing to her growth mindset poster. The poster was full of phrases in blue, purple and yellow letters: “I’ll try,” “My brain is smart!” and “I can always improve.” She saw that happen with many of her students. That includes a little girl.
“When I talk to my friends about HPU, I always bring up the Stout School of Education. I tell them how supportive our professors are and how they’re always willing to help you. That’s what motivated me. They gave me the confidence to teach.” – Jasmine Cooper, ’20 and ’21 Fifth Grade Teacher at Simkins Elementary in Greensboro, North Carolina
The Qubein Children’s Museum:
HPU’s New Classroom Dr. Amy Holcombe became dean of the Stout School of Education this year, and already she’s seen many opportunities for education majors to contribute to programming inside the city’s new Nido and Mariana
She had trouble reading. Cooper urged her to keep going and not worry about making a mistake. By the end of the year, the little girl would raise her hand and read on her own.
Qubein Children’s Museum. Named for HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein and HPU First Lady Mariana Qubein, the facility features two stories and 75,000-square-feet of activities, making it one of the largest children’s museums in the state.
“You’ve grown so much!” Cooper told her.
And it’s located just two blocks from campus.
The little girl clapped twice, her eyes crinkling as
The museum’s development team interviewed
she smiled beneath her COVID mask.
children, teachers and other stakeholders in the area
Cooper has wanted to be a teacher since she was a teenage counselor at summer camp. She graduated from HPU in 2020 with a degree in elementary education. In May, she earned her master’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in literacy. The fifth-year program is what attracted her to HPU from her home in Columbia, Maryland. This fall, with her master’s degree in hand, she’s teaching full time at Simkins Elementary. “When I talk to my friends, I always bring up the School of Education,” says Cooper, the youngest daughter of a longtime third-grade teacher. “I tell
to create a museum that features classrooms, exhibits, hands-on activities and dinosaurs at the entrance that look bigger than a bus. Education majors contribute by creating programs that spark curiosity and lead to learning that “feeds your mind and feeds your soul,” Holcombe says. Holcombe is a former associate clinical professor of education with 28 years of experience. She’s creating partnerships with companies and school districts and launching initiatives that will increase revenue and help educators become better leaders in their field. “Museums,” she says, “are classrooms without walls or desks.”
them how supportive our professors are and how they’re always willing to help you. “That’s what motivated me. They gave me the confidence to teach.”
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Dr. MJ Hall, a 1969 graduate of HPU, stands inside the Stout School of Education’s Shelton Innovation Lab.
Nancy Shelton, HPU Class of 1956
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Innovation Lab Dedicated to
Retired Professor
A classroom inside the Stout School of Education was recently dedicated in honor of Nancy Shelton, Professor Emeritus and member of High Point University’s class of 1956. The Shelton Innovation Lab is located on the first floor inside HPU’s Stout School of Education. In 2021, HPU staff and friends of Shelton gathered for a private dedication ceremony as Shelton and others participated virtually. “We were extremely excited to surprise Mrs. Shelton with this well-deserved honor because we have always known how important HPU and her students are to her,” said Dr. MJ Hall, a former student of Shelton’s and a member of HPU’s Class of 1969 who served as the spokesperson for the students. “Mrs. Shelton was an inspiration to all of her students. She provided a mastery model for learning and she supported us in our professional extracurricular activities. However, her most important contribution was demonstrating through the years how much she cared about each and every one of us. We have all been blessed to have her in our lives!”
math) lessons and activities to take place. Her surprise and happiness were evident throughout the ceremony. “This is a dream come true,” Shelton said. “High Point University has been such a big part of my life. It holds a special place in my heart as do all of my students. I just cannot thank you enough for this gift.” Shelton attended High Point College and received her Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1956. She then received her master’s degree in language arts from UNC Chapel Hill. Additionally, she took postgraduate classes at the George Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. After teaching in public schools for a number of years, Shelton returned to High Point College in
1966 to teach in the Department of Education. During her 22year career, she was selected as an Alumni Chair of Learning, and in 1976, she received the John C. and Kathleen Y. Foy Distinguished TeachingService Award, an award similar to the Meredith Clark Slane Distinguished Teaching-Service Award presented each year at commencement. She also served as an adjunct instructor at both UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University. She received Professor Emeritus status at HPU in 2003. Shelton is the recipient of the R.J. Reynolds Scholarship for postgraduate study and received the Outstanding Alumna Award from the Forsyth County Chapter of the High Point University Alumni Association. She retired from HPU in 1988 and continued her involvement with the Board of Visitors for several years, serving as vice chair from 1999-2004.
The Shelton Innovation Lab features multiple stations that allow for different STEM (science, technology, engineering and Right: Nancy Shelton is surprised by her former students with a virtual dedication ceremony for the Shelton Innovation Lab.
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School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences: Where Experiential Learning Opens Opportunity 72 E X T RAORDINARY EDUCAT ION
Inside the HPU’s School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences, journeys await. Sometimes the journey leads to serving as a Fulbright Scholar in Ukraine. That’s where Class of 2020 graduate Avery Moon is.
The office assists students and alumni like Moon in finding and applying for external, highly competitive fellowships, scholarships, summer programs and awards. Professors challenge students
Other times, the journey connects students like Kassie Cook with hundreds of residents across the state of North Carolina, equipping her and her peers with interpersonal and data collection skills.
to synthesize their education in
Journeys take students to places like Chile to study the country’s cultural transformation over the last 40 years or Israel to study the biblical Holy Land.
Applying for and earning
With majors that range from history, political science and mathematics to English, psychology, and criminal justice, the School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences equips students with the life skills to lead and land impactful opportunities around the world.
In her application, Moon
Just ask Moon and Cook.
will teach university-level
Fulbrights, Fellowships and More Countless hours, hard work and perseverance are a few of the characteristics that prepared Moon, a Connecticut native, to achieve one of her long-time dreams. Moon is a Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship program winner teaching English in the Ukraine. HPU’s Office of Fellowships and Awards played a role, too.
“I feel truly honored to be selected as a Fulbright recipient,” says Moon, a double major in international relations and sociology and anthropology. “I knew I was interested in being a Fulbright Scholar since high school, and I have worked hard for this moment for many years.”
seeking out these opportunities, all of which have intensive application processes. Fulbright scholarships are extremely competitive, international opportunities. this award requires months of preparation and several rounds of interviews in order to be eligible.
noted that the life skills and leadership skills of diplomacy, adaptability, public speaking and relationship building had prepared her to create impact in another part of the world. As a Fulbright Scholar, Moon English as an English teaching assistant in Ukraine and volunteer with EducationUSA through June 2022 — all during the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program. International Fulbright opportunities were delayed in 2020 due to the global pandemic, making 2021 the most competitive year in the history of the program. When Moon received notice of her award in spring 2021, it underscored her talent and abilities.
Life Skills Through HPU’s Polling Center Inside HPU’s Survey Research Center (SRC), students wearing headsets talk to residents across the state of North Carolina, while professors supervise and offer assistance. Research, data collection and collaboration are taking place in this unique learning environment on HPU’s campus. It’s a cross between a job and a class, and it teaches students a lot. The SRC is led by Dr. Martin Kifer, chair of the Department of Political Science. During the past 11 years, the SRC team has administered 80 surveys, asking thousands of questions to North Carolina residents about topics ranging from their spending habits to who they plan to vote for. Nearly 2,000 students have conducted more than 24,000 live telephone interviews to capture a glimpse of how people think and feel about timely topics. The center has three focus areas: educating and employing students; providing North Carolina public data as a public service; and supporting HPU faculty with research by providing data and focus groups. The SRC
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trains and employs between 150-200 students each semester to accomplish these goals. “Students are provided opportunities to learn valuable life skills in a research-based environment,” says Brian McDonald, assistant director of the SRC. Need to make a cold call? The SRC trains students to do that. Need to analyze raw data and draw conclusions? Students learn to do that in the SRC, too. And, by connecting with diverse people across North Carolina, students learn from a variety of perspectives. Cook, a senior business administration and human relations major, has worked at the SRC since 2018 and helps distribute the data collected by pulling the figures into spreadsheets. She enjoys hearing the variety of responses and perspectives she receives when conducting polls.
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“In 2018, one of the questions was regarding a hurricane that had hit the coast,” says Cook from Versailles, Kentucky. “Well, when we talked to someone in Western North Carolina versus Eastern North Carolina, the responses were completely different. Perspective and location really matter.” One of the major objectives of the Survey Research Center is helping to prepare students for their long-term life and career goals. Life skills learned include communication skills (verbal and written), telephone skills (listening, patience and being polite), leadership,
responsibility, accountability and professionalism. That experience has already helped Cook as a human resources intern at Furnitureland South, the nation’s largest retail furniture store, where she is learning how to communicate and work with a diverse team. “People often add commentary to their responses rather than just saying yes or no, which breaks up the routine of dialing numbers,” says Cook. “I’ve learned that they appreciate feeling like they’ve been heard and that someone will listen to their input.”
“Students are provided opportunities to learn valuable life skills in a research-based environment.” – Brian McDonald, Assistant Director of HPU’s Survey Research Center
Awards and Fellowships Follow Hard Work HPU’s Office of Fellowships and Awards helps students identify national and international fellowship, scholarship and other opportunities that amplify their professional goals. Each opportunity is competitive, requires academically gifted and experienced students, and also includes an intense application process. Here’s a glimpse of a few students who’ve recently landed fellowships and awards with assistance from the Office of Fellowships and Awards.
Fulbright Provides Ukraine Experience Avery Moon, Class of 2020, is a Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship program winner. Because most Fulbright opportunities were delayed due to the global pandemic, 2021 became the most competitive year for the international program, and Moon was selected. Moon double majored in international relations and sociology and anthropology. She received several fellowship opportunities during her time at HPU, including the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. After being selected for the Fulbright EducationUSA opportunity, Moon is now an English teaching assistant at the university level in Ukraine and a volunteer with EducationUSA through June 2022.
International Research
Interning in Germany
Jordan Morrison, a biology and secondary education major with a minor in environmental studies, spent the summer in Germany conducting research on how climate change is impacting plants and forests. She received the DAAD RISE Scholarship. The acronym represents The German Academic Exchange Service, or DAAD in German: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, and RISE stands for Research Internships in Science and Engineering. Morrison worked with the Simon Plant Ecophysiology Group at the University of Konstanz in southern Germany to study how climate change and drought has impacted overall nutrition and defense mechanisms in beech forests across the country. During her stay, Morrison went on numerous field trips and collected samples of tree roots to perform biochemical analysis. She also learned about the German culture as one of the program’s goals is to build international connections in the science community.
Senior Peyton Carrington won a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Young Professionals Fellowship, which is allowing her to pursue a year-long internship in Germany through May 2022 in her professional fields of hospitality and entrepreneurship. This program provides 75 American and 75 German young professionals the opportunity to spend one year in each other’s countries to study, intern and live with hosts on a cultural immersion program. Carrington, from Wake Forest, North Carolina, is majoring in event planning and is a member of the Honor Scholars Program.
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CELEBRATING
DIVERSITYand INCLUSION Dr. Doug Hall is part of an ecosystem of caring people committed to supporting HPU students.
Dr. Doug Hall, assistant vice president for Diversity and Inclusion, has been with HPU for nearly eight years, working in a variety of capacities. As a leader who works to support all members of the HPU
community and foster partnerships across campus organizations, his longevity at HPU serves him well. Hall enjoys helping students develop personally and professionally, ensuring they put their best selves forward to be successful citizens in a global marketplace. This Q&A provides some insight into his work on campus. Q: How do you help students develop life skills that they will use to achieve lives of success and significance after they graduate from HPU? A: Being successful is in the eye of the beholder. My contribution in this process is helping students be true to who they are, confident in their skills and open to understanding that their next steps after HPU are continued opportunities for growth. There’s always more to learn, and the student’s time at HPU is preparation for the next step in their development. Q: What do you love most about working at HPU? A: I love the students and the people I work with all across campus! HPU is a campus that can never be duplicated. Q: How do you contribute to HPU’s mission to ensure every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people? A: With any student who I engage with in thoughtful and thorough discussion, I try to challenge their perspective. That can range from their plan and purpose for being at HPU and engagement with others through tough conversations, to generating solutions of how to bridge relationships with others of varying opinions and life perspectives. Q: What’s one thing you want students and parents to know? A: When at HPU, come with an expectation of doing well for others as well as for yourself.
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Q: What’s one way you generate creativity or productivity? A: I thrive off conversation with my peers and students, including conversations about ideas on how we can work together. I believe everyone who wants to be here wants to do well, be appreciated and help others. Thoughtful suggestions support what we do at HPU, which fuels the action steps I take to help grow our university community. Q: What’s a song that motivates you? A: When I am unsettled or feel overwhelmed, I am motivated by the song “Be Still” by Travis Greene. Q: What is your favorite quote? A: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” – General Colin Powell Q: What is your favorite place on campus? A: I like to float around campus, but my default is the Slane Student Center Café. This is typically where you’ll find the most people. Q: What are you most excited about this academic year? A: My hope is that we continue to have a sense of normalcy coming out of the global pandemic. I always look forward to the arrival of new students and getting to know them. I also enjoy reconnecting with familiar faces and feeling that sense of renewed energy and connection since having to adjust the way we have interacted with each other through masks and social distancing. I missed the bonding with others and am excited to return to that.
English Literature MEETS Experiential Learning Dr. Matthew Carlson takes mentorship and learning beyond the classroom.
Dr. Matthew Carlson, associate professor of English, has worked for nine years mentoring students at HPU. He teaches a wide range of courses, has guided dozens of undergraduate research projects, and serves as the English department’s graduate school liaison. Carlson combines a liberal arts education with professional career training. His most successful students have pursued their intellectual interests with gusto and paired them with research, writing and critical-thinking skills. That has parlayed their interests into fulfilling careers. “I aim to create educational experiences that will stick with students long after the semester ends,” says Carlson. “My favorite example is the ‘Literary Scotland’ Global Experience program that I’ve led twice now. Both the
course and the trip abroad at the end of the semester have had a transformative impact on many students.” And that’s just one example. He’s also taken students to national conferences to present research papers and assisted with another Global Experience program, titled “Scandinavian Literature, Theater and Film” that travels to Denmark, Sweden and Norway. “With Dr. Carlson, I’ve had the opportunity to travel abroad twice on Maymesters, present at an academic conference in St. Louis and feel confident in my graduate school applications because of his mentorship,” says Emmi
Palenbaum, a Class of 2020 graduate pursuing a Master’s of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies at the College of Charleston. Experiences like the ones Carlson provides allow students to gain a global education while learning transferable life skills they can take with them after graduating. “He never turned down a request to help me further my academic endeavors, no matter how many letters of recommendation or edits to a paper I requested,” says Palenbaum. “I really cannot say enough about the value that Dr. Carlson has added to my education at HPU.”
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ccess A TO INNOVATORS
From the Co-Founders of Apple and Netflix, to the CEO of an NBA team and the President of Domino’s, HPU students learn from a Justice League of leaders. HPU’s Access to Innovators program changes students’ lives. It gives them access to world-class mentors like Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak (see page 63), Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, and Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall. These leaders inspire students. They give them confidence to achieve their dreams. They help them grow as people. Most of all, these role models help students achieve their full potential. “HPU is committed to being the Premier Life Skills University,” says Kathryn Elliott, director of HPU’s Belk Entrepreneurship Center. “We teach students to channel their creativity and their competitiveness into ideas that become careers.”
