HPU Fall 2018 Magazine

2019

High Point University PREMIER LIFE SKILLS UNIVERSITY

THE MENTORSHIP EDITION: H P U ’S E C O SYST E M O F S U P P O R T L E A D S ST U D E N TS TO S U C C E SS

ACCELERATE

UNLOCK

EMBRACE

YOUR LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

THE POWER OF A GROWTH MINDSET

VALUES-BASED LIVING

MENTORSHIP (noun): Investing your time, talents and resources into the development of others. A calling to help others flourish because you believe it makes the world a better place. Coaching, guiding and championing the success of those around you. A gift that benefits both the giver and the receiver.

High Point University Magazine

High Point University Board Leadership

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

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Board of Visitors Mark Phillips, Chairman Alumni Board Lauren McGraw Kraemer, ’10, President Panther Club Jamie Amos, President SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT HPU MAGAZINE TO: Pam Haynes, Senior Director of Media Relations High Point University One University Parkway High Point, NC 27268 USA 336-841-9055 phaynes@highpoint.edu SEND INFORMATION FOR CLASS NOTES AND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Office of Institutional Advancement High Point University One University Parkway High Point, NC 27268 USA recordupdates@highpoint.edu 336-841-9696 High Point University website: highpoint.edu Facebook.com/HighPointU Twitter.com/HighPointU Instagram.com/HighPointU HPU Magazine is published for alumni, parents and friends of High Point University.

EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION Heroes, Models and Mentors How Mentorship Became a Mantra at HPU

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INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT Embrace Fear and Trust Your Instincts Josh Groban Addresses Thousands at Commencement

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CARING PEOPLE Serving Campus and Community HPU’s AmeriCorps VISTAs Support the City of High Point

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

Premier Life Skills University: High Point University has embraced a distinctive approach to education by focusing on life skills — capabilities that outlast and extend beyond technical skills, but allow one to communicate, build relationships, continuously grow and thrive in competitive environments. Because of this, HPU graduates effectively adapt amidst rapid change. They understand that to work harder, one must work smarter. They accept failure as the price for learning and develop a growth mindset. They navigate complex situations without being intimidated by life’s obstacles. And they’re equipped with what employers are looking for in new hires. Throughout this magazine, you’ll find stories that illustrate how HPU instills life skills in students and how graduates apply those to create value in the real world.

HEROES. MODELS. MENTORS. “If you want to be great, walk side by side and hand in hand with great people.”

This advice dispensed by my mother, who had only a fourth-grade education, transformed my life. I’ve never forgotten it. And it’s advice our team at High Point University works to implement every day on our transformational campus.

Richard Rohr, the Franciscan priest, shared great insight in regard to mentorship too, when he said:

President Nido R. Qubein

“Transformed people transform people.”

Wow. How true that is! I encourage all freshmen in my Seminar on Life Skills to consciously consider who they spend time with. Because who you spend time with is who you become.

If you want to know the real secret to HPU’s enrollment growth, here it is.

Students and parents in the college search process are asking themselves a simple question: If I want to transform my life, where is the best environment with the best people to help me succeed? More and more families are discovering the answer is High Point University.

Our faculty are not only learned in their disciplines, they’re also caring coaches and mentors. Our campus is not only equipped with the finest technology for learning, it’s engineered to help our students discover inspired living. If you think environment doesn’t matter, ask a professional sports coach if they’d rather play at home or away. At HPU, our campus inspires great performance.

College degrees are obtainable at thousands of institutions around the globe. Diplomas are common. What’s not so common is finding an environment where mentorship is intentionally fostered in and out of the classroom.

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When families seek a university setting where they will engage themselves, HPU provides an excellent return on their investment. The proof is in our alumni and their success. Within six months of crossing the Commencement stage, 96 percent of our graduates land careers or graduate school placement.

HPU faculty and staff serve as heroes, models and mentors for our students.

You’ll find examples of mentorship and coaching throughout this magazine.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION As our enrollment continues to grow, so do HPU’s academic programs.

Responding to shifts in the global marketplace, we will open our $65 million Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences next spring. Dedicated to biology, chemistry and physics, our growth in undergraduate sciences serves as a foundation for STEM endeavors. And we are enhancing our academic offerings in this ever-expanding job sector.

The Webb School of Engineering is the sixth academic school HPU has added since HPU’s transformation began in 2005. What else would you expect from a

university that attracts Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak to become HPU’s Innovator in Residence? Not to mention Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, who is HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.

There’s also Byron Pitts, HPU’s Journalist in Residence and co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline.” And then comes Betty Liu, NYSE Executive Vice Chairman and HPU’s Media Entrepreneur in Residence. She’s also the founder of RadiateInc.com, a leadership development website to which all HPU students have a subscription. And they’re just a few of the distinguished leaders from whom HPU students gain direct mentorship.

HPU’s holistic education prepares students for many avenues of success, whether it be working for a major corporation, becoming a teacher, starting their own company and much more. The world needs graduates with capabilities that outlast and extend beyond technical skills. In a competitive atmosphere, employers seek new hires who already know how to communicate, build relationships and continuously grow and thrive.

Preparing our students for the world as it is going to be gives them the distinction and competitive edge they need. It’s what makes HPU the Premier Life Skills University.

HPU is home to students from all 50 states and 56 different countries. They arrive here with varying backgrounds and diverse experiences. But they all share one commonality when they graduate from HPU: They’re ready.

VISION GUIDED BY VALUES There are quotes placed along the brick pathways of our Kester International Promenade. One that I love is from Roy Disney: “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.”

At HPU, our values are clear. We are a God, family and country school.

Families appreciate our conviction, and they value the character development we foster in our students. Think about it. Generation Z graduates will face a continuous torrent of decision making created by never-ending technological advances.

Many technical skills learned today will be irrelevant tomorrow. Some theories understood today will be disproven tomorrow. So by what standard should we be encouraging students to base their decisions?

At HPU, we believe in the fundamentals that built America in the first place. Hard work. Personal initiative. Generosity. Gratitude. Faith in God. And courage. This is what we believe at HPU. This is what we model at HPU. This is the core of how we transform young men and women on our campus every day.

The American spirit does exist on the campus of HPU. More than anything, we want to ensure our students are not intimidated by life’s obstacles.

And I will tell you that I’ve dropped many a tear on the letters I’ve received from students, alumni and parents who share their gratitude for the transformational journey they’ve experienced on the grounds of our campus. This is High Point University. I invite you to visit us and discover it for yourself.

Sincerely, Nido R. Qubein nqubein@highpoint.edu

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The Scholars Summit Young Alumni Panel, moderated by HPU President Nido Qubein, brought back to campus successful graduates who now work as lawyers and doctors, as well as graduates leading stellar careers at Google, Apple, Amazon, People Magazine and more.

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Extraordinary Education “When two (job) candidates have similar capabilities, often the soft skills are why one person gets hired over another.”

– Business News Daily HPU graduates stand out from the sea of new faces entering the workforce. Companies that employ HPU alumni and flock to campus to recruit students (page 8) will tell you that.

That’s because the university’s educational model is grounded in life skills.

Students embark on a one-of-a-kind journey when they enroll at HPU. Each student is paired with a success coach (page 6) to guide them as they transition to college. They have access to a team of advisors inside the Career and Professional Development office (page 12) who help them build their marketability for internships and careers.

Through their coursework, much of which is dedicated to experiential learning, students begin to develop their portfolios and relationships with professors who embody a growth mindset (page 44).

They study abroad in other countries (page 56), conduct high-level undergraduate research earlier than students at other universities (page 58), meet global innovators on campus like Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence, and Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence (page 32).

These efforts result in a 96 percent employment or graduate school placement rate within six months of earning their degree.

Life skills. It’s part of what distinguishes HPU graduates from other universities.

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PROJECT

DISC VERY

Nationally, an estimated 50 percent of college freshmen are unsure of their major. At HPU, that’s okay. We have a guide for helping students uncover their academic passions.

Like every freshman entering HPU, Grace Miller knew her Success Coach before she even arrived on campus. The thing she wasn’t sure of? Her major.

HPU’s Project Discovery was there to help.

Emily Long is part of a team of Success Coaches who partner with new HPU students to provide academic and transitional support throughout their freshman year.

Long’s particular passion is helping undeclared students discover the major that best fits their goals.

She’s a central part of Project Discovery — a step-by-step process in HPU’s Student Success program that guides freshmen who are still looking for the right academic discipline.

When Miller first met with Long, she was unsure of her career path and felt a bit homesick.

Together, they developed a game plan. Involvement was the key.

“To uncover her overall goals and find a direction, I encouraged her to get involved on campus,” says Long.

“Soon, she had joined a sorority, the intramural volleyball team and the club tennis team, all while finishing her first semester with a strong GPA.” Miller’s confidence soared, and her exploration of the various majors at HPU expanded.

In the spring of her freshman year, Miller signed up for a one-credit course designed for undecided students, titled “Exploring Your Major and Career Path.”

It was in that class that Miller further discovered her strengths and interests, uncovering a love for videography.

Long connected Miller with a career advisor in HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development and a faculty member in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication to discuss career options.

After a year of proactively pursuing her passions and following the guidelines of HPU’s Project Discovery process, Miller completed her freshman year as an electronic media production major, eager to delve into future courses and internship opportunities.

And her story is one of many.

Nationally, more than half of incoming college freshmen are unsure of their major. Some come undeclared while others unexpectedly change their major after arriving on campus.

To the students who seem unsure, insecure or anxious about their future, HPU says, “It’s okay.”

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NO MAJOR? NO PROBLEM! HPU helps students discover an academic pursuit that aligns with their passions.

Below is a glimpse of eight destination points students experience in the Project Discovery process:

That’s why HPU built Project Discovery and why the university can even identify six different types of undeclared students. With the help of online tools, incoming freshmen easily find out which type they best match with and customize their next discovery steps.

The process works. Miller is proof of that.

“I came into my first year confused and unable to decide on a major,” she says. “With the help of Emily and her confidence in me to succeed, I was open to exploring different majors under her guidance. Now, I’m excited to say that I’ve entered my sophomore year with a clear path and the knowledge that there are teams of people at HPU who will always have my back.” ▲

Did you know?

Nationally, an estimated 50 percent of students enter college undecided on their major. In addition, an estimated 75 percent of students change their major at least once before graduating.

HPU’s Project Discovery provides the guidance and resources that students need to discover their passion and achieve their goals.

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IT STARTS WITH THE SUCCESS COACH. Undeclared students partner with a Success Coach who’s passionate about uncovering their best-fit major.

Coaches help students make positive connections with organizations on campus and offer support and guidance on available options.

THERE’S A CLASS FOR THAT. “Exploring Your Major and Career Path” is a one-credit course designed to help students explore their options. A Career Advisor guides students through self-reflection and assessment tools, connecting them with professionals in their field of interest to ask thoughtful questions.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. Sometimes students learn best from someone like them — a peer.

First-Year Navigators are HPU students who were once undeclared. They know exactly what incoming students are going through and partner with them to explore options.

MAJORS, MINORS AND MORE. An annual academic fair invites students to meet faculty and students from every major and minor available. Want to work on campus or conduct undergraduate research? Students can connect with these special interests, too.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THIS MAJOR? When students find a major they like, they want to understand how to apply that degree after graduation.

HPU’s Career Advisors help students understand how their major translates to real-world career paths.

CAREER & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORS. Students see them in classes and engage with them during one-on-one appointments in Cottrell Hall. Career Advisors guide students through the resources offered in the Career Center — the headquarters for years of support and guidance that lead students to success after graduation.

COFFEE CONNECTIONS. Every semester, faculty members host opportunities to meet with students who have questions about a specific major. Casual in nature, these interactions help students figure it out.

Plus, there’s always the opportunity to visit a professor one-on-one to discuss opportunities within a major.

PEER CAREER ADVISORS. Students visit with Peer Career Advisors to receive additional support from upperclassmen who’ve already achieved success. PCAs help students craft a resume for summer jobs and internships. With convenient walk-in hours, there is continuous support to guide students.

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Leading with

LIFE SKILLS Employers want team members with more than technical skills.

HPU graduates answer the call.

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

They begin at HPU and spread to major metropolitan areas, corporations and nonprofit organizations.

Graduates are pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors and lawyers at the University of South Carolina, the University of Kansas, West Virginia University and East Tennessee State University.

And it’s hard to keep count of the HPU graduates working at Fort Myers, Florida-based Gartner, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms.

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In California, you’ll find members of the HPU family working at Tesla, Facebook and Apple.

They’re at the Boston Red Sox, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Wayfair in Massachusetts. And you’ll find them at Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, People Magazine, Revlon, Google and Calvin Klein in New York City, too.

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Ryan Torchia knows why.

Coachability. Initiative. Drive.

As a regional vice president at Gartner, Torchia hires, develops and promotes the kind of people who can grow with the company’s fast-paced culture.

That often brings him to High Point University.

Employers Flock to Campus Torchia has recruited a long list of HPU graduates to Gartner’s sales team — Nick O’Brien, Kaelin Fuller, Vincent Perez, Alex Gross, Cherryl Ouayoro, Steven Dick, Rosana Filingeri, Kate Pappas, Leah Larson, Michael Keener, Lexie Williams and Ryan Fuller, to name a few.

There’s also more than a dozen undergraduates interning at Gartner each summer.

Torchia built his relationship with HPU through Larry Quinn, chair of sales and marketing, and Randy Moser, assistant professor of marketing. Both have decades of sales experience. Some of Gartner’s senior leaders are Quinn’s colleagues from the years he worked in sales at Xerox.

% 96 “I’ve always had enormous respect for the character of the people and the quality of the career opportunities Gartner provides,” says Quinn. “They were one of the first employers I invited to our campus, and they love High Point.”

Torchia’s first HPU recruit was O’Brien, ’16. They met at a national sales competition near Atlanta, Georgia, where Quinn’s students competed.

“Around that time, our company began aligning ourselves with the best campuses,” says Torchia. “My relationship with HPU has since expanded, and there is something to be said for how special HPU graduates are.”

Now, Torchia visits HPU throughout the year to shake hands with students at career fairs held on campus, ask them job interview-style questions on the spot, deliver classroom presentations and answer questions about what it’s like to work at Gartner.

Gartner, based in Fort Myers, Florida, has hired more than two dozen HPU students as interns and HPU graduates as full-time employees.

Employment & GradUATE School Placement within six months of graduation Data from the Class of 2017. High Point University follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers first destination reporting protocols.

HPU graduates are coachable and willing to grow, which is why they’ve been phenomenal in our leadership program.

– Ryan Torchia, Regional Vice President at Gartner

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And every spring, he extends offers to HPU candidates like Kate Pappas, who accepted an account manager position before she graduated in May. “I was impressed with their immense growth, strong culture and the possibilities at Gartner,” says Pappas, from Dracut, Massachusetts. “If it wasn’t for the business school seminar that brought Ryan to campus, I may not be employed at my dream company.”

Culture and Coachability Recruiters who come to campus often see how HPU students are prepared differently.

For Torchia, it starts with something he calls “coachability.”

“HPU graduates have gone through a strong sales program and have great initiative, but they also have the maturity to know they don’t know everything on

Landing the ‘Dream’ Internship The road to success was not a straight line for Cassandra Diaz.

As those opportunities boosted her resume, they gave her the confidence to do more.

But Diaz, a senior, knows it never is — for her or anyone else.

By 2017, Diaz’s LinkedIn profile was nearly a mile long and included impressive stints at IMG College, Madison Square Garden and the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

Diaz came to HPU from Wadsworth, Illinois, as a sport management major and set her sights on interning with the NBA. The advisors in Career and Professional Development helped her chart the challenging course to one of the nation’s most competitive internship programs.

“Each student’s journey is unique, but we begin with a solid resume and LinkedIn profile,” says Faith Cochran, assistant director of internships. “Then local internships become a great next step as the Piedmont Triad is home to impressive organizations.”

Diaz found an internship at the Greensboro Swarm, an NBA G-League Affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets, and dove into her role as a business operations and corporate sales intern. She worked alongside the Swarm’s president and developed proposals for new and current corporate partners.

She did work on campus, too, as an intern in the athletic marketing department.

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Each experience was a step toward her NBA goal.

In spring 2018, her hard work turned into an offer from the NBA, where she worked in New York City for the summer.

“The Career and Professional Development team have been wholly supportive of my goals and dreams,” says Diaz. “I pop in and out of their offices all the time. Through their guidance and diligent work, I know I’ll have the career in sport management that I’ve always dreamed about.”

Diaz’s journey illustrates how HPU students land toptier internships across the country. There are others, too, interning at Major League Baseball, the Make-AWish Foundation, Volvo, the “TODAY” Show, Oscar de la Renta and beyond.

It’s HPU’s intentional process that gets them there.

Cochran and her colleagues in Career and Professional Development show students how dedication leads to their dreams.

“We prepare students to treat their internship search like a class and put no less than two hours of work into it each week,” says Cochran. “That’s because we aren’t only teaching them how to find internships. We’re also teaching them how to find their careers. You need the same skill sets for both searches.”

day one,” Torchia says. “They’re coachable and willing to grow, which is why they’ve been phenomenal in our leadership program.”

His perspective reflects what other employers around the world are saying. A longitudinal study conducted by the Leadership IQ Company asked employers over three years for the top reasons that new hires fail. Their No. 1 response? Coachability.

That’s why HPU places a strong emphasis on life skills. In a world where technology changes daily, technical skills won’t take students through a lifelong career. But life skills — the ability to collaborate, communicate, solve problems and create relevant value in a complex situation — are the skills that serve graduates well for the rest of their lives.

Torchia has seen that come to life when HPU graduates make a positive impression on C-suite level executives as soon as they arrive.

“I think it’s because of how they interacted with HPU leadership and absorbed the motivated nature you find on campus,” says Torchia. “They were pushed to accomplish big things at HPU, and they know that their contributions will pay off. They’re confident, driven and prepared for the hard work.”

He also sees parallels between the culture at Gartner and HPU. “It starts with leadership,” says Torchia. “I’ve seen what Nido Qubein (university president) has done to transform HPU,

Why HPU Invests in Life Skills: Employers consistently report that new hires don’t work out for reasons such as coachability and adaptability rather than technical competence. The longitudinal study featured here is one example of these reports.

HPU faculty listen to the demands of the marketplace and prepare students to excel in the areas that matter most.

Focus career fairs for specific majors, such as the Accounting Career Fair, provide students with access to high quality employers directly on campus.

even during a recession. Our leadership is similar with Gartner experiencing 33 straight quarters of growth. We’ve all benefited from leaders with a vision and a team passionate about their work.”

Career Development Beginning Day One These success stories represent HPU’s focus on career development, which begins as soon as students enroll. The collective efforts of faculty and staff to prepare students for the world as it’s going to be are evident in outcomes data, too — 96 percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of completing their education.

THE LEADERSHIP IQ STUDY: TOP FIVE REASONS NEW HIRES FAIL 26% COACHABILITY 23% EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 17% MOTIVATION 15% TEMPERAMENT 11% TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 3-year study, 5,000+ Interviews.

Mark Murphy (2015). Leadership IQ Study: Why new hires fail.

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It doesn’t matter what your job title is. Everybody is in sales.

HPU’s Career and Professional Development team members are the nexus of those efforts. They guide students through the process, including the hard work and the individual steps it takes to get there.

Dr. Bill Gentry, director of Career and Professional Development, has a team of advisors, student career peer ambassadors and internship specialists to assist students.

“It’s never too early to begin career and leadership development,” says Gentry.

Gentry is the author of “Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For: A Guide for New Leaders.” He previously worked at the Center for Creative Leadership, where he used trend research, data-driven analytics and workshops to develop first-time managers, so he knows a thing or two about professional development.

We ask employers what they need, and we translate that into programs and practices students can use to set themselves apart.

That’s the mission of our office.

– Dr. Bill Gentry, Director of Career and Professional Development

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His team works with academic departments to establish a wide offering of Focus Fairs — niche career fairs for specific majors that bring employers directly to campus. From business, to communication, to sport management, there’s often a specialized career fair for every academic school or department on campus. The Sales Career Fair is one event where Torchia recruits for Gartner.

In a student’s earliest stages, Gentry’s team focuses on the foundation — resumes, LinkedIn profiles, career exploration and job shadowing opportunities. Once they’ve helped students build their four-year career plan, students begin to develop portfolios through their coursework and search for hands-on experience.

That leads them to Faith Cochran, assistant director of internships, who walks them through the steps of landing their first internship, then often a second and third. Those experiences prepare students to go after their first big job offer.

“It is truly a process,” says Cochran, who works with students in any major and any academic year. “I start with 50-minute appointments with each student and begin building trust with them. We have an open conversation about what they see themselves doing after graduation, their goals and what they’re passionate about. Then we keep moving forward with their game plan.”

Taking HPU to the World Cochran has a special tip she shares with students. If there’s a high-level internship they want to secure, she encourages students to contact the recruiter long before they’re ready to apply.

“Ask that recruiter what they want in an ideal candidate,” says Cochran. “They’ll tell you if they’re looking for someone with a specific GPA, major, minor or skill set. Getting this information early in your academic career lets you build a path to becoming a strong candidate. If you show initiative and build rapport with that recruiter now, you’ll increase your chances of success when it’s time to apply.”

Class of 2018: Snapshot of Success

This level of guidance and advice has placed HPU students and alumni in competitive opportunities all across the country.

Students like Cassandra Diaz, ’19, who competed against thousands for her NBA internship in New York.

“Good Morning America” selected junior Ava Anderson as the summer fashion intern in New York City. Tyler Massaroni, ’14, is a financial analyst at nearby Calvin Klein.

At Tesla in Fremont, California, junior Chris Schorn spent his summer as an intern on the Digital Products Team. Drive down to Cupertino and you’ll find Alex Palmer, ’12, working as a software engineer at Apple Computer, or head to Menlo Park where James Jadotte, ’12, works on Facebook’s human resources team.

Claudia Holland, ’18, commenced the accounting career she once dreamed about at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Meanwhile, Maggie Seward, ’16, is in her second year as a tax associate at PwC in Boston, Massachusetts.

Gina Botsko, ’18, is fulfilling her dream of becoming a medical doctor at East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine. Nick Muniz, ’18, is in law school at the University of South Carolina.

Their post-graduation plans have taken them to many different corners of the country.

Their journey to develop as professionals who render value in the world, though, began at HPU. “Every day, we ask employers what they need, and we translate that into programs and practices students can use to set themselves apart,” says Gentry. “That’s the mission of our office.” ▲

Since graduating in May, the Class of 2018 has 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.

Marco Sebastian – Bloomberg Occupation: Global Data Analyst at Bloomberg L.P. in Princeton, New Jersey Hometown: Lawrenceville, New Jersey Major: Computer Science and minors in Mathematics and Business Administration Mikayla Browne – Amazon Occupation: Human Resources Assistant at Amazon in Aurora, Colorado Hometown: Concord, North Carolina Major: Human Relations Maddie Travell – Nordstrom Occupation: Visual Merchandiser for Nordstrom in Pentagon City, Virginia Hometown: Middleburg, Virginia Major: Visual Merchandising Design Andrew Lopez – First Citizens Bank Occupation: Associate Licensed Banker at First Citizens Bank in East Norriton, Pennsylvania Hometown: Devon, Georgia Major: Mathematical Economics Nicholas Muniz – USC Law School Graduate School: Law School at University of South Carolina Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas Major: Business Administration Sydney Wagner – Make-A-Wish Foundation Occupation: Donor Care Coordinator at Make-A-Wish Foundation in Phoenix, Arizona Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Major: Nonprofit Leadership and Management Carter Cummins – Corning Occupation: BRiTE Rotational Program at Corning in Hickory, North Carolina Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Major: Political Science Gina Botsko – ETSU Medical School Graduate School: East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee Major: Biology

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Heroes, Models

How Mentorship Became a Mantra at HPU

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and Mentors It’s the knock on the door.

Dr. Jenny Lukow looked forward to hearing the “tap taps” from Mikaela Campbell as they worked toward Campbell’s job offer from the NBA. It’s the handshake.

When Steven Dick grasped the hand of his future employer at a Sales Career Fair held on campus, he realized how much his professors had prepared him.

It’s the white board filled with pros and cons.

Rebecca Ulrich and Dr. Meghan Blackledge spent hours poring over the options for Ulrich’s future, which included seven different graduate schools and the prestigious NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program.

It’s the encouraging email from a Silicon Valley veteran.

Jenna Tarantino lit up when she saw the note from Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.

It’s a congratulatory text message or phone call, a high-five on graduation day and a drawer filled with thank-you letters in HPU President Nido Qubein’s office.