Students Become Business Owners Caitie Gehlhausen, ’20, connected with Entrepreneur in Residence Marc Randolph, the first CEO of Netflix,
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and launched her own business when she was a student. She now runs a company that’s all about strong connections. Her product, Socket Lock-It, is a smartphone card holder that is also a phone grip. It’s sold in 3,055 Walmarts and online. She pitched the idea to Randolph when she was a junior. He saw promise in it. They stayed in touch and traded emails as she continued developing the company. A year later, she pitched to him again and got more advice on how to start and run a business. “My goal evolved, and my questions evolved,” says Gehlhausen. “I pitched to Marc twice, and we continued our exchange. He gave me awesome advice. I couldn’t have picked a better place than HPU to pursue my goal.” “Students love to meet these leaders,” says Elliott. “For them, it’s like meeting a rock star. They feel that since this executive takes them seriously, they must have something to offer. Marc gives our students real, helpful advice, and they take that to heart.”
Caitie Gehlhausen, ‘20, worked with the co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, Marc Randolph, to launch her own business. Randolph serves as HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.
The Art of the Possible When global leaders visit, it’s not to swoop in, give a speech and leave. Their days on campus mean intense and personal one-on-one moments that create long-lasting relationships and change lives. Innovators host a spectrum of events. A recent visit by Marshall, the first Black woman to serve as CEO to an NBA team, included a speech, a Q&A session, classroom visits, lunch and a private dinner with a group of students. She then invited HPU students to spend a day in the Dallas headquarters of her NBA team.
“I thought we were just going for a basketball game,” recalls Grace George, a 2021 graduate with degrees in sport management and political science. “But we spent an entire day in meetings with her. It was beyond anything that we had anticipated.” For sport management major Cassandra Diaz, Class of 2019, working with Marshall was unforgettable. “It was exciting just to be around her because she has this warm and welcoming presence,” says Diaz, who is now the executive assistant to the WNBA commissioner.
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entrepreneurship major, won $6,000 to help him market Goliath, a luxury outdoor chair for the big-and-tall men’s market. His inspiration to create the lounger came from his 6-foot-4 heart surgeon father who couldn’t find
Cynt Marshall (left), the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence, mentors students like Cassandra Diaz (right) during visits to campus.
a comfortable outdoor seat. Randolph gave Scavo priceless advice, words to help him succeed in life and business.
“Students have told me they were brought to tears that day,” Diaz recalls. “Sometimes it gets really personal because the anecdotes innovators share hit home and hit hard for students and inspire them.” For many students, that teaches them what HPU calls “the art of the possible.” By learning from global leaders who care, students learn that they, too, can accomplish great things. These visiting executives are accessible and approachable on HPU’s campus. When Randolph visits, he wears blue jeans. “He blends in. He’s approachable. He’s not in a rush — he’s relaxed. He’s all in with the students. They appreciate that,” says Elliott, an assistant professor in the School of Business. “Sometimes when he talks to students, they surround him like they’re in his fan club.”
Opportunities for Every Student
All students have access to these mentors — not an elite few. Elliott runs the Entrepreneurship Center, where she works with
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students from disciplines that range from computer science, arts, communication, education and pharmacy.
“He talked about my market and did a great job expressing the idea that if things don’t go the way I want, I should never give
For students making business pitches to Randolph, it’s a realworld experience, not a test for a letter grade. HPU gives away as much as $30,000 a year to students who are ready to launch a business.
up,” says Scavo.
Randolph comes ahead of time to give students suggestions on how to polish their speeches, according to Elliott.
The Growth Mindset Effect
“He gives them hard facts and solid, sharp feedback. He doesn’t sugar coat anything. These students can go on and have a chance at building something big, and they have to hear the truth,” says Elliott. “He tells them things like ‘No one’s going to believe that’ or ‘That’s perfect. Make it a bigger part of your plan.’ His feedback is phenomenal. It’s exactly what they need. It makes the students feel very valued.”
students to expose themselves
These opportunities launch students into the real world. Vinny Scavo, a Class of 2021
“No matter what happens—don’t settle, and keep innovating,” Randolph told him. “That message has stuck with me,” says Scavo.
Any student can benefit from simply being around leaders like Randolph. Elliott encourages all to these innovators. “Even if you don’t have an idea for a business, you get exposed to the mindset of an entrepreneur, and you can apply that to whatever job or field you want to pursue,” she says. Most of all, visiting innovators change lives. Marshall gave George a tour of her CEO suite and transformed her future. Marshall paused when students came to a glass ball on a shelf. She explained there are two types of moments in life—rubber
HPU’s JUSTICE
LEAGUE
OF GLOBAL LEADERS
High Point University is the only university where students learn from this growing list of impactful leaders, entrepreneurs and change agents. HPU is dedicated to the life skills education of its students. That’s why 97% of HPU graduates are employed or continuing their education within six months of graduating — 11 points higher than the national average. This outcomes rate is supported by a variety of academic and experiential learning programs. In fact, one of HPU’s most expansive programs is called Access to Innovators, and it welcomes a network of global leaders to campus to mentor and inspire HPU students. “Here’s why HPU brings industry leaders like Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak to our campus,” says HPU President Nido Qubein. “When we do that, students learn the most important lesson of all: the art of the possible. No longer is he the genius behind Apple Computer, but he is a real person and a mentor to them. They learn the simple notion that they, too, can do it.” Companies invest millions of dollars each year to provide opportunities for employees to attend conferences and engage in professional development.
HPU has built this into the four-year academic journey, compressing time for graduates and helping them stand out from the competition in job and graduate school interviews. Professional development opportunities abound, making HPU a 500-acre classroom with more than 100 state-of-the-art facilities where students thrive. HPU is uniquely and intensely focused on equipping students with life skills that outlast and transcend technical abilities, as well as a growth mindset that prepares them to change and adapt. It’s all part of HPU’s promise to students: At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.
The list of industry titans attracted to HPU is always growing and featured on the next page. Learn more by scanning this code.
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HAVE YOU MET THESE GLOBAL LEADERS? High Point University students have.
INNOVATOR IN RESIDENCE
Steve Wozniak
Apple Computer Co-Founder
EXECUTIVE COACH IN RESIDENCE
SPORTS EXECUTIVE IN RESIDENCE
CORPORATE EXECUTIVE IN RESIDENCE
CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and former Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T
Domino’s COO and President
ACTOR IN RESIDENCE
JOURNALIST IN RESIDENCE
Cynt Marshall
Dean Cain
Dr. John Maxwell
Famed Actor, Producer, Television Presenter and former Football Player
CORPORATE EDUCATOR IN RESIDENCE
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Bestselling Author and Internationally Renowned Leadership Expert
Scott McKain
Bestselling Author, Business Consultant and Trainer
Ben Owen III
American Studio Potter
Russell Weiner
Byron Pitts
Co-Anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline”
GLOBAL LEADER IN RESIDENCE
William “Bill” E. Kennard
Current Chairman of AT&T’s Board of Directors, Former U.S. Ambassador and Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
SPORTS REPORTER IN RESIDENCE
SALES PROFESSIONAL IN RESIDENCE
Famed Sportswriter for The Boston Globe; known as “the Quintessential American Sportswriter”
Director of HPU’s Professional Selling Program; former National Sales Training Manager at Xerox; former Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Thomson Professional Publishing Group and Duplex Printing Corp.
Bob Ryan
Larry Quinn
ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE
TALENT ACQUISITION EXPERT IN RESIDENCE
Netflix Co-Founder
Former Vice President for Talent at Chick-fil-A
Marc Randolph
Dee Ann Turner
TRUST EXPERT IN RESIDENCE
LEADERSHIP EXPERT IN RESIDENCE
Bestselling Author and Global Authority on helping leaders and organizations become the most trusted in their industry
Leadership Speaker and Bestselling Author, President of leadership development idea lab Sanborn & Associates
David Horsager
BROADCASTER IN RESIDENCE
Joe Michaels
22-year former Director of the NBC “TODAY” show
Mark Sanborn
GLOBAL ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Karen Jacobsen
The “GPS Girl” and Australian voice of Siri
CLERGY IN RESIDENCE
Rev. Dr. J Alexander “Al” Ward Former Senior Pastor of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church
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Why
Global Leaders
Champion
High Point University Before you travel to a new destination, you probably read reviews from those who’ve been there. That’s because you want to know what experts recommend and what you’ll experience.
Apple’s Co-Founder on HPU’s Ability to Transform: “As the co-founder of Apple Computer, I travel the world and meet incredible, intelligent people. That’s why I love my role at High Point University, where I serve as Innovator in Residence. The more time I spend with HPU students and HPU President Nido R. Qubein, the more I appreciate the focus on developing life skills in their students. Transformation at HPU is second nature. That also makes the Webb School of Engineering a great addition to HPU’s excellent academic programs.” –Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence
Here are some five-star reviews for High Point University straight from global leaders.
The First CEO of Netflix on HPU’s Life Skills Education: “One of the things I love about High Point University is their focus on life skills. You need to have skills that can cover you in any circumstance, like being able to speak articulately, to make and defend an argument, to write persuasively and to be comfortable on your feet. You need those skills that are going to work for you regardless of what direction your business takes you or what direction your life takes you.” –Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence
Dallas Mavericks CEO on HPU’s Values: “My son, Kenneth, graduated from HPU in 2015, and I continue to appreciate the way HPU fostered the same values that my family holds dear. Kenny blossomed at HPU, and today, he enjoys a successful career as a media entrepreneur in Los Angeles. If you want a university that celebrates the values your family cherishes and that prepares students to create impact in this world, then you’ll appreciate High Point University.” –Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence
Former VP for Talent at Chick-fil-A on HPU’s Career Outcomes: “I admire HPU’s commitment to student success, and I’m excited to be part of a growing, innovative campus. I look forward to helping students further develop the life skills that HPU is committed to instilling. I know from experience that these are the skills employers are looking for in new team members.” –Dee Ann Turner, former Vice President for Talent at Chick-fil-A, HPU’s Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence
MENTORSHIP MATTERS:
HOW with
STUDENTS CONNECT
Global Leaders
Heroes, models and mentors abound at HPU. Here are merely a few examples of how innovators connect with HPU students in ways that are unheard of on other college campuses. 1. Progressing Your Business Plan The first CEO of Netflix has helped dozens of student entrepreneurs in HPU’s Belk Entrepreneurship Center. Students receive real feedback and action steps from in-residence faculty like Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.
2. Food and Fellowship If you watched Bob Ryan on ESPN or read his prolific sports reporting for The Boston Globe, you might find yourself in awe when you have lunch with him at The Point, HPU’s sports grill. That happens regularly when Ryan, HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence, visits campus. It’s common for other leaders to have lunch with students and provide mentorship over meals during their visits to campus, too.
3. How to Land that Job This Q&A session provides straight talk about how students can land the job of their dreams, and it’s always on the agenda for every in-residence faculty member. With corporate stars like Dee Ann Turner, former VP of Talent at Chick-fil-A and HPU’s Talent Expert in Residence, on the roster, this session gives students takeaways to immediately implement in their job search process.
4. Go-Getting Externships Picture this: You fly from High Point to Texas and meet Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall at the NBA team’s headquarters. You shadow her for the day to see how she gets the job done. Later, you head to the American Airlines Center, the home arena for the team, and attend their first game of the season. Then you spot Mark Cuban, team owner and “Shark Tank” extraordinaire, on the sidelines. It’s not a dream — it’s real life for HPU students thanks to the opportunities the Access to Innovators program provides.
5. 24/7 Access to Practitioners For more than 20 years, Joe Michaels directed the “TODAY” Show. Now, he coaches communication majors inside HPU’s state-of-art TV studio, pictured right, and serves as HPU’s Broadcaster in Residence. Larry Quinn, HPU’s Sales Professional in Residence, was a top executive in sales and marketing for major companies including EDS and Xerox. Today, he leads HPU’s Professional Selling Program and HPU’s Sales Center. Practitioners are commonly found throughout HPU’s faculty, bringing students 24/7 access to decades of real-world experience.
ball and crystal ball occasions. “Rubber balls are everyday occurrences. They happen frequently. If you miss one, you’re not missing out on life
Defining Moments with Industry Titans Students reflect on the impact of working with some of the global leaders who serve in residence at HPU. A full list can be viewed at www.highpoint.edu/innovators
itself,” George recalls Marshall saying. “But if you drop the crystal ball or don’t do something with it, that moment will never happen again.” For George, the visit became a crystal ball moment. While in Dallas, she met the Mavericks’ general counsel. That encounter cemented a major life decision. “I decided I wanted to become a lawyer because of that opportunity. Because of High Point, it was a crystal ball moment for me. I don’t think any other university could have given me that opportunity,” she says.
“[Dallas Mavericks CEO] Cynt Marshall invited me and a few other students to the Dallas Mavericks headquarters for a day. It was a whirlwind! She let us sit in on all of her meetings. It enabled me to see various aspects of the sports industry. I connected with her general counsel, and that experience convinced me that I wanted to be a lawyer. I wouldn’t have had that opportunity at any other university.”
Grace George, ’21
Sport Management and Political Science Major, Law School Candidate
“I pitched my idea to [Netflix Co-Founder] Marc Randolph. He’s a great guy who gave me great feedback. He gave me his email address, and he said, ‘Don’t give up on your idea. Things may not go the way you want, but you must never give up. Keep innovating!’ That message has stuck with me.”
Vinny Scavo, ’22
Entrepreneurship Major and Founder of Goliath, a luxury outdoor chair for the big-and-tall men’s market
“It was exhilarating to be around Cynt Marshall. She came to one of my classes, and a few other students and I had a small dinner with her. She has such a warm and welcoming presence and greeted everyone with so much joy. Cynt uses the acronym HASU—Hook A Sister Up. When she came to HPU, she said we all need to remember to ‘pay it forward’ to each other.”
Cassandra Diaz, ’19
Sport Management Major, Executive Assistant to the WNBA Commissioner and the WNBA Chief Marketing Officer
“I pitched to Marc Randolph twice, and he and I exchanged emails over the months. He gave me advice on how to get ahead of the curve on financing. HPU has incredible access to a network of people you couldn’t find at another school. The intimacy of being able to interact closely with them is awesome.” Caitie Gehlhausen, ’20 Finance and Entrepreneurship Major, Founder of Socket Lock-It
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Julia Velasquez, a junior from Northbrook, Illinois, utilizes research opportunities inside HPU’s state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Wanek School of Natural Sciences.
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Accelerated Access
TO RESEARCH HPU students are introduced to undergraduate research opportunities beginning their freshman year. Mary Green can tell you how conducting undergraduate research prepared her to be a business analyst. Heather Simmons will show you a research project she created to help teachers better support children who are learning English as their second language. And you can feel Marlo Hemerson’s excitement when she explains the high-level technology she’s using to investigate a big question: How do zebrafish regenerate their eyesight?
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High Point University students amass incredible research experiences because HPU invites them to participate in undergraduate research as early as freshman year. By the time they graduate, they’ve built a robust portfolio and developed life skills that stand out to employers and graduate schools. Dr. Joanne Altman, the director of HPU’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, has watched students flourish through projects like these. “The abilities they develop throughout the process are numerous,” Altman says. “They create a research plan, collect and analyze data, persist through challenges, present and publish findings, receive feedback and have something unique to talk about during job or graduate school interviews. These are skills they will use for the rest of their lives, and they begin developing them much earlier at HPU.”