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

Mentorship takes many forms. It happens everywhere on High Point University’s campus — from a professor who takes a phone call on vacation to guide her student through a major life decision, to another who encourages his research group to run the experiment one more time after a late night in the lab.

Throughout the following pages, hear from students about how HPU’s unique approach to mentorship shaped their futures.

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CHAMPIONING CAREER SUCCESS On a table inside Dr. Jenny Lukow’s office, she and Mikaela Campbell built their strategy.

Campbell’s goal was to launch a career in sport management. And Lukow knew how to get there.

Throughout her time leading HPU’s sport management major, she’s helped students land jobs at Reebok, the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia 76ers. But it would require work and plenty of persistence, she told Campbell.

Campbell accepted the challenge.

Since her first day on campus, Campbell found opportunity everywhere she looked.

That calmed the Louisiana native’s nerves. Even though she was 12 hours away from her home in New Orleans, Campbell knew she would thrive at HPU. “Being at a university where every student is treated like family eased my mind,” says Campbell. “Wherever I turned, someone was willing to lend a hand or a smile to brighten my day.”

In Campbell’s corner were also career advisors, a success coach and Lukow, her academic advisor. Together, they got to work.

“Doug Hall in Career and Professional Development took time to sit down with me as often as I needed to feel prepared for my interviews, find career connections and build my LinkedIn profile,” says Campbell.

“Dr. Lukow always made me excited and eager to learn more. I could count on her to be honest with me and give me the courage and connections to seek the experiences I was looking for.”

Experiences are something Campbell gained in spades. Under the guidance of her mentors, she landed internships at three sports industry giants — Under Armour, USA Track and Field, and IMG College.

She competed against other candidates in multiple interview rounds for the internships. By the time she was ready to graduate in spring 2018, Campbell stood out to employers like the National Basketball Association.

The NBA offered Campbell a career opportunity before graduation.

Today, she leads her dream career in New York City in the NBA Associate Program, a two-year program for recent college graduates allowing them to experience different aspects within the NBA headquarters. Associates rotate through four areas of the business for six months, and afterward, each are placed in a department.

“When I interned with organizations like USA Track and Field, Under Armour and IMG College, I was up against a field of qualified candidates from large universities,” says Campbell. “What constantly set me apart was the real-world experience I received at HPU and the attitude they instilled within me to never be afraid of a challenge.

“Dr. Lukow never failed to keep me motivated, and I cannot thank her enough for that. Every aspect of this university prepares students to go against the best of the best in the workforce.”

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GUIDANCE TOWARD GRADUATE SCHOOL When Zack Hutchens thinks back on his journey at High Point University, it starts with Dr. Aaron Titus.

Titus, who’s taught physics at HPU for 16 years, was the first person Hutchens met when touring campus.

“He showed me how much the physics department offers, and I knew I wanted to be a student here,” Hutchens said.

Instead of heading to a big state school like he’d once considered, Hutchens became a physics major at HPU. Titus was his constant coach along the way.

“I could go to his office or text him any time with a question,” Hutchens says. “He was always available for students, and he helped keep my courses on track for graduate school.”

Together, they covered a lot of ground. Titus invited Hutchens to complete a research project about cosmic ray detection inside HPU’s physics labs before Hutchens’ freshman year began. Hutchens became a student instructor who tutored and mentored other students, and he conducted research about effective teaching methods for minority populations in the sciences. Afterward, Hutchens and Titus traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, and Cincinnati, Ohio, to present that research at meetings held by the American Association of Physics Teachers.

He traveled to an international conference held in Krakow, Poland, with Barlow and fellow students to present their findings at the Eighth Meeting on Hot Subdwarf Stars and Related Objects.

“I know if I’d gone to another school, I wouldn’t have experienced these opportunities to travel to conferences and present research to professionals in my field,” said Hutchens.

When Hutchens began applying to graduate school, his experience stood out. His professors were there to write recommendation letters and help him choose the best field of practice.

“I was torn between programs focused on teaching physics and programs focused on astrophysics,” said Hutchens, now a Ph.D. candidate in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s physics and astronomy department. “But they guided me in the right direction.”

Today, he’s leading a lab section as a teaching assistant while pursuing his doctorate.

“The combination of learning from faculty who care, serving as Titus’ student instructor, conducting research and presenting at professional conferences prepared me to lead my own lab,” Hutchens says. “Without the type of mentorship I received from HPU, I can’t imagine what college would have been like.”

Hutchens also worked alongside Dr. Brad Barlow, assistant professor of astrophysics, to research pulsating stars.

Zack Hutchens, left, received support from professors like Dr. Aaron Titus, right, chair of the Department of Physics, throughout his journey to graduate school.

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THE DECISION OF A LIFETIME For two weeks, Rebecca Ulrich and Dr. Meghan Blackledge thought it through.

On a whiteboard inside Blackledge’s office, they compared the long-term benefits for each of the post-grad opportunities Ulrich had stacked up, including seven graduate school acceptance letters and being selected for the prestigious NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. Only 12 applicants worldwide are selected each year to pursue a research-based Ph.D. at Oxford or Cambridge University in the United Kingdom while conducting research for the National Institutes of Health in the United States. Ulrich was one of them.

She had a mammoth decision to make, but she didn’t have to do it alone. Her professor and academic advisor had always been there to help her.

Ulrich was a shy freshman from Troutman, North Carolina, the first time she reached out to Blackledge, assistant professor of chemistry. Ulrich entered HPU on the pre-med track and wanted to start building her research experience.

“I remember thinking, ‘I’m so new at this,’” says Ulrich. “Who would be willing to take me into their lab? I decided to take a chance and ask anyway.”

To her surprise, Blackledge said yes. And in many ways, the opportunity to begin lab research as a freshman solidified Ulrich’s future research career and the slew of high-level awards she’d go on to earn from the scientific community.

Along her journey, Ulrich discovered something else: She might not be interested in medical school after all.

Chemistry was calling her name.

“But I was afraid to change the life plan that I had so meticulously thought out,” says Ulrich. “So I texted Dr. Blackledge about my stress, and we set up a time to talk on the phone. She spent two hours during her family beach vacation talking to me about my future and calming all my fears. She helped me process my emotions and figure out that I wanted to pursue a career in research.”

That was just one major life decision Blackledge helped Ulrich navigate. Then Oxford happened.

“There are so many options for our students these days,” says Blackledge. “It’s important for them to have someone who can help them reflect on what they really want in life.”

Ulrich turned down the Oxford offer to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she’s pursuing her Ph.D. in chemistry. She knows she made the right decision thanks to the guidance of her mentor.

“Dr. Blackledge has always been my biggest supporter and source of encouragement,” Ulrich says. “She knows when I need someone to be empathetic and lets me vent, but she also knows when to challenge me and push me to grow.”

Before Rebecca Ulrich, left, graduated in May, she was accepted into seven graduate schools and awarded the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. Dr. Meghan Blackledge, right, assistant professor of chemistry, helped her choose the right path.

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A FAMILY AND A FUTURE Inside Cottrell Hall, Steven Dick found a second family and his future career.

He would walk into the Belk Center for Entrepreneurship, tap on the glass office of Professor Troy Knauss, and always be greeted with a smile, handshake and a shoulder pat.

“Steven!” Knauss would say. “What’s up today? How did your interview go?”

They might discuss Dick’s business ideas and his job prospects, or work on his interview skills. Whatever he needed, Knauss was willing to help.

That was impactful for Dick, who came to HPU from Croton-on-Hudson, New York. He thought he wanted to pursue business but needed guidance to determine if it was the best fit for him.

Knauss provided that. So did a network of support from Phillips School of Business faculty. He majored in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship, which led him to Knauss, an assistant professor of the practice of entrepreneurship, seasoned angel investor and business owner.

And Knauss helped Dick craft a business plan of his own.

More of his mentors filled the building, too, including Professors Randy Moser and Larry Quinn. They run the Harris Sales Center on the first floor, and they organize the Sales Career Fairs that attract big-name employers to campus.

Major-specific career fairs are part of HPU’s multi-pronged approach to connect students with internship, job and networking opportunities on campus. That’s where Dick met a representative from Gartner.

When Dick shook the recruiter’s hand and began sharing his experience, skills and enthusiasm for a career in business, he realized how much his professors had prepared him.

“All of my professors took time to make sure my bases were covered,” says Dick. “I think that’s the great thing about the faculty — they care and they put in the extra time to make sure students are successful now and in their future.”

Gartner went on to hire Dick as an executive account manager at their headquarters in Fort Myers, Florida.

“Faculty mentorship springboarded my progress at HPU,” he says. “I’ll always remember their influence and support.”

“Professor Knauss guided me and changed my mindset on how I look at business,” says Dick. “The experience he has in running companies, investing in them and building them is unmatched. He shared that experience with me and helped me craft a business plan that I’m currently sharing with some investors.”

Steven Dick, right, launched his career at Gartner and built his own business plan thanks to the encouragement and expertise of professors like Troy Knauss, left, assistant professor of the practice of entrepreneurship.

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REAL-WORLD READY Junior Hannah Le and Professor Victoria Brown share a life philosophy: It’s always best to start early.

At HPU, Brown helps Le do that.

On a day in High Point bustling like New York City, Le was one of the first faces industry professionals saw when they walked into the Bernhardt Design showroom.

It was the beginning of High Point Market, a furniture trade show that attracts 75,000 people to downtown High Point twice each year. Le was just a sophomore then, but she was amazed by the professional connections and sales experience she was gaining.

Brown and the faculty in the School of Art and Design had prepared Le to thrive there.

“Our professors give us business cards, presentation opportunities and internships like these,” says Le. “We are able to experience things that we couldn’t anywhere else.”

Today, Le is a junior and a visual merchandising major.

Her resume includes her work for Bernhardt Design, as well as Madeval USA and Sagebrook Home. She’s also built a substantial portfolio filled with digital renderings, AutoCAD drawings and space planning demonstrations.

In a sea of opportunity, Brown has been Le’s anchor.

“Professor Brown has helped me so much with my degree plan,” says Le, from Sugarland, Texas.

“She has always advised me to get a hard start on all of my goals. That’s a rule I live by, whether it be projects or studying for tests.

I am very much the type of person who needs the next five years laid out for peace of mind. She is very understanding and relatable, always making me feel more comfortable when I have a question.”

Texas native Hannah Le, left, has landed multiple internship opportunities in the visual merchandising field thanks to professors like Victoria Brown, right, who has extensive experience in the industry.

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It makes sense — Brown has worked as a visual merchandiser like Le will someday. She knows the industry and studies consumer behavior to determine the “why” and “how” of what people buy.

“She is so knowledgeable about the degree I want to pursue,” says Le. “It really helps to hear her opinions and receive her guidance when I’m unsure.”

Le has filled her class schedule with courses taught by Brown over her next two years at HPU. She knows she’ll continue to benefit from Brown’s wisdom and willingness to serve as her mentor.

“I love that Professor Brown only has a small group of advisees at HPU like all faculty members, and I appreciate that she specializes in my interest,” says Le. “She has really taken the time to get to know and care about me.”

HELPING STUDENTS STAND OUT There was only one internship like it in the country, but Rebecca Colwell wanted the opportunity. Her professors helped her land it.

It all started in a class Colwell took with Dr. Christine Cugliari.

Called “Nonprofit Organizations and the Voluntary Sector,” the class exposes students to how nonprofits operate, as well as the intrinsic career opportunities available in the field.

It showed Colwell that nonprofit management was the right major for her.

“It may have been the most important class in my academic career,” says Colwell, from West Pittston, Pennsylvania.

Already, she’d declared a music major. But with support from faculty in both departments, she added a second.

And because an internship is a required component for all nonprofit management majors, she had to balance that, too.

After doing her research, Colwell wanted to intern at the Ronald McDonald House. The organization only offers one paid internship in the country. It’s a volunteer management intern position at the organization’s New York City location, and it’s competitive.

She learned about fundraising through the Ronald McDonald House of New York’s Annual Heroes Volunteer Event, which raised more than half a million dollars to benefit the volunteer programs. She also monitored an online silent auction and worked with the volunteer department on a variety of tasks, including event preparation and developing guidelines for future volunteers.

Additionally, Colwell gained valuable career experience by working in Raiser’s Edge, a database system used by many fundraising organizations.

The internship and the guidance of Cugliari prepared Colwell with not only relevant skills, but a framework by which to live her life.

“Dr. Cugliari helped me understand the importance of being passionate and dedicated to the things I wish to accomplish in order to make them happen,” Colwell says.

“She has been extremely supportive of my academic decisions and goals from the very beginning and helped me achieve them.”

There was a lot of prep that went into Colwell’s application, resume and interview practice. Cugliari, an associate professor of nonprofit management, helped Colwell with the process. So did others, including the Office of Career and Professional Development, which strengthened her resume and cover letter.

Colwell got the internship, and a lot of experience, too.

A nonprofit management class taught by Dr. Christine Cugliari, right, helped Rebecca Colwell, left, discover her future career path.

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HPU President Nido Qubein, left, knows students well. He motivates and inspires them by teaching the President’s Seminar on Life Skills and being a constant presence on campus.

THE CARING COACH Businessman. Leader. Philanthropist. Entrepreneur.

Friend. President.

Dr. Nido Qubein has successfully served in many roles throughout his life.

But his most fulfilling role is being a mentor.

Throughout his career, he’s been a speaker and consultant to major corporations that invite him to share his wisdom and experience with their employees. Even today, he continues to serve on three national boards.

When he leads the President’s Seminar on Life Skills, he shares that same level of expertise with HPU freshmen.

Sometimes he focuses on the “rule of thirds” – investing onethird of his life in earning, one-third in learning and one-third in serving. This, he tells students, allowed him to find both success and significance.

Sometimes he shares the importance of patriotism. He came to America from the Middle East when he was just a teenager.

“And I’ve never forgotten to appreciate the opportunities this country has provided me,” he says.

Other times, he dives deep into financial literacy, persuasive public speaking or the art of negotiating.

Students leave informed and inspired. His life’s work sets the stage for their next four years at HPU. He knows that if students can gain the level of life skills in college that would otherwise take years of experience to amass in the real world, they will stand out. And they will thrive.

Cameron Kimball, ’18, remembers the seminar well.

“The most impactful moment at HPU for me was going to my first President’s Seminar,” says Kimball, a sales development

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representative at QuotaFactory in Massachusetts. “I never thought I would see, let alone talk, to the president of the university I went to. That all changed when I found out I would be listening to Dr. Qubein for the first semester of my freshman year. I took away many life lessons from his seminars that are still helpful now.”

But Qubein also understands the importance of serving as a role model for students in every aspect of his life.

That’s why students see him waving hello to others on campus, picking up a stray piece of paper in the grass, having lunch with students in the Slane Center Cafeteria and passing out chocolate every Valentine’s Day. “We live, they watch and they learn,” he reminds faculty and staff.

His actions exemplify the HPU culture. But culture, by definition, is the behaviors and beliefs shared by a group of people, like those who comprise HPU’s campus. And students learn from that.

Perhaps Chloe Tyler, ’18, who hails from New London, New Hampshire, and now works as an elementary school teacher in Winston Salem, North Carolina, described it best upon graduating last May when she said: “Everyone at HPU shaped me into the conscientious, hardworking and prideful person I am as a graduate. I was taught to be appreciative by the Hospitality Team, prompt by Campus Enhancement, compassionate by the Office of Student Life, courteous by my roommates, meticulous by my professors, creative by my choir director, spiritual by the Chapel and Religious Life team, loyal by my fellow alumni, extraordinary by Nido Qubein and proud by the campus I grew up on.”

Show me a successful individual, and I’ll show you someone who has had real positive influences in their life — a mentor.

–Denzel Washington

Imagine yourself being driven to tears of joy at the sight of your Success Coach. Imagine jumping up and hugging a professor who said you could do it. Imagine returning to your alma mater to show gratitude and appreciation for the support and guidance of caring faculty.

For HPU graduates, this happens often.

HPU provides impactful mentors to guide students not only in their four years on campus, but throughout their entire lives. Students don’t merely enroll at HPU; they join the HPU family.

Recently, the graduates featured in the foldout between pages 16 and 17 returned to campus to thank the HPU mentors who helped them get where they are today — working for companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook and other nationally known organizations.

To watch a video that shows these graduates thanking their mentors for their positive influence, get your tissues ready and go to:

www.highpoint.edu/mentorshipmatters

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Continuous GROWTH How HPU’s Transformative Spirit Transfers to Students When a university president can — and wants — to wear as many hats as Dr. Nido Qubein, there will always be much for the HPU family to celebrate.

That was evident when Qubein welcomed the High Point University family back to campus for the 2018 –19 academic year. At 1,500, the largest group of new students in university history arrived as Qubein announced the new Webb School of Engineering, new academic programs, faculty growth and more, all in the wake of significant milestones that had been achieved earlier this year.

Growth is an incredibly familiar story at HPU. But that’s what makes it possible for HPU to transform its students.

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“We know a thing or two about transformation because we’ve continuously transformed our institution and our culture,” Qubein recently told prospective families at the largest Open House event in the university’s history.

The numbers show that. Since 2005, Qubein has led High Point University on a meteoric rise and a $2 billion investment. His vision led to more than tripling enrollment from 1,450 to 5,200 students, more than quadrupling campus from 91 to 460 acres, taking HPU to doctoral degree-granting status and establishing six new academic schools, for a total of nine academic schools now at HPU. Much of it happened amidst the worst economic disruption in the last 50 years of America’s history.

But Qubein continuously motivates students, faculty and staff not to take it for granted.

“We are where we are today because we’ve embraced our place in higher education as the Premier Life Skills University,” he told the HPU family when the fall semester kicked off. “HPU has distinguished itself from an ocean of sameness into a smaller pool of distinction. Families notice.

Alumni notice. Higher education leaders notice. The world has taken notice of HPU’s learning model.

“We are blessed and highly favored. We are very grateful for what we’ve achieved, but we don’t rest on our laurels. For High Point University, the best is yet to come.”

The Don and Teresa Caine Conservatory will provide 15,000-square-feet of space for students and faculty to conduct botanical research and propagate plants for the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Gardens.

Breaking New Ground Several major facilities are now under construction at HPU. The Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences is named in honor of Todd Wanek, the CEO of Ashley Furniture, and Karen Wanek, the president of Superior Fresh. It is the sixth new academic school established at HPU since 2005.

This $65 million, 128,000-square-foot academic facility will be home to HPU’s flourishing science programs in biology, chemistry and physics. It is under construction next to the $120 million Congdon Hall, which opened in fall 2017 and has attracted nearly 500 new graduate students to become physical therapists, physician assistants and pharmacists.

A crowd of more than 300 people gathered in the spring to celebrate the start of construction for the School of Undergraduate Sciences, including the Wanek family.

“We know HPU is pursuing a path that will make a difference,” said Todd Wanek during the groundbreaking. “We believe in the objectives and the vision of this organization. I’m incredibly proud of everything we’re achieving together and my family’s relationship with HPU, where both of my children were educated.”

Pictured from left to right are High Point Mayor Jay Wagner, Todd Wanek, Ron Wanek and HPU President Nido Qubein officially breaking ground on the Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences. Ron Wanek is chairman of Ashley Furniture, and Todd Wanek is CEO of Ashley Furniture. The Waneks are strong supporters of HPU, and Todd Wanek’s children both graduated from the university.

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The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel is under construction and scheduled for completion in 2020. Visit www.highpoint.edu/arena for updates.

The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel broke ground during a special ceremony at this year’s Fall Family Weekend. The $120 million facility will become the home of HPU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as a venue for major events, speakers, concerts, entertainment, academic symposia and recreational activities. The Qubein Arena is under construction on HPU’s main campus at the corner of Lexington Avenue and University Parkway. It will include 4,500 arena seats and 2,500 conference seats, as well as suites, locker rooms, staff offices, concession stands, a merchandising area, media suite, film room, press conference room, weight room, athletic training room, hospitality area, high tech audio and video equipment, ticket office and a practice gym.

A small, boutique hotel will be located adjacent to the conference center to support a proposed hospitality management program and accommodate a growing number of requests by organizations who specifically want to tour the campus and experience HPU’s unique educational environment and culture.

In 2017, HPU’s Board of Trustees voted to name the facility in honor of the Qubein family.

“Dr. Qubein’s visionary leadership has ignited the ‘against all odds’ transformation that has taken place at High Point University,” says Dr. Richard Vert, immediate past chair of the HPU Board of Trustees. “This facility will support a student body that has tripled in undergraduate enrollment, Division I sports teams and major university events that draw thousands of attendees. Naming this university facility in the Qubein family’s honor is a symbol of the board’s profound gratitude and appreciation for their leadership, service, and above all, their unwavering belief and commitment that HPU could become an internationally recognized and sought-after institution.”

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The Tubby and Donna Smith Court reflects the name of one of HPU’s most well-known alumni couples. Tubby Smith captained the High Point College basketball team and earned all-conference honors as a senior before graduating and becoming an NCAA championshipwinning coach. He met his wife, Donna, while they were students on campus.

HPU knows a thing or two about transformation because we’ve transformed our institution and our culture.

– HPU President Nido Qubein

Relevant Academic Programs

The Webb School of Engineering

With HPU’s continued commitment to life skills, Qubein assembled a team to research programs that will prepare graduates to render value in a rapidly changing world.

will house new engineering majors, as well as HPU’s established computer science major.

Engineering quickly rose to the top. HPU already has strong computer science programs, and the relationship that Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak has established with HPU as Innovator in Residence provided a natural segue into the world of engineering.

Dr. Michael Oudshoorn has been hired as dean. Oudshoorn previously served as a professor at Northwest Missouri State University. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Adelaide in Australia and brings more than three decades of experience with him.

Qubein announced this fall that the Webb School of Engineering will become the university’s newest academic school. The school honors Mark and Jerri Webb, successful business owners and strong HPU advocates. Mark Webb is a 1983 alumnus and native of High Point. He owns and operates Interstate Foam and Supply, Inc. in Conover, North Carolina. The Webbs live in Charlotte, North Carolina, and their son, Connor Mosack, is a sophomore at HPU.

“When you have a combination of talent and impetus for these programs, you nurture them and move them forward,” Qubein said. “HPU has an incredible balance between academic programs, student life activities, leadership opportunities and experiential learning opportunities, which offer students the chance to build life skills that employers seek. You can be the best in any field, but graduates must communicate well, build relationships and problem solve across disciplines. They appreciate the wider spectrum of life skills that HPU’s campus provides.”

The school houses the existing computer science major with three concentrations within the degree: cybersecurity, software and systems, and visual computing. It will offer additional degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering, pending SACS approval.

HPU GROWTH

2004

2018 GROWTH

Undergraduate Enrollment (Traditional Students) 1,450

Campus Size (acres) 91 Square Footage 650,000

259% 203%

Full-time Faculty 108 327

405%

460

438%

3.5 million

Buildings on Campus 22 112 (new and acquired) Total Positions 385 Economic Impact $160.3 M

Operating and Capital Budget $38 million

Annual United Way Giving $28,000

5,200

1,814 $500 M

409% 371% 212% $290 million $240,580

663% 759% 1,480%

Study Abroad Programs 5 79

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Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), parent company of High Point-based Thomas Built Buses, donated $1 million in support of HPU’s Congdon Hall and Congdon School of Health Sciences.

Global Leaders Join HPU In addition to new academic programs and facilities, internationally known professionals continue to join the HPU family.

In March, during a community-wide celebration, Qubein announced the hiring of Hall of Famer Orlando ‘Tubby’ Smith as the head coach for men’s basketball. Smith joins the Panthers after serving as the head coach at Memphis for two seasons. An all-conference standout for High Point College from 1969-73, Smith coached Kentucky to the 1998 national championship and is one of two head coaches to guide five different programs to the NCAA Division I Tournament. He brings incredible energy to the future of HPU athletics, especially as community members look forward to enjoying games in the Qubein Arena.

Read more about Smith’s return to HPU and the new synergy in the men’s basketball program on page 90.

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HPU also grew its repertoire of In Residence faculty, which already includes Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence, and Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.

Two additional leaders recently joined the program.

Scott McKain, corporate consultant, author and speaker, joined HPU as Corporate Educator in Residence. McKain is an internationally known authority who helps organizations create distinction in every phase of business. McKain is the founder of a consulting and training company that explores the role of ultimate customer experiences in creating enhanced client retention and revenue, and is the author of three Amazon.com No. 1 business bestsellers, all teaching how to expand profits, increase sales and engage customers.

McKain has spoken to and consulted with the world’s most successful corporations. These include Cisco, BMW, SAP, General Electric, Intel, Bank of America, CDW, Hallmark and many others.

“Companies around the world invest millions in hiring consultants like McKain to train and motivate their employees,” says Qubein. “At High Point University, we do this for our students. When they graduate and enter the global marketplace, the exposure they received to corporate training as an undergraduate places them far ahead of their peers in terms of wisdom, experience and real-world application.”

Byron Pitts, a national journalist and co-anchor of ABC’s “Nightline,” joined HPU as Journalist in Residence. Pitts has more than 20 years of experience. He has covered national news stories and in-depth features for the network, reporting across the news division for “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight with David Muir,” “This Week” and “20/20.”

Pitts is a multiple Emmy award-winning journalist known for his thoughtful storytelling, on-the-ground reporting and in-depth interviews. His 2009 memoir, “Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges,” chronicled his journey overcoming illiteracy and a stutter to become a journalist. In 2017, Pitts profiled six young adults that overcame hardship with hope in his book “Be the One.” “Pitts brings incredible knowledge and experience to students in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication,” says Dr. Virginia McDermott, interim dean of the school. “Our growing journalism program educates students on how to approach the 24-hour news cycle in a factual and ethical way, and Pitts has accomplished that through his career.

Having access to him along with our faculty provides a strong network of mentors for our students.” ▲

The Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences is named in honor of Todd Wanek, the CEO of Ashley Furniture, and Karen Wanek, the president of Superior Fresh. This $65 million, 128,000-square-foot academic facility will be home to HPU’s flourishing science programs in biology, chemistry and physics.

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Pictured from left to right are Mark Brazil, Wyndham Championship tournament director; HPU President Nido Qubein, Wyndham Championship honorary chairman; Brandt Snedeker, winner of the 2018 Wyndham Championship; and Bobby Long, Piedmont Triad Charitable Foundation board chairman.

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As President Nido Qubein continues to lead High Point University through unprecedented growth, he’s also serving the city of High Point and the greater Piedmont Triad Region in impactful ways.

Most recently, Qubein was appointed Wyndham Championship honorary chairman for a two-year term in 2018 and 2019.

As chairman, Qubein serves as an ambassador for the PGA Tour event, as well as the significant economic, tourism and charitable benefits it provides each year for the Piedmont Triad, where HPU is located.

Mark Brazil, tournament director of the Wyndham Championship, addressed the crowd inside HPU’s Congdon Hall during a special press conference announcing Qubein’s appointment as chairman of the tournament.

“We are honored to have President Qubein serving as our honorary chairman for these next two years,” said Brazil. “We are so appreciative of his leadership in High Point, around our region and throughout this beautiful state. We look forward to working with him as we continue to elevate our PGA Tour event on the national and international levels.”

The role requires someone with strong leadership and community connections, which made Qubein the perfect candidate.

“I am grateful to serve as the honorary chairman for the Wyndham Championship whose international coverage gives the world an opportunity to discover and appreciate the Piedmont Triad region,” Qubein said. “Our PGA TOUR event is the largest annual sporting event in our region. The Wyndham Championship is a successful anchor institution whose influence and impact brings exposure and positioning for the Triad. I appreciate the global exposure, economic impact and elite golf competition the Wyndham Championship provides each year for our area.”

But Qubein’s leadership spans across the city of High Point and the Triad in other ways, too. For example, Qubein has secured $100 million to transform downtown High Point through a new baseball team and stadium, children’s museum, events center, park, hotel, apartments and more.

The city of High Point is experiencing revitalization thanks to these efforts, and the new baseball stadium for the High Point Rockers baseball team is under construction.

“Dr. Qubein exemplifies the meaning of a visionary leader,” said David Congdon, chairman for Business High Point — Chamber of Commerce. “His involvement with downtown revitalization has led to the baseball team’s acquisition, the baseball stadium’s naming rights, a children’s museum, an events center, a park and an educational cinema. Plus, he obtained commitments from developers to build apartments.

He is constantly thinking about the future in creative and imaginative ways.” ▲

His accomplishments in business and life complement the unprecedented growth achieved at HPU. He came to the United States as a teenager with limited knowledge of English and only $50 in his pocket before going on to partner in businesses, banking, real estate, publishing and retail. Prior to his role as HPU president, Qubein rose to prominence as an internationally-known leader, speaker and consultant who has given more than 7,000 business presentations worldwide.

At HPU, he transformed a small college into a nationally known university attracting students from all 50 states and 56 different countries. As co-chair of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, Qubein also helps lead industry recruitment and job creation among many other important regional topics tied to economic growth.

As the city of High Point constructs a new baseball stadium, depicted to the right in an artistic rendering, HPU President Nido Qubein is leading major development and fundraising elements of the overall downtown revitalization strategy.

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ACC E S S TO INNOVATORS Global leaders lend students a one-of-a-kind network.

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Top: Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence (right), meets HPU student Porter Sigg (left) on a recent visit to campus. Bottom Left: Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak serves as HPU’s Innovator in Residence and works with a variety of majors across campus. Bottom Right: Randolph mentors students in the Belk Entrepreneurship Center and provides feedback for their business ideas.

Four years ago, CeAnna Soper was a nervous freshman moving more than 800 miles from her family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to grow and strengthen herself at High Point University.

Today, Soper is simultaneously building her own company and a full-time sales career in Austin, Texas.

So what happened in between those two stages of her life?

Something big. Something that parents and students know as HPU’s transformational process.

It’s filled with touch points and stepping stones that develop students like Soper into confident, capable adults ready to embrace change throughout their lives.

“It was hard to leave my parents in Milwaukee,” said Soper.

“But I knew HPU’s educational opportunities and network

of support were incredible and that I could do something great here.”

One of HPU’s most unique and crucial pieces in that process is the access to innovators HPU intentionally provides to students.

Why? HPU knows that connecting students with people who have changed the world unlocks their belief in themselves to accomplish goals they once didn’t know were possible.

Students such as Soper. She dedicated time to entrepreneurship classes and built a business while she was a Division I track athlete. Her experiences culminated senior year when she stood in front of Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, and pitched her business with every ounce of her heart.

“Whenever homesickness hit me, it faded because opportunities like that — opportunities I would never find anywhere else — were always right around the corner at HPU.”

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EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Stick to your convictions.

“Don’t worry about how you will appear to other people. Instead, ask yourself, ‘Am I right in my own terms and my own mind?’ You only need to convince one person when you have discussions or arguments — yourself.”

– Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple Computer and HPU’s Innovator in Residence

While major corporations hire national speakers, consultants and change agents to motivate their employees and inspire their professional development, HPU provides these opportunities to all students throughout the year. Below is a sample of wisdom that faculty in residence recently shared during their time on campus with students.

Never be afraid to share your ideas.

“Not sharing an idea because you’re afraid it will be stolen is the biggest reason people give for not starting. It is highly unlikely that the idea you begin with will look exactly the same by the time you start your business.

Entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley realized the key is to tell everyone your idea.

Then they can offer you valuable input so you can improve.”

– Marc Randolph, Co-Founder of Netflix and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence

Show your value.

“When you are trying to build a relationship with someone, it’s not about you; it’s about them. What you can give them is what makes the connection. Ask yourself what you can provide of value. There’s always something of significance you can provide in order to build a meaningful relationship with someone.”

– Betty Liu, NYSE Executive Vice Chairman, Founder of Radiate, Inc. and HPU’s Media Entrepreneur in Residence

Happiness is a choice.

“Never wonder if you’re going to find happiness. You choose that your life is going to unfold in the context of happiness.”

– Karen Jacobsen, The GPS Girl, Australian Voice of Siri and HPU’s Global Artist in Residence

Collaborating with the Creator of Apple Computer HPU buzzes with the news of industry leaders visiting campus throughout the year. Global influencers are attracted here because the art of the possible is celebrated as a core value across campus.

“Anyone can achieve great success if they work hard enough and smart enough,” says HPU President Nido Qubein, an international speaker, business consultant and author, to students in his Seminar on Life Skills.

In this course for all freshmen, Qubein frames HPU’s educational model for the next four years. Topics include fiscal literacy, public speaking and time management — the things on which Qubein has built his career, and, as a consultant, on which he has helped others build theirs.

This sets the tone early for students to learn holistically from global leaders.

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Students like Hogan Millheim. He was a freshman when he earned the chance to pick the brain of Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence.

Millheim and his fellow students took the stage with Qubein, who regularly moderates question-and-answer sessions with HPU students and global leaders in front of audiences that fill the Hayworth Fine Arts Center.

During Wozniak’s spring visit, Millheim, a sophomore from Pennsylvania, wanted advice from the genius behind Apple on how to embrace inevitable setbacks.

“I had been reading a book about sales with stories from people who said they’d been held back by their fear of being rejected,” said Millheim. “I saw this as my chance to ask someone who has some of the best real-life experience for his thoughts and opinions on the issue.”

Left: CeAnna Soper pitched her business, Breezy Brush, to Netflix Co-Founder and HPU Entrepreneur in Residence Marc Randolph during his recent visit. Right: Quinn Riddle pitched her business, Eversafe, to Randolph.

So Millheim took advantage of his time with Wozniak.

“Fear holds back many potential entrepreneurs and professionals while they try to take the next step in their careers,” he said to Wozniak at HPU’s 2018 Innovation Summit.

“What advice would you provide to young entrepreneurs or people seeking to take that next step and overcome this fear of failure and rejection?”

“You shouldn’t fear failure,” Wozniak told Millheim. “When you fail, ask yourself, ‘How can I proceed in the most constructive way?’ It’s the better way to approach life. Don’t worry about failing as much as the decision that you’re going to live life in a way that makes you happy and fulfilled.”

Millheim was one of 11 students on the stage that day, along with hundreds in the crowd. After the summit, Wozniak continued his work on “the Woz Project” — a collaborative effort with a group of physics and computer science students to build a self-driving vehicle. Between Wozniak’s visits to

Don’t worry about failing as much as the decision that you’re going to live life in a way that makes you happy and fulfilled.

— Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence

campus, he gets updates from students via conference calls, allowing them to build rapport with the man who invented the Apple Computer.

“It’s such an honor working with Mr. Wozniak,” said Michael Welter, a senior physics major leading the team. “As well as being brilliant, he is extremely down-to-earth and focused on mentoring HPU students. He has opened our eyes to how much we can accomplish when we work together.”

Knowing Netflix’s Co-Founder as a Mentor Campus is filled with student creators and inventors like Soper and Quinn Riddle.

They’ve come to know Randolph as the Silicon Valley star who’s surprisingly approachable and always ready to offer supportive, yet constructive, feedback.

Randolph sits cross-legged in the Belk Entrepreneurship Center, where he listens to stories from students about how their businesses came to life.

Soper pitched her patent-pending Breezy Brush, a hair brush she designed with air vents that vacuum as users brush their hair to minimize cleanup. Living in a residence hall with longhaired roommates sparked her idea.

Riddle pitched the Eversafe Bracelet, her device children wear to avoid getting lost in large crowds like theme parks and festivals.

“Marc is an active listener who put a lot of thought into his comments,” said Soper. “He asked me things I hadn’t thought about before, such as my marketing cost for each individual customer. He gave me plenty of homework when it comes to moving my product forward.”

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It wasn’t the first time Riddle and Soper had pitched their businesses, either. Soper competed in the 2018 Business Plan Competition, where she earned seed money and made connections with a North Carolina business leader who later helped her manufacture a better prototype.

Riddle comes from an entrepreneurial family in Annapolis, Maryland. She and her family have grown a successful agriculture business that her father built before he passed away. She manages the now 350-employee business with her mother and brother while working to build Eversafe.

She’s experienced what she calls “pivotal moments” at HPU. They include working with professor Troy Knauss, an assistant professor of the practice of entrepreneurship at HPU and a business owner-turned-angel investor. With his help, she penned her business plan for Eversafe Bracelet and was selected to pitch her plan at HPU’s 2017 Elevator Pitch Competition to a group of investors. She earned second place and $1,500 in startup funds. She was also selected for the IdeaFest in Danville, Virginia, and won first place at the pitch competition held by NC RIoT, a summerlong business acceleration program in Raleigh that selected only 10 businesses from across the state.

So Riddle knew her time with Randolph would be another milestone.

“I don’t think that most people in this world get that opportunity to pitch their business to Marc Randolph and ask him questions,” said Riddle. “And yet he’s so approachable and honest about the realities of running a startup. It gives me real confidence to have a conversation with him and be able to stand up in front of him and deliver my best pitch. I feel like I came to know him as a real person that day.”

Those are the opportunities Riddle wanted when she was looking for the right university.

“I value networking and being able to talk to my professors, investors, CEOs, CFOs and industry leaders of all kinds who’ve built great success,” said Riddle. “That’s the type of campus this is — a group of people with the same goals. HPU has helped me become who I am and who I hope to be.”

I value networking and being able to talk to my professors, investors, CEOs, CFOs and industry leaders of all kinds who’ve built great success.

— Quinn Riddle, HPU Junior and Founder of Eversafe 36

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New Faculty in Residence Join HPU The list of impressive influencers who serve in residence at HPU continues to expand. This year, two new members joined the HPU family.

Betty Liu, NYSE Executive Vice Chairman who founded Radiate, Inc., joined HPU as Media Entrepreneur in Residence.

Radiate, Inc. is what Liu refers to as “Netflix for professional development.” As a journalist, she’s built vast connections with business owners, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, humanitarians and many others. She invites them to share their words of wisdom on Radiate in the form of 90-second videos that are easy to digest and watch on the go. The entire HPU family received a subscription to Radiate, Inc. when Liu visited campus. She also took part in a Q&A with Qubein and a networking lunch with HPU communication majors.

“After visiting campus and spending time with HPU students, it became clear to me that President Qubein and his faculty have developed a unique and highly relevant approach to teaching and mentoring,” said Liu, who is also a former Bloomberg television anchor. “Radiate is about helping others learn to lead and find the confidence to succeed. I’m excited to have such an innovative university like HPU partner with us.”

Katherine Dunleavy, a 2018 graduate now working as an account coordinator at Covet Public Relations in New York City, said she appreciated Liu’s insight about the communication industry.

“Betty Liu has overcome a lot in her career to achieve television anchor status, but she’s also an entrepreneur in her own right,” said Dunleavy. “It was fascinating to learn from someone who worked full time as a journalist while building her own company.”

HPU’S FACULTY IN RESIDENCE Visit www.highpoint.edu/innovators for more information on the global leaders who educate and inspire students to dream big.

Innovator in Residence Steve Wozniak Apple Computer Co-founder

Karen Jacobsen, an author and speaker known as “The GPS Girl” and the Australian voice of Siri, is HPU’s Global Artist in Residence.

Entrepreneur in Residence Marc Randolph Netflix Co-founder

Jacobsen joined the in-residence team after she visited campus several times to work with students and deliver vocal performances at major events, such as HPU’s Annual Veterans Day Celebration. She speaks internationally about how to “recalculate” one’s life.

She also completes voice over work on hundreds of projects, from commercial work to professional singing.

Originally from Australia, Jacobsen’s voice is featured on many GPS systems.

Media Entrepreneur in Residence Betty Liu NYSE Executive Vice Chairman and Founder of Radiate – the executive leadership and coaching website

Journalist in Residence Byron Pitts Co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline”

Rowan Grieb, a junior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in biology and vocal performance, said working with Jacobsen and learning about her personal journey has been a highlight of his HPU career.

Corporate Educator in Residence Scott McKain

“I really enjoyed the rehearsal, but I almost more so enjoyed getting to speak with her,” said Grieb. “Karen is a great role model who demonstrates how to thrive in a professional environment.”

Broadcaster in Residence Joe Michaels

Bestselling Author, Business Consultant and Trainer

Former Director of the NBC “TODAY” show for 22 years

Maggie Collier, a junior vocal performance major focused on opera at HPU, was inspired by Jacobsen’s story of how she became a voice actress and singer.

Global Artist in Residence Karen Jacobsen

“One of the things I really got out of what she told us is you can’t just wait for opportunities to fall in your lap,” Collier said. “You have to go out and work for them to happen.”

The “GPS Girl” and Australian voice of Siri

Graphic Designer in Residence Allan Beaver

For Jacobsen, she enjoys mentoring students and being part of such an impressive team.

Chair of HPU’s Graphic Design Department; Founding Partner, Vice Chairman and Chief Creative Officer for Levine Huntley Schmidt and Beaver

“To be chosen for this role at HPU is very exciting and moving,” says Jacobsen. “It’s an honor to join some of the world’s greatest innovators like Steve Wozniak as a mentor on campus. It’s also really fun because my speaking voice has been featured in devices that would not exist without Wozniak’s vision and his brilliance. So there’s a really beautiful synergy there.” ▲

Sales Professional in Residence Larry Quinn 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.

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THE NIDO R. QUBEIN SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

Careers Are Crafted Here “What have you accomplished?”

A Media Mentor

Courtney Leopold sat in a room with the producers of Fox News.

Leopold came to HPU from New Canaan, Connecticut.

She was interviewing for a production assistant position she’d been chasing.

One of the interviewers cut to the chase with that question.

Leopold broke into a smile. If there’s one thing HPU’s Nido R. Qubein School of Communication had given her, it was a well-built portfolio — one that rivals and reflects the experience that takes industry professionals years to acquire.

And that long list of experience began her freshman year. It was 2014. The setting was Dr. Bobby Hayes’ office.

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“The journalism program was small enough to be tailored and personal, but big enough to offer the resources that would allow me to make things happen,” says Leopold.

Hayes, assistant professor of communication, remembers the day Leopold first asked him for guidance.

She came in seeking more ways to build her resume. He told her about the school’s Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) chapter.

He emphasized the opportunities to network with other aspiring journalists and told her about national conferences that the group attends each year. She was sold.

In the years that followed, Hayes helped Leopold land internships with NBC Sports covering the 2016 Rio Olympics, NBC Sports in Boston the following year, and Raycom Sports after that.

“When Dr. Hayes took us to an SPJ conference, I met recruiters from ESPN and Fox News,” says Leopold. “By keeping in touch with those people and with the support of HPU, I was able to interview with both companies at the end of my senior year.”

Fox News was amazed at Leopold’s freedom to produce her own work during her time at HPU. They were impressed enough to offer her the role of production assistant on the primetime Fox News show “Kennedy.”

She was in the final round of interviews with ESPN when Fox News made her the job offer.

“Two weeks before graduation, I’m deciding between ESPN and Fox News,” says Leopold. “That’s a pretty great place to find yourself.”

Just days after crossing the stage at Commencement, Leopold headed to Sixth Avenue in New York City to begin her role with Fox News. And she credits Hayes with her success.

“Any crazy idea I had, any dream, any odd request or new idea for our weekly news show, I was able to pull off thanks to Dr. Hayes and the school’s support system,” says Leopold. “That was huge for my growth.”

To do the interview with Fox News, Leopold had to reschedule a final exam with Hayes. She felt bad about making the special request, but Hayes just laughed.

Game and interactive media design students utilize the School of Communication’s state-of-the-art video game technology, such as motion capture equipment that transfers real human movement into a digital character.

“I’m pretty sure this is what we’ve been working toward for four years,” Hayes told her. “I think we’ll be able to work something out.”

That’s what Leopold loves about HPU’s School of Communication. Her mentors were always there showing her what she was capable of.

“The School of Communication is always investing in ‘better,’” says Leopold. “Better curriculum, better equipment, the latest technology and the best faculty. They’re putting students out in the community, in the middle of stories and coaching us through real-world experiences. It’s formed my classmates and me into standout candidates when going for a job.”

A Time Before

The journalism program was small enough to be tailored and personal, but big enough to offer the resources that would allow me to make things happen.

– Courtney Leopold, ’18 Production Assistant at Fox News

Hayes remembers life at HPU before the School of Communication.

One small suite in the English department — that’s where the communication track was housed. Hayes was one of three professors who taught journalism.

When HPU President Nido Qubein took the helm in 2005, he came with the intent of taking the institution to a higher level. The one thing he felt HPU needed upfront was the discipline of communication. Qubein knew that if the university built a School of Communication, students would thrive there.

He was right.

Ten years ago, the school opened its doors and became the first new academic school added under Qubein’s leadership.

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Two Degrees, Five Years The B.A. to M.A. program in strategic communication allows students to complete an undergraduate degree in any major and a master’s degree in strategic communication within a fiveyear time frame. The M.A. program in strategic communication focuses on the persuasion and production skills to develop messages and the strategy of implementing campaigns.

Today, the School of Communication has grown into a community of 800 scholars and producers in eight different disciplines.

“I knew that once it started, it was going to grow quickly and branch out into several fields of communication,” Hayes says.

Hayes teaches courses in feature writing, copy editing, sports reporting and a course in the B.A. to M.A. fifth-year strategic communication program.

Downstairs from his office, you can find Dr. Stefan Hall, co-chair of the communication department, inside his classroom — a state-of-the-art game design lab. From there, you can also peek inside a completely revamped TV studio that serves as home to student producers, news anchors and talk show hosts.

getting started. No one can say what the world of media and journalism is going to look like in another 10 years, but in this school, we are always looking ahead and tailoring our classes to meet the coming industry needs.”

And it’s not just the curriculum that’s evolved; it’s also the physical environment.

Like the TV studio. It received a $1 million makeover last year that included new 4K camera equipment, lighting and switchboards.

Students like senior Mitch Rissmiller are appreciative of the updates.

‘Let’s Talk’ Joe Michaels knows Rissmiller.

As a freshman, Rissmiller worked as an anchor for HPU’s Triad News but found he didn’t pair well with hard news. He wanted to do more lifestyle and entertainment reporting.

So, as a sophomore, he approached Michaels.

Michaels knows a thing or two about talk shows. He’s a 44-year veteran of NBC who has won eight Emmy awards, and for more than two decades, directed the “TODAY” show.

The school is versatile, catering to an array of interests.

And the best part? The school is ever-evolving.

Today, he’s HPU’s Broadcaster in Residence, teaching students the art of TV production.

“In this school, we are always looking ahead to the next goal and the next vision,” says Hayes. “In many ways, we’re just

Rissmiller dropped by Michaels’ office and asked about producing a campus talk show.

Gaming for Good Michael Messer graduated from the School of Communication in 2016 with a major in game and interactive media design. Today, he’s leading a change in higher education as a simulation programmer for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, creating interactive games that simulate patient interactions for the pharmacy students.

The Frederick, Maryland, native came to HPU because of the opportunities he couldn’t find at other schools. He liked the idea of majoring in game and interactive media design but wanted to combine that passion with computer science.

“No other school I applied to would allow you to major in both subjects due to high demand,” says Messer. “You had to pick one and stick to it. HPU was different. My mom and I traveled across the country for nine days before coming to 40

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HPU. Once we were here and I heard what they had to offer, I was sold.”

Messer now utilizes his combined degrees as a programmer, working on the ground level of a virtual program for UNC. His design will allow students to conveniently experience the same interactions they will someday have with patients.

Professor Brian Heagney in the School of Communication was a major influence on Messer, often encouraging his game design students to think of gaming as teaching tools and not just for fun. That sparked Messer’s imagination, and when Heagney led Messer to the East Coast Gaming Conference his senior year, he spotted UNC’s booth and made a connection.

“HPU doesn’t limit students,” he says. “If you have the will and you want to do it, HPU will make it happen. It’s not something you can do at every other university. HPU’s game design program is one of the nation’s top undergraduate programs for a reason.”

He made his pitch, Michaels listened, and right away, he knew.

“Whatever you want to do, bud,” Michaels told him, “I’m behind you.”

He helped Rissmiller create “Let’s Talk,” and in doing so, Michaels discovered a student who possessed the skills needed to program, lead people, put a show together and interview well on camera.

The next summer, Michaels ran the pool feed for major news networks at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and he knew he could bring in student interns to help. He knew who to approach. Rissmiller jumped at the chance.

Michaels watched what Rissmiller did in Philadelphia and with “Let’s Talk.” And Michaels was there when Rissmiller asked for advice about how many internships he should

apply to his sophomore year. Michaels told Rissmiller to go after as many as he could.

Since then, Rissmiller has interned for Madison Square Garden, assisting with marketing and digital strategy for MSG brands like The Rockettes. He’s worked as a digital marketing intern with Warner Bros. Pictures and as a production assistant on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” in Los Angeles.

This past summer, leading up to the start of his senior year at HPU, he served as a production intern with NBC’s “TODAY” Show.

HPU faculty like Michaels keep Rissmiller motivated.

“The internships I’ve gotten and the people I’ve met are because of my professors,” Rissmiller says. “That’s a hallmark of HPU, and they do it insanely well. You’re around talented people willing to help, and you don’t feel like a number. They know you.