Crafting Confidence and Clarity As a freshman, Green was nervous when she presented in front of people. She used notecards, and her hands shook. By her sophomore year, Green presented at the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS) in front of college students and professors from across the state. Notecard free, she spoke with confidence about a topic she researched for months – the environmental economics of Styrofoam versus plastic cups and containers at restaurants. “People showed up to my presentation, and that excited me,” says Green, who majored in mathematical economics. “They wanted to learn about my topic and ask questions. They were interested to see what I found.” That built confidence in Green, who’s from Charlotte, North Carolina. Before she met her
Just ask Green.
mentor, Dr. Daniel Hall, Green didn’t know she had the ability
Mary Green
to conduct business research, let alone present it and publish it.
her paper for publication in Innovation, the scholarly and creative works journal published through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works. The paper was accepted after going through a professional revision and critiquing process, which also helped Green grow. “You get so much out of the research experience at HPU,” Green says. “You gain confidence and knowledge about a unique topic. You learn the process of researching and how to write better. You work with other people, asking for help and bouncing ideas off of them.” Green graduated in May with a resume filled with experiences like her research project. Today, she’s earning her master’s degree in business analytics from the University of Georgia — a career path that her research project helped her define. “A lot of people don’t put environmentalism and economics together,” said Green. “Dr. Hall showed me how to combine both, present and publish. He encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone.”
Hall, interim dean of the Phillips School of Business, helped her define her topic and create an impactful research paper. Then, he challenged her to do more. It started with the SNCURCS presentation. Afterward, he encouraged Green to submit
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Finding the ‘Why’ There’s a zebrafish lab inside the Wanek School of Natural Sciences that draws attention. It’s full of humming tanks and striped fish, but the real attention grabber is what a
Marlo Hemerson, a junior neuroscience major from Parker, Colorado, conducts research to understand why zebrafish can regenerate their eyesight.
group of students and their professor are researching. Julia Velasquez, from Northbrook, Illinois, is also part of the research project. Both Hemerson and Velasquez are juniors and neuroscience majors. Since freshman year, they’ve worked alongside Dr. Kristin Ackerman, assistant professor of medical sciences and director of biomedical sciences, to understand why zebrafish can regenerate eyesight after experiencing blindness. Their work has directly contributed to additional scholarship and growth opportunities, including Velasquez receiving HPU’s Strickland Fellowship and Hemerson being selected for a competitive Neurodegeneration
Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Duquesne University. “We want to figure out the why,” says Hemerson, from Parker, Colorado. “Then we can possibly apply it to humans, and that opens a new world of possibilities in treating or curing a variety of things.” Hemerson and Velasquez have worked alongside Ackerman since freshman year. “Faculty mentorship is extremely important at HPU,” says Velasquez. “Sitting down with Dr. Ackerman in person and discussing what I want to do in my career plans and my upcoming semesters has helped me plan for my future.”
Ackerman and Hall are testaments to the role faculty play in coaching students outside the classroom. Students like Green, Hemerson and Velasquez graduate with substantial and unique resumes, portfolios and graduate school applications.
“
“Faculty mentorship is extremely important at HPU.” —Julia Velasquez, a junior from Northbrook, Illinois
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The Parent Perspective: Families appreciate the values and life skills HPU instills in their student. Kathy and Lou Esposito of Andover, New Jersey, are the parents of four High Point University students. Their oldest, Nick, has not only attended HPU for his undergraduate degree, but also two master’s degrees. Then, there’s Ruby, a Class of 2021 nonprofit management and education studies double major; Cosmo, a Class of 2024 business major; and Mac, a freshman who recently arrived to campus with the Class of 2025.
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As an experienced parent, Kathy Esposito shares an inside look at her family’s HPU journey for the benefit of future HPU families in this Q&A. Here’s a look at what future HPU parents need to know: Q: How did you discover and choose HPU? A: An acquaintance in New Jersey had a daughter attending HPU, and he told us how she was loving the school and how HPU was preparing her for the world. Nick, our oldest, was a high school senior at the time, so we did some research and registered to attend an HPU Open House. While Nick was the only high school senior, all our kids are close enough in age that we decided to bring the entire family. That weekend, our family’s love for HPU began. During that visit, we could see and hear the attention to detail on campus and the emphasis that was placed on teaching real-life lessons not just in the classroom, but also through the way students, faculty and staff live. As parents, we felt that HPU was the perfect place for students to grow — lots of space for independence in the transition to adulthood, but with caring oversight and accountability from faculty and staff to ensure they don’t get lost or miss out on opportunities along the way. Q: What do you tell parents and high school students who are considering HPU? A: We are loud and proud HPU parents. My friends often refer me to other soon-to-be college parents because it’s well known that my children attend HPU. I’ll tell you what I always tell them: Go visit. It’s my biggest piece of advice. Afterward, honestly compare it to the other places you visit. You will see it. You will feel it. HPU by far exceeds any expectation you could see or want for your child. Q: What sets HPU apart from other universities? A: Many things, but I’ll focus on just a couple. Values played a big role in our decision. We raised our children with good morals, and to see a higher education institution carry on and encourage those values removes a fear I’m sure many parents have when thinking of college. So often you hear of higher education deconstructing students and undoing the work their parents have put in. That’s not the case with HPU.
The campus environment is another. Classes are just the right size — big enough to include a variety of students and perspectives, but small enough that faculty can truly give students attention. Not to mention the personal success coaches who are essential to propelling students forward into who they’re meant to become. Then there are the facilities, grounds and all the detail that goes into keeping them state-of-the-art. The environment teaches students to take pride in their surroundings. The campus is beautiful, but it’s instilled in the students to keep it that way. It teaches them to strive for greatness in everything else they do: their work, the way they treat others, the kind of person they become. The environment at HPU sets the standard and instills a great lesson for how they treat their workplace and their home in the future. Q: How has HPU impacted your children? A: Independence is the biggest word that jumps out in my head. They have become independent and accountable for their own journey. HPU has the resources they need, but the campus culture has instilled the initiative in them to make the most of those resources. It’s so heartwarming to hear them talk about their projects, their goals and their planning and then watch them be successful. Q: What’s a favorite HPU campus memory for your family? A: Move-in weekend and Convocation. At the conclusion of Convocation, the official welcome to campus, students are given a blanket they’re supposed to share with a person who’s impacted their life. I got all four blankets from my kids, and each one means the world to me. That hour-long ceremony where we say goodbye on the lawn is so special. It’s a time for students and parents to both reflect on the opportunities ahead. While bittersweet, it’s a great final way to depart campus at the end of an exciting weekend.
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Thin Slices
The HPU chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) won an Outstanding Chapter Award from the SPS National Office. This is the sixth year in a row the chapter has been recognized for excellence as a top-tier studentled physical sciences organization, a designation given to fewer than 10% of all SPS chapters at colleges and universities around the world.
HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein hosts a weekly PBS North Carolina television show called “Side by Side,” where he interviews impactful leaders from around the world. HPU students like Emmy Beck-Aden, pictured left, get hands-on learning experience by assisting with the show’s production.
Milka Tewolde, a dual graduate degree student in HPU’s pharmacy and MBA programs, won first place in the LEAP at Lilly Business Competition, held in collaboration with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA).
Dr. Courtney Bradley, assistant professor of clinical sciences in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award. The award is presented by the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists (NCAP) to a pharmacist who graduated no more than 10 years ago and has been active in local, state or national pharmacy organizations.
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Thin Slices
Johnita Readus, a third-year student in the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program and principal of Bluford-Peeler STEAM Academy, wrote and published “Ashleigh’s New Normal,” a children’s book focused on the global pandemic.
Dr. Kirstin Squint, associate professor of English, is a contributor to “Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy,” which recently received the 2020 American Book Award for criticism and the 2019 Weatherford Award for best book in Appalachian cultures. Squint’s essay, “Kentucky, Coming and Going,” is a memoir piece that focused on both of her grandmothers’ journeys out of rural southeastern Kentucky and the personal struggles they experienced.
Dr. Kevin Ford, dean of HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences, and Dr. Jeffrey Taylor, chair of HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy, were awarded a grant from Adidas to research biomechanical components that differentiate female athletes among a variety of dynamic sport tasks. The grant is titled “The Female Athlete: Optimize and Promote Sport Movement.”
Dr. Cindy Vigueira, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Patrick Vigueira, assistant professor of biology, both in the Wanek School of Natural Sciences, recently published the article “Weedy Rice from South Korea Arose from Two Distinct De-Domestication Events” in the Frontiers in Agronomy journal. The Vigueiras’ research focused on studying the evolution of weedy rice populations in different world regions.
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Thin Slices
Ashlyn Hanks, Timmy Beal, Justin Riccardelli and Christos Haramis, who are students in HPU’s Webb School of Engineering, presented at the 2020 Association for Computing Machinery’s Mid-Southeast research conference and earned first place in the undergraduate student poster competition. The team’s research validated an existing model for detecting honeypots, an intentional vulnerable computing system designed to entice attackers into revealing tools and techniques, using networking characteristics.
Dr. Heather Ahrens, assistant professor of biology in HPU’s Wanek School of Natural Sciences, was published in the Journal of Vertebrae Paleontology. Her memoir, “Anatomy, Relationships and Paleobiology of Cambaytherium (Mammalia, Perissodactylamorpha, Anthracobunia)” describes the anatomy and biology of Cambaytherium, an early relative of perissodactyls (horses, rhinos and tapirs) from India.
Dr. Brad Barlow, director of HPU’s Culp Planetarium and associate professor of astrophysics, recently published a peer-reviewed paper on the study of the classic nova “V906 Car” in The Astrophysical Journal, the highestranked academic journal for astrophysics in the world.
Paul Ringel, associate professor of history, was featured twice in one month on History News Network’s Top Ten, a weekly roundup of the top opinion writing by historians about history. His articles highlighted the importance of history in today’s world.
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Thin Slices
Dr. Don Goss, associate professor of physical therapy, was named the 2020 Col. Mary Lipscomb Hamrick Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Selection for this award is based on demonstrated accomplishments and contributions in research and clinical investigation. Goss, a retired Army colonel, was honored for his 30-plus peer-reviewed publications, 80 national and international presentations, and nearly $4 million in grant funding at the conclusion of his 25-year Army career.
Dr. Veronica Segarra, interim chair and assistant professor of biology, was recognized by Cell Mentor on their “100 of the Most Inspiring Hispanic/Latinx Scientists Working in the United States” list. The list is selected based on scholarly achievements, mentoring excellence, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Cell Mentor highlighted scientists encompassing careers within academia, government and biotech and showcased individuals committed to serving diverse student populations at Hispanic-serving institutions.
Grey Rich, a Cary, North Carolina native and sophomore media production and entrepreneurship major, produced a movie about space travel called “Dream, Above and Beyond.” It is available on Amazon Prime Video. The movie stars the HPU student talent of Rich, Alec Nava, Daniel Malloy, Isaiah Hardy, James Faircloth and Ben Frondorf, all sophomores.
Dr. Julie Cooper, associate professor of clinical sciences in HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, received the Jim Long Outstanding SHIIP Service Award. This award is given each year by the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) to recognize an individual or organization for their continued support and endorsement of SHIIP to improve health insurance education for citizens in North Carolina.
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INSPIRING
ENVIRONMENT YOUR ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS YOUR LIFE.
HPU understands that the environment in which students live and learn contributes to their development. That’s why HPU’s buildings simulate Silicon Valley-style work environments, sculptures of historic leaders line the Kester International Promenade, inspiring quotes are found throughout campus and HPU’s gardens serve as a reminder for students to plant seeds of greatness. The David R. Hayworth Park is featured in the water color illustration on the right. It’s no surprise HPU’s campus has been ranked among the top 10 Most Beautiful in the Nation by The Princeton Review. The beauty, however, reflects a holistic learning environment purposely designed to inspire students to be the best they can be. “HPU has helped me develop over the years in numerous ways,” says Charlie Taylor, Class of 2021, Wealth Management Client Associate at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. “The culture that circulates the campus is inspiring and has helped shape my mindset.” It’s all part of a strategic effort to surround students with energy, enthusiasm and intentional living. The connection students have to campus is undeniable.
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Discovering THE HPU’s MAGIC IN Gardens For the past two years, Jordan Johnston has spent at least 10 hours a week pruning, mulching, weeding and planting bulbs everywhere in the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Helping take care of the university’s 29 gardens is a rewarding on-campus job. But working in gardens as beautiful as High Point University’s isn’t about the money. “It’s more like my responsibility,” says Johnston, a junior psychology major from Walton, New York. “It’s to make the campus look good. Think about it. You’re coming home to a campus that is full of life, not just human life, but plants, too. They give off an energy that really will boost your mood.”
HPU: A Campus of Hope Named after HPU’s First Lady, the gardens have attracted
94 INSPIRING ENV IRONMEN T
awards and admirers since their inception in 2006. Ask any incoming freshman about what first catches their eye when they step onto campus, and they always talk about the beauty. For the past 12 years, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized HPU with the Tree Campus Higher Education award. It’s one of four universities in North Carolina that have earned the award for 10 consecutive years. There’s a deep meaning behind the gardens’ beauty, and it goes beyond the scientific names printed on the signs seen at ground level in every garden. The gardens provide students a place to study, think and contemplate this transformative time in their lives. Mariana Qubein believes that. “For our students, it’s a very important time,” she says. “They’re starting college or graduating, and they will soon get a job, earn money, meet someone,
have a family and become more responsible. Students need time to think about that, and going outside helps. “They see signs of new life, and that to me, shows there is a very big God who has created that life,” she says. “Life is going on. Trees grow. Birds are chirping. Flowers are blooming. It all shows you there is hope out there.”
Lessons in the Dirt In his essay, “Why We Need Gardens,” Dr. Oliver Sacks wrote about the psychological and physiological effects gardens can have. Sacks, an acclaimed neurologist, saw his patients become calmer and more reinvigorated, able to do tasks they couldn’t do before he took them into gardens. Johnston can vouch for that. Johnston grew up on 17 acres in upstate New York. Her mom had a dozen flower beds outside and 50 banana trees inside their
house. She and her older sister, Ashton, would weed the garden and go swimming or fishing in the small pond behind their house. When her sister started looking at universities, the family heard about HPU through a friend, and they all came. Johnston, an eighth grader at the time, loved what she saw and longed for the chance to enjoy four seasons rather than endure cold weather eight months out of the year in upstate New York. Johnston and her mom visited eight more times to see HPU before she enrolled. Her mom, an expert gardener and the carpenter who built their house, often told
her youngest, “Let’s go sign up for something at High Point.” Then, they’d jump in their white minivan and drive 10 hours for an Open House or other event on campus. So, when Johnston came as a freshman, she sought opportunities to work in the gardens. She also studies there because she found the solitude in places like the Woodland Hillside Garden helped fine-tune her focus. The past two semesters, when a global pandemic created additional stress for everyone, Johnston saw the gardens become even more important.
“Being connected with the energies of the earth heals you,” she says. “Just going outside and digging in the dirt helps you focus and builds your immune system.”
“Everything Just Melts Away” Kayla Lewallen, another student garden worker, grew up digging in the dirt. She was raised on a family farm 30 minutes from campus in Trinity, North Carolina. She considers herself, as she says, an “outdoors girl.” She’s a junior Presidential Scholar and Natural Sciences Fellow studying biology.