“I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them.” ▲

SUCCESSFUL GRADUATE SNAPSHOT Kyra Hennessey

Jodi Guglielmi

A recent graduate, Hennessey joined Dell Technologies as a member of the company’s highly competitive Marketing Development Program. During her time at HPU, Hennessey served as founder of the School of Communication’s own public relations firm, Ascension 336.

The student-run agency managed campaigns for several nonprofits and even a few global organizations. She attributes her success to building close relationships with professors, especially Professor John Mims.

A Class of 2015 graduate, Guglielmi applied what she learned in the classroom and during her internships at Seventeen and PEOPLE magazines to launch her career. Currently a writer for PEOPLE Magazine, Guglielmi has her finger on the pulse of all things Hollywood. From contributing to PEOPLE’S Oscars issue to covering breaking celebrity news, Guglielmi writes about it all. If you love celebrities and Hollywood, she’s a top HPU graduate to follow.

Dom Bellusci

John Marsicano

A 2018 graduate, Bellusci attends Guildhall at Southern Methodist University, the No. 1 graduate school for game design in the world. He will graduate with his Master of Interactive Technology in digital game development with a focus on production.

Bellusci credits Dr. Stefan Hall and Professor Brian Heagney with preparing him for graduate school.

A graduate of the Class of 2015, Marsicano is a public relations specialist for Magnolia — the famous home, reality and lifestyle brand from Chip and Joanna Gaines and their hit HGTV show, “Fixer Upper.” Already, as a young HPU alumnus, Marsicano is making his mark in the communications field. At Magnolia, Mariscano is responsible for Chip and Joanna’s story and their brand perception as it grows and evolves.

Dell Marketing Development Program

Writer for People Magazine

Public Relations Specialist at Magnolia

Game Design Graduate Student at Southern Methodist University

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Pursuing a Passion for Design Students in HPU’s School of Art and Design build a portfolio of success through experiential learning opportunities.

Imagine being mentored by professors with professional backgrounds and experiencing what it’s like to work in a field long before graduation. Imagine holding internships at top companies and completing class projects that build a portfolio fit to impress potential employers.

This is reality for students in High Point University’s School of Art and Design.

Students like Abbey Phalen and Paul Green, both of whom gained plenty of real-world knowledge at HPU, which helped them land top internships and commence prestigious careers.

Today, Phalen leads a career with Walt Disney World, and Green, who previously interned with Major League Baseball (MLB), works for the Nashville Predators hockey team as their graphic design assistant.

Both know that HPU prepared them to not only have vast technical knowledge, but also an array of experiences that will help them as they build their careers.

Excelling in Experiential Education

During her junior year, Phalen interned with the Boston Bruins hockey team and designed merchandise for the franchise.

Her senior year, Phalen applied to an internship with Walt Disney World and started working with Disney’s internal communications department inside the Magic Kingdom.

She was then hired full time to manage the communications between cast members and to create branding for products and events.

Within a year of beginning her career at Disney, Phalen was promoted to the resort operations assistant for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, writing and designing graphics that facilitate internal communications for the cast members working at the lodge.

The experiential learning opportunities Phalen took advantage of within the School of Art and Design taught her how to manage her time and how to lead a group of peers, which are life skills she now uses in her career.

Leaving home in Massachusetts to attend HPU was a big step for Phalen, who graduated with honors and a degree in graphic design. But she knew HPU would open up new opportunities for her.

“The university prepares you for the real world and not just the classroom environment,” says Phalen. “I felt comfortable working with clients because HPU professors take the time to make sure that you’re not just doing an assignment, you’re doing something that can be applied in a real-world situation.”

Opportunities like studying abroad her junior year, which allowed her to see the world, gain new cultural experiences and build confidence in herself.

A Portfolio of Success

She knows now that mentors like Allan Beaver, HPU’s Graphic Designer in Residence, and Scott Raynor, associate professor of 42

art and chair of graphic design, gave her the roadmap to success through their wisdom and the time they spent encouraging her.

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Inside the HPU Community Center, students sat two to a table with their portfolios, business cards and posters on tripods displaying their skills.

On the opposite page, left: Jackie Musso stands in front of the La-Z-Boy Casegoods showroom, where she worked with clients selling furniture at the High Point Market. Middle: James House, a graphic design major, presents his portfolio to industry professionals during an annual career event hosted by the School of Art and Design. Right: Abbey Phalen, a 2017 graduate, stands in front of the corporate headquarters for Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park, where she works in the internal communications department.

Professors, working professionals and community members filled the room, carefully stopping to see their portfolios and to ask questions about their work.

To further their repertoire of experiences, seniors majoring in graphic design have the opportunity to create a portfolio, then display it to professionals at this annual event.

After completing two graphic design internships with MLB, Green took advantage of the chance to articulate his work and answer questions that potential employers ask during professional interviews.

“My professors told us what the expectations are of recent graduates in the graphic design field,” says Green, from Parker, Colorado. “This experience has given us the opportunity to practice talking to professionals and has given us a way to market ourselves to potential employers with our portfolios.”

His time at MLB, as well as building a portfolio and networking skills at HPU, paid off when he landed a career with the Nashville Predators.

HPU is the only private college in North Carolina and one of only a handful elsewhere to offer students the opportunity to study in programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

It was all made possible by HPU. That’s where he discovered his love of designing for sports teams. Now he applies those skills in his career by creating designs that enhance the spectator’s experience.

According to Dr. John Turpin, dean of the School of Art and Design, providing students with first-hand learning opportunities gives them a competitive advantage in today’s rapidly changing career landscape.

“HPU’s School of Art and Design provides life skills to students through experiential learning, access to inspirational professionals, creative assignments that focus on personal growth and service learning projects that teach students to care for the community,” says Turpin.

That’s why Phalen, Green and so many other graduates have found success.

“HPU builds an environment in which I was never nervous to fail,” Green says. “I was surrounded by so many people who had an impeccable drive to achieve their individual goals and who also encouraged others to do the same.” ▲

A Network of Industry Alumni The High Point Market, a twice-yearly furniture trade show that takes place minutes from campus, offers students a real-world setting where they gain life skills applicable to any field and experience working with industry professionals.

To the right is a sample of alumni who have gone on to build successful careers in the furniture industry in High Point and around the world after honing their skills during their time at HPU.

Jeffrey D. Harris CEO & President of Furnitureland South, Inc.

Virginia Ellis Upholstery Merchandising Manager at Bassett Furniture

Max Dyer Vice President of Marketing at La-Z-Boy Casegoods

Meredith Matsakis Studio Content Manager and Brand Ambassador for Design Works International

Victoria Valentinas Fashion and Design Manager at Thomasville Home Furnishings

Sarah Hogan Interior Designer for Kreber, a leading marketing and advertising firm

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CREATIVE COLLABORATION Student-run agencies prepare undergraduates for real-world success.

Employers look for college graduates with real-world experiences, and that is never hard to achieve at High Point University.

Here, faculty and staff ensure all four years are filled with experiential and interdisciplinary learning opportunities.

Allan Beaver, HPU’s Graphic Designer in Residence who has years of executive experience in the advertising industry, and John Mims, assistant professor of communication, are two professors who create opportunities for students to work across academic disciplines.

Both created experiential learning courses that allow students to run their own agencies. Together, their students join forces 44

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to build campaigns and materials for local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Beaver mentored his graphic design students through the process of building Dime Design, a student-run graphic design agency.

“This course was designed to create a real-world experience for students,” says Beaver. “Just like a real design agency, every student focused on different aspects of the projects and each had their own role in the agency. I was there to give them advice and suggestions as their mentor, but I never gave them assignments. It was their job to keep the agency going.”

Their clients included United Apparel, North Carolina African Services Coalition, The Guild of Family Service of High Point, Women in Motion, Genesis Gospel Choir, Humane Society of the Piedmont and more.

Mims’ strategic communication students created Ascension 336, a student-run public relations agency.

On their client list are Appalachian Hardwood, Heal Our Heroes, Reading Connections, West End Ministries and more.

“This experience allows students to learn how to communicate with clients and meet their needs in a supportive environment that helps them grow as professionals,” said Mims.

Olivia Blandford, one of the two CEOs of Dime Design, was able to gain real-world experiences by working on a variety of projects for clients.

“We had a really wide range of projects that we worked on from Facebook profiles and banners, to branding with logo design, to T-shirt designs and posters,” says Blandford. “We took away a lot of real-world design experience from running this agency.”

Dr. Virginia McDermott, interim dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication and professor of communication, knows it’s important for students to connect with peers outside their field while they’re still in college.

In addition, working together allowed students from both agencies to see how their position interacts with and affects their relationship with their peers.

“In the communication field, stories are really important, and students need to have something to talk about in their stories,” said McDermott. “This is why we stress interdisciplinary learning. The more someone knows about a variety of topics and areas, the better prepared they are for the complex media world.”

Experiences like these are important because professors guide students so that they can learn from their failures and use them to improve their professional skill set. Another benefit is receiving a variety of feedback and advice from peers and mentors who have diverse viewpoints on group projects — just like they will in an agency setting when they launch their careers.

As a result, the two agencies meshed well together. Although different, their skill sets complemented one another.

The students at Ascension 336 had plenty of knowledge on how to create communication strategies and messaging materials like brochures for clients, but what they lacked was a natural eye for design. Dime Design brought those skills to the table.

That led Ascension 336 to ask Dime Design to revamp its logo. The two teams have since worked on dozens of projects together.

Kayla Gigandet, who served as a designer on the Dime Design team, learned new life skills from this experience such as how to meet a client’s needs, how to plan a project and how to effectively communicate with clients.

“All the interaction between the client on and off campus was done by us,” said Gigandet. “Then they would come in and present to us the problem they wanted us to solve using our design expertise. It was definitely a real-world experience learning how to plan projects and learning to work effectively with clients.” ▲

The more someone knows about a variety of topics and areas, the better prepared they are for the complex media world.

— Dr. Virginia McDermott, Interim Dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication and Professor of Communication

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How A Business Mindset Enhances Student Success

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Regardless of major, the Phillips School of Business anchors the university’s commitment to prepare all graduates for the world as it is going to be.

Sometimes Jenna Tarantino, ’18, can’t believe the difference in where she was four years ago and where she is today.

As a high school student, Tarantino traveled from her home in Ridgefield, New Jersey, to tour High Point University. She remembers the moment when the HPU ambassador introducing her to campus stopped to tell her about the Annual Business Plan Competition.

“You’ll get to pitch your business idea to a panel of investors for a chance to win start-up funds,” the ambassador said.

Her eyes widened.

“There’s no way I could ever do that,” a shy Tarantino responded. “It isn’t mandatory, is it?”

To her relief, it wasn’t, and she loved everything about HPU. So she enrolled as a business administration major.

But something changed over the next four years. In the spring of her senior year, Tarantino found herself standing in front of that panel of investors pitching a business that she built.

She wasn’t afraid. Not after what she’d learned at HPU. In a room filled with people, she shared the story of HotDawg Company and a leash she developed to help pet owners know when the pavement is too hot for their pet’s paws. She won third place and $5,000.

She went on to achieve a lot of other things, too, that she never expected.

So did Hannah Selberg, ’18, and senior Ryan Gilbert. HPU’s Phillips School of Business helped them get there.

The First High Stakes Sales Call HPU faculty and staff call it the “transformation.” They help make it happen.

Selberg, ’18, knows it well. She was once a shy freshman but became a standout student who secured a job offer from GE Healthcare the fall of her senior year.

After choosing to attend HPU, Selberg turned down a physics scholarship from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

“When I visited HPU, I fell in love,” says the Harrisburg, North Carolina, native. “I didn’t know what my major was going to be, but I knew this was the right place.”

At HPU, Selberg began career preparation right away. She met Professor Larry Quinn, chair of the Department of Sales and Marketing, and joined HPU’s Professional Selling Club. He encouraged her to explore majoring in sales, a field that Selberg, a science enthusiast, had never considered.

But after taking leadership positions in the

I didn’t immediately know what my major was going to be at HPU, but I knew this was the right place.

– Hannah Selberg, ’18, from Harrisburg, North Carolina, now in General Electric Healthcare’s Commercial Leadership Program

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Finance Major Recognized by Princeton Review A combination of student interest and employment opportunities led the Phillips School of Business to establish a new finance major, which has already been recognized by the Princeton Review. HPU is named as a Top University for Business/Finance Majors.

“Finance is a skillset needed in the business world, whether it’s corporate finance, wealth management, real estate, financial advisor roles and more,” says Dr. Jim Wehrley, dean of the school. “We’ve seen strong job demand for these fields. Our students are also able to diversify their opportunities by studying finance and a mix of other business sectors, such as sales.”

selling club and competing in selling competitions around the country, she discovered a passion for medical sales.

Quinn, a retired sales executive, is known for putting career preparation first.

“If you think about it, your first job interview is really your first high stakes sales call,” Quinn tells students. “You have to start practicing for it and be ready. You have to sell yourself and your abilities and make that employer understand why they should hire you.”

Selberg practiced. She matured into a go-getter who landed her first internship as a sophomore, then another internship at General Electric Healthcare as a junior.

The GE Healthcare sales internship program is fiercely competitive.

Thousands apply, only 25 are hired, and Selberg was one of them.

She developed a marketing playbook with a goal to improve sales for some high-level medical devices. She presented her work to company executives, and she could tell they were impressed.

A few weeks after she completed the internship and returned to HPU for senior year, her supervisor called her with a question that stopped her in her tracks.

“Hannah, what can we do to bring you back full time?”

Selberg had officially lined up her career nearly a year before graduation. Today, she works full-time in GE Healthcare’s Commercial Leadership Program, a two-year rotation that places employees in new offices every six months with a goal to discover their best fit in the company.

“HPU fostered the perfect environment to help me grow outside of my timid and reserved shell,” she says. “Professor Quinn saw my strengths when I didn’t and helped me maneuver through my weaknesses.”

Unexpected Entrepreneurs Like Selberg and Tarantino, senior Ryan Gilbert didn’t know exactly what he wanted his future to look like when he arrived at HPU. The Austin, Texas, native majored in business administration, minored in accounting and discovered a second family inside the Belk Center for Entrepreneurship.

Now, on most Monday nights, you’ll find Gilbert inside the center, where director Kathy Elliott leads “Pitch Prep Mondays.”

Your first high stakes sales call is your first job interview.

Every student should be prepared for that.

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“They may be one of my most important inventions,” says Elliott, a serial entrepreneur turned professor. “We go through a rapid-fire round of students pitching their ideas and plans to each other. They get feedback, but they also get exposure to a wide variety of students who represent many different majors and perspectives.”

In the midst of creative minds like Elliott and fellow club members, Gilbert was inspired to develop his own business.

He won first place and $9,500 in HPU’s 2017 Business Plan Competition for a company he originally founded to make storage solutions easy for college students. Over time, however, Gilbert’s idea evolved into Crate Systems, which sells his patented storage devices directly to large storage companies. His crates are easily packed and mobile, and that sets them apart from the stationary storage unit.

“Kathy is very good at teaching us as students where to find reliable information and figure out the way to approach challenges,” says Gilbert. “I remember having a conversation with her when my company decided to switch from a consumer model to a business-to-business model. She helped me navigate the decision.”

That level of support compresses time for graduates and gives them the opportunity to accomplish more and experience more during their college career. When they graduate, they stand out.

Selberg did. She’s one of only seven young professionals chosen for GE Healthcare’s Commercial Leadership program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Tarantino did, too. She was one of only 10 startup founders in the nation selected for the Raleigh Internet of Things (RIoT) Business Accelerator Program. The program helps grow and develop businesses with obvious potential.

And Gilbert stands out not only to judges in HPU’s Business Plan Competition, but to investors across the country, too. He spent his summer traveling to Texas, California and Colorado to pitch to investors in those states and land additional startup funds.

They began their journey in the Phillips School of Business. They’ll continue it throughout their lives by leading careers they once only dreamed about. ▲

Business School Resources Support All Majors The Phillips School of Business houses unique opportunities and resources that support not only business students, but all areas of study.

Below is a snapshot of the opportunities available on HPU’s campus.

Annual Business Plan Competition —Students in any academic discipline can submit their business plan for a chance to compete in this annual competition, which is supported by a gift from BB&T. Finalists earn the opportunity to pitch their plan to a panel of investors and entrepreneurs, who award $25,000 in start-up funds each year. The Annual Elevator Pitch Competition provides a similar opportunity for those who can pitch their business in just two minutes.

W. Allen Tilley Trading Room — This state-of-the-art classroom is one example of the technological advances HPU provides business majors. A live stock ticker scrolls across the wall, while sophisticated investment software and live financial databases are featured on the classroom’s computers, such as Standard & Poor’s CRSP Indexes.

Belk Entrepreneurship Center —The Belk Center for Entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurship Club provide faculty mentorship, peer-to-peer mentoring and a variety of events for all students interested in launching their own company. This includes bringing the owners of successful startups to campus to work with students, as well as hosting global leaders, such as Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence.

Professional Speaker Series —Throughout the year, students learn directly from corporate executives and business owners such as Steven Tanger, CEO of Tanger Outlets; Rob Siegfried, CEO and founder of The Siegfried Group; and Karen Narwold, senior vice president, corporate secretary, and general counsel, corporate and government affairs at Albemarle Corporation.

Bloomberg Terminal —Students have the opportunity to graduate with a Bloomberg certification, thanks to a Bloomberg Terminal located in the Wilson Commerce building. With modules on economics, fixed income, equities and currencies, the Bloomberg certification helps students stand out.

Floyd T. Craven Investment Club —The club was created in 1998 in honor of HPU alumnus Floyd. T. Craven.

It allows HPU students to invest dollars, originally funded by an alumnus gift, in the stock market under the guidance of professors of finance in the university’s Phillips School of Business. Club members experience what it’s like to interact with the club’s portfolio, manage real assets and use investment analysis resources.

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Not Your Average Classroom The College of Arts and Sciences’ innovative approach to learning keeps students active and involved.

As the world moves faster, students must be able to learn and adjust quickly, ready not only to keep pace but to set the pace.

HPU’s David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences is on the forefront of ensuring just that by involving students in developing skills that translate beyond their classroom walls.

“Liberal arts education at HPU is very much an active and vibrant experience,” says Dr. Carole Stoneking, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s more than lectures and memorization. Professional skills like collaboration, communication, critical thinking and cultural awareness are layered in, so students develop them without knowing it.”

Professors do this by incorporating role-playing, international travel and service learning into their classes.

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Bringing History to Life It’s Athens, Greece, in 404 B.C. Do you fight to save the world’s first democracy, or does your social status allow you to participate?

Dr. Jacqueline Arthur-Montagne’s Western Civilization class grapples with these and other deep questions while reenacting the ancient society. Students are assigned a character to embody as they debate and negotiate a problem of historical significance. For these students, it’s the Spartan invasion. In other classes, it’s American independence or the Cherokee relocation.

Arthur-Montagne, a history professor at HPU, and other faculty use games like these in their classes. She says students are surprised at how much influence they can have while “rewriting history.”

“I recall a student who described herself as terrified of public speaking,” says Arthur-Montagne. “She never spoke during our traditional classroom discussions, but when she mounted the

podium in character, she blew the room away with her attitude and confidence.”

Students connect personally with the course content. Carson Spering, a senior nonprofit and leadership management major, played Alexander Hamilton in his American Politics course. This motivated him to dive into the reading.

“Everyone was very involved and passionate,” says Spering.

“Preparing for class was fun, and it helped with understanding and remembering the content.”

Global Experiences While some classes revisit historical moments, others visit another part of the world. Short-term study abroad trips led by faculty expose students to new people, languages and cultures.

HPU biology students swim with sea turtles, hike the Amazon rainforest and bake bread with indigenous families in Ecuador and the Galapagos. Religion majors study Judaism and Christianity in Israel at sites such as the Dead Sea, Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity and the Temple Mount.

“I left with a deeper understanding of complex religious, political and social issues, and a deeper respect and empathy for people in this place,” says sophomore Sarah Wilson, who studied in Israel.

In China, students practice their Mandarin language skills.

“It was an amazing opportunity to increase our proficiency through constant use with one another and locals,” says senior Griff Caligiuri.

“We also learned a lot about the Chinese culture, including the subcultures within Beijing and Shanghai.”

Learning Through Serving Students also see the real-world impact of their coursework through service learning classes that support the community.

Dr. Paul Ringel’s History Detectives class collected oral histories from graduates of a high school that served black students until desegregation. They contributed hundreds of hours of research and launched an online archive of artifacts called the William Penn Project.

“Instead of being students of history, we were historians,” says Justin Cummings, a 2016 HPU graduate. “I learned valuable interviewing and research skills and discovered a new field of history I didn’t know existed.”

It’s about more than memorization. Students form opinions, gain experience and apply what they’ve learned.

“The greatest teachers of ancient history invited students to apply knowledge in a tangible way,” says Arthur-Montagne. “What really helps us interpret and master material is the opportunity to try it in practice.”▲

Doing Life in D.C. High Point Washington Preps Students for Careers in Law, Psychology, Politics and More HPU senior Lucie Kirby hasn’t graduated yet, but she’s fully embraced living and working in the nation’s capital through High Point Washington.

A criminal justice and psychology major, Kirby interned with the U.S. Marshals Service, D.C. Superior Court, where she wrote arrest warrants, attended court hearings and went on surveillance ride-alongs with deputy U.S. marshals.

In the semester-long program offered by The Washington Center, HPU students do meaningful work and connect with influential leaders. The program is open to all majors, especially those in the social sciences.

Working full time at a federal agency, nonprofit or news outlet, students come away with a portfolio of results, as well as a professional network.

“Several of the federal officers took me under their wing and were willing to help,” says Kirby.

“My internship brought to life the scenarios I’d learned about in class. Seeing it all in real life gave me a full perspective on my field.”

Dr. Jana Spain, HPU professor of psychology who directs the program, says the benefits go beyond the internship. Students take an academic course and attend leadership seminars and Q&A sessions with the city’s movers and shakers.

“They learn that things don’t always work as they do in the textbook,” says Spain. “They go beyond acquiring facts into developing critical thinking for the workforce. They’ve proven themselves living as professionals in the city — it’s an experience unlike any other.”

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Transforming Aspiring Teachers

into Educational Leaders From five-year master’s programs to international experiences, the Stout School of Education provides a holistic approach to teaching.

During her senior year of high school, Mallory Heffelfinger uncovered a passion for teaching.

It happened in fourth period calculus. Her teacher was unexpectedly called out of the classroom and summoned Heffelfinger to the front of the room before stepping out.

“This is what I was planning to cover today,” she said, pointing to the open page of a textbook. “Will you lead the class through these problems?”

That made an impact on Heffelfinger.

“I remember the trust that came from knowing that someone else saw the potential in me,” she says. “That validation was all I needed.”

Her next step was finding the right university — a place that would continue to push her outside of her comfort zone and further her passion for teaching.

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She visited HPU and felt at home.

“I went to a private high school and was used to a small environment,” says Heffelfinger. “When I walked into the Stout School of Education, I knew that’s where I could flourish. I met with students, faculty and staff members in the school, confirming that I wanted to be a part of that program.”

Heffelfinger says that HPU’s School of Education embraced her ambition, which isn’t something she found elsewhere.

“I had a lot goals for my future classroom. At HPU, they asked, ‘How can we make that happen?’ and ‘Let’s see what options are available to make that possible.’ I knew HPU was a place Teacher Prep that would allow me to grow in Review ranks HPU the direction I wanted.” in the Top 10% of And grow she did.

Undergraduate Education Programs in the Nation.

Growing a Graduate Program Heffelfinger quickly found a mentor in Dr. Dustin Johnson.

“He was extremely invested in my journey with the understanding that numerous factors played into my performance,” says Heffelfinger. “When I doubted myself, he was the first email or text I sent. And he was immediately meeting with me and encouraging me to push forward.”

Soon after arriving at HPU, Heffelfinger realized her desires to someday move beyond the classroom and into an administrative role. She loved teaching — that was easy to confirm. During their first year at HPU, education majors are immediately placed inside a classroom, completing an internship under the guidance of a local teacher.

“I knew that ordinary was never going to be okay — outside the classroom or inside the classroom,” says Heffelfinger. “A growth mindset has always been present in the School of Education. When I talk to people who graduate from other programs, they admit that they’re just going through the hoops to get their teaching license. HPU believes that yes, you’re gifted and talented in the skill set, but there’s always more room for growth and development.”

The School of Education knows that stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is an important part of growth. Sometimes, that means packing your bags for a trip around the globe.

But Heffelfinger also liked the idea of becoming a leader in the field of education.