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He’s a sophomore business administration major and a Business Fellow from North Caldwell, New Jersey. Like Fulgum, Galarowicz grew up in the outdoors.
She’s been riding horses since she was 3 and now competes in rodeos nationwide. On the weekends, she rides a horse named Scooter. On the weekdays, she works at least 10 hours a week in the HPU gardens. She’ll slip on her headphones, listen to country music and forget the stress of her major — at least for a moment. “Being a biology major, we have a lot of homework, and getting those mental breaks is really good,” she says. “When I’m in the gardens, my mind is fully invested in that moment, and everything just melts away.”
The Value of Hard Work
Walter Galarowicz Chesapeake Bay or Hart Miller Island. He has worked jobs in restaurants and painted the bottom of boats. So, he liked the garden work. He also liked what it produced.
Evan Fulgum graduated in May with a sales degree. He’s now pursuing an MBA at HPU. He worked his senior year in the gardens. He wanted the job to help make payments on his pickup truck, but he also wanted to return to what he knew.
“We planted all these tulips between the Wilson School of Commerce and the Wanek School of Natural Sciences, and they look really, really good,” he says. “It’s rewarding just to see that I put all that time in, and it worked out the way I had hoped it would.”
He grew up in Baltimore and spent many afternoons on the
Walter Galarowicz feels the same way.
He lives on an acre of land with woods in the back. He has in his backyard a tire swing, a trampoline and a soccer goal his dad built. He also has helped his dad and his older brother build two rock walls and finish various landscaping projects. Plus, Galarowicz was an Eagle Scout. Through Scouting, he has lived and worked for 10 days on a sailboat in the Florida Keys and hiked and canoed for 10 days through Minnesota and Canada with 80 pounds on his back. As soon as he got to campus as a freshman, he sought out an oncampus job in the gardens. Like Fulgum, he likes to take in the work he and the other student garden workers have completed. “You’ll see a little patch, and it may not look like much,” he says. “But you know you were there
HPU’S NEWEST GARDENS The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, named in honor of HPU First Lady Mariana Qubein, includes 29 gardens that paint the entire campus with bright colors and lively greenery. Here’s a glimpse of some new additions to the gardens.
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Kayla Lewallen four hours planting 400 flowers and weeding every single week.”
A Godly Place Galarowicz is pursuing a minor in environmental science, and he wants to learn how to apply his business skills to an environmental cause to help sustain the world around him. So, Galarowicz sees his future in the gardens. Farelle Franks, another student garden worker, sees her faith. “I personally experience the Lord in a different way,” says Franks, a senior psychology major from Belmont, Texas. “I reflect on things more because I’m in this quiet place. And because I’m quiet, He speaks to me more intimately. It’s my personal interaction between me and Him.” Qubein understands. “The gardens are like that for me,” she says. “Life can transform in front of your eyes, and you feel closer to God.”
Topiary Garden
Situated in front of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences, the garden anchors the Mahler Family Promenade and unveils plants shaped in a variety of ways to illustrate HPU’s educational philosophy of discovery and enlightenment.
Butterfly Café Garden
This garden occupies the entire patio outside the Butterfly Café at the Caine Conservatory. Designed to resemble a large branch with many leaves, the
patio offers anyone who visits a place of beauty and solace with the help of plants and flowers that bloom year-round.
Rock Garden
Outside the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center, near the intersection of Panther Drive and Lexington Avenue, is an area squared off by hedges and artfully pruned trees. Anyone who enters the arena will see a filigree design created by purple and white rocks.
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Marissa Lipschutz, a junior from Nashville, Tennessee, majoring in sociology and anthropology, felt connected right away when she came to HPU. She found Hillel, the world’s largest Jewish student organization. HPU joins a network of 550 colleges and universities that have their own chapters to help students explore their faith and improve their world. Lipschutz did that at HPU. She discovered through HPU’s Hillel chapter a way to practice Judaism through two internships last year.
Finding Community,
Finding Faith
The Rev. Dr. Preston Davis sees them often.
They come to Charles E. Hayworth Memorial Chapel for services on Sunday mornings and late Wednesday afternoons. They also come for Hillel and Interfaith Dinner Club. They’re students, all coming from different faith traditions. But they come with one common purpose. They’re on a personal journey. “Pilgrimage is a big metaphor here,” says Davis, minister to High Point University. “You don’t go on a journey because you know what you’ll discover. You go on a journey for what you will discover.” Three HPU students can empathize.
Marissa Lipschutz
Jacob Berg
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Aqsa Haider
During the presidential election last fall, she registered 50 students at HPU to vote while working with a nonpartisan organization known as MitzVote. In the spring, she worked with Jewish philanthropic organization Repair the World. She used the money she received to build a bridge between Jewish students and minority students, as well as build more relationships between students and local Black-owned businesses. On a Sunday night in March, she created a dinner she called “Better Together: Black-Jewish Relations.” People came, talked, planned future events together and found ways to advocate for one another. Lipschutz also helped two local Black-owned businesses become HPU vendors. Then, by using money from Repair the World, she bought different kinds of cookies from one vendor and spent two hours selling them at a philanthropy table in the Slane Student Center.
The money she made will help fund future Hillel unity programs. So, it’s no wonder Lipschutz is Hillel’s Tikkum Olam chair at HPU. “Tikkum Olam means ‘repair the world,’ and that has always stuck with me since I was a little girl,” says Lipschutz. “I want to be a change-the-world person. We all have differences, but that shouldn’t keep us apart.” Jacob Berg still has the church bulletin. He keeps it because it reminds him of his first Wednesday service at Hayworth Chapel. He went last October with a friend. He looked at the bulletin and saw this quote from Rabbi Yisreal Baal Shem Tov: “Let me fall if I must fall. The one I will become will catch me.” Berg always considered himself a theist, a believer of a higher power. But when he came to HPU from his home in Ashburn, Virginia, he wanted to find a way to live a more meaningful life. The rabbi’s words, Berg felt, spoke to that goal. Berg began going to Wednesday chapel every week and reading the Bible every night. He joined a weekly Bible study group, attended a Sunday contemporary service at a local church and got involved with Young Life, a campus Christian group. Berg began reading, listening to podcasts and talking to his friend Matthew Esposito about his faith. Esposito introduced Berg to a branch of theology known as apologetics, which defends Christianity through concrete evidence.
Then came the Saturday before Valentine’s Day. Berg was sitting in his dorm room when he felt this energy course through him. “Call it an epiphany,” Berg says. “It was like this voice saying, ‘This is where you need to take your life.’” Two months later, Berg reaffirmed his baptism in the Chapel Meditation Garden after a Wednesday chapel service. He doesn’t remember his first baptism. Berg wasn’t even 1. But he wanted to remember this one. Davis helped. As students watched, Davis baptized Berg. He knew what it meant: his new beginning. “I see the change in me,” Berg says. Aqsa Haider thought about wearing a dress. Her mom said no. “Wear something a little bit more representative of who you are,” her mom told her. Haider remembered something her mom bought her in their home country of Pakistan. Haider slipped into a black blouse and pants made of cotton and went to a campus event she helped create — the seventh annual Interfaith Iftar. That night in April, Aqsa stepped into the Chapel Meditation Garden wearing a Kurta Salwar set and prepared to break her month-long fast to celebrate the end of Ramadan, the most sacred time of year for Muslims. As president of HPU’s Interfaith United, Haider hoped people would come. They did. Students,
“
“I see the change in me.” —HPU Junior Jacob Berg on his involvement in HPU Religious Life
faculty and staff came together for a three-course dinner that included dates, hummus and chicken biryani. They also came to learn more about Islam. They learned through a video, a game and the food on their plates. Moreover, they learned about the spiritual, psychological and physical discipline of Muslims like Haider. That’s what Haider longed to see. Those dinners happened monthly. Every time, Haider learned much. At HPU, Haider’s confidence grew. She also sharpened her empathy. That happened as she told others about Islam and heard students talk about their own walk of faith. Those conversations went deep, thanks to Interfaith Dinner Club. “We need to value other people’s stories and uphold those stories about their beliefs and traditions,” Haider says. “That’s how we’ll be better supporters of one another.”
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HPU’s
Energetic and Engaged Campus Here’s a glimpse at how the university adapted to provide students with the in-person learning and living experience they deserved during the pandemic. 100 INSPIRING ENV IRONMEN T
What is it like to begin your freshman year of college during a global pandemic? For many across the country, the Fall of 2020 meant virtual learning from the bedroom of their childhood home. It meant losing out on the full college experience. Not for High Point University students like Merran Decker. Decker is a sophomore. She came to HPU from Texas in the fall of 2020, six months into the global pandemic. She was eager but anxious about the beginning of her college journey. During her senior year of high school, learning was disrupted, traditions were halted and gathering with friends paused. Decker couldn’t imagine feeling once again cheated of a milestone experience. In the fall of 2020, HPU not only welcomed students back to campus for in-person learning and living but committed to adjusting campus life with safe, social activities. Within a day of being on HPU’s campus, Decker felt hope. She could see that HPU had created an environment that was safe but engaging. In fact, she’d call it inspiring.
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Then there were the weekly food truck meetups with complimentary food, live music and plenty of room to spread out and socialize. Decker was always there. These activities helped her balance her physical, mental and emotional health while she worked to meet her academic goals. When cooler weather set in, new additions arrived to campus like the HPU Ice Skating Rink. Open from early to late evening, students found a winter escape in the heart of campus. Dozens of string lights overhead lit the way for students to meet up for a spin around the rink. There were igloos, too. These domes transformed popular outdoor seating areas throughout campus, like the circled chairs at Cottrell Hall and tables at the Slane Student Center patio, into covered spaces easily enjoyed during winter weather.
Adapting to Support Students HPU has long understood that students don’t attend college to only sit in a classroom. College is much more. It’s a chance for discovery and handson learning. It’s a time to find lifelong friends, to uncover what motivates you and to learn about balance. HPU focuses on growing the whole person. That’s why adjustments were made across the HPU campus. Outdoor seating was added, and
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the Campus Activities Team set to work planning safe events to engage students. Decker found all campus dining locations open, including the Butterfly Café. That’s where she took part in farm-to-fork dinners beneath a breezeway that connects the Butterfly Café to the Caine Conservatory. It’s also where she enjoyed a special evening tea with HPU President Nido Qubein and HPU First Lady Mariana Qubein.
With early sunsets came more string lights to brighten up comfortable outdoor gathering spots and the addition of fire pits for keeping warm. Why invest in these adjustments? Because HPU knows that when students have a space to safely unwind, they perform better academically, in their internships, in giving back and the list goes on. More than that, it sends a message: If you want something badly enough, you can find a way to make it happen.
Decker watched as faculty and staff adjusted and did what needed to be done to keep campus open. It kept her motivated. If they could be flexible, so could she.
“This place is special. Actually, extraordinary. If you want to be your best, you can just walk across campus and feel it. This campus pulls the best out of you.”
“HPU’s reaction to adversity and their dedication to giving students a full experience makes me want to be my best self,” says Decker. “Living in a place that goes above and beyond, how can that not inspire you to strive for greatness?” Kema Leonard agrees. An aspiring young leader, HPU’s campus has fueled him to keep striving.
Visible Reminders When many of Leonard’s friends began college in 2020 from behind a computer screen, he knew he’d made the right choice to attend HPU. Leonard is a self-proclaimed extrovert. The six months ahead of college spent in quarantine were especially tough for him, and he needed a college that would give him the room and opportunity to network and spread his wings. In high school, he was a natural born leader looking for a university that would grow him. He found HPU. He saw the campus as a place that
DID YOU KNOW?
- Kema Leonard, Class of 2024 encouraged students to cultivate their skills — an environment filled with faculty and mentors that would help him chart a path. “Being around like-minded, motivated individuals has helped me thrive,” says Leonard. “And then there’s the environment itself. Go to Cottrell Hall to study, or the lobby of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences. The glass walls, bright lights, colors — you can focus but you can also see people around you hustling and doing their best. It keeps you going and motivated.” There are sculptures that line HPU’s Kester International Promenade, historical figures carved and placed on benches where students can pause to sit and reflect. Leonard has done just that at a sculpture of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Behind the sculpture is a larger-than-life backdrop displaying a quote from King: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’”
In his first days on campus, Leonard met with Student Government Association representatives at the activities fair and saw an opportunity. He ran for freshman class president and won. He sits next to the sculpture beneath the quote and realizes this man’s lifetime of work exemplified servant leadership in America. He recognizes that he is in a position to serve others. He can follow in King’s footsteps. Environment matters. It’s reminders like these prominently displayed across campus that keep students like Leonard inspired. Leonard is now a sophomore. Reflecting on his first year and looking ahead to the future, he’s eager. “This place is special,” he says. “Actually, extraordinary. If you want to be your best, you can just walk across campus and feel it. This campus pulls the best out of you.”
The Princeton Review has ranked High Point University among the Top 10 Most Beautiful Campuses in the Nation. INSPIRING ENV IRONMEN T 103
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Celebrating THE CLASSES OF
2020& 2021
Dallas Mavericks CEO tells HPU Graduates: ‘The Ball Is in Your Court’ In the midst of a global pandemic, High Point University remained committed to honoring both the Class of 2020 and 2021 with in-person commencement ceremonies. That’s why the university held two transformed and reimagined ceremonies for each class on May 7 and May 8, 2021. Even though a global pandemic delayed the Class of 2020’s ceremony and still imposed some safety measures when the events took place in 2021, each was filled with all the pomp and circumstance of HPU’s signature graduation.
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HPU’s Innovation Corridor provided a larger outdoor venue that allowed graduates to safely welcome up to six guests. A replica of the university seal that graduates symbolically cross after receiving their degrees, which is physically located in front of Roberts Hall, was added to the new location so graduates could keep this time-honored tradition. “Yes, your university believes in you!” said Dr. Nido Qubein, High Point University president, to a crowd of 10,000 people on both days. “Yes, your university found a way to make it safely possible for six of your family members to be here with you today. Remember when I shared with you in the President’s Seminar on Life Skills this important insight: There are no such things as unrealistic dreams, only unrealistic timelines. Well, here we are!” Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, who also serves as HPU’s
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Sports Executive in Residence, joined the impressive lineup of HPU commencement speakers. As the first Black woman to serve as CEO to an NBA team and as the mom of an HPU graduate, Marshall shared powerful insight. “The ball is in your court,” she told graduates. “Did y’all really think you were going to leave today without getting a basketballrelated message from me, HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence?” Marshall encouraged graduates to be mindful of their teammates, their position on the court, the tip-off, their ability to handle the ball and how they rebound.
Here are a few excerpts from Marshall’s speech.
Teammates – “Constantly ask yourself, who else is on the court with you? Run with good people who are doing good things and who will help you keep your court safe.”
Your Position – “Be mindful of your position on the court. You have a distinct role to play in advancing the ball for society. Give of your time, your talent and treasure.” Tip-off – “The game has begun, and the ball has been tipped your way. HPU has equipped you to pick up the ball and make good decisions. Sometimes, you will have many decisions to make and competing priorities.” Ball Handling – “Handle the ball with character. Don’t cheat. Always tell the truth. There is a difference between doing things right and doing the right thing. You have been taught how to do both.” Rebound – “Sometimes, you will make a bad decision. Sometimes, you will take the shot and miss it. In the game of life, bad things do happen to good people. But there will always be someone there to help you rebound with grace.”
5
Unique
Moments at
HPU’S COMMENCEMENT
Each year, graduating seniors and their families experience a commencement unlike any other. That rang especially true for Commencement Weekend 2021. Here are five features that made HPU’s commencement experience unique.
1. Spectacular Speakers HPU’s most recent commencement speaker was Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall. She joined a lineup of impressive commencement speakers including Dr. Michio Kaku, physicist, Co-Founder of String Field Theory, best-selling author and popularizer of science; Josh Groban, internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and actor; Condoleezza Rice, 66th Secretary of State; General Colin Powell, former secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder; Laura Bush, former First Lady; Muhtar Kent, chairman of the board and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company; Dr. Buzz Aldrin, NASA Astronaut; Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice; Queen Noor of Jordan and more.
2. A Symbol of Patriotism Every year during HPU’s commencement ceremony, a bald eagle soars over graduates to represent the ideals of free enterprise, personal initiative and the ability to pursue new opportunities in America.
3. A Mother’s Day Blanket Every graduate receives a blanket after the ceremony to give to their mothers in honor of Mother’s Day.
4. University Seal High Point University graduates walk across the University Seal upon receiving their degree on the lawn of Roberts Hall. Even this year when the ceremony’s location was moved to accommodate physical distancing, HPU ensured this tradition continued by producing a replica of the seal.
5. Two Ceremonies in Two Days HPU held two transformed commencement ceremonies to safely honor the Classes of 2020 and 2021. The location for the ceremonies was moved from the lawn of Roberts Hall to HPU’s Innovation Corridor to allow each graduate in attendance up to six guests at a safe physical distance.
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Meet HPU’s
Full-Time Doctor Get to know Dr. Anne Lule-Kiwanuka and the Student Health Center she leads through this Q&A. Dr. Anne Lule-Kiwanuka pursued medicine because of her childhood. She bounced in and out of hospitals because of her asthma and allergies to everything, from milk and shellfish, to pineapples, oranges and eggs. Her father, who was an International Monetary Fund banking expert, was stationed
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in various countries. Dr LuleKiwanuka says she’s lived in 10 different countries and visited many more. But no matter where they lived, her health was a challenge. “It’s got to be better than this,” she told herself frequently. It did get better. Lule-Kiwanuka went to medical school at the National University of Ireland and embarked on a 30-year
medical career that landed her at Novant Health, serving as High Point University’s full-time medical director. In the Q&A below, she talks about her three decades of medical experience and what led her to HPU. Q: What influenced you to study medicine? A: I had a very complicated childhood. I had asthma, and I was allergic to milk, eggs,
oranges, tuna, shellfish, horse and dog hair, outdoor pollen, even pineapple. That’s what got me interested in medicine. I didn’t want another child to go through what I went through, and today when I talk to parents who have children with allergies, I always tell them, ‘You can do this. Your child will grow and do just fine.’ Q: Why did you decide to become an adolescent pediatrician? A: I don’t know whether you can simply classify me as an adolescent pediatrician. I have had patients from birth to 21 years. Over the years I’ve seen my former patients come to me with their children. I call them my ‘grand patients.’ That’s very rewarding because it affirms the type of care I’ve given in the past. Parents entrust you with their children, and a good physician embraces that. Being a pediatrician, you have the privilege of fostering growth — physical, developmental and emotional growth. You work with the family to realize a child’s potential. As they enter adolescence, the partnership shifts to them and their pediatrician. As a college physician I am still continuing that partnership. I am partnering with late adolescents. My goals remain the same — promoting physical, developmental and emotional growth. It is about helping them realize their potential. Q: What attracted you to High Point University? A: I researched HPU, and I was amazed at what I found. The
university had made such a big impact not only on students but on the community outside campus, and it has such foresight in helping students realize their potential. When I visited the health center, I met all of the staff, many of whom had been there at least 9-10 years, and they were in love with their jobs. Everyone was 100% invested in making sure the students receive exemplary care — both physical and mental. They want their students to be well-balanced individuals. They care for the whole patient. Q: What do you want students and parents to know about HPU Student Health Services’ approach to care? A: When we see students, we treat them not only as our patients, but we treat them like our own children. Each one of us spends time talking to the students outside of their diagnosis and management to make sure they are doing alright overall. We urge them to follow up with any concerns or questions. I can relate to their needs as I was a 19-year-old in medical school in Ireland when my parents were in Australia for
“We’re not only seeing students as patients. They are our children, too.” - Dr. Anne Lule-Kiwanuka, HPU’s full-time doctor
my father’s work. So, parents should rest assured we’re not only seeing students as patients. They are our children, too. Q: Novant Health, a major health system, has partnered with HPU. Describe the benefits of this partnership, particularly over the past few months during a global pandemic with school in session? A: Yes, it’s a true partnership. The Student Health Center is an integrated part of the Novant Health network. Because of that, our students have access to an unlimited network of specialists and resources. Everything is easily accessible, and it allows us to have the best patient management and outcomes. Q: You began your role during a global pandemic. What role did the new clinic, Novant Health and HPU’s plan to combat COVID-19, such as its campus protocols and quarantine plan, play in mitigating the spread of the virus? A: High Point University had the foresight to expand the Student Health Center to a 6,500-squarefoot facility. We have the ability to have one section for sick care and another section for well care. Our well patients move through the facility with no interaction with those who are sick. Arrangements for isolation or quarantine have been efficient and effective. We have had regular meetings with the Guilford County Health Department and are able to share information and resources. All that has mitigated the spread.
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Thin Slices
HPU’s chapter of Hillel and Amy Epstein, HPU’s Jewish Life coordinator, are the recipients of the Phillip H. and Susan Rudd Cohen Outstanding Campus Award from Hillel International. Each year, two Hillel organizations around the world receive the award for achieving excellence in engaging and reaching a breadth and depth of students.
Ben Owen III, an American studio potter, joined HPU’s Access to Innovators Program as Artist in Residence. Owen, who works in Seagrove, North Carolina, was born into a traditional pottery family. Works created by Owen are included in numerous museum collections including the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.; The International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico; The Schein-Joseph International Museum of Art in Alfred, New York; and The Mint Museum of Craft and Design in Charlotte, North Carolina.
HPU was recognized with the 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education award, formerly known as Tree Campus USA®, marking the 12th consecutive year the university received this designation. The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens at HPU are home to 3,700 different plants, including more than 700 varieties of trees.
HPU students were engaged in the 2020 elections in a variety of ways, including voting, volunteering and covering the results.
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Thin Slices
HPU earned a “Gold” designation from the American Heart Association’s 2020 Workplace Health Achievement. HPU’s Employee Wellness Program is open to all staff and faculty, who earn points for completing various wellness activities offered on campus. Pictured is HPU’s Employee Wellness Center.
HPU earned CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation by the CEO Roundtable on Cancer for its commitment to the health of its employees, students and campus community. HPU is one of the first universities on the East Coast to earn this accreditation.
HPU’s residence halls have been ranked #1 best dorms in the nation by the Princeton Review and Niche.
HPU welcomed Delta Chi fraternity as one of 17 fraternities and sororities on campus. Delta Chi’s 47 founding members have become regular volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank to package meal kits for families and have raised funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which is the fraternity’s national philanthropy.
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Women’s Basketball at
THE BIG DANCE
The team took on #1 UConn during their first NCAA appearance
On a Saturday night in mid-March 2021, the High Point University Women’s Basketball team hoisted a championship trophy and made program history. The Panthers won the Big South Tournament for the very first time and simultaneously secured their place in the NCAA Tournament. Days later, NCAA Tournament brackets revealed that the Panthers would face perennial powerhouse and No. 1 seeded UConn in their NCAA Tournament debut. Morale was high as the Panthers prepared for the tournament. The campus community, including students and the HPU Pep Band, celebrated the team in the days ahead of their departure to San Antonio. And, in turn, the team made the HPU family proud during their historic tournament showing.
“
“It’s rewarding to know that we are the first team in school history to accomplish this.” —Head Women’s Basketball Coach Chelsea Banbury
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HPU put up a worthy fight against UConn, even leading the Huskies at one point during the firstround contest. In the third quarter, the Huskies only outscored the Panthers by two, 25-23 — an impressive feat for a first-time team facing a seasoned tournament giant. The entire NCAA Tournament was broadcast on the ESPN family of networks, and the Purple and White drew a primetime slot on ESPN, the icing on top of HPU’s first-ever live feature on the sports network. For Head Coach Chelsea Banbury, the historymaking accolades are undoubtedly noteworthy. But, it’s the perseverance of her players that makes her most proud.
“Our girls set this goal for themselves, stayed focused, and put the work in that was needed to accomplish it,” says Banbury. “This wasn’t an easy season for college students to play, and the fact that they made their way through it without any disruptions is incredible. I’m very proud of what they did this season and everything we accomplished.” While their most recent season will forever be marked by the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament, there were plenty of other noteworthy milestones along the way.
An Accomplished Season
HPU ended the season with a 22-7 record, setting two different program benchmarks. The 22 wins tied for the most wins in a season in the program’s Division I history, while the seven losses are the fewest the Panthers have given up since making the jump to Division I in 1999. The Panthers also won 10 games in a row at one point during the season to string together a double-digit winning streak for the first time in their Division I history. Their win over Campbell in the Big South Tournament championship was not only historic for being the first basketball conference championship in school history on the men’s or women’s side, but it was also the final game played inside the Millis Center before the basketball programs move into the new Qubein Arena ahead of the 2021-22 season.
For this year’s team, multiple single-season records were set or nearly shattered during the 2020-21 campaign. The team records for field goal percentage (.427), three-point percentage (.365) and free throw percentage (.754) were set. It was the 10th season out of 22 at the Division I level that the team scored at least 2,000 points with their final total of 2,094. It was also the first season to accomplish that feat while playing fewer than 30 games. For the second year in a row, the Panthers crossed the 300 three-pointers threshold as they made 303 this season, missing last year’s record-setting mark by only two. As for the women behind these records, there were many individual accomplishments to note, too.
Recognition Well Earned
Junior Skyler Curran was named Big South Player of the Year, the second HPU player to win the award in the last two seasons after Camryn Brown took home the honors in the 2019-20 season. The achievement makes HPU the first Big South program to have the Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons since 2012-14. Curran became the 14th Panther to join the 1,000-points club in the program’s Division I history this season and ended the year with 514 points, the fifth-most in a single season in High Point’s Division I history. Curran also ended the season with 210 rebounds to become the fourth
Panther in High Point’s Division I era to score 500 points and record 200 rebounds in the same season. Jenson Edwards was named Big South Tournament MVP because of her breakout season. She nearly had the second tripledouble in program history during the regular season, finishing with 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists against Gardner-Webb to miss it by one helper. After the season, her all-around gameplay led her to be named the team’s MVP to go with her tournament honor. Banbury also took home some hardware from the conference as she was named the Big South Coach of the Year. She holds a 38-20 record as the head coach of the Panthers and had 32 wins at the time of her 50th game coached, the most wins in the first 50 games of any coach in HPU’s Division I history. She guided the Panthers to 17 wins in Big South play during the 2020-21 season for a program record. That’s the third-most conference plays any school in Big South history has won in one year. “I think it’s every college basketball player’s dream to play in the NCAA Tournament, and for what our team accomplished this past season, we undoubtedly deserved to be there,” Edwards said at the conclusion of the season. “It was all so surreal to have the experience of playing on the big stage with my teammates, and I’m so thankful for it!”
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MAKING
History FOR HPU ATHLETICS The undefeated HPU women’s volleyball team gathered around a big screen during a Sunday evening on campus to see the NCAA Tournament bracket selections play out on ESPNU.
The women erupted when their name hit the screen. A first-round matchup with University of Central Florida awaited the Panthers. The team had just completed their second undefeated season in conference play in program history. During the 2020-21 season, they secured a perfect 16-0, only losing seven total sets to win the Big South Title and advance to the Panthers’ fifth NCAA Tournament and fourth in the last five years. While an NCAA Tournament appearance for the Panthers wasn’t new, their journey had always ended at round one. That was set to change this time around. The Purple and White scored their first NCAA victory in program history, only the second in HPU Athletics history, by
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defeating UCF in five sets in the first round of the tournament. HPU volleyball joined the women’s 2017 lacrosse team as the only HPU programs to win an NCAA Tournament contest.
“High Point University volleyball had established itself as a force in the Big South Conference, but that win put us on the map nationally,” says Head Coach Ryan Meek. “The first win is always the most difficult.”
It was also the first time a Big South volleyball program advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the league’s 35-year history of sponsoring the sport.
Strong Defense Leads to Victory Just as it had all year long, HPU’s defense won the match for the Panthers. HPU held UCF to hitting just .157 with 31 attacking errors.
The Purple and White were not aced up once in 100 attempts, just the second time this season and third time in the last three years that HPU had not given up a service ace. HPU ended the season with a .103 opponent hitting percentage for the best in program history and fifth-best in the nation. Abby Bottomley, the cornerstone of the defense, was rewarded post-season with HPU’s first All-American recognition in volleyball. She was an honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and was a Fourth Team All-American for volleyballmag.com. She was named the Big South Player of the Year this season, becoming HPU’s third Player of the Year selection and the first libero to receive the honor in the history of the Big South. She reached 2,000 career digs this season to become just the second Panther to do so and sixth player in Big South history to reach the milestone. Bottomley completed her career with 2,158 digs to sit second on HPU’s leaderboard, while her career digs per set of 5.35 are the best the program has ever seen. She’s the only player to average more than 5.00 digs per set in their career. “After four years of hard work and dedication to the program by everyone on the team, we finally got the incredible payoff of winning in the NCAA Tournament,” says Bottomley. “As a team, we always talked about goals larger than just winning
“We had established our team as a force in the Big South Conference, but this NCAA win put us on the map nationally.” - Head Volleyball Coach Ryan Meek conference, and this year, even with all the uncertainty, we worked harder than ever to achieve them. We all knew we had to play the best we had all season to be able to compete and win in the tournament, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Record-Breaking Accolades
The accolades didn’t end with Bottomley. HPU also had five First or Second Team AllConference selections and an honorable mention All-Region player from the AVCA. Kaley Rammelsberg was the AllRegion honorable mention and also took home First Team All-Big South honors after finishing the year with the sixth-best hitting percentage in the country at .444.
HPU’s two setters, Maria Miggins and Mackenzie Thornburg, were recognized by the Big South as a combined honorable mention. The duo helped HPU record the most assists in the conference with 805, while the Panthers’ average per set of 12.78 was the second-best in the Big South and 29th in the country. Meek was recognized as the Big South Coach of the year after leading HPU to the 12th undefeated conference season in Big South history. He’s totaled 42 wins in 46 conference matches in his three seasons at the helm of HPU — the most wins of any Big South team the last three years. Meek reached the 50-win mark during the season and needed just 73 matches to get there, making him the fastest coach to hit the milestone in HPU’s Division I history. “I look forward to seeing how our program builds on the momentum from this year,” says Meek.
Annie Sullivan and Madison Smith were First Team AllConference selections after finishing first and second, respectively, on the team in kills. Gabrielle Idlebird was a Second Team All-Big South selection. She was also second on the team and 30th in the country with a .384 hitting percentage in the spring season.