Two Degrees, Five Years The Stout School of Education offers these B.A. to M.Ed. programs for students looking to earn a second degree within a span of five years: n n n

Educational Leadership Elementary Education Special Education

“I approached Dr. Johnson about starting a fifth-year program for teachers who wanted to earn their master’s degree with the intent to move up to an administrative position,” Heffelfinger says.

Johnson fully supported the idea, and working with Heffelfinger, they made it happen.

The School of Education already offered B.A. to M.Ed. programs in other tracts, including elementary education and special education.

In summer 2017, the B.A. to M.Ed. program in Education Leadership welcomed its first cohort.

HPU education majors ventured to South Africa to test their teaching methods on a global level.

Cultivating Global Educators Ryann Coughlin was nervous, but she had to be confident.

She was more than 8,000 miles from home, walking into a classroom that beared little resemblance to ones in the U.S. She took a deep breath and walked through the doorway, taking her place at the front of the classroom. Heads turned toward her in attention.

The hybrid course, consisting of online work and campus meetings, allowed Heffelfinger and her classmates to complete their M.Ed. while continuing to teach as first-year educators.

“Hello,” she said to the class. “I’m Ms. Coughlin.”

In May, with one month left in her inaugural year as a first-grade teacher, Heffelfinger crossed the stage at HPU’s Commencement with her master’s degree.

In the spring, the School of Education launched a partnership with Orange Grove School in Tarkastad, South Africa — global pairing that allows HPU education majors to test their skills on an international level.

With that second degree came the excitement in knowing that she had helped build a program. And better yet, she helped better the school she’d come to love.

The students broke into smiles, and Coughlin found her confidence.

Coughlin, a senior education major from Long Island, New York, took part in the trip.

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Delivering Doctorates in Education The Stout School of Education offers doctoral degree programs in educational leadership and instructional leadership. Both tracks are practitioner-based, professional experiences that focus on the skills transformational leaders need to create successful educational systems. to their departure, both were still surprised by how seamlessly the HPU education majors blended with the students.

“This inaugural trip and the annual trips that will follow were intended to give our students a much more global view, not of just education, but of people and their life experiences as well,” says Cavendish. “Having returned, I can say that we succeeded in that. Our students now have a strong understanding of how to adapt to different teaching environments and how to teach various types of students in tailored ways. I have no doubt that carrying these experiences into an interview will give our educators an edge.”

HPU education majors partnered with Orange Grove School in Tarkastad, South Africa, for the chance to experience a South African classroom.

She jumped at the opportunity. She understood the importance of seeing how students learn in different cultures.

Before HPU students took the lead at Orange Grove School, they spent three days immersing themselves in the South African culture and shadowing teachers at the school, learning the differences in teaching styles.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” Coughlin says. “The classroom setting was completely different than the typical U.S. setting, from the way they interacted with one another, to the methods they used for learning content. But, with some quick adaptations, we were able to combine their techniques with our lessons. That’s a skill I’ll undoubtedly apply in my future career.”

Dr. Leslie Cavendish and Dr. Sarah Vess, professors in the School of Education, led the trip. While they prepared the students with tactics for acclimating to a new culture in the weeks leading up

And while the values of an adventure across the world are evident, back on HPU’s campus, students in the School of Education find everyday opportunities to garner a holistic education.

‘I Can Do Great Things Here’ Brianna Beard heard about HPU through a close friend and loved seeing HPU photos online. When it came time to tour colleges, Beard had to see the school for herself.

During her tour, Beard stopped by the School of Education to see the facilities. She ended up spending 45 minutes with Dr. Mariann Tillery, the school’s dean.

Beard didn’t have an appointment, but Tillery gave her the time.

“If they are going to treat me with such care and attention as only a prospective student,” she thought, “imagine what it’s going to be like once I’m a student.”

Later, while sitting near the windows during lunch with her parents, she looked out over campus and began to dream.

I didn’t think it was possible in my life to get published in a national journal at 21, but things aren’t out of reach, especially at HPU. – Brianna Beard, Senior Education Major

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Mock Interviews, Real Experience This past spring, the School of Education welcomed 12 local principals for a “Principal Panel” to prepare senior education majors for job interviews.

Students asked questions, collecting valuable information on what principals look for in new hires. Then, principals conducted one-on-one mock interviews with HPU students, giving them tailored feedback and advice.

“Each year, this event provides our future educators with a meaningful and authentic experience directly related to seeking out, interviewing for and securing employment in the field of education,” says Teresa Owens, instructor in the School of Education.

“I can be happy here,” she told her parents. “I can do great things here.”

Today, Beard is an elementary education major who spent this past summer teaching in France and Spain. She returned to HPU in the fall for her senior year and is obtaining her master’s degree as part of the B.A. to M.Ed. elementary education program with a focus on STEM. Her inspiration to enroll in the program? Dr. Shirley Disseler, chair of elementary and middle grades education and STEM education program coordinator.

Known on campus as the “Lego Lady,” Disseler is a certified Lego trainer, teaching students how to bring creativity into the classroom.

That’s what Beard aspires to do. She’s dedicated time to researching and sharing unique teaching methods. In the spring, that research paid off.

Beard flew to Las Vegas with Disseler and presented her research at the National Social Science Association’s annual conference.

HPU and STEM:

Giving an Edge to Educators The Stout School of Education knows that preparing teachers in the methodologies of STEM education offers them an edge in the educational hiring process.

HPU has partnered with global companies, such as Lego, to involve students in the latest product development, testing and STEM initiatives available in elementary and middle grades education.

LEGO EDUCATION IS INSTILLED IN HPU STUDENTS THROUGH VARIOUS ANNUAL EVENTS:

COME BUILD WITH US field trips provide a chance for HPU juniors and seniors to design and implement lessons for public school children, allowing them to explore and discover science and engineering concepts through Lego Education.

STEM CAMP

The paper’s title is a mouthful: “A Comparative Analysis of Teaching Cultural Core Beliefs Across Settings in Public Education Pre-K Through Fifth Grade.”

is an opportunity for fifth-year B.A. to M.Ed. students to create lessons and carry out a practicum experience with over 120 students ages 8-11.

But her research didn’t go unnoticed.

She was recognized as having the best undergraduate paper at the conference. Her 13-page paper has now been published in the association’s national journal.

That happened thanks to Disseler.

“I didn’t think it was possible in my life to get published in a national journal at 21, but things aren’t out of reach, especially here,” Beard says. “Dr. Disseler pushed me toward that, and that all shows me that I was right when I chose this school.” ▲

Robotics Competitions

invite local middle school students to campus for a series of Lego robot challenges. The events give HPU STEM education students the chance to create, lead and judge each competition.

LEGO

SHOWCASES

invite more than 16,000 children and parents to campus annually, and it offers HPU freshmen through fifth-year students the opportunity to work with participants in the area of STEM. highpoint.edu

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GLOBAL EXPERIENCES:

How International Education Builds A Growth Mindset High Point University’s educational model was built with this reality in mind: Students must be prepared for the world as it will be, not as it is, if they are to succeed in today’s rapidly changing workforce.

HPU’s Office of Global Education plays a crucial role in that mission. Jeff Palis, director of Global Education, is a product of studying and working abroad in Vienna, Austria, and serving as a Fulbright Scholar to Latvia, the country from which his grandfather’s family hails. Now, he’s helping HPU students discover the positive impact of living and learning from people different than oneself.

Below, Palis answers frequently asked questions from parents and students about the impact of HPU’s study abroad opportunities.

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Q. One goal of HPU faculty and staff is to equip students with life skills. How does global education contribute to that?

A. Ask any hiring manager if they’re interested in candidates with global experiences, and many will tell you that it all starts with being able to figure things out when you’re in a new situation and there is no training manual. Our world has become more and more integrated. Our economies are connected; our cities and towns are connected. If you aren’t experienced in communicating, collaborating and negotiating with people from other cultures and languages, you may be left behind.

Q. What options do HPU students have to become globally educated?

A. We have two focuses when it comes to our students’ international experiences. The first is taking students to the world through our two-principle study abroad options: semester exchange and faculty-led Maymester programs. Through semester-long exchange programs, they spend the semester living and taking classes in a different country. Our most popular exchange programs are in Europe and Australia, but we also have tremendous options in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

How Scotland Expanded My Comfort Zone Another option is a short-term Global Experience program, commonly called “Maymesters.” Students take a spring course about a cultural issue, then travel to a country where they can watch theory and classroom concepts come to life. With their classmates and a faculty member serving as the expert guide, they dive deep to investigate their host country.

Through these programs, students learn how to use a new language, connect with new people and experience a way of life very different from their own.

Q. Regardless of a student’s major, what are common lessons they learn abroad?

A. Being abroad teaches you how to figure it out. You’re taking classes taught with different teaching styles. There’s new food, new public transportation systems and new living quarters. Our office supports students and makes sure they have a good experience, but we also know that learning begins where your comfort zone ends. We encourage students to step outside of their comfort zone and develop a growth mindset about thriving in a new place.

National studies show that students return with higher levels of selfconfidence. They go on to have higher graduation rates and higher GPAs. And they know how to “figure it out.”

Employers appreciate that. ▲

By Devon Wilkinson, Class of 2019 I was face-to-face with an original Vincent Van Gogh painting at an Amsterdam museum when I had a realization.

I let a wave of fear pass, then I realized this: There is a sort of comfort in knowing you are the only one who can solve your problem.

It wasn’t his famous “Starry Night” painting that I’ve dissected a million times before. It was the most ordinary painting of worn-out leather boots.

It seemed out of place with the surrounding whimsical strokes for which Van Gogh is known.

So I pulled up the zipper on my rain jacket and found my way in a direction I had never been. After two bus trips and the help of a few kind souls, I finally arrived at my flat.

Yet, it was the piece that helped me understand Van Gogh had once been a beginner. He had to paint the ordinary before he could paint the extraordinary. He was once no less an amateur than I. That moment is a bookmark in my mind from my study abroad experience in Scotland. I’m a senior journalism major with a passion for writing and art. When I discovered HPU’s opportunity to study in Scotland, I had to take a leap.

It was not easy. In my residence hall at HPU, I am surrounded by my own paintings and my best friends.

But the moment my plane landed, I was on my own with a 50-pound suitcase, some American money and my first challenge — getting from the Edinburgh airport to my flat in a neighboring city.

Underneath the classic Scotland downpour, my GPS system sent me in circles, and the sweetest but incredibly thick Scottish accents offered me directions.

That, of course, was only the beginning! It took two weeks to learn which buses would take me to the right classes. I met other people who were lost, too. Together, we found our way.

I also traveled to different castles and art galleries across Europe when time allowed me to break away from my studies. That’s when I saw the strokes of Van Gogh in person.

I needed to stick out a long journey before I could stand in front of his painting and understand that a brilliant artist is a normal person like the rest of us. It’s the lifetime of dedicated work that gets us from novice to expert.

For me, studying abroad opened a new window of understanding.

Where it happens may be different for each person — in front of a painting, on an English countryside or in a spot where something historical once occurred.

But for everyone, the journey presents the opportunity to become comfortable with the uncomfortable.

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RELEVANT SKILLS THROUGH RESEARCH How the Pursuit of Scholarship Teaches Graduates to Render Value in the Real World

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Sophomore Julia Debecka (left), from Poland, works with Dr. Briana Fiser, assistant professor of physics, using photolithography to develop a surface that can inhibit bacterial growth.

“You mean you’re just an undergraduate?”

Jordan Gannon got that question a lot inside the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Support Center.

It’s where the museum houses thousands of artifacts when they aren’t on display.

At HPU, Gannon conducts research alongside Dr. Jillian Davis, assistant professor of exercise science, to uncover why plant-eating sloths have teeth like carnivores. And while accessing the Smithsonian’s collection is the kind of experience usually reserved for graduate students, Davis didn’t hesitate to ask the museum.

NO WAITING REQUIRED:

That’s because Gannon was ready. Throughout her HPU journey, she’s completed multiple research projects and learned to overcome failure, accept feedback and present high-level findings to crowds of people.

At HPU, students are introduced to undergraduate research opportunities beginning their freshman year.

Each day, the High Point University senior checked in with museum staff, many of whom were Ph.D. recipients or graduate students, and used her 3D scanner to capture the museum’s collection of sloth skeletons across history.

“The opportunity to get research experience and publish in the field is something that drew me to HPU,” says Gannon, who grew up in Michigan. “Everyone here has supported me.”

Her resume includes accomplishments like landing an internship funded by the National Science Foundation after her freshman year, helping scientists develop eco-friendly fish bait and conducting animal behavioral research at a conservatory.

Research Skills = Life Skills Altman is an experienced psychological researcher who understands that graduates with research experience find success throughout their lives. She attributes that to the connection between life skills and academic research.

Those experiences don’t just look good on paper.

Dr. Joanne Altman, director of HPU’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, reminds students they’ll graduate college alongside two million other people every year. Their research helps them answer an important question: What will set you apart?

“Employers are looking for graduates who can communicate, be resilient and problem solve,” says Altman. “Those are the foundational skills of conducting research.”

Opposite page (top): Dr. Melissa Srougi (left), assistant professor of biology, and Hannah Lee Dixon test compounds that could provide safer treatment options for breast cancer patients. Opposite page (bottom): Kyle Corcoran (left) and Thomas Boudreaux (right) traveled with Dr. Brad Barlow, assistant professor of astrophysics, to the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in the Andes Mountains of Chile.

When Gannon finishes her scans at the Smithsonian, she brings them back to Davis’ lab where the work continues. She’s one of many students who devote their time and energy to research programs year-round.

That’s why she built programs like Research Rookies and the Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SuRI). The programs are part of a multi-prong approach that get HPU students involved early in their academic careers.

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So do sophomore Dax Loy and junior Hannah Lee Dixon.

The foundational skills to conduct research are the same skills employers want in new hires.

During a weekly seminar Altman leads for students in the summer research program, Loy is a computer science she focuses on an employer major from Austin, Texas, survey from Hart Research who jumped into HPU’s sea Associates that reads, “Nearly of opportunity as a freshman.

– Dr. Joanne Altman, Director of the all employers (91 percent) That includes meeting and Office of Undergraduate Research agree that for career success, working alongside Apple and Creative Works a candidate’s demonstrated Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, capacity to think critically, HPU’s Innovator in Residence. communicate clearly and solve complex problems is more It also includes seeing a wall of important than his or her undergraduate major.” outdated computers inside Couch Hall as an opportunity.

Loy asked his professor if he could pick up on work left off by a previous student and build a “Beowulf cluster.” It’s a technical term that refers to stringing together a group of old computers to make them as fast, if not faster, than a new computer.

“A major lesson I learned from Steve Wozniak is that your work should always have purpose and meaning,” says Loy. “That’s what I want my work to have. There are old computers all over the world that are difficult to recycle, so I want to make use of them by building a system that can still do relevant tasks. At HPU, these computers could run computations or calculations for professors and students in the math and sciences.”

Altman champions the application of undergraduate research in all fields, not just the laboratory sciences. As a computer science major, Loy is an example of that. Students devoting time to research include those majoring in criminal justice, English, computer science, physics, communication, marketing and psychology.

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Through Altman’s focus on career preparation and life skills, students like Loy learn how their research can help them impress employers in many fields.

“I never thought about including my project on my resume until Dr. Altman encouraged me to,” he says. “But I know that experience is king in the world of computer science. My project is proof of my abilities.”

Projects with Purpose Dixon, like Loy, finds meaning in her research.

Alongside Dr. Melissa Srougi, assistant professor of biology, Dixon tests compounds that could provide safer treatment options for breast cancer patients.

She’s seen aunts and grandparents experience the harmful effects, such as hair loss and lower quality of life, from current chemotherapy and radiation. But her work focuses on

Opposite page, left: Physics major Michael Welter dilutes a photolithography solution in one of HPU’s chemistry labs.

Opposite page, right: Dr. Joanne Altman (right), director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, discusses avenues for research opportunities with students inside Cottrell Hall, the university’s hub of professional development.

compounds that harm only cancerous cells — not healthy ones.

“When I learned about the opportunity to contribute to breast cancer research with Dr. Srougi, that hit home for me,” says Dixon. “Many people in my family have been affected, so I was eager to help. Now, I’m in this lab sometimes seven days a week because it’s where I want to be. It’s an amazing feeling to know that you may be helping improve peoples’ lives.”

And like Gannon and Loy, Dixon’s research experience rounds out her resume. She’s a double English and biology major who’s built a plan to go to dental school. Srougi and Altman know her work as a researcher is an investment that will pay off for the rest of her life.

“It’s so valuable for our students to have these experiences where they are problem solving, conducting critical analysis and communicating their findings,” says Srougi. “When Hannah becomes a dentist, she’ll have to do the same thing with her patients, and she’ll be more prepared because of it.”

Altman knows the everlasting value, too.

“Undergraduate research by definition is always something new in the field, and that means the student ends up with something to talk about that nobody else can talk about,” says Altman. “And, because they’ve put their heart and soul into it, they talk about it with enthusiasm and excitement. Who doesn’t want to hire someone who is very enthusiastic about what they do and is excited about their work?” ▲

Research and Innovation Throughout the year, faculty and students conduct, present and publish high-level research in numerous fields. Below are just a few highlights from the past year.

Professors Review Research on Exercise for Shoulder Injuries HPU professors Dr. Alexis Wright, Dr. Eric Hegedus, Dr. Daniel Tarara and Dr. Steve Dischiavi, along with Samantha Ray of Duquesne University, published a paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reviewing the research on exercises for overhead athletes with shoulder injuries. In the paper, they highlight the gap between the exercises tested in the research literature and what is prescribed in clinical practice. The discrepancy, they argue, can be attributed to the difficulty of designing research studies involving more complex exercises.

Students Discover Eight Pulsating Stars Seniors Thomas Boudreaux and Kyle Corcoran joined Dr. Brad Barlow, assistant professor of astrophysics, on his fourth trip with HPU students to the Andes Mountains to observe stars with the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory, one of the most well-known observing sites for professional astronomers in the world. They worked with researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to observe pulsating white dwarfs, which are dead, remnant stars that show variable brightness due to vibrations. Applying data from Gaia, a spacecraft recently launched by the European Space Agency, and combining it with code written by Corcoran himself, the group was able to identify eight new pulsating white dwarfs.

Soon, the group will submit their highly efficient method of finding pulsators for publication in a peer-reviewed astrophysics journal.

English Majors Present Research at Honor Society Convention Dr. Matthew Carlson, assistant professor of English at HPU, and several English majors attended the annual convention of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, in downtown Cincinnati. Two of the students, seniors Sarah Anderle and Elisa Mattingly, gave presentations on their research. Anderle’s presentation applied the ideas of postcolonial theorist Ngugi wa Thiong’o in a reading of Tsitsi Dangarembga’s novel “Nervous Conditions.” Mattingly’s presentation focused on issues of social class and gender roles in Ian McEwan’s novel “Atonement.” Students Emi Burke, Keaton Case, Jared Lindsay, Raegan Thomas and Molly Torres also attended to experience the convention.

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‘Burn the Syllabus’ Modeling Adaptability and Resiliency in the Classroom

By Dr. Dan Tarara, Chair of the Department of Exercise Science

Adaptability. Resiliency.

Parallel Hands

I think about those words when that small silver box pops up on my iPhone’s screen, telling me it’s time to update my iOS software.

It begins with a classroom philosophy I’ve come to appreciate during my 20 years of teaching in High Point University’s Department of Exercise Science.

Do I click “Update now” and risk change that might wreak havoc on my phone and leave me scrambling?

Or delay until later?

First, I believe the best learning happens when I change the dynamic from the traditional role of a professor having the upper hand and students having the lower hand to a relational dynamic — parallel hands. This is where I want my students to evolve and become the teacher.

In other words, what’s my threshold for change?

Then I think about a journey one of my classes recently took.

In the middle of a fall semester, the American College of Sports Medicine changed a more than 15-year-old rule on which the foundation of the course was built.

It was almost Thanksgiving break, and my students and I had to make a decision.

Do we accept the update and start over at week 10 of a 15-week semester? Or do we delay?

What was our threshold for change?

The answer might surprise you.

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The second is what I call closing the gap. According to studies, there’s an average of 17 years that may pass between the time health research produces new knowledge and the time that knowledge gets implemented into real-world practice.

That means I have to make a conscious effort to close the gap, even if that requires some uncomfortable disruption in my classroom.

If students graduate with knowledge but have no way to act upon it in the real world, what good is it?

It’s on the Syllabus

A Growth Mindset

At the start of every course, I hand distribute the syllabus to eager students who want to know, “How many tests will we have? When are my projects due? How many pages does the paper have to be?”

Something happened along the way that I didn’t anticipate.

Updates are an essential reality, and college courses are no different than cell phones. Courses and syllabi must be updated. The off-season between classes is the prime time for updates.

By mid-semester, students might get testy if you tinker with a syllabus. You can make tweaks along the way, but generally, we understand that a course syllabus is like a legal contract; there are limits.

First, I was impressed by my students’ levels of adaptability. They were resilient in re-learning weeks of material in a compressed amount of time. The seniors graduated with peers from other institutions who either weren’t presented with the same opportunity to adapt, or who simply chose not to take it. But our process taught the HPU students how to engage an evolving world and how to close the gap.

There was also one student who stood out. Her name is Natalia. Natalia went home for Thanksgiving break, and her dad asked, “How’s school?”

Professors must embrace change even if it is challenging. We are role models for our students.

— Dr. Dan Tarara, Chair of the Department of Exercise Science

But that’s exactly when the ACSM changed a rule that was the starting point for a lot of other rules pertaining to exercise. The old rule was this: Always get clearance from your physician before you begin an exercise routine.

Over time, cardiologists and physicians have learned that patients are better off getting started with activity immediately rather than waiting to see a physician first. There’s no need to place an antiquated barrier in front of them.

So in the middle of a semester, the ACSM changed a major principle in our field.

Technically it wouldn’t be implemented for several months, long after some of my seniors would graduate. But as their mentor, I had to decide: Do I change their syllabus in the middle of the semester and start over with learning foundational rules? Or do I delay the update?

I went back to my core classroom belief — parallel hands for professor and student. And together, we took a vote.

Fully knowing that it was going to require more work, and fully knowing that the totality of that work was unknown, students answered with a resounding, “Yes, let’s do this!”

Our class installed the update not knowing how it was going to play out.

Natalia shared what was happening in class with her dad, who happens to be a physician. And a bigger conversation unfolded between a father and a daughter — a physician and an undergraduate student — about cardiovascular disease, exercise and real-world practice.

She shared the update with her dad and became the teacher. Parallel hands. And her dad decided to close the gap at his practice, though most other practices wouldn’t adopt the ACSM rule for quite a while.

Her dad had the courage to recognize that his daughter is learning and has the capacity to teach him important things for his practice.

And that takes me all the way back to adaptability.

How can it truly be modeled in the classroom?

It happens when we work to close the gap and position professors and students to work in a relational dynamic. Professors must embrace change even if it is challenging. We are role models for our students.

It happens when, collectively, we all decide to prepare for the world as it’s going to be, not for the world as it is. ▲

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Academic Accolades

Students excel in prestigious scholarships and awards.

Each year, the Office of Fellowships and Awards connects students to competitive academic opportunities. Thanks to the guidance of Dr. Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of the office, and HPU’s commitment to academics, students have been awarded some of the world’s most distinguished fellowships and honors.

“HPU students and alumni are well poised to apply for competitive awards, and they show the intellectual and global curiosity necessary to succeed in this high-stakes arena,” says Malburne-Wade. “As we continue to grow and develop programs that expand our students’ worlds in terms of their classroom education, leadership and service, we help our students find their places in the world.”

Below is a glimpse of recent achievements.

Ulrich Selected for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program REBECCA ULRICH, ’18, received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP) award to support her doctoral studies. The NSF-GRFP award includes three years of significant financial support, including tuition assistance and a personal stipend meant to help the recipient focus on conducting intensive research. The NSF-GRFP received over 12,000 applications in 2018. Ulrich, from Troutman, North Carolina, was one of 2,000 awarded.

In addition to this award, Ulrich was one of 12 students offered an NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholarship, and she was previously named a Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention. Ulrich has chosen to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a doctorate in chemistry. Her research focus is drug development for diseases such as tuberculosis.

Fulbright Scholar Studies the Economics of Renewable Energy in Germany LIZ REICHART, ’17, was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant. This award, given by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, sent Reichart to Bonn, Germany, to study the economics of renewable energy.

The Hudson, Ohio, native, graduated with degrees in international business and graphic design.

While in Germany, she studied and conducted her research for one year. As part of her research award, Reichart published five web articles for the U.S. Sustainability Alliance that chronicled her findings in Germany.

Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.

Boudreaux Receives Goldwater Scholarship High Point University student THOMAS BOUDREAUX, ’19, studying on an individualized computational physics track, was granted the Goldwater Scholarship. One of the most prestigious awards available for an undergraduate science major, the Goldwater Scholarship is given to exceptional sophomores and juniors who plan to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics or engineering.

Boudreaux, from Greenville, South Carolina, was one of only 211 students named as a Goldwater Scholar. There were 1,280 students who applied from more than 455 institutions.

Boudreaux has conducted three years of research at HPU under the supervision of Dr. Brad Barlow, assistant professor of astrophysics. Boudreaux’s research has led to multiple local, national and international conference presentations and publications.

After graduation, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in astrophysics and conduct research in computational astrophysics/cosmology.

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Fulbright Scholar Uses the Power of Photography in Bosnia HANNAH BAILEY, ’16, was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to implement a social reconciliation project in Bosnia using photography in a way that connects people across ethnic and religious lines.

Bailey, who received a bachelor’s degree in international relations, was assisted by the university’s Fulbright Program Committee through the application process. She is originally from Holly Springs, North Carolina.

“Hannah is a trailblazer for the university,” says Dr. Brian Augustine, who formerly served as chair of the committee. “She broke barriers and serves as a shining example of the types of students we have at HPU.”

Boren Scholarship Awarded to Dergham YASMENE DERGHAM, ’19, an international relations and political science major, was awarded a Boren Scholarship. Boren Scholarships are highly competitive awards only offered to exceptional applicants who demonstrate a strong understanding of their chosen language, country and region.

A former Gilman Scholar in Morocco and a Plattsburgh, New York, native, Dergham spent her summer and fall abroad in Jordan studying Arabic, international relations and history. She ultimately hopes to work in the fields of diplomacy and conflict resolution in the Middle East.

Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in regions underrepresented in study abroad.

Karstens Named a Finalist for Harry S. Truman Scholarship HPU senior KENDAL KARSTENS, ’19, an international relations major, was named a finalist in the Harry S. Truman Scholarship competition. The Truman Scholarship is a graduate fellowship for students interested in pursuing a career as a public service leader. Finalists are selected based on their leadership, service and academic accomplishments.

Karstens, from Pensacola, Florida, is an active ROTC member and president of the Student Veterans Association. She is interested in careers in the military and U.S. Department of State. She was one of 756 applicants for the scholarship and one of 194 to receive an interview.

Students Compete for Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships CATHERINE BAKEWELL, ’17, and LILLY WINGATE, ’17, were named Fulbright U.S. Student Program Alternates. Both alumnae now await the possibility of being chosen to complete English Teaching Assistantships in Spain and Malaysia, respectively. Bakewell, a St. Louis, Missouri, native and Spanish major, previously served as an assistant English teacher in France through the Teaching Assistantship in France (TAPIF) Program. In order to attend the TAPIF Program, Bakewell declined the opportunity to become a North American Language and Culture Assistant in Spain. Wingate, a former Spanish and nonprofit leadership and management major from Bainbridge Island, Washington, previously served as an HPU AmeriCorps VISTA. In addition, Luke Olivier, a Lexington, Massachusetts, native and English writing major, was also named a semifinalist for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Malaysia.

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LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP With Nido Qubein and Condoleezza Rice

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

The interviews are open to the entire community, filmed in front of a live audience, aired on public television, and shared online with viewers around the world. Printed below is an excerpt of Qubein’s interview with Condoleezza Rice, the 66th Secretary of State and the first woman and African American to become provost of Stanford University. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity and can be viewed in its entirety at www.highpoint.edu/series.

QUBEIN: Dr. Rice, your life has been nothing short of amazing. You are the American dream personified. You’re the only child of a Presbyterian minister and a schoolteacher.

You grew up in the deep South. You were born in Birmingham, Alabama, during a time of segregation. How did an African-American girl from segregated Alabama rise to such levels of extraordinary achievement?

RICE: In my family, starting with my grandparents, education was core to everything. My parents really believed that if you had a high quality education, there was nothing that you couldn’t do. You would be armored against segregation, armored against hatred, armored 66

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against prejudice. So the idea that you couldn’t control your circumstances, but you can control your response to your circumstances, and the idea that education gave you a way to control that response was just core to who we were.

QUBEIN: In your book, titled “Extraordinary Ordinary People,” you write, “The school was completely segregated in Birmingham, Alabama.

Teachers had high expectations and were pretty tough on low performers. To succeed, they routinely reminded us, ‘You’ll have to be twice as good.’”

RICE: I tell my students that it’s not a bad mantra to say, “I’m going to have to be twice as good,” whatever color you are, whatever gender

you are. Then, you will work twice as hard, and you’ll be confident and certain of your abilities. My parents taught us to believe in our ability to succeed. With all that was going on around us, they instead could have told us that we had plenty to blame for our inability to succeed. But they wouldn’t let us blame anyone. My parents had me absolutely convinced that I may not be able to have a hamburger at the Woolworth’s lunch counter, but I could be president of the United States if I wanted to be.

QUBEIN: What is your proudest moment in your life?

RICE: My proudest moments were when I had the opportunity to make a difference in somebody else’s life. As Secretary of State, it was whenever I had the opportunity to represent this extraordinary country. I remember getting off the plane for the first time, and it said “The United States of America” behind me. I recognized that the United States is powerful, but we also lead from compassion and values. I think America has this sense of opportunity to model these values and this sense of overcoming difficulty. It was really those moments that were the proudest for me.

QUBEIN: Tell us about a moment when you wanted to pinch yourself and say, “I can’t believe I am here.”

Where were you?

RICE: It was my first meeting in the Oval Office, where I was the note taker, just after we had gotten into office. It was a meeting with President George W. Bush and our ambassador in Moscow. So we are sitting there, and I’m thinking, “Wow, this is the Oval Office. Oh my goodness, that’s the president’s desk!” We are a third of the way through the

Access to innovators Steve Wozniak Apple Co-Founder, HPU’s Innovator in Residence

Wes Moore

Bestselling Author and Army Combat Veteran

meeting, and I thought, “I haven’t taken any notes.” At that point, I realized I wasn’t there for the tour. I really had to get back to work. That’s the moment I remember most.

QUBEIN: Does it worry you that we live in a world with such turmoil? Every day, we read, we watch, we hear about quadrants of our world that seem to be in turmoil. In that context, what is it that worries you about America?

RICE: It worries me that we have lost a sense of who we are. If the proverbial man from Mars asked you, “Who are these Americans? They don’t share ethnicity or religion. They don’t share nationality. So what in the world is it that holds them together?” You might say, “It’s this belief that it doesn’t matter where you came from; it matters where you are going.”

You can come from humble circumstances and you can still do great things. That makes you American. We’ve got to find a way to tap into residual optimism rather than overwhelming fear.

QUBEIN: If you wanted to offer college students one piece of advice that they could apply in their life, given your years of experience, what would that piece of advice be?

RICE: I will tell them I hope they find things they are passionate about because passion in life is really important. I would tell every student not to seek their comfort zone. Get out of your comfort zone. Do something that is really hard for you. Be around people who think differently because you don’t get to know yourself by going deeper into your comfort zone. You get to know yourself by being outside of what you’re comfortable doing. You do best when you’re willing to challenge yourself outside that which makes you feel good about yourself, outside that which makes you feel comfortable. ▲

High Point University students learn from world-renowned thought leaders who are attracted to HPU’s campus. Below is just a glimpse of those who have visited. Watch HPU President Nido Qubein interview these change agents and more for HPU’s Innovator Series online at http://www.highpoint.edu/series.

Biz Stone

Twitter Co-Founder

Marc Randolph Malcolm Gladwell Netflix Co-Founder, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence

New York Times Bestselling Author

Carol Dweck

Stanford University Professor of Psychology, Author of “Mindset”

Colin Powell

Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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Parent Perspective: What Future HPU Parents Need to Know College is a crucial time in a young adult’s life. What campus will be the best home for them? Who will be their mentors? How can they make the most of the next four years? While high school students must consider these questions when choosing their school, HPU knows that parents are working alongside them, diligently searching for the same answers.

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Q & A

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Pictured from left to right are Stephanie, Molly, Emily and Ken Casper.

Meet Ken and Stephanie Casper of Benicia, California, located in the San Francisco Bay area. As parents of two HPU students, Emily and Molly Casper, they provide a glimpse into their HPU parent experience and the impact the university has had on their daughters.

Q. Why were you drawn to HPU? A. To say we were drawn to High Point University is an understatement. It was possibly love at first sight. HPU was the first college that we visited outside of California with our first daughter. We have a lot of great schools on the West Coast, but our daughter was told by a private college counselor that she must look at HPU. It was a long way for the three of us to travel for a weekend college visit, but I look back now and can’t imagine not having gone.

We saw and felt things at HPU that we hadn’t felt at other universities. Aside from being one

of the most beautiful campuses we’ve ever seen, there are so many purposeful, little things that matter on the HPU campus.

While standing inside the Wilson Commerce building, our guide explained that the purpose behind the building’s design was to make the students feel as if they were walking into a Fortune 500 company every day. It was a means of preparing them for the real working world. Wow! At that moment, we got it. We looked at each other and knew we wanted our daughter at HPU. It was hard to contain our excitement and enthusiasm, not wanting to

overly influence her decision. We just hoped she had the same feeling. Turns out, she did. We were ecstatic when our younger daughter chose to attend HPU as well. How can we be so lucky as to have two daughters attending HPU all the way from California?

Q: Since attending HPU, have you seen a positive change or growth in your daughters?

A. We’ve seen positive growth in both of our daughters.

Discipline, academic focus, sense of independence and identity are a few positive changes that come to mind. We have seen willingness in them to take some risks, make mistakes and learn from them.

Our older daughter is an exercise science major and has done research in the Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab under one of her professors. She also joined the rowing team her freshman year, which quickly taught her discipline and focus. She has created a close bond with friends and teammates, and she’s joined many other groups and organizations around campus.

Our younger daughter entered college undeclared, which is highly accepted at HPU. She took advantage of her freshman year to explore many options for career paths with the help of her freshman success coach and the resources in the Project Discovery program. She got involved right away in various activities, including club swimming. She has gained the value of a growth mindset, which is prevalent at HPU. She embraces change with a positive attitude and has realized that changes are stepping stones to her path of life experiences to come.

Q: What has been your most memorable experience as an HPU parent?

A. There are way too many memorable experiences to count, but probably the most memorable experience

on campus was the first Convocation Ceremony that we attended for my older daughter. That’s when Dr. Qubein told all of us parents that it was time to go home and let HPU take good care of our kids. That’s when he told us it was time to let them soar, right before the bald eagle soared over the crowd like it does every year at this event.

It was a bit of a tear jerker, but watching both of our daughters soar has been amazing.

Q: What sets HPU apart?

A. The words “Choose to Be Extraordinary” aren’t just a motto or a slogan at HPU, but a way of life. Not for just students or faculty, but for everyone at HPU. The students hear it, see it, feel it and live it. HPU cares. They care about our children and have the desire to truly help prepare students for a life of significance, not just getting them to graduation. Everyone on the campus is vested in the students, which gives a sense of comfort and an incredible platform for academic success. HPU is a family. They not only get to know the students, but they care enough to get to know the parents.

Q: If you could offer advice to other future HPU parents, what would it be?

A. Be involved! Encourage your child to be involved with their freshman success coach and utilize the services that are provided, such as tutoring and the Center for Student Success. Embrace the positive changes in your child. As parents, attend as many family weekends as possible and get involved. Participate in as many events as possible on campus. Don’t ever miss an opportunity to hear President Qubein speak — you will never be disappointed. Join the Parents Council and connect with other families. This is about as close to attending HPU as you will get, unless you quit your job and apply — which all HPU parents have considered a time or two! ▲

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Preparing for Health Professions Dr. Brett Woods guides students striving to become medical practitioners.

One of High Point University’s fastest growing populations is undergraduate science students preparing for professional health careers.

Beginning their freshman year, these students chart a vigorous course to gain acceptance into medical, dental, veterinary and a variety of other professional health programs after completing their HPU undergraduate education.

Think BIG Grant Dr. Brett Woods received an HPU Think Big Grant to build a precollege summer workshop that prepares underrepresented and minority students for successful completion of degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.

He will also build a mentorship network and data evaluation plan as part of the program.

Getting there takes time, perseverance and commitment.

That’s where the guidance and expertise of Dr. Brett Woods, assistant professor of biology and director of HPU’s pre-health advising program, comes in.

“It takes years to build successful health and science careers,” Woods said. “There are many questions to answer.

Which medical school do you want to attend? What are its requirements? What grades and references do you need?

How many hours of experience are required, and where will you get that experience? I am here to help students navigate their journey to the best professional health programs.”

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Woods found his path thanks, in part, to a professor who cared and was willing to guide him. HPU’s commitment to one-on-one faculty mentorship in undergraduate research projects and experiential learning attracted him to teach at HPU. He knows those experiences can bolster students’ applications for professional health programs.

“Our faculty are devoted to providing students with the type of lab or off-campus research experiences that make well-rounded candidates for these professional programs,” Woods said. “Our students begin scientific research as early as their freshman year, and that’s very unique on a college campus.”

Wood guides students like Alex Sprouse, a biology major from Clemmons, North Carolina, through planning, applications and much more.

“Dr. Woods’ guidance made an impact in improving my confidence in terms of applying to medical school as well as making sure I stay on track,” Sprouse said. “He has helped me by constantly encouraging me throughout my medical school preparation process in addition to providing me with several resources such as MCAT prep material, advice on my personal statement for AMCAS application, and advice on choosing which medical schools to submit my application.”

Woods understands after navigating his career in the sciences. He’s a first-generation college graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he majored in economics with a goal to attend law school. But he discovered he wasn’t passionate about economics and was taken under the wing of a professor who guided him into the world of undergraduate research.

Connecting students to a network of faculty in the sciences is also important to Woods. There are professors who’ve completed these programs or are leading them right here on campus. HPU’s Congdon School of Heath Sciences offers master’s programs in athletic training and physician assistant studies, as well as a doctoral program in physical therapy. The Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy offers a doctoral pharmacy program. Both academic schools found a new home in the state-of-the-art, 220,200-square foot Congdon Hall that opened in fall 2017, while the Wanek School of Undergraduate Sciences will open in fall 2019.

He began studying migratory bird species on Alcatraz Island and switched his major to biology. After graduating, he served as a park ranger on the island for three years before heading to the University of Kansas to earn his Ph.D. in biology.

“When students come to us with a desire to work in the world of health care someday, resources for them are abundant,” said Woods. “We have a network of support that will guide them there.” ▲

extraordinary education

Making Connections Dr. Cara Kozma’s classroom extends outward into the community.

Three afternoons a week they come to practice reading and writing. There’s a snack and story time. There are plenty of ways to use their imagination, too, like designing a superhero or puppet show.

For the children, the Community Writing Center is a place to get help with their homework from friendly faces and to be creative.

For the HPU students working with them, it’s an off-campus extension of their on-campus classroom. It’s a chance to connect their learning with the real world.

This is what Dr. Cara Kozma envisioned for the Community Writing Center.

An associate professor of English and assistant director of service learning, Kozma teaches students through community involvement. She also equips others to teach from this perspective.

Before college, Kozma was disengaged from her education, memorizing just enough to pass a test. Then she took a class that involved her in innovative projects in the community. Her purpose changed.

“When my coursework became connected to issues within the local community, I became an energized, motivated student, and for the first time I was able to understand the relevance of my studies to the real world,” she says.

“I credit these experiences for my desire to obtain a doctorate and to teach using an experiential approach.”

Since arriving at HPU in 2010, Kozma has involved hundreds of students in service learning courses with a community focus.

It’s about modeling engaged learning and a commitment to giving back to the community.

– Dr. Cara Kozma, Associate Professor of English and Assistant Director of Service Learning

She opened the Community Writing Center alongside fellow English professor Charmaine Cadeau. In partnership with Mount Zion Baptist Church, it provides educational support, physical activity, nutritious food and mentorship to children in grades 4-7.

Students enrolled in service learning classes staff the center, along with HPU’s Bonner Leaders and AmeriCorps VISTAs. For Kozma, the elements of service and leadership embedded in these classes inspire students to be more deeply involved in what they are learning and with the people around them. The outcome is several creative projects that have given a revived voice to the Washington Street community.

Kozma and her students created a book of co-written community texts titled, “Remembering Washington Street: Memories from a High Point Neighborhood.” They also created sidewalk markers that identify people and sites in the community’s history.

“This project was so inspiring because I felt that students were meeting a real community desire to document important landmarks, events and people,” says Kozma. “Community members trusted us to do the project well because they know the high-quality work HPU students are capable of.”

The project was meaningful for Helen Barker, too. The 2018 graduate wrote a chapter for Kozma’s class and then edited the full book during an independent study. She aspires to lead a career in medicine, but first, she is serving the city of High Point as a VISTA thanks to Kozma’s recommendation.

“Working on this project taught me so much about writing and about myself,” says Barker. “Dr. Kozma’s dedication taught me how to take risks and give 110 percent. She showed me what it means to dedicate your time to others.”

Kozma wants as many students as possible to have high-quality service learning opportunities, at HPU and beyond.

She has trained 63 faculty members at HPU to design their own courses. As an Engaged Faculty Scholar with N.C. Campus Compact, she conducted research on teaching methods and helped other universities with service learning.

“It’s about modeling engaged learning and a commitment to giving back to the community,” she says. “We must support students in pursuing ideas and projects that allow them to develop skills while also feeling excitement and passion toward their work.”▲ highpoint.edu

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The HPU chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) received the Blake Lilly Prize from the national SPS organization. They were one of 10 chapters to receive the award out of 812 chapters nationwide.

Dr. Shirley Disseler, associate professor of education, was recently appointed to serve for two years on the Board of Directors for Teachers2Teachers Global Site.

Sarah Gordon, a physician assistant student, was awarded the North Carolina Association of Physician Assistants (NCAPA) Endowment Scholarship, which is offered to one student from each physician assistant program in North Carolina.

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The sixth annual High Point University Research and Creativity Symposium brought together students from more than 20 fields to present research to their peers, faculty, staff and community members.

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Ashley Odom, an interior design major, received a scholarship from WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industries.

Research by Dr. Christy Sherrill, assistant professor in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, appeared in two pharmacy publications. Her work studies the pharmacist’s role in providing Medicare annual wellness visits.

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Aurelia Miller is the 2018 recipient of the Haverty Cup. The award honors an outstanding senior and encourages students to pursue a career in the home furnishings industry.

Nicholas Saul, a second-year student in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program, was one of 10 members selected for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Student Leadership Committee.

Laura Carskadden, a senior music major, was selected for both the Frost School of Music summer program in Salzburg, Australia, and the Songfest summer program in Los Angeles.

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Dr. Andrew Hwang, assistant professor of clinical sciences, conducted a study on common drug interference with blood pressure medication that was published in the American Journal of Hypertension. His research presents significant opportunities for alternative patient treatments or a call to reassess the need for continuing the interfering treatment.

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Roger Shore, associate professor of computer science, and students Sydney Boratto, Kyle Hoffpauir, Nathan Markle and Cam Corso attended TracerFire, a cybersecurity training hosted by Sandia National Laboratories.

Students and faculty from the Department of Chemistry participated in the 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans.

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High Point University is a God, family and country school that embraces the values of patriotism, personal initiative and free enterprise. Patriots Plaza, located in the heart of HPU’s campus, provides a welcoming outdoor space for students, where American flags and patriotic colors are proudly displayed.

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inspiring environment extraordinary education

Inspiring Environment “Your outlook upon life, estimate of yourself and estimate of your value are largely colored by your environment. Your whole career will be modified, shaped and molded by your surroundings and the character of the people with whom you come into contact every day.”

– Orison Swett Marden Founder of Success Magazine HPU knows that students rise to the level of their surroundings, so it’s important that their campus environment sets a standard. That’s why HPU is filled with sculptures of some of history’s most important leaders and Silicon Valley-style spaces that foster collaboration.

It’s not about beauty; it’s about intentional living.

The Mariana Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens (page 82) serve as a haven for conversation and peaceful respite. HPU’s 14 dining locations are filled with a variety of nourishing options, as well as passionate employees like Lydia Hockensmith (page 86) in the Slane Student Center.

Scott Wojciechowski, director of first-year residential education (page 87), can be found there, too, mentoring new students as they transition to college.

Wherever they go, students are surrounded by dedicated faculty and staff in an environment that inspires them to reach for new heights during their time at HPU and beyond.

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Embrace Fear and Trust Your Instincts Grammy Award-Winner Josh Groban Inspires Thousands Before he became an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and actor, Josh Groban was afraid to sing in front of anyone, including his own parents.

On May 5, Groban told more than 1,000 graduates, High Point University’s largest graduating class, and 10,000 guests in attendance that his fear propelled him to places of success. Groban charged the Class of 2018 to never back away from challenges and to always trust their instincts.

Groban shared the story of his first major performance opportunity. He was 16 years old, trying to become a professional singer, and he received a call from music producer David Foster. Foster asked if he would be able to fill in for a Grammy Award rehearsal and perform a duet with Celine Dion. Groban, feeling unprepared, declined the offer. But the producer called Groban back and demanded that he come perform.

“He called back because he heard something in me and saw what I didn’t,” said Groban. “We’re not always going to know when it’s the right time to say yes and the right time to say no. Surround yourself with people you trust and

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who get you. Keep them close. They have literally saved my life and career in more ways than they know.”

when you leave. That is natural, it’s human and it’s okay. Plow through it.”

Having uncovered his passion for singing, Groban enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University and formed a plan. He was going to be a theater graduate and slowly work his way to Broadway before another opportunity arose — a record deal.

The singer concluded his speech with a serenade, singing a piece from the musical “Sunday in the Park with George,” written by one of his favorite composers, Stephen Sondheim.

“You are here today because you said yes to the opportunity that High Point University offered you,” Groban told the graduates. “You took that wonderful leap when they offered it to you. And behind that were more times you could have not jumped at something when not jumping would have been easier and safer. When you’re not sure that someone else’s ideas for your life are right for you, it’s those gut-check moments that are valuable.”

Groban also encouraged graduates to get past their nerves and forge ahead.

“Every day of the first few years of my career, I felt like I was faking it,” he said. “My confidence was a sham. I was a student and a professional at the same time. On stage, I was crushing it. Off stage, I was a ball of doubt. I’m sure you’ve all felt that during the course of your time here, and you’re sure to feel it

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

Graduates also received a powerful Senior Send-Off from HPU President Nido Qubein on May 4, who encouraged them to live lives of both success and significance.

“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occur while you’re climbing it,” Qubein told graduates and their families. “It’s the journey that counts.

It’s the power of one. It’s your ability to achieve success in your own way. Never tell yourself you’ve missed the chance to get it done or that you aren’t good enough. You can do it, whatever it is. You have learned about the art of the possible at High Point University. So, yes you can. You were created for a reason.” ▲

Never tell yourself you’ve missed the chance to get it done or that you aren’t good enough. You can do it, whatever it is. You have learned about the art of the possible at High Point University.

— HPU President Nido Qubein

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Words of Wisdom Top Highlights from Josh Groban’s Commencement Speech “I still get nervous. You will, too – forever if you’re doing it right.”

“When you’re not sure that someone else’s ideas for your life are right for you, when they tell you what you should do, it’s those gutcheck moments that are valuable and often times hard to act on. Work that muscle. Don’t be afraid to hurt a little while you do.”

“It’s important to cultivate your circle offline.

Not 500 Facebook friends, but the five people you would invite to dinner.”

“People won’t pay as much attention to your missteps as you do if the missteps were in the name of striving forward and growth. You will make them and you will be challenged to pick yourself up. Do it.”

“Promise me you’ll stop and feel the wind when you succeed. That’s the balance. And that part is hard.

Especially for people who like to work as hard as you and I do.”

“There are no shortcuts to feeling competent at what you do. It’s the work. And I wouldn’t be lucky enough to stand here if I hadn’t picked up on that immediately.”

“Find a cause that you’re passionate about like I have been with arts education. Make time for that too. It will give back to you in ways you don’t yet understand. It’s truly a win-win, and if every graduate across the globe chose one thing philanthropically, we would all be spoiled by what we are capable of.”

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Nurturing and Inspiring Spaces GARDENS PROMOTE WELLNESS AND INSPIRE STUDENTS TO DO WHAT THEY LOVE Pause for a moment. Inhale and exhale. Release any tension you have and notice your surroundings.

What do you see? Hear? Smell?

HPU’s campus is full of spaces designed for moments of reflection, and if you ask, students can tell you their favorite one.

The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens add beauty to the campus and preserve the natural surroundings while providing unique educational opportunities.