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Student Athlete
A Sydney Horn MEET
A sophomore pole vaulter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Sydney Horn is a member of the High Point University Track and Field Team. She’s setting records and accomplishing feats no other woman has done wearing the Purple and White. Horn has recorded back-to-back All-American performances at both NCAA Track & Field Championships (indoor and outdoor) in the same season, making her the first Panther woman to ever do so. Horn finished sixth at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which is the highest Panther finish in program history. She is also the first HPU athlete to earn All-American honors at an NCAA Outdoor Championship. Get to know more about Horn’s accomplishments in this special interview.
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Q: How did you feel following your third-place, All-American finish at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships? A: I felt pretty good going into the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships. The environment was great, and we made the most of those first attempts in the early bars. We had the takeoff set up correctly and everything went well. Q: You earned your spot in the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships in dramatic fashion by clearing the qualifying bar in your final attempt. How did you make it happen on the last jump? A: I went up a pole size for my last jump, so I knew that I could make it. Then, I just told myself to go. When I knew I was over the bar, it was such a relief. No more pressure. Q: You earned All-American honors for the second time this season with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. How would you sum up your performance in the event?
country’s top pole vaulters, but here I am! Q: What’s one word you would use to describe your freshman season? Why did you choose that word? A: The one word I would use is “astonishing.” My freshman season really opened my eyes to what I can accomplish. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be jumping 14’6, I wouldn’t have believed you and thought you were crazy! Believing in yourself and knowing you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to is the first step. Also, have fun with it and take in every moment because you never know when your pole-vaulting career will be over. Q: You have represented High Point University track and field on the biggest of stages this season. What has this experience meant to you?
A: It meant the world to me! The chance to go to nationals and represent HPU means so much. To be named an All-American was the icing on the cake. Not everyone can say they’ve done that. I love High Point University and couldn’t be prouder to represent this amazing program and school. Q: Your coach, Scott Houston, was warming up alongside you at the NCAA Championships ahead of your competition at the same time he was preparing for Olympic Trials. What is it like being coached by someone who is also pursuing their dreams in the sport you both love? A: I absolutely love it. He’s going through the same pains and knows what it’s like. Doing the same workouts as him just proves that I’m also capable of doing everything he does and more.
A: Going into the championships, I was pretty excited just to be out there. The atmosphere in Eugene, Oregon, at the historic and newly renovated stadium was crazy. I was excited to make it over the bar on my first attempt in the first three jumps because first attempts usually place you higher. I wouldn’t have believed it if you’d told me in high school that I would be competing with the
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CARING PEOPLE
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED. Because of its economic and philanthropic impact, HPU is an anchor institution in the city of High Point. Students, faculty and staff
donate 110,000 hours of service each year and raise thousands of dollars to support local initiatives. The Atlas sculpture featured in this watercolor rendition stands at the main entrance to campus. It serves as an important reminder: To whom much is given, much is required. You’ll also find these words from the scripture of Luke 12:48 painted inside the entrance of the Hayworth Fine Arts Center. Collectively, the HPU campus is committed to supporting its community. Those who live in High Point appreciate the symbiotic relationship between the city and the university. These insights from community leaders say it best. “We are grateful for High Point University and the commitment of their student body to serving the High Point Community. HPU is truly a beacon of hope in the community.” – Salvation Army Captain, Bobby Jackson “The ever-growing positive impact of High Point University is most impressive. HPU serving as an important economic engine for High Point and the Piedmont Triad region is all the more dramatic when you consider that much of its economic impact occurred during the national downturn that so adversely impacted the country.” – Loren Hill, Carolina Core Economic Development Director, Piedmont Triad Partnership
“HPU is one of the largest donors to the United Way, however, their impact on our citizens extends far beyond the annual giving campaign. Thanks to the generous support of High Point University staff and faculty, thousands of High Point area residents find help when they need it from the 28 partner agencies of the United Way of Greater High Point.” – Bobby Smith, Past President of the United Way of Greater High Point “It is our belief at United Way of Greater High Point that no child should ever go to bed hungry. Thanks to High Point University and their generosity, we can help ensure that youth attending the D-UP youth program will not be without food. Thank you to High Point University for helping us ensure that youth in our community are fed and nourished.” – Latoya Bullock, Vice President of Community Impact at the United Way of Greater High Point “The need is great, and we’re fortunate to have the members of Sigma Nu recognize the importance of food security in our community. The donated funds will provide fresh food from the garden and nutrition education, along with the opportunity for students to learn about the farming and agriculture industry with hopes they will become passionate about providing food for their families and the country. We’re grateful to receive the donation in addition to the positive impact and engagement Sigma Nu will have with our students.” – Jakki Davis, Executive Director of D-UP
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Calling Attention to
Community Efforts Sam Johnson works with local organizations to promote their outreach opportunities.
Volunteerism wasn’t his biggest priority before Sam Johnson came to HPU. As part of the scholarship that brought him to HPU from Philadelphia, Johnson joined the HPU Bonner Leaders, a group of more than 40 students who commit to making a difference on and off campus. The Bonner program provides students from lowincome families with the opportunity to work as a volunteer coordinator for local nonprofits while building skills that will benefit their future careers. Johnson signed on for the four-year commitment, which requires six to eight hours of community service each week. He wanted to make a positive impact in the community, but he had no idea how much it would impact him. It was during Thanksgiving of his freshman year that he saw the fruits of his labor — the outcome of his contribution to a community event. For Johnson, it changed everything.
Spreading the Word
Johnson arrived to campus with the Class of 2024. Through the Bonner Program, he was connected with Michelle McNair, the community resource manager for the City of High Point. She arranged a meeting with Johnson to assess his skills and find his best fit for volunteering in the community. Johnson is a sport management major in HPU’s Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, which means he’s honing key communication and marketing skills. McNair saw an opportunity in that.
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While community organizations can often coordinate events and recruit volunteers, they sometimes lack the skills to spread the news of those efforts. So McNair put Johnson to work in several of High Point’s neighborhood associations.
Johnson was in charge of promoting the event with graphics, flyer handouts, emails and more. On the day of the donation, he watched the neighbors come together. They were grateful and joyful.
Neighborhood associations aim to mobilize residents to work together on improving infrastructure, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for residents and spreading awareness of community history and values.
Johnson understood. He’d played a part in bringing them there and in making the opportunity known. Seeing how he contributed to the event tugged at his heart.
The Burns Hill Neighborhood in the City of High Point is a prime example. Johnson has worked closely with the organization and its president, Jerry Mingo, to spread word of the work they’re doing.
Communication is Key
The Burns Hill neighborhood isn’t far from campus. The neighborhood association overseen by Mingo strives to improve the livability of the neighborhood by incorporating, creating and expanding their focus on educational, spiritual and economic development. Establishing and maintaining an open line of communication with neighbors is critical. Every other Monday, Johnson attends the Burns Hill Neighborhood Association meetings, where leaders discuss upcoming events and important to-do lists. Johnson records and summarizes meeting notes, which he emails to members of the neighborhood to ensure they feel informed. He has created brochures detailing the association’s efforts and designed flyers for their events that are used to attract attendance and involvement. When it’s time for a major event, Johnson has even been charged with contacting the local media to spread the word and ensure coverage of the community outreach. At Thanksgiving, the association raised funds to host a turkey donation for families in the neighborhood — a chance to welcome residents, show them kindness and help them take pride in where they live.
It did the same for Mingo, too.
Giving and Getting
Every Friday, Johnson has a phone call with Mingo to catch up on what’s happening in the neighborhood. Mingo knows that community awareness powers the rest of the association’s efforts. If people are empowered to access resources and work together on an issue effectively, the neighborhood will grow and be successful. “Our community members are willing to better the community and be involved, as long as they know the opportunity exists,” says Mingo. “Having a student who’s willing to help us spread our message, it’s just wonderful.” Mingo is a selfless man and a hard worker. That’s made an impact on Johnson. “You can’t catch him slacking,” says Johnson. Johnson will find himself studying for an exam or struggling on a group project for his major, and for a moment, he wants to give up. Then he thinks of Mingo. If Mingo can dedicate himself to bettering others, Johnson can persevere through academics to better himself. Mingo motivates him. The relationship they’ve built is symbiotic. Johnson’s volunteer efforts benefit the organization. Working with its leaders has, in turn, transformed Johnson’s outlook. “Volunteering has changed me,” he says. “It’s made me care. It’s a place I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for HPU pushing me to get out there.”
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Students honor First Responders at Drive-Through Dinner Local frontline workers and first responders were treated to a special drive-through event at High Point University during the global pandemic. Law enforcement, hospital staff, public health staff and more were invited to HPU’s campus for a Frontline Workers Drive-Through Dinner, where they received complimentary food, a patriotic
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T-shirt and messages of gratitude from HPU students who volunteered during the event. “High Point first responders are heroes, models and mentors in our community,” said HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein. “HPU students, faculty and staff are grateful for their efforts, and we simply wanted to share our appreciation for the people keeping our city safe during this challenging time.”
From Congdon Hall to International Avenue, students greeted lines of emergency vehicles during the event with large signs that said “Thank you to our heroes.” “In the midst of dealing with day-to-day uncertainty and events, our personnel must carry
on providing service to the citizens and visitors of our great city,” said Thomas Reid, chief of the High Point Fire Department. “The compassion and care shown through events that give back, such as HPU’s first responders dinner, provide a welldeserved thank you and encouragement to all who are on the front lines.”
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5
Moments HPU
stepped-up DURING COVID-19
How the HPU family contributed to a healthy campus and community during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the height of the global pandemic, the safety of students, faculty, staff and the community was High Point University’s top priority. Here are five ways that HPU stepped-up to support its campus family and the surrounding community.
1. Serving as a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic The High Point University Community Center opened its doors to community members as the Guilford County Division of Public Health’s only vaccination site in the city of High Point.
Pictured left, Ron and Trudy Greeson visited the High Point University Community Center to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
2. Donating a Freezer to Store Vaccines HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, the Piedmont Triad’s only pharmacy school, donated a specialized freezer to Cone Health to store COVID-19 vaccines. This freezer, which the pharmacy school uses to store samples, provides the temperature uniformity and stability required for the Pfizer vaccine, as well as a back-up capability in case of a loss of power.
Pictured from left to right are Dr. Buddy Lingle, dean of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; Scot McIntosh, laboratory manager; and Dr. Robert Coover, assistant professor of basic pharmaceutical sciences.
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3. Giving Water and Supplies 14,000 bottles of water were donated to Greater High Point Food Alliance, Guilford County EMS, Community Clinic of High Point, High Point Fire Department, High Point Police Department, High Point Housing Authority, High Point Physical Therapy Pro Bono Clinic, Macedonia Family Resource Center, Open Door Ministries and other area organizations. 5,000 HPU ponchos were donated to Guilford County EMS in case PPE supplies were depleted. More than 4,000 meals were donated to Open Door Ministries. In the tradition of HPU supporting the United Way of Greater High Point with a $250,000 gift, the university donated an additional $50,000 specifically for the United Way’s Emergency Fund when COVID-19 began impacting the Piedmont Triad. HPU’s Dr. Kim Reich, associate professor of exercise science, found new ways to serve children and families during these uncertain times by working with local nonprofit D-UP on health promotion campaigns and activities. HPU’s Dr. David Bergen,
chair and professor of human relations and nonprofit studies, also partnered with D-UP to collect and distribute food to socioeconomically challenged families. In addition, science majors wrote letters to retirement home communities.
Pictured above, the HPU family donated cases of water to be delivered throughout High Point.
4. Providing PPE
5. Modeling Healthy Habits
HPU donated 2,000 face masks to four organizations within the city of High Point. The United Way of Greater High Point, the High Point Housing Authority, Carl Chavis YMCA and YWCA of High Point each received 500 masks.
Through public recognition and positive reinforcement, the HPU Health Heroes program encouraged students, faculty and staff to practice and promote important safety protocols, including mask wearing, physical distancing, hand washing and more. Health Heroes were committed to wellness both on campus and in the local community.
Pictured from left to right are Rasaahn Morris, procurement officer for the High Point Housing Authority; Alice Owens, operations director at the YWCA of High Point; Carlvena Foster, district vice president of operations for the Carl Chavis YMCA; and Jane Liebscher, president of the United Way of Greater High Point.
HPU students wore their masks to protect the campus community during the 2020-2021 academic year.
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20,000 Christmas Drive
PEOPLE ENJOY HPU’S
For the 10th year in a row, High Point University welcomed thousands of families and community members to celebrate the holiday season.
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HPU hosted its largest Christmas Drive to date in 2020, welcoming 20,000 people across 14 nights to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas from their vehicles. As families drove through campus, they were greeted with 100,000 lights, a candy cane DNA structure in Congdon Hall, a life-size Nativity scene, 138 nutcrackers and soldiers, and other holiday decorations. “While we all adjusted our lives in 2020 because of the pandemic, we could not allow our community to go without Christmas cheer,” said HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein. “The Christmas season is very special to the HPU family, and we were excited to welcome our community to celebrate in a safe way.” Guests received a map and complimentary gift at HPU’s Welcome Center, where the drive began. In 2019, the first year of HPU’s Christmas Drive, nearly 10,000 visitors drove through campus to see the sights and lights. Since 2011, HPU has hosted Community Christmas, a two-night event for nine consecutive years that turned into the premier complimentary Christmas event of the Piedmont Triad. Considering the numerous safety measures that had to be followed during the pandemic, it wasn’t possible to host HPU’s Annual Community Christmas event, which attracts more than 20,000 people. “This is a time to bond with your family and create memories for my daughter that she can remember when she gets older. It’s great that the university gives back to the community,” says Andrew Cartledge, High Point resident and father to daughter Emma.
“It’s great that the university gives back to the community.” -Andrew Cartledge, High Point resident
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HPU’s Annual
“A Day On, Not Off” In the midst of a global pandemic, HPU students safely completed various service projects in the local community. High Point University’s annual events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. looked different in 2021 due to the pandemic, but they continued to emphasize the importance of honoring his legacy. Students, HPU AmeriCorps VISTAs and community members participated in activities to celebrate King, including HPU’s “A Day On, Not Off” — an entire day devoted to service projects throughout the city. Several events were held virtually and in person. HPU’s Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Worship Service offered physically distant seating inside the Charles E. Hayworth Memorial Chapel, as well as virtual streaming, as it welcomed Rev. Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton, dean of the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, as special speaker. Jenny Carpenter, an HPU AmeriCorps VISTA, organized “Packaging Seeds to Share.” During the event, volunteers packed vegetable seeds to donate to this year’s 7th Annual
Seeds to Share program. The seeds went to nearly 100 community gardens in the area. The program is organized by N.C. Cooperative Extension Guilford County, Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers, and the Greater High Point Food Alliance Urban Agriculture working group.
seeds to grow for their families, for donation and for education. Community gardens are growing in our neighborhoods, libraries, parks and recreation centers, places of worship, community organizations, early childcare centers and schools.”
“The seeds that High Point University students are packaging will grow into thousands of pounds of fresh food for our community.” -Quina Weber-Shirk, Extension Agent for Community Gardens with Guilford County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension “The seeds that High Point University students are packaging will grow into thousands of pounds of fresh food for our community,” said Quina Weber-Shirk, extension agent for community gardens with Guilford County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. “Each year, between 80 and 100 community and school gardens receive free
Heather Simmons, HPU’s Teachers of Tomorrow president, and Avery Moon, an AmeriCorps VISTA, also partnered to organize a “Technology for Schools Collection Drive” for High Point Schools Partnership. They collected gently used technology and devices for area students and schools in need.
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Thin Slices
The HPU family donated 2,000 pounds of food to the United Way of Greater High Point’s 2021 “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign.
More than 100 HPU students served as virtual tutors within the Guilford County School District for children impacted by virtual learning during the global pandemic. HPU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences assisted school-age children by scheduling virtual tutoring sessions to help with math lessons.
To honor the men and women who served and are serving in the United States military, HPU students wrote more than 500 thank-you notes to either a family member or local High Point veteran on Veterans Day.
HPU’s Student Government Association and Student Alumni Council collected canned foods to benefit Open Door Ministries of High Point. More than 200 donations from students, faculty and staff were received, including 5,000 water bottles and more than 1,300 cans of food.
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Thin Slices
Dr. Nido Qubein, High Point University president, announced that HPU issued a challenge gift up to $500,000 to the High Point Community Investment Campaign, a new fund for minority entrepreneurs in the city, and called on community investors to support the initiative, too.
HPU’s Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic offers more than just physical therapy to their patients. After working with patients and noticing some also needed food, they began a food pantry. Throughout the global pandemic, the clinic’s patients have received more than 2,000 pounds of food.
HPU dedicated an area in the center of the Greek Village to recognize and celebrate the National Pan-Hellenic Council and HPU’s Black fraternities and sororities. Plaques for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated will be added to the area.
Faculty in HPU’s Nido R. Qubein School of Communication donated gifts and sporting equipment to area organizations to support families for the holidays. The donations were given to Family Services of Davidson County and Family Service of the Piedmont to support 30 individuals.
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Disney
Designing for
HPU’s Michaela Mucha, ’18, crafts creative marketing magic for Walt Disney Studios. You may not know Michaela Mucha, but you know her work.
the much-anticipated sequel “Frozen II.”
Open the Disney+ streaming platform. See that movie art on the screen? That’s one of Mucha’s projects.
Her team began their work by meeting with Jennifer Lee, Frozen franchise director and writer and Walt Disney Animation Studio chief creative officer.
In a movie theater lobby, posters line the walls. You spot one for Disney’s latest animated film. Yes, Mucha helped bring those to life. Who is Mucha? She’s a Maryland native, a 2018 graduate of High Point University and a member of the Creative Print Marketing team at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Having quickly climbed to a corporate role with the legendary company, Mucha’s time with Disney is a tale of success. And it all started at HPU.
Calm, Cool Frozen and Collected. Mucha’s first feature film project with Walt Disney Animation Studios was finalizing creative print marketing materials for
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It was a big meeting for Mucha. As the youngest and newest member of her team, she had reason to be nervous. But she wasn’t. She was ready, composed and comfortable. She’s since worked on projects that touch all the way up to Disney’s CEO. She credits her preparedness to HPU. “My time at HPU was such a growth experience for me,” she says. “It prepared me to be a leader, grew me holistically, gave me confidence in my creative skills, and encouraged me to contribute ideas in creative collaboration meetings for upcoming Disney+, Animation and 21st Century Studios films.” Mucha has since contributed to the teams who create the logo, movie posters, billboards and social graphics for various
Disney and Pixar accounts. She’s worked on creative materials for movies like “Lady and the Tramp” and the holiday hit “Noelle” on Disney+, and she coordinates design assets enterprise-wide for Disney, from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to Disney Streaming Services and more. Reflecting on her transformation, Mucha says there’s a time in her life where she couldn’t have imagined being where she is now. She would have called it “impossible.” HPU changed that.
The Mentor Behind the Magic Mucha came to HPU as a computer science major. She’d been interested in graphic design but didn’t know if she had the skill set to make a career out of it. Computer science felt like the safer bet. Then, she met Professor Allan Beaver. Mucha joined HPU’s graphic design club her freshman year. Made up primarily of design majors, club members buzzed
about Beaver and his legendary status as a designer. Mucha actively searched for courses Beaver was teaching and soon found herself in his class. Beaver quickly recognized that Mucha had a skill she didn’t see in herself, so he inquired about her plans after graduation. “I’m a computer science major,” she told him. “So I guess I’ll be a computer scientist?” Beaver forced her to pause. “But what are you passionate about?” he asked. Mucha realized she was burying her passion. She was afraid to pursue it and fail. “He told me that if my passion truly was in graphic design, there was no way I could fail. I should pursue a creative career,” she remembers. Under his guidance, she changed her major to graphic design and set her sights on Disney. “He pushed me outside my comfort zone,” she says. “I think sometimes about how different my life would be if I hadn’t learned from a professor like him or if I’d gone to a bigger school where I was just a number to be forgotten. I can imagine most professors might have given me a grade and sent me on my way.” It was never like that at HPU. Beaver recently passed away, and Mucha finds herself tearing up when she talks about him.
Michaela Mucha, ’18, turned her internship with Disney into a successful career immediately following graduation. When she landed her internship with Disney, he was one of the first she told. He emailed her immediately. “Walt Disney will always recognize talented designers,” he told her. Mucha still has the email. “Together, we laid out a plan that made my dreams feel possible,” she says. “And now, I’m doing it. It’s all because of him.”
Signs of Transformation That confidence sparked by Beaver began to spill over into other areas for Mucha.
But at HPU, she was inspired by her peers and professors to be more. To do more. By her final year, she was recognized as an HPU Extraordinary Leader — a coveted campus honor. It marked her official transformation from the self-conscious high schooler she had once been to the woman ready to roll up her sleeves and collaborate with Disney filmmakers and studio executives. Now, living in L.A., Mucha ventures out and often spots a billboard she helped create.
She soon took on leadership roles in organizations she’d joined freshman year. By her third year, Mucha was elected president of the junior class.
Her team’s work on display for
She was shocked. It was never something she thought she’d run for, much less be elected and given the honor to lead.
her get to this point.
the entire world to see reminds her of how “insanely cool” this opportunity is. It reminds her how far she’s come and who helped
Those billboards are a symbol of her HPU journey.
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H
HPU
omecoming IN 2020
High Point University’s 2020 Annual Homecoming Weekend was held virtually from Oct. 23-25 due to the global pandemic, but that did not stop the university from recognizing 13 outstanding alumni and engaging HPU graduates in a wide variety of events. Homecoming Weekend included many activities, such as a virtual 5K, Cooking Collaborative sessions with HPU Dining, a worship service and virtual tours of new areas on campus, including the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center, and the adjoining Kahn Hotel. The Annual Alumni Awards Ceremony is always a significant part of Homecoming. This year, HPU presented three major awards to alumni who have made a difference on campus, in their communities and on a national and global scale.
THE 2020 AWARD WINNERS James H. “Jim” Millis, Jr. was born in High Point in 1947 to the late Jesse and James Millis, Sr. As a student, Millis was a staff writer for the Hi-Po campus newspaper and served as art editor for the “Apogee,” HPU’s literary magazine. He pursued graduate education at the Naropa Institute, Kendall School of Design and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
James “Jim” H. Millis, Jr. Class of 1976
Lifetime Achievement Award
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After selling his Raspberry Fence furniture business in High Point, Millis began a career with the Adams Millis Corporation, the world’s largest hosiery company, as senior vice president of marketing and product development, to provide strategic, long-range planning for domestic and
global growth. Following his career at Adams Millis, he was the CEO of both Micromarketing OMO and Millbrook 1, LLC. He actively serves as the CEO of the James Millis, Jr. Foundation. Millis is a devoted advocate for High Point University and served on the Board of Trustees for High Point University from 2005 until 2017. Millis and his wife, Debbie, have provided philanthropic support to positively impact the local community through several foundations and churches. The couple established the Shirley Rawley Endowed Scholarship at HPU, in honor of Professor Shirley Rawley, to offer financial support in perpetuity for an aspiring creative writer.
Elizabeth “Betty” Miller Strickland attended High Point College, where she was crowned Miss High Point College in 1952. In 2020, she established the Elizabeth Miller Strickland Women’s Leadership Fund and the Elizabeth Miller Strickland Endowed Scholarship Fund through a $12 million gift, the largest to HPU’s endowment in its 97-year history.
Elizabeth “Betty” Miller Strickland Class of 1952
Alumna of the Year
Janet Riley-Wright Class of 1983
Alumni Service Award
The endowed scholarship will support students who demonstrate both financial need and a background of success on campus in their early college years. The leadership fund will provide a platform to inspire the achievement of gender equality by providing inspiration, mentorship and opportunities for young women to achieve their dreams through the Strickland Women’s Leadership Council.
Janet Riley-Wright graduated from High Point College in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science while pursuing a pre-law track. She was involved in several campus organizations as a student, specifically as a founding member of the Black Unification Movement, now Black Cultural Awareness, an active campus group today. She continued her leadership post-graduation with HPU by serving on the Alumni Board of Directors for the past six years. She began her career as a domestic violence court advocate and coordinator with Family Service of the Piedmont. Through this role, Riley-Wright worked with judges, attorneys and members of law enforcement by advocating on behalf of victims and their families
Strickland and her late husband, Bob, who passed away in 2018, met when she was only 12 years old at a Boy Scout party, and later married in 1952. After serving in the United States Navy, Bob began a two-year commitment as Lowe’s director of advertising that turned into a 40-year career, with Bob retiring as chairman of the board of Lowe’s in 1997. He was named chairman emeritus in 1999. In the early 1980s, Strickland developed, designed and operated a unique retail venue, Oxford Antiques and Gifts, where the profits of sales were donated to charities. When it closed in the mid-2000s, the store had gifted well over $1 million to local charities, including Crisis Control Ministries, NC Shakespeare Festival and the Winston-Salem Symphony.
in domestic violence situations. Currently, she serves as child protective services investigator and senior social worker for Forsyth County Family and Children’s Services in Winston-Salem. Riley-Wright is also involved in her community in numerous other ways. She is a Class of 2018 participant in both Leadership High Point and the High Point Police Citizen Academy. She serves as an ambassador to both Business High Point and Visit High Point. With the YMCA, she is a Community Builders Initiative member and currently serves as vice-chair for the Macedonia Family Resource Center. For the city of High Point, she serves as the chair for the African American Initiative.
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During the 2020 Virtual Homecoming Alumni Awards, the university also honored these 10 young alumni for their outstanding achievements in their profession and their community. This year’s Top 10 Under 10 are: Jeremy D. Hiatt, Class of 2010 Assurance Director Smith Leonard High Point, North Carolina
Alicia N. Berry, Class of 2013 Head of Teaching and Learning El Alsson American International School Cairo, Egypt
Robin P. White, Class of 2011 Compensation Manager National General Insurance Piedmont Triad, North Carolina
John A. Ongaro, Class of 2013 Senior Manager Point Pickup Stamford, Connecticut
Dr. Graham W. Howard, Class of 2016 and 2017 Professional Consultant for the Trailer Industry Piedmont Triad, North Carolina
Derrell T. Edwards, Class of 2014 Over-the-Wall Crew Member for Joe Gibbs Racing Huntersville, North Carolina
Taylor Z. Jamieson, Class of 2012 Human Resources Manager Cornerstone Research Washington, D.C.
Amber L. Williamson, Class of 2014 and 2016 Director of Leadership and Program Development, Business High Point – Chamber of Commerce High Point, North Carolina
Timaura E. Barfield, Class of 2013 Attorney Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte G. Thompson, Class of 2018 Travel Consultant Charlotte from Chicago New York City
HPU HOMECOMING WEEKEND 2021
October 22 – 24, 2021
HPU held 2021 Homecoming on Oct. 22-24 just as this magazine went to print. HPU classmates enjoyed an outstanding weekend full of events for the entire family. Signature events included the annual Alumni Awards Ceremony, Culp Planetarium shows, the Homecoming Panther Tailgate and athletic games, campus tours of the new Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center and the adjoining Kahn Hotel, and much more. The Class of 1970 and 1971 also gathered to celebrate their 50th reunions. To view highlights from the weekend, visit engage.highpoint.edu/homecoming.
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100 YEARS OF HPU: 2024 Will Honor a Legacy of Achievement, Tradition and Transformation As we quickly approach the year 2024, the mark of providing a century of higher education, President Dr. Nido R. Qubein has commissioned the HPU Centennial Planning Task Force to aid in the development of a year of recognition and celebration for this momentous occasion. We will pay homage to our rich traditions and honor our collective legacy as a High Point University family. Alumni and families are encouraged to participate alongside faculty, staff and students in various opportunities, which include on-campus and regional events, special Homecoming and reunion celebrations, and more. The Task Force will be seeking input and sharing further details over the next 18 months.
YOU MADE EDUCATION POSSIBLE ON #DAYFORHPU! Thank you to the more than 1,900 donors who stepped forward in support of High Point University on our fifth annual #DayforHPU on March 23, 2021. Help us grow global engagement on #DayforHPU in 2022 by: • Serving as a Social Media Ambassador or Alumni Peer Agent
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• Hosting regional gatherings (virtual or in-person) to celebrate #DayforHPU together • Encouraging others to give with an individual or group matching gift challenge Get involved today at engage.highpoint.edu/DayforHPU.
SAVE THE DATE
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
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Brooke Smith, ’21, was named the inaugural winner of the Strickland Trailblazer Award. Smith is now attending medical school.
Strickland Gift Drives Forward Women’s Leadership Initiatives In August, on the 100th anniversary of Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which guarantees a woman’s right to vote, HPU announced that alumna Elizabeth “Betty” Miller Strickland made a $12 million gift, the largest endowment gift in the history of HPU.
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The gift established the Elizabeth Miller Strickland Women’s Leadership Fund, the Elizabeth Miller Strickland Endowed Scholarship Fund and the Elizabeth Miller Strickland Women’s Leadership Council. In the last year, the council and the first scholarship awards have been announced. Here’s a glimpse at the legacy Strickland and her commitment to HPU continue to create.
Women’s Leadership Council Announced
The Strickland Women’s Leadership Council was founded on Strickland’s belief that the empowerment of women in business and leadership is a life skill worth pursuing. The desired outcome is to provide inspiration, mentorship and opportunities for young women to achieve their dreams. The Strickland Women’s Leadership Council will develop seminars and programs focused on issues relevant to women in business, leadership and entrepreneurship. “Empaneling and empowering the Strickland Women’s Leadership Council to study, program and deploy resources for women is a demonstration of High Point University’s leadership,” says Strickland. “I am thrilled to witness High Point University’s commitment to acknowledging women and inspiring them to be confident in their capabilities.” The members of the council are highly successful in their field, dedicated to the mission of the council of inspiring and mentoring young women as they prepare to enter the professional world.
New Fellowship to Support Female Students In addition to the impactful programs outlined on these pages, the Strickland Women’s LIFT (Leading and Inspiring Female Trailblazers) Fellowship Program will welcome its inaugural cohort in Fall 2022. The program is designed to provide female students at HPU with unique and impactful opportunities to strengthen their self-efficacy, leadership capacity and capabilities. They will also learn to identify and overcome common obstacles in the path to women’s success. Participants in the LIFT Fellowship will receive a $3,000 scholarship renewable annually based on academic performance and continued participation in the program. For more information, visit www.highpoint.edu/admissions /strickland-womens-lift-fellowship/.