One of them is the Markham Medicinal Landscape Garden outside the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. The plants in this garden have medicinal qualities filled with the potential to treat and cure disease. Faculty, and soon students, will be working to unlock the healing power of these plants through research.

But the therapeutic benefits of plants extend beyond medicine.

“Gardens provide a place of reflection and introspection, a sense of community and a place to gather,” says First Lady Mariana Qubein. “We must recognize the beauty of nature but also how it affects our health and educates our minds. It’s our responsibility to preserve this gift God has given us and enhance it.”

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Melissa Marion, HPU’s director of employee wellness, believes that connections with nature improve overall well-being.

“Many of us don’t spend enough time in nature, but we need to,” she told an audience at the annual Arbor Day Celebration.

“We need to spend more time within our natural environments to help improve our well-being. The environment we’ve created in our gardens at HPU offers many opportunities where we can connect with nature with all of our senses.”

HPU’s students realize the special gift of nature around them and find their own ways to let it inspire them. Here’s how the gardens have brought some of them fulfillment and joy.

A Creative Outlet Each time she walks through the gardens, Jennifer West finds something new. The junior English literature major from Randleman, North Carolina, loves trees especially and visits the gardens to find inspiration for her poetry and as an outlet on stressful days.

She recently wrote a poem about the life cycle of a tree, which was selected to commemorate Arbor Day. From sapling to growth to the birth of a new tree, West connects the tree’s stages to the seasons of her own life.

“It’s our responsibility to preserve this gift God has given us and enhance it.”

— First Lady Mariana Qubein

“The gardens inspired the creation of my poem by the splendor and beauty that is all around us,” she says. “The seasons the tree endures reflect my experience in life.

Seasons come and go, but our attitude creates who we are and what legacy we leave behind.”

A Breakthrough Discovery Research on an ornamental plant found on HPU’s campus upended what was known about the species and inspired Jonathan Ware to step out of his comfort zone and build confidence.

The 2018 graduate from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and his classmates worked with biology professors Dr. Cindy Vigueira and Dr. Patrick Vigueira to create an evolutionary tree for Liatris, a group of perennial plants known as gayfeathers or blazing stars that attract butterflies and other insects.

Ware spent time in HPU’s gardens cutting leaves from the plants and placing them on ice. Back in the lab, he extracted DNA from these tissue samples and examined genetic sequences of each one. This work led to the discovery of more genetic diversity than was previously known.

“My work in the botanical gardens grew my love of nature and appreciation for the biodiversity on our beautiful

campus,” he says. “It’s also inspired me to surround myself with beautiful plants at home.”

A Volunteer’s Heart Volunteering in the gardens isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes Greg Allen is helping Jon Roethling, HPU’s curator of the gardens, pull weeds and clean up leaves. Other times, though, it’s magical, like the day the senior art major from Honeoye Falls, New York, went to a local high school to plant a purple plum tree.

The students’ faces lit up as dirt was shoveled around the tree. Allen knows that by sharing his love for gardening, something he learned from his grandfather, he’s creating beautiful spaces for others to enjoy.

At the same time, he finds inspiration for his art, and uses the skills he’s developed in his major to design plant arrangements for HPU’s campus.

“I think of the gardens on campus as an incredible investment in the future of the HPU community,” he says. “I love the fact that everyone benefits from the work I do, and it’s going to be really special to come back in the future to see its growth myself.” ▲

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Building a Spiritual Community For the Inchalik brothers, weekly chapel services started out as a means for reflection and stability in their lives.

Jackson and Lane came to HPU from Guilford, Connecticut, and developed an admiration for the values and support that HPU’s Chapel community provided.

With a growing list of campus involvement and everexpanding schedules, the two realized they hadn’t been keeping up with one another.

They needed something that could consistently connect them. Wednesday Chapel was their answer.

“After attending our first chapel service, we quickly fell in love with the positive environment and genuine dedication to creating a community within religious life at HPU,” says Jackson Inchalik.

And the Inchalik brothers are just two of many who find a home in HPU’s religious life programs.

Following each weekly chapel service, the brothers would take part in a fellowship meal with fellow students and Rev. Preston Davis, minister to the university.

While HPU is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it’s the Christian heritage that animates hospitality and desire for multi-faith and interfaith relationships, too.

“Rev. Davis would start a conversation with us, just asking about our lives and checking in on how we were doing,” says Inchalik.

The Chapel and Religious Life Office is a place of inclusion. With students representing all 50 states, 56 countries and an array of faiths and backgrounds, HPU is dedicated to fostering the religious life of students from all backgrounds.

Davis’ interest in the students and willingness to hold full conversations about their lives affirmed the Inchaliks’ desire to make weekly chapel a tradition.

“It’s amazing to see someone truly interested in getting to know everyone around him and making sure everyone feels welcome,” says Jackson Inchalik.

“These weekly meet-ups started about a year ago, with very little intention of actually making them weekly. But, soon after our first appearance at chapel, we were more than happy to make this rewarding experience a routine.”

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A Foundation that Fosters Diversity

The Chapel and Religious Life Office provides year-round programming.

Catholic students have Mass where they can worship. Jewish students have a vibrant Hillel. And each year, students of all backgrounds come together for an interfaith Iftar, a meal celebrated by Muslims during Ramadan.

And while diverse programming aids in the goal of touching as many lives as possible, a dedication to community serves as another means of fostering religious life at HPU.

Leading the Jewish Life Community

Chapel Life Changes Lives

Like the reverse offering.

At HPU, religious life doesn’t stay quietly seated in the pews. It’s taken into the community and throughout the country.

In the spring, HPU’s Board of Stewards, a group of student leaders responsible for preparing the HPU Chapel’s worship services, leading service projects and stewarding weekly offerings into the High Point community, decided to hold a reverse offering.

Each semester, students take part in a pilgrimage, a seven-day journey that helps students reignite their faith and the importance of service in the community.

In the fall, students learned from and worked with many local faith communities and faith-based organizations, as well as food pantries, urban farm organizations and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.

“The pilgrimage was a way of praying with our feet as we discovered the ways God is moving the world, and the ways people are putting faith into action,” says HPU junior Jacob Lancaster. “I was excited to explore how faith is put into action in our own backyard.”

The spring pilgrimage led students to Houston, Texas, to help with hurricane relief efforts. They cleaned and repaired the home of a pastor’s widow and visited with some of the most unique ministries in the country.

And, while the pilgrimages serves as a week-long service opportunity, giving back goes beyond the semi-annual trips.

It’s a year-round effort that comes in a variety of forms.

During the final week of school, students gathered at the chapel.

Instead of giving an offering, they received an envelope with their name on it. Inside was a gift ranging from $5 to $100, intended to be donated by the students to any organization of their choosing.

Junior Shirley Garrett took part in the event and received the highest amount at $100.

She knew exactly what to do with the money.

“I volunteer at a local nonprofit organization that helps people with and without disabilities bridge the gap and create friendships,” she says.

“I knew in my heart that’s where I wanted to donate the money.”

It’s all done in an effort to foster justice, love, mercy and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8) — the goals of HPU’s religious life. ▲

HPU’s Jewish student population continues to grow each year.

Students come from a number of different backgrounds, bringing different traditions with them to campus.

Amy Epstein, the university’s Jewish Life coordinator, is here to lead them.

Epstein works with the Chapel and Religious Life Office to serve Jewish students on campus.

She, in collaboration with Hillel, the main student-led Jewish group on campus, coordinates relevant programming and acts as a resource for Jewish and interfaith initiatives.

With degrees in political science and Hebrew studies, Epstein joins HPU after also studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

“It’s my mission to ensure that Jewish students have a unique and intentional community to foster their Jewish identity,” Epstein says. “This community will continue to serve a purpose of diversity on campus and is open to all who are interested in learning more about Judaism.” highpoint.edu

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Leadership through Service HPU staff are committed to making students feel at home.

At 10:30 a.m. Lydia Hockensmith and her co-workers prepare food for students as High Point University’s Chick-fil-A restaurant opens. She’s part of a team that provides a hot meal to students during the busy lunch and dinner rush in the Slane Student Center.

She doesn’t just see her role as work — she sees it as an opportunity to make an impact on students’ lives.

Hockensmith, who was born in Haiti and moved with her family to America as a teenager, has been at HPU for five years, and she’s loved every minute. She gets to know students, takes them under her wing and offers them encouragement.

Wearing her customary red lipstick, pearl earrings and red glasses, she greets everyone with a smile.

“My favorite thing about my job is the students,” says Hockensmith. “I want to make the students feel at home here because they live here.”

That’s especially true during the first week of classes. She knows coming to college can be a bit daunting for first-year students. Every year, she looks out for the freshmen that pass by.

Hockensmith is always ready to lend a hand.

Not only does she help students find their way, she mentors them personally. Once, a student wanted to make a Haitian dish for HPU’s Annual International Festival but needed guidance on traditional meals. Hockensmith volunteered to make the student a dish she knows well from growing up in Haiti — pork, rice and beans. It’s a simple dish, but it made a big impact on the student.

Haitian cuisine isn’t her only specialty; Hockensmith has a culinary degree as well. She was drawn to work in the food industry because she loves cooking. It’s a great way for her to connect with the students on campus.

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“I chose to pursue a culinary degree because I love food, I love cooking and I love the variety of food that I am able to cook,” says Hockensmith. “I was speaking with a student, and when she found out I was Haitian, she lit up because her mom is Haitian. Getting to share my culture with her through cooking was a great experience for both of us.”

Students like Giovonni Brooks, a senior majoring in sport communication, enjoys seeing Hockensmith when he stops by her station in Slane.

“She’s a friendly face when I come by for a meal, and she always says hello to me,” says Brooks. “Even though I only see her here, she’s like my friend. She’s like a mentor because seeing her puts me in a good mindset to finish my day.”

Feeding students a hot meal allows her to make them feel at home. That’s the mantra of the entire HPU staff — welcoming students to their new family.

“Everyone at HPU wants to make students feel welcome,” says Hockensmith. “That’s what it’s all about because we as staff members are here for the students. We are all happy to go out of our way to make students feel like they belong here.”

Like a group of international students from France. They came to HPU for a semester studying abroad. Fluent in French, her native language, Hockensmith was able to connect with them.

Speaking to someone without a language barrier made those students feel welcome on campus, said Hockensmith.

Memories like that make her smile. So does knowing that she can make an impact in someone’s life.

“I’m a people person, so I really enjoy what I do,” says Hockensmith. “I love having fun with students because they’re so diverse. My favorite thing I get to do every day is to make the students smile. If I could teach students something, it would be to keep smiling and be yourself. Treat others as you would like to be treated.” ▲

Transitioning Students to COLLEGE LIFE Scott Wojciechowski loves leading what he calls “HPU 101” for first-year students.

What’s it like to make 1,500 new friends in a week?

Scott Wojciechowski knows.

It happens each August as new students arrive at their home away from home. As HPU’s assistant vice president for student life, Wojciechowski is at the front door welcoming them in.

He’s part of a Student Life staff committed to enhancing students’ academic success and personal development by nurturing relationships before students move in. By the end of their first year, they are fully connected into residential and academic life.

Students know Wojciechowski and remember that his last name sounds like, “Where’s your house keys?”

He introduces himself this way when he first meets students like senior Courtney Morris, who was a freshman when he joined HPU in 2015.

“He’s encouraged me to go the extra mile and not be afraid to ask for help,” says Morris, an exercise science major from St. Augustine, Florida. “I was initially afraid to ask for support when I hit a roadblock I couldn’t overcome myself, but then I reached out to Scott. He has helped me gain confidence and my place on campus.”

For Wojciechowski, small interactions build the foundation for this kind of mentorship.

“Individual points of contact or just a smile can make you feel that you matter and that you belong in a place,” he says.

They are also the building blocks of a student’s first year at HPU.

We want to put as many people in your corner as possible.

– Scott Wojciechowski, Assistant Vice President for Student Life

It begins with HPU 101: Live. Learn. Grow., an online orientation that introduces students to college. Then comes Welcome Week. Students meet their peer mentors, resident assistants, success coaches, faculty and a host of others.

They participate in HPU’s Common Experience, which involves them in meaningful, thoughtful interactions as a campus community. They read a book and participate in discussions and events centered on a common theme.

Throughout the year, students continue these discussions at community meetings in their residence halls and in First Year Seminars. They also have one-on-one Panther Chats with their resident assistants.

In all aspects, the first year blends the academic and residential experience together. HPU refers to this unique, cohesive approach as an “ecosystem of support.”

“Learning happens all around, 24/7, on every corner of campus,” Wojciechowski says. “That’s the beauty and transformative quality of college. We want to overlay as many layers of support as possible to help students learn from experience while having a safety net below them. We want to put as many people in your corner as possible.”

Morris, a peer mentor and part of this network of support herself, found out how important it is during the death of a family member.

“Scott helped schedule flights for me and my twin sister, Kelsey, to get to Pennsylvania to be with our family,” she says. “His help in that moment has been one of my most treasured memories and reminds me that HPU truly does care for its students.”

Wojciechowski’s personal experience inspires his work.

“My father passed away the day before I graduated high school, so I have a special place in my heart for the things folks experience in the adjustment to college,” he says.

“I hope I’m putting as much back in the bucket as what others have poured out for me.” ▲

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Renowned rapper T-Pain headlined the annual Spring Concert.

The Spring Choral Concert featured HPU’s combined choirs, soloists, and an orchestra of faculty, students and guest musicians in a performance of Handel’s oratorio, “Messiah,” parts II and III.

Hosted by the HPU Green Team, the annual Earth Day Celebration included opportunities for environmental education with business and nonprofit organizations focused on sustainability.

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HPU received the 2018 Safe Campus Award from Omnilert, a leading security system provider. HPU partners with Omnilert to provide emergency notifications for the campus community.

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The HPU chapter of the Civitan Club, an organization of volunteer service clubs around the world, was recognized for “exemplary service” during the 2017-18 academic year while showing good citizenship to the university and High Point community.

HPU’s three a cappella groups — the Toccatatones, the Petal Points and the Offbeats — came together for a concert during Winter Family Weekend.

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IT’S TUBBY TIME

NCAA Championship-Winning Coach Tubby Smith Returns to Lead HPU Basketball He waited backstage behind a heavy curtain — the only barrier between him and the sounds of celebration booming from the audience.

Packed inside High Point University’s Hayworth Fine Arts Center, hundreds of HPU students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the community rose to their feet.

The pep band fired up the fight song, and cheerleaders took to the aisles fueling the crowd’s energy.

President Nido Qubein stood at center stage.

Clapping along with the crowd, he looked behind the curtain and raised his arms in welcome.

“I’m proud to introduce you to the new men’s head basketball coach, the man that HPU has honored as a Hall of Famer: Coach Tubby Smith,” he said.

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And with Qubein’s signal, Smith took the stage.

“Tubby Smith is a nationally admired, transformational coach whose career brings honor to HPU as a distinguished alumnus,” Qubein told the crowd. “HPU’s path of excellence, anchored by stellar faculty, innovative academic programs, new schools and teaching facilities, is leading the way toward a promising future for students from all over the world. We are excited to welcome both Tubby and Donna back home to HPU.” Smith saw the audience, heard the cheers, embraced Qubein, and he knew.

He was back with his family.

Tubby Smith was home.

YOU CAN COME HOME Orlando “Tubby” Smith, a native of Scotland, Maryland, and the sixth of 17 children, came to High Point in 1969 at the advisement of his father, Guffrie Smith.

Guffrie Smith was a Methodist with strong values, and he raised his children to be the same.

When Guffrie Smith stumbled upon recruitment materials from High Point, a school that proudly proclaims and upholds the values of God, family and country, he told his son, “You’re going to High Point.”

Little did he know how prophetic his words would become.

Tubby Smith is a nationally admired, transformational coach whose career brings honor to his alma mater as a distinguished alumnus.

We are excited to welcome both Tubby and Donna back home to HPU. – HPU President Nido Qubein

Smith found the university to be a friendly place when he arrived, but he also became homesick. He called his father to tell him about his loneliness. Guffrie Smith was unfazed by his son’s subtle hints to leave HPU. “You can’t come home,” he told his son. “Your bed has already been taken.”

Soon after, Smith found his place on the men’s basketball team and earned the reputation of a hard worker and natural leader.

Smith started all four years, became team captain and averaged 15 points per game during his four-year career. In 1973, Smith graduated with All-Conference honors and has been recognized by HPU as the school’s seventh all-time leading scorer with 1,589 points.

At HPU, he developed friendships that transcended the game of basketball and even met his wife, Donna. The couple married after college and are proud parents to their four children.

Smith went on to begin what turned into a highly successful coaching career, garnering 597 wins in 27 seasons as a Division I head coach, 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, nine Sweet Sixteen trips and the 1998 national championship with Kentucky.

He’s one of only two head coaches to take five different schools to the NCAA Tournament and has been recognized with the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.

While Guffrie Smith was right about a lot of things, he was wrong about Smith’s option to come home.

Smith can and has come home — home to HPU. “I am so blessed to have this opportunity,” Smith says. “It is so gratifying and exciting to be able to return to High Point to lead the basketball program into a new era. My staff and I are ready for the challenge.”

There’s no denying that Smith is a transformational coach, making him the perfect match for HPU. After all, the university knows a thing or two about transformation.

HPU Basketball’s Hardwood Home HPU has seen extraordinary growth since 2005 under the leadership of another transformational leader, HPU alumnus and current president, Dr. Nido Qubein.

And the growth is far from over. As Qubein likes to put it, “We are just getting started.”

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Soon the university will open the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel — HPU’s single largest undertaking at $120 million. The facility will seat 4,500 spectators inside the arena, include a conference center that can hold 2,500, and house a small, executive hotel.

country and the direction of the university is far superior to a lot of colleges.”

Expedited construction began in summer 2018 along Lexington Avenue between Panther Drive and University Parkway, a location that allows central campus to remain the main hub of activity for students, staff, faculty and the community.

The hardwood home to HPU basketball will be known as the Donna and Tubby Smith Court, a symbol of the Smith family’s generosity and stewardship to the university.

As for the men’s basketball team that will occupy the arena, Smith says he’s ready to get to work.

“It’s going to help us greatly in recruiting once it is up and running, and our students, alumni and community will have an outstanding place for 4,500 people to gather,” Smith says. “There is no question once we get recruits to campus, they are going to realize that this is the best campus in the

“We want to build this team into one that competes for the Big South championship and one that the High Point community can be proud of.”

CREATING HEADLINES AND ENERGIZING FANS

Much excitement spread through HPU’s alumni base and the sports media about Tubby Smith becoming head men’s basketball coach.

Below is a glimpse of the reactions:

“I am very excited about what Coach Smith will be able to bring to the basketball program at HPU and the exposure the university will receive by virtue of Tubby’s reputation and success in winning programs. With the history of the high academic accomplishments HPU has enjoyed through Dr. Qubein’s leadership, HPU basketball will likewise be the premier program in the conference.”

“I think the hiring of Tubby Smith means a lot for the university. Having a national championship-winning coach brings experience to the organization. Not just any experience, but ‘winning’ experience. This should take the men’s basketball team to another level by making it to the NCAA Tournament, and that success will take the university to greater heights.”

– John Kirkman, ’72, former HPU basketball player

“Tubby Smith is a high character, all-class coach who has impacted countless lives at his stops throughout his career. From the moment he left High Point as an undergrad to his return as a head coach, Tubby has been a model of consistency. His contributions to the game are countless. High Point is lucky to have him.”

– Andy Katz, nationally-recognized sports writer for the NCAA and Turner Sports

“Tubby Smith being hired as head coach is a great development for High Point University. When I was in high school in the 1980s in Philadelphia, I did not know of High Point, but now I have friends and family members from the Northeast who have sent their children to High Point. They have changed their place in the academic and athletic universe, in large part due to President Nido Qubein, and it has transformed into a fine institution.”

– David Glenn, regionally syndicated sports radio host across North Carolina 92

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– Derrell Edwards, ’14, former HPU basketball player

“Tubby Smith is synonymous with winning and winning the right way. He has left every school he’s been at in a better place than when he got there.”

– Doug Gottlieb, nationally syndicated host on Fox Sports Radio

“As an alumnus, the growth of High Point University has been a joy to watch. The transition from NAIA to NCAA Division I has been equally impressive, but to add a coach of the quality and character of Tubby Smith takes High Point basketball to a level never seen before in school history. I can’t wait to see what he can do with a mid-major sleeping giant like High Point University.”

– Kevin Connolly, ’87, Fox 8 sports anchor

SUPPORT FOR SMITH The HPU family and High Point community have quickly come to appreciate Smith’s presence on campus.

Soon after the announcement, HPU hosted “Tubby Time,” an opportunity for students and the community to meet and hold a Q&A session with Smith.

The turnout was immense. Hundreds came to the event, bringing questions that ranged from his values as a coach to what kind of support he’d like to see from the community.

“Show up at games, be loud and be rowdy,” Smith answered to a round of applause. “And stay on those guys in the striped shirts.”

“Coach Smith was great, giving thoughtful and thorough answers to everyone who asked questions,” said Kevin McMahon, an HPU senior in attendance. “He spent time with everyone and couldn’t have been nicer. His hiring has brought a new energy that can be felt around campus.

To have an alumnus as the coach, one that has the experience of Coach Smith, is so special.” ▲

TUBBY SMITH BY THE NUMBERS 27 seasons as Division I head coach — 597-302

(.664) overall record

It is a great honor and privilege to return to my alma mater as the next head basketball coach.

My wife, Donna, and I have been very impressed with the transformation the university has taken under the leadership of Dr. Nido Qubein and are excited to be back at a place so near and dear to our hearts.

– Men’s Basketball Coach Tubby Smith

3x National Coach of the Year

• AP College Coach of the Year (2003) • Naismith College Coach of the Year (2003) • NABC Coach of the Year (2003) • Henry Iba Award (2003) • Jim Phelan Award (2005) • Sporting News National Coach of the Year (2016) 6x Conference Coach of the Year

• 2× MVC Coach of the Year (1994, 1995) • 3× SEC Coach of the Year (1998, 2003, 2005) • Big 12 Coach of the Year (2016) John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award (2016) 1998 NCAA Championship with Kentucky 3 NCAA Elite Eight appearances 9 NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances 18 NCAA Tournament appearances 20 postseason tournament appearances 7x Conference Regular Season Championships

• 5x SEC regular season titles (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005) • 2x MVC regular season titles (1994, 1995) 5x SEC Tournament Championships (1998, 1999,

2001, 2003, 2004)

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HPU Club Sports:

A Field of Friendship With 33 club sports at HPU, students have the opportunity to do most anything — ride horses, throw a Frisbee, play soccer or climb into a 15-foot boat.

That’s what Kel Rickard did.

Before coming to High Point University from Georgia, Vermont, a tiny town beside Lake Champlain, she had never set foot in a boat known as an erg. But she’s now one of two coxswains on HPU’s club rowing team.

She’s the coach in a boat. At 5-feet-2, she’s constantly encouraging four male rowers more than a head taller than her to go faster.

“Prove it to High Point!” she’ll shout. “Prove it to me that you’re the best four in the water!”

Lessons in Leadership Emma Bourgraf and Pete Isler sense it every time they’re in a huddle.

It’s the importance of motivation.

That’s the name of the game.

Bourgraf plays soccer; Isler competes in Ultimate Frisbee. They’re both team captains, and in their roles, they’ve learned about leadership, time management, how to compromise, get along and resolve conflicts.

Bourgraf, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, graduated in May with a degree in sales.

She’s back in her hometown, working as a sales representative for Hive Networks, a company that focuses on the collaboration of doctors and hospitals to improve disease remission rates. And Bourgraf understands how playing four years of club soccer helped.

Same tools, she says, just on a different field.

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She did just that last spring during a regatta in South Carolina. Her team won. “My boys,” she calls them. In a 2,000-meter race, they beat North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University, Clemson University and Duke University.

The thrill of competition attracts athletes like Rickard to join HPU’s club sports program.

But that’s only the beginning.

Students involved in club sports discover a new family and life lessons they can use forever.

“It gave me my college experience; it gave me everything,” Bourgraf says of club soccer.

“I now know what I’m capable of.”

Last year, Isler wondered about that. As a captain, he had to speak with authority and confidence. But during his summer internships with a financial advisor, he found that difficult.

Every time the phone rang in the office outside New York City, Isler waited to answer it because he felt so inexperienced.

With time, though, he gained confidence in the office — and on the field. He can tell when he huddles up his teammates and says without thinking, “Listen, we need to keep playing our game!”

Isler, a Presidential Scholar and junior finance major from Warren, New Jersey, grew because of ultimate frisbee. Patrick Greene grew, too.