Strickland Women’s Leadership Council Members
Elizabeth Miller Strickland
Cynthia Strickland Graham
Deborah Kennedy Kennard, P’23
Christine B. Cottrell, P’17
Sue A. Downes, P’21
Betsy A. Fleming
Laurna Godwin
Heidi E. Hatfield
Lindsay D. Scott, ’13
Betsy L. Turner
Chair
Vice Chair
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Legacy
LEAVING A
This alumni family created a future athletic scholarship through a planned gift.
Pictured from left to right are Dana Holmes Hamilton, ’85; Shelby Hamilton Myers, ’15 and ’16; and Jack Hamilton, ’81. The family celebrates their HPU pride by supporting students.
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In the early 1980s, Jack Hamilton and Dana Holmes Hamilton both attended High Point College, now High Point University. Graduating in 1981 and 1985, respectively, they did not know each other from their time on campus but connected later as fellow residents in the city of High Point. As a student, Jack joined the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and was one of HPU’s first home furnishings majors under the guidance of Dr. Richard Bennington. Jack graduated, began work in the furniture industry and started his own furniture company, Value Ticking. Dana played field hockey, belonged to the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority and majored in business with a minor in computer science. She led a successful career working in the computer sales industry. Together, they owned and operated several real estate companies. Nearly three decades later, their daughter, now Shelby Hamilton Myers, attended High Point University. Shelby was a member of Kappa Delta sorority and graduated in the Class of 2015 with a degree in elementary education. She chose to continue her studies at HPU by obtaining her Master’s in Education in 2016. Today, when the couple reflects on the transformation of High Point University’s campus, they do so through the eyes as parents of an HPU graduate. “When Shelby attended the President’s Seminar on Life Skills with HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein, he showed students pictures of the original campus in 2010 compared to the progress made today to give them perspective,” says Dana Hamilton. “Shelby shared that with us, and we saw firsthand the growth that resulted from philanthropy. We saw the impact that giving had on the campus of our alma mater and felt the direct impact on Shelby’s experience as a student.” HPU has changed the lives of all the Hamiltons and provided them with many blessings — from meeting other great families to connecting with studentathletes on campus. In honor of that, they have
established the Hamilton Family Endowed Athletic Scholarship to provide support in perpetuity for the university’s Olympic sport intercollegiate teams. “We continue to be impressed with the university and how it drives the High Point economy and embraces God, family and country values,” says Jack Hamilton. “As our daughter was the beneficiary of scholarship support, we feel passionately about making these resources available to other students.” As part of their estate planning, Dana and Jack Hamilton have chosen to fund their scholarship by making High Point University the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. Through this gift, a mid-six figure amount will be added to the endowment, ensuring that generations of student-athletes will benefit from their generosity. In sharing their giving story, the Hamiltons hope to inspire others to include High Point University as the beneficiary of their final and most meaningful philanthropic gift. This deferred gift makes Dana and Jack Hamilton members of The Sterling Society.
The Sterling Society: An Opportunity for You The Sterling Society recognizes those alumni, families and friends, like the Hamiltons, who have generously included High Point University in their estate plans. With more than 250 members, the society welcomed 26 new member families who shared their plans with the university between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021. Members of The Sterling Society experience the satisfaction of making an impact on the university’s future in a way that is reflective of what the university has meant in their own lives. Whether included as a gift in their will or through an insurance policy or retirement account, members can give to HPU while seeing to other financial needs. To learn more about how you can make a difference as a member of The Sterling Society or to notify the university of its place in your estate plans, please visit engage.highpoint.edu/sterlingsociety
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that HPU and Dr. Nido Qubein have accomplished. I’m bursting wide open with pride for HPU, one of the finest universities in the country, as we continue to move forward.”
HPU
Establishes Scholarship to
Honor
LOCAL BUSINESSMAN
Throughout his life, Dr. Robert “Bob” Brown has tried to live by this motto: You can’t go wrong doing right. It was instilled by his grandmother, Nellie Brown. Looking at his list of accomplishments, it is evident that he has achieved just that. Brown holds 11 honorary doctorate degrees from various colleges and universities. He has been recognized with six national achievement awards, including being selected as a member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. Brown served as special assistant to President Richard Nixon and as an advisor to each succeeding president. He currently serves as chairman of HPU’s Board of Trustees. “We have to help young people. Not everyone has the resources even when they have the yearning for education,” said Brown. “We have to lift them up. Education has a ripple effect. It goes from one person to the next and so on. I’m astounded by all
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Brown has always believed that education for everyone is important, and that education opens doors to opportunities. Now an endowed scholarship bears his name at HPU. Together, Frank Harrison, CEO of Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc., and HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein, have raised nearly $3 million from business associates and friends of Dr. Brown to honor his legacy and provide annual scholarship awards to minority students. “Bob Brown’s humble background, extraordinary achievements and philosophy of living to serve are inspirational to those who know him and to those who know about him,” said Harrison. “His passion for education and our shared values led us to create this partnership with HPU.” “Bob Brown is a hero, model and mentor to millions around the world,” said Qubein. “His life story is a testimony to the extraordinary influence and impact of a leader who commits all his resources to helping others. We honor our friend with this scholarship to continue his legacy in our community and at HPU.” Brown grew up not far from the university’s campus on Commerce Street with his grandparents and brother. He has traveled the world, but High Point has always remained home. He is CEO & Founder of B&C International, a global business management consulting firm headquartered in High Point. He is also founder of the International BookSmart Foundation, a nonprofit that has shipped more than 5 million books, countless teaching supplies and opened over 300 libraries on the continent of Africa. “I’m grateful to Coca-Cola Consolidated, HPU and all my friends for making this opportunity possible for our students,” said Brown. “I’m overwhelmed. I’ve known HPU my whole life, and I’m proud to have a scholarship in my name.” To learn more about the Dr. Robert J. Brown Endowed Scholarship, or to make a gift of support to this or other endowed funds, visit engage.highpoint.edu/ endowment.
ENDOWMENTS During the 2020-2021 academic year, ending May 31, 2021, generous donors added 15 funds, totaling more than $3.2 million, to the endowment for scholarship and program support. • Chip and Judy Anderson Endowed Scholarship
Additionally, more than 20 families were inspired by the generosity of Mrs. Elizabeth Miller Strickland and the creation of the new Strickland Scholarship Plaza behind Roberts Hall. They have made additional major gifts to grow the principal of their existing endowed funds and increase the impact they are having on today’s students. These endowments, representing $5.2 million in donations, include:
• Barger Family Endowment
• Bernard Family Leadership Fund
• Philip J. and Catherine L. Beck Endowed Scholarship
• Mickey and Katy Boles Endowed Scholarship
• Dr. Robert J. Brown Endowed Scholarship
• Calloway Endowed Scholarship
• Hugh G. and Ann M. Daubek Endowed Scholarship • Drobny Family Entrepreneurship Endowed Fund • Raymond P. and Hester E. Fassel Endowed Scholarship • Rayford B. Grant Endowed Scholarship • Elizabeth and Michael MacIver Endowed Scholarship • Randy R. Moser Endowed Scholarship • Servant Leadership Endowed Scholarship • Albert H. and Elizabeth M. Seymour Endowed Scholarship
• Barbara Frisbee Callicutt Endowed Scholarship • Ivy Dunham Cocklereece Endowed Scholarship • Crisp Family Endowed Scholarship • Michael H. Epstein Endowed Scholarship • William A. Fidler Endowed Scholarship • Barbara Pfeiffer Redcay Endowed Scholarship • Reverend Ernest U. and Irene M. Stephens Endowed Scholarship • Christopher Lee and Kimberly Dawn Henson Family Endowed Scholarship • James B. and Dell C. Johnson Endowed Scholarship • Randall Thomas Johnson Guest Artist Program
• Bonnie H. Smith Endowment for Christian Programs
• Matthew G. Levine Memorial Endowed Scholarship
• Emmett E. Stobbs, Jr. Endowed Scholarship
• Louise D. and Bill L. Minor Endowed Scholarship
• University Diversity Endowed Scholarships
• Jerry W. and Joan S. Murdock Endowed Scholarship
• Kenneth F. and Jana S. Kahn Extraordinary Staff Award Endowment
• Sapraicone Family Endowed Scholarship • Sheriff Family Veterans Awareness Endowed Fund To learn about establishing a new endowment fund and how your family can be recognized in the Elizabeth Miller Strickland Scholarship Plaza, please contact Christopher H. Dudley, ’94, Senior Vice President for Development at 336-841-4530 or cdudley@highpoint.edu.
• Siegfried Leadership Endowed Fund • Surratt Endowed Scholarship • Dr. James E. Surratt Outstanding School of Education Doctoral Student Award • Douglas S. Witcher Endowed Scholarship • Sarah Marie Wood Memorial Endowed Scholarship • Vann and Ann York Endowed Scholarship
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HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
HPU Magazine is published for alumni, parents and friends of High Point University.
BOARD LEADERSHIP Board of Trustees Dr. Robert J. Brown, Chairman Chris Henson, Vice Chairman Board of Visitors Iv Culp, Chairman Alumni Board of Directors William G. Tarrant, ’06, President Panther Club Darren Hill, Senior Director Alexandra Phillips, Director
SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT HPU MAGAZINE TO: Pam Haynes Assistant Vice President for Communications 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 highpoint.edu HighPointU
Numbers to know:
HighPointU HighPointU
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
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HPU’S
Historical Sculptures You’ll find impactful faces of history throughout High Point University’s campus lining the Gene and Jane Kester International Promenade and the Innovation Corridor. From Sir Isaac Newton, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and George Washington, to Mahatma Gandhi, Amelia Earhart and Mother Teresa, the historical sculptures reflect HPU’s values and remind students that they, too, can accomplish great things. HPU’s newest sculptures will include Harriet Tubman and Thurgood Marshall. Tubman was born into slavery circa 1822 and grew to be an American abolitionist and political activist. Marshall was an American lawyer and civil rights activist. The university commissioned these new sculptures in February 2021 in honor of Black History Month.
H I G H
P O I N T
U N I V E R S I T Y
P? p Quiz! How well do you know HPU’s Justice League of global leaders?
With an impressive roundup of trailblazers spanning industries in business, technology, entrepreneurship, sports, journalism and more, HPU connects students with global leaders for networking, mentorship and professional development. Take the quiz below to test your knowledge about HPU’s Access to Innovators Program!
1
What streaming service did Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, lead as the first CEO and lay the groundwork for what’s grown into 200 million subscribers? a. Hulu b. Netflix c. HBO Max
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This industry leader has spent a lot of time inside HPU’s state-of-the-art TV studio and talks often of overcoming childhood difficulties to become a national Emmy Award-winning journalist. a. Byron Pitts, ABC News’ “Nightline” Co-Anchor and HPU’s Journalist in Residence b. Bob Ryan, former sportswriter for The Boston Globe and HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence c. Cynt Marshall, Dallas Mavericks CEO and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence
What famed reporter, who is also one of the most celebrated sports journalists of all time and holds a regular spot on ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” serves as HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence? a. Byron Pitts, ABC News’ “Nightline” Co-Anchor and HPU’s Journalist in Residence b. Bob Ryan, former sportswriter for The Boston Globe and HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence c. Cynt Marshall, Dallas Mavericks CEO and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence
7
3
Who co-founded one of the most recognizable tech companies in the world thanks to his revolutionary design, even though it was initially rejected by Hewlett Packard? a. Dean Cain, Famed Actor, Producer and HPU’s Actor in Residence b. Byron Pitts, ABC News’ “Nightline” Co-Anchor and HPU’s Journalist in Residence c. Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder and HPU’s Innovator in Residence
This inspiring leader, pastor and bestselling author has mentored millions throughout his career. Now, he inspires students as HPU’s Executive Coach in Residence. a. Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder and HPU’s Innovator in Residence b. Russell Weiner, President and COO of Domino’s, HPU’s Corporate Executive in Residence c. Dr. John Maxwell, Bestselling Author, Leadership Expert and HPU’s Executive Coach in Residence
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4
What “Shark Tank” star recruited Cynt Marshall, HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence, to be the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks? a. Mark Cuban b. Daymond John c. Barbara Corcoran
5
What national morning news show did Joe Michaels, HPU’s Broadcaster in Residence, direct for 20 years before he began his role as an HPU mentor? a. NBC’s “TODAY” b. ABC’s “Good Morning America” c. CBS “Mornings”
Who is the former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and FCC Chairman who has been dubbed “a consumer champion for the digital age?” HINT: He co-founded and serves as chairman of Velocitas Partners LLC, an asset management firm, and is a founding partner of Astra Capital Management, a private equity firm. a. William Kennard, HPU’s Global Leader in Residence b. Dr. John Maxwell, Bestselling Author, Leadership Expert and HPU’s Executive Coach in Residence c. Dean Cain, Famed Actor, Producer and HPU’s Actor in Residence
8 to 10 Correct: You’re a future innovator in the making!
10
At what fast-casual restaurant did Dee Ann Turner, HPU’s Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence, serve as the Vice President for Talent? a. Chipotle b. Chick-fil-A c. Panera Bread
You know the power of mentorship and appreciate HPU’s continued efforts to bring global leaders to campus to inspire students. You understand HPU’s emphasis on creating an environment for students to thrive. Follow @HighPointU on Instagram to see the latest photos and videos of these industry titans visiting HPU!
You understand and appreciate that HPU students have direct connections with leaders in a variety of career fields. HPU’s Access to Innovators program is just one example. The pages of this magazine show you many others!
4 to 7 Correct: Creating industry connections is important to you.
Rotate the page to see the answers and add up your score!
9
What international pizza chain did Russell Weiner, HPU’s Corporate Executive in Residence, lead in the reimagining of its national branding? a. Domino’s b. Marco’s Pizza c. Little Cesar’s
It’s time to learn more about the distinctive learning opportunities at HPU! You can get started by visiting www.highpoint.edu/innovators to see examples of global leaders mentoring HPU students.
1 to 3 Correct: Get excited to learn more about these industry titans!
Answer Key: 1. (B) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (A) 5. (A) 6. (B) 7. (C) 8. (A) 9. (B) 10. (A) Total Correct_____
One University Parkway High Point, N.C. 27268 USA 336-841-9000
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Founder of KIND Snacks and Entrepreneur Named 2022 Commencement Speaker Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND Snacks, a business leader, investor and social entrepreneur, will serve as HPU’s Commencement speaker on May 7, 2022. Lubetzky is a social entrepreneur working to build bridges between people and to increase appreciation for our shared humanity. While best known as the founder of KIND Snacks, his foray into food was the unexpected outcome of his work to use business to bring neighbors in Middle Eastern conflict regions together. The son of a Holocaust survivor, Lubetzky conceived civic initiatives OneVoice, Empatico and Starts with Us to foster empathy and empower individuals to practice daily habits to improve our world. Lubetzky also helped launch Frontline Impact Project, a KIND Foundation initiative to support heroes on the frontlines of COVID-19 and natural disasters. He is the author of The New York Times bestseller “Do the KIND Thing” and a recurring shark on ABC’s television series “Shark Tank.” Lubetzky joins an extraordinary lineup of HPU Commencement Speakers, including Cynt Marshall, CEO of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and HPU Sports Executive In Residence; Dr. Michio Kaku, physicist and co-founder of String Field Theory; Josh Groban, internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and actor; Wolf Blitzer, CNN’s lead political anchor and anchor of “The Situation Room;” former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Gen. Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and national security advisor; former First Lady Laura Bush; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and HPU’s Innovator in Residence; Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan; NASA Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin; and Muhtar Kent, CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.