He knows by an email — and the response from HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein.

Never Say Never Greene, a long stick midfielder with HPU’s club lacrosse, knew he and his teammates needed new helmets when they got into a big-time tournament in April 2017.

But Greene didn’t want to travel to Annapolis, Maryland, with helmets of all colors. Greene wanted the team to get new helmets with one color — HPU Purple.

That’s when he thought of Qubein.

Greene emailed Qubein because he remembered Qubein’s lessons from the President’s Seminar on Life Skills for firstyear students. In his email, Greene wrote that 21 new purple helmets would help with image, recruitment and motivation.

Greene sent the email on a Friday night.

By daybreak, Qubein responded: “Sounds good. Let me check on it.”

A little over two hours later, Greene heard from Qubein. Greene’s team got new helmets. In his email, Qubein wrote: “I’m proud of you.”

“That felt good,” says Greene, a senior business administration major from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. “I remember what Dr. Qubein said during the freshman seminars: ‘Don’t be afraid to ask; the worst thing you can hear is no.’”

The Power of Prayer and Connection Cathy Schlaeppi sees riding a horse like bungee jumping. When you ride an animal that weighs 1,500 pounds, you learn to let go of your fears.

Schlaeppi should know. She owns Fox Run Farm, a 100-acre farm 10 minutes from campus. She’s also the coach of the HPU club equestrian team. She has 32 young women as members, and they participate in nine horse shows a year.

To be on the team, members have to volunteer, fundraise, market and write.

As a result, they have grown closer in more ways than one.

Take the moment before a horse show.

They circle up and pray.

So, the draw of HPU club sports is not just about the need to compete. It’s about much more.

“It’s about opportunity,” says Rickard, a senior psychology major. “It broadens your horizons. I mean, my best friends are from Ohio, Texas, Kentucky, New York and Florida. I wouldn’t have known them if it wasn’t for this sport that I didn’t even know existed.” ▲

“Playing club sports is about opportunity.

It broadens your horizons.”

HPU Club Sport Opportunities Ballroom Dancing Baseball Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Bass fishing Equestrian E-sports (video games) Field Hockey Men’s Golf Women’s Golf Gymnastics Men’s Ice Hockey Men’s Jiu-Jitsu Women’s Jiu-Jitsu Men’s Lacrosse Women’s Lacrosse Paintball Men’s Powerlifting Women’s Powerlifting Men’s Rowing Women’s Rowing Men’s Running Women’s Running Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Softball Men’s Swimming Women’s Swimming Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis Ultimate Frisbee Men’s Volleyball Women’s Volleyball

– Kel Rickard, Club Rowing Team Member from Georgia, Vermont

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S T U D E N T AT H L E T E

Q&A Meet

Emma Bockrath After battling two knee surgeries in high school, Emma Bockrath thought her dream of playing college basketball might have faded away. However, High Point University presented her the chance to continue her career, and it has paid off for Head Coach DeUnna Hendrix’s squad.

Bockrath blossomed into a record-setter on the court as the 2016-17 Big South Player of the Year and an extraordinary student in the classroom with two-time Academic All-District selection.

How did you become interested in playing basketball?

I am the youngest of five kids — four girls and one boy. Being the youngest, I always looked up to my older siblings and was fortunate enough to be dragged to all of their Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments, soccer games and football games. I was quite the tomboy as a kid. I played my brother one-on-one a lot and refused to go back inside until I beat him at least once. Because I had so much fun playing games in the driveway with him and watching my sister’s AAU tournaments, my parents let me join a basketball team. I was always forced to play on older teams with my sisters because my parents did not have time to drive us all to different tournaments and various practice facilities. At the time, I was intimidated and wished I could play in my own age group.

However, looking back, I realize it caused me to develop as a player way sooner than it would have if I played with my own age group.

Why did you choose to attend High Point University?

I knew HPU cultivated an environment of success. I felt at home here, and I felt that each interaction I had with either a faculty member or a student was genuine and that the education and resources provided by HPU and President Nido Qubein were truly remarkable. All of the coaches and players at the time brought me in

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with open arms, and that is when I knew this school was the right fit for me. Furthermore, there are not many collegiate programs where the president of the university comes and shows support at numerous games.

President Qubein is always in the stands cheering us on. He is a prime example of how determination and hard work can get you anywhere you want in life and finds ways to instill these values in the students and faculty at the university.

How has your experience as a studentathlete at High Point University prepared you for life after college?

My experience as a student-athlete has prepared me by forcing me to acquire a better work ethic. In high school, it is not very difficult to balance school and sports. However, college is entirely different. Freshman year, I realized I needed to juggle so much more, like 6 a.m. practice every day and the rigorous biology courses and never-ending labs. Not only has my experience as a student-athlete caused me to become a more responsible person with better time management skills, but it also has given me the wisdom that if you’re passionate about something, you’re fully capable of finding success at it if you never give up and have a relentless mindset. My coaches always tell my teammates and me to trust the process, and I feel that applies to not only sports, but also to life in general. ▲

S T U D E N T AT H L E T E

Q&A Meet Andrew

Gottfried

How have you developed into a leader during your time on the team?

It’s funny how you go from looking up to those older than you to being one of the guys who’s looked up to because of how long you’ve been in the program.

It’s given me a great opportunity to instill the values of our team that have been ingrained in me my first two years.

Now, I get to transfer those values to our underclassmen. It’s an honor to help carry on the legacy left by those before me.

You interned with a group called Athlete Network. What did that experience entail?

Athlete Network looks to connect current and former athletes with jobs that require high motivation, a desire to compete and a willingness to endure difficulties, all of which are common qualities in student athletes. Companies sign up with Athlete Network and look for employees that are driven, willing to put in the extra time and effort, and willing to compete on a daily basis.

My role was to connect athletes from this campus to the network, get them signed

On the field, Andrew Gottfried serves as the ace of the baseball team’s pitching lineup.

However, the senior has also made a great impact off the field while serving as a leader in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and helping set up other student athletes for success after graduation.

up and show them opportunities that they otherwise might not know about. I am passionate about the mission of the organization and built a lot of professional recruiting skills in the process.

How did you bounce back from injuries during your sophomore season?

Last season, we didn’t end up as a team where we wanted to be, and I personally didn’t have the year I wanted. So coming into this year, I wanted to make sure that I gave our team a great opportunity to win every game. It doesn’t really matter what the situation of the game is; I take every pitch with the same importance.

You’re also involved with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. What has your experience with that group been like?

Each year, the coaches choose two players from each HPU team to be in the SAAC. I was blessed as a freshman to be chosen by our coaches and then asked back for my sophomore and junior years, and hopefully senior year. SAAC serves as a bridge between the student-athletes

and the athletic department. SAAC gives student-athletes the voice to express their opinions and create change.

The year before I came to HPU, one of the big discussion points was a need for food after weightlifting. So April Wines, assistant athletic director for academics, got together with Dan Hauser, athletic director, and came up with the Fuel Zone, an area where nutritious foods are available after workouts. It’s been a great blessing to us after lifts that we’re able to refuel our body.

As a business major, how have these experiences benefited you for what you want to do after baseball?

Both SAAC and Athlete Network have given me great leadership opportunities where I’m able to influence others. My future goal is to be in some form of business management and some type of leadership position. Having the ability to lead teammates and other athletes on this campus has given me the opportunity to get a taste of what my future will look like. ▲

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High Point Lacrosse Reaching the World’s Largest Stage When 48 nations descended on Netanya, Israel, for the Federation of International Lacrosse’s 2018 World Lacrosse Championships this past July, five Panthers were there to take part in the festivities.

Two of those Panthers, Isaac Newland, ’21, and Chris Davila, ’15, were there to play for Jamaica and Peru, respectively.

Meanwhile, Craig Blum, ’18, and Kevin McMahon, ’19, had made such an impression calling HPU games for SportsLink on the Big South Network that they were invited to broadcast.

Tagging along with the announcing duo, Connor McKemey, university advisor and director of lacrosse operations, made the trek as well.

In March, with graduation approaching and in the process of accepting a job as a field sales consultant at Henry Schein in Raleigh, North Carolina, Blum thought his days of calling lacrosse might be drawing to a close as the lacrosse season barreled toward the finish line. Meanwhile, McMahon, then a junior, knew he’d be back at the mic this year on the Big South Network continuing to pursue his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster when he graduates. However, both of 98

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their plans changed after calling HPU’s 15-7 victory over Bellarmine University.

“We were contacted by Brian Witmer through the HPU men’s lacrosse Facebook page after calling a game in mid-March,” McMahon explained. “He works for LaxAllStars.com and was tasked with finding announcers for the world championships.

He watched our game that day and apparently liked what he heard because he invited us to Netanya, Israel, to call the games. Once we figured things out logistically, it was official we were going.”

Dressed in HPU gear, Blum and McMahon called as many as three games a day on ESPN+ to a worldwide audience. But the biggest HPU influence came on the fourth day of the tournament when McMahon invited McKemey to help call the showdown between Peru and Jamaica featuring Newland and Davila.

“It was an absolute blast getting to call a game with Kevin on ESPN+,” McKemey said. “It was made that much better with a couple of Panthers playing and dominating. I did my best to try to not be too biased, but what do you expect?

Our school rocks.”

Opposite page, left: Kevin McMahon (left) and Craig Blum are ready for the first broadcast of the tournament. Opposite page, right: From left to right are Craig Blum, Iroquois assistant coach and Virginia head coach Lars Tiffany, Connor McKemey and Kevin McMahon renewing a relationship that started with Blum and McMahon’s coverage of UVA vs. High Point back in February.

Although Jamaica won the contest 17-4 thanks in part to a goal and an assist from Newland, Davila led Peru with two goals and 10 face-off wins.

Afterward, McMahon was able to discuss the experience with the always-animated Newland, the selfproclaimed leader of the HPU bench mob who helped propel the Panthers to a Southern Conference regular season title in 2018.

“This experience has been awesome,” Newland said. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet a bunch of new guys and learn more about my heritage while competing at the highest level.

Keeping energy up is a way that I can affect everyone. Even in my freshman year when I wasn’t getting a lot of playing time, I learned my role and was supportive no matter what.”

Matching Newland’s enthusiasm, McMahon and Blum have relished this opportunity despite braving the heat and overcoming a language barrier with the production crew. But never one to complain, McMahon found a remedy downing what he calls “Israeli Ricolas” to keep his voice fresh.

“They’re delicious, by the way,” McMahon added.

Despite calling multiple games a day, it wasn’t all work as McMahon, Blum and McKemey were able to attend the opening ceremony and the USA vs. Canada contest as fans. The trio couldn’t help but get emotional as Team USA came out with the national anthem playing and the stars and stripes waving. McMahon lists watching USA defeat Canada as one of the highlights of the experience.

“Getting to attend the game against Canada as a fan was amazing, and it

reminded me why I love this game so much,” McMahon said. “Leaping out of my seat with Connor when Paul Rabil hit the game-winner and chanting U-S-A, U-S-A as our boys ran on the field was a sports moment I’ll never forget.”

closely with the communications office at HPU made a world of difference for us. Not every college student gets the chance to develop personal and professional relationships like we do at High Point.”

But more important than that, McMahon and Blum know there’s no way they would’ve been in this position without their families and their HPU family.

The impact of the unique opportunities provided at High Point University isn’t lost on those coming into contact with McMahon and Blum during their time in Israel.

“My family has always stuck by me and supported me throughout the time I was broadcasting at HPU,” Blum said.

“As a business major, I have no business being in a broadcast booth, yet here I am meeting Quint Kessenich and Anish Shroff and standing on the field during the opening ceremonies. Working

“Kevin and I are local celebrities,” Blum concluded. “We hear ‘Oh, you’re the High Point guys, that’s so cool.’ Or, ‘It’s really impressive that Kevin is still in school and is here doing this.’ We owe everything to High Point and the people that helped us get here.” ▲

HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY

SPORTS LINK High Point University Sports Link is a student organization that works directly with the HPU Athletics staff to broadcast High Point’s home games on the Big South Network. HPU Sports Link will be broadcasting more than 100 games on the HPU campus this season. Check out each sport’s schedule for links to Live Video to see which games are on.

HPU Sports Link is composed of current High Point University undergraduates, most of whom are studying in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication or have aspirations to work in sports broadcasting and production. Students who are dedicated to HPU Sports Link get real-world experience working with professional broadcast and production equipment in a variety of roles on campus. The group strives to create professional-level game productions.

For more information, visit HighPointPanthers.com/SportsLink

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To kick off the academic year, 1,000 HPU faculty and staff came together and built 116 bikes for local children. Those children were then invited to campus during a surprise event and received their bikes from the HPU family members who built them.

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Caring People “Character is the real foundation of all worthwhile success.”

–John Hays Hammond Mining Engineer, Diplomat and Philanthropist Dedicating their time not only in High Point, but around the world, HPU students learn that life is equal parts success and significance.

It’s not only about the “what” or the “how,” but also the “why.”

That leads scholars in HPU’s Stout School of Education to host holiday dances for community members with special needs (page 108). And each year, graduates go on to dedicate their talents to fulltime community service as part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program that HPU sponsors (page 104).

Through experiences like Alternative Spring Break trips (page 110) and taking part in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (page 109), students become engaged citizens who apply their knowledge with impactful purpose.

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THE

FACES

OF SERVICE Caring people are the foundation of the High Point University family.

Here’s a quick snapshot of student leaders who are making an impact on their campus and in their community.

Kaylor Ramey The Bed Brigade Kaylor Ramey is only a junior, but she’s already becoming a change agent.

In addition to being a member of Model UN, Ramey is also the co-founder of The Bed Brigade.

The Bed Brigade is an organization that builds bed frames and collects mattresses and other bedding supplies for homeless veterans and their families.

Ramey and her father created The Bed Brigade, a nonprofit, when she was 12 years old. They began partnering with local churches to help fill the need for beds in the Central Ohio area. Today, they’ve expanded to seven branches throughout the country, including the city of High Point.

Last fall, the nonprofit hosted “Build for the Brave,” an event to benefit the Heal Our Heroes Camp, a new facility that will house homeless veterans in High Point.

The organization, alongside more than 150 volunteers from HPU and the community, successfully built 50 bed frames during the event. They also collected donations of bed sheets, pillows, books, canned food and personal care items.

“Students, community members and even local veterans came together for the build,” says Ramey. “It was a humbling, fun-filled day that has created a launch pad for this organization, our relationship with Heal Our Heroes and other community partners.”

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Dalton Sulver Hurricane Relief Dalton Sulver saw the devastation after Hurricane Harvey and wanted to help.

Sulver has friends who live in the area and saw pictures of their homes flooded with water. So Sulver, a junior and HPU lacrosse player, rounded up a few friends and used fall break to help with Hurricane Harvey cleanup.

Together they helped families remove their belongings, clean their homes and begin to recover.

“I had a lot of friends who got anywhere from a foot to six feet of water in their homes,” says Sulver. “It seemed like a movie, like something that couldn’t really be happening. It’s a great feeling helping people do something that they probably couldn’t do by themselves. I’m glad that we could go down there and help people.”

Lisa Quinones HPU’s Food Recovery Network Lisa Quinones, a junior business administration major, has made an impact on hunger through High Point University’s Food Recovery Network, a student organization dedicated to eliminating food waste and feeding the High Point community.

As part of a national initiative, the Food Recovery Network (FRN) is working to fight food waste and hunger by recovering perishable food that would otherwise go to waste, packaging it and delivering it to community members in need.

Quinones and her peers donated a total of 10,435 pounds of food over the course of a semester, providing 8,696 meals to the High Point community. The group packages and delivers food to Open Door Ministries, which provides three meals a day, seven days a week, to those in need in the city of High Point.

That’s important to Quinones, who sees how her work is making a positive impact in the community.

“I am thankful to have the opportunity to go to HPU, and I have never wondered where my next meal is going to come from,” says Quinones. “Since I have been blessed, I believe it is up to me to do all that I can to make sure others have the same opportunity.”

Darryl Remedio United Apparel Darryl Remedio knows what it means to be a servant leader. In addition to being a member of the Professional Selling Club, working as a sales rep and volunteering at events such as High Point University’s annual Veterans Day Celebration, he finds time to give back to those in need.

His goal to make a positive impact on the lives of veterans led him to help build United Apparel, which allows customers to choose items to donate to veterans in need after they make a purchase.

The company works like this: Customers visit www.unitedapparelusa.org to order products ranging from T-shirts, hats and hair ties.

As part of their order, they also select an item they’d like to donate to a veteran, such as socks, bed sheets, towels, bus passes or “blessing bags,” which are filled with essential items like soap and a toothbrush.

“We want to take United Apparel to the next level,” Remedio says. “We want people to know that simple purchases of shirts can change veterans’ lives. They fought for us, so we fight for them — that’s our motto.

Why wouldn’t we?”

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Serving Campus and Community Erin Flynn, ’17, committed a year of service to a local elementary school as an AmeriCorps VISTA. In the middle of a pep rally where drums pound and tubas roar, Erin Flynn cups her hands around her mouth to cheer for the Fairview Elementary Eagles.

This crowd of kindergarten-through-fifth grade students, teachers and parents are her newest family members. She’s gained a lot of those during her time at High Point University.

She worked to build trust and relationships by asking parents and teachers for their input and listening to their answers. She organized their ideas and took action steps for the ones that made sense at Fairview.

At the pep rally, they celebrated progress.

Thanks to her decision to attend HPU, she was part of it.

End-of-grade test results are their cause for celebration. But for Flynn, it’s more.

“If it wasn’t for HPU, I wouldn’t be doing this work in the community,” says Flynn.

She’s one of nine AmeriCorps VISTAs hosted annually by HPU to bolster the impact of community organizations, and she dedicated the last year of her life to helping Fairview grow.

Sustainable Service

There wasn’t an active PTA at the 400-student school. Teachers were focused on improving student learning, leaving little time to create programs that might unify classrooms across the school.

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Until Flynn.

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Five years ago, Flynn moved 2,700 miles from Novato, California, to the other side of the country in High Point, North Carolina.

“It can be intimidating when you first arrive because you’re in a brand new place,” says Flynn. “But the campus pulled me in.

Everyone is there to support you. Your professors live in and know the city of High Point, and the city is very receptive to the university.”

Flynn found her calling in psychology, a field where she could blend the hard sciences with her passion for education and community outreach.

Community service has been part of her life since middle school. She once worked with youth in Fresno, California, to prevent gang violence. There, she met two young girls who asked a question that changed the way she viewed service.

They ran up to Flynn and asked, “Will you be coming back next week to see us?”

“But we were only there for a week,” Flynn says. “That was the first time I realized the importance of sustainable service.”

At HPU, she joined Alpha Phi Omega, the co-ed service fraternity that completes projects throughout the city. She took a service learning course that gave her the opportunity to document the history of William Penn High School, the city’s formerly segregated black high school, by interviewing its surviving alumni.

By senior year, she was embedded in her community. HPU was home, but so was the city of High Point. And that made HPU’s VISTA Program the perfect fit for Flynn to flex her skill sets after graduation.

“I’d seen so many great organizations doing good work in the community,” says Flynn. “I wanted to be part of that.”

Helping High Point Flynn graduated in May 2017 and joined Fairview Elementary as the school’s first-ever VISTA. People wondered who she was and how she might help.

But Flynn proved herself by re-establishing the PTA. “We have transient families with parents working second and third shifts, so we held flexible meeting times in early morning or late evenings,” Flynn says.

“These parents now have a voice in their child’s school, and they’re helping instill curriculum at home.”

campuses, developing their desire to attend college. And she implemented a Harry Potter “House” program.

“We divided classrooms into teams based on the names of ‘houses’ in the Harry Potter books, which was a big hit with our kids,” Flynn says. “They earn rewards for good behavior as a house in their own classroom, but they also join forces with other classes to accomplish goals. It sparked a healthy competitiveness in the hallways.”

She saw her work begin to foster collaboration. Leaders at the school saw it, too.

“Erin has been a true team member willing to roll up her sleeves and do work that isn’t easy or comfortable, as well as work that almost always extends beyond the typical eight-hour work day,” says Pam Greene, Flynn’s supervisor and a full-time administrative employee at Fairview. “She’s passionate about finding solutions to challenges that schools and families face.”

The “I Can” Attitude Flynn’s time at Fairview was like the hallway that welcomes children to the school each morning. She took it in one last time before she wrapped up her service.

The words “I can… ” are painted in bold, blue letters there.

Around it, students wrote their own words to finish the phrase. “…Serve my country” one child wrote.

If it wasn’t for HPU, I wouldn’t be doing this work in the community.

-Erin Flynn, ’17, AmeriCorps VISTA at Fairview Elementary School

Flynn gave relief to teachers and administrators, too. She organized field trips for children to visit HPU and other

“…Be a businessman” wrote another.

And “…Go to college” might be Flynn’s personal favorite.

She did. She attended HPU. She gained new family members and a toolbox of skills that will help her implement sustainable service in the world.

Like the three-year plan she left for the next HPU VISTA to continue the work at Fairview.

“I want the community to know that HPU VISTAs are here to help,” Flynn says. “We reflect the commitment of campus. We’re in this together.” ▲

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Scholars Receive First Generation and ‘ ’ Scholarships Athletes are honored during signing days for their achievements and commitment to play at a university level. In celebration of their commitment to continuing academic success, High Point University honored five Triad high school students with full-tuition scholarships and a signing daystyle ceremony.

HPU awards five Say Yes Scholarships annually, three of which are presented to Guilford County Schools graduating seniors, and two of which are presented to first generation college students from the city of High Point.

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HPU’s 2018 scholars are: • Clara Primus (Say Yes Scholar) • Japheth Soto (Say Yes Scholar) • Blen Kidane (First Generation Scholar) • Henna Khan (First Generation Scholar) • Geneva Harrison (Say Yes Scholar) Community members attended the event to celebrate the achievements of these soon-to-be high school graduates and freshmen at HPU. “As top student-athletes have signing events, we wanted to honor our five scholarship recipients in the same way,” said Joe Cristy, director of undergraduate recruitment at HPU. “All of these talented students accepted scholarships worth more than $146,000 which are fully funded by HPU, a wonderful commitment by President Nido Qubein to the students in our city and in Guilford County.”

“When I first got that call letting me know that I was a recipient, I was in shock,” said Primus. “The full tuition, fees and books all paid for four years — it’s such a blessing. High Point University has always been my first-choice school. I’m grateful that they picked me, and I plan to make everyone proud. It’s the perfect match because I want to stay in High Point; it’s my home.”

Carlvena Foster, Guilford County commissioner, former Guilford County Board of Education member and a leader on the HPU scholarship committee, said the scholarships and HPU provide an opportunity for students to become heroes.

ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS: HENNA KHAN is a First Generation and Say Yes Scholar from High Point Central High School. She served as a volunteer for the Literacy Empowers All People (LEAP) program and as president of the Muslim Student Association, which encourages positive relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. Khan also speaks four languages and aspires to conduct scientific research.

“Your choice to attend HPU makes you an active hero in your life,” said Foster. “Heroes are resourceful, humble, determined and meet challenges head on. They align themselves with partners and allies. In your case, High Point University is your ally. This university is academically stimulating with well-versed, enthusiastic professors, plenty of resources and opportunities in cutting-edge facilities on a breathtaking campus. This university will provide experiences and support that will help you develop a solid sense of self to further equip you for your chosen purpose.

BLEN KIDANE, a First Generation and Say Yes Scholar from High Point Central High School, served as vice president of her high school’s Future Business Leaders of America program.

She was a peer leader in her high school and speaks two languages.

She aspires to be a physician in an emergency room setting.

“The win is not always easy, but in the end, heroes come out on top,” Foster continued. “As you matriculate here, I encourage you to hold on to the excitement you experienced when you learned you’d received this scholarship. Holding on to that excitement will keep you grounded and working with vigor throughout your time here to obtain your life goals and confirm your hero status.”

In addition, the Say Yes Scholarship recipients are also enrolled in HPU’s Bonner Leader program. The national program funds students to serve as volunteer coordinators at local nonprofit organizations. In these roles, students are able to strengthen the High Point community while also gaining life skills.

CLARA PRIMUS is a Say Yes Scholar from High Point Central High School.

She has served as a junior marshal, was a breakfast buddy for students at Fairview Elementary School and served the homeless with her church youth group. She also served as a children’s ministry teacher and plans to become a physician.

“HPU is not just giving these students scholarships, it’s also an investment in the city,” said the Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser, Robert G. Culp director of service learning at HPU. “These recipients are part of the Bonner Leader program, which allows them to serve the community 300 hours per year at nonprofits. We are bringing them into a family, and part of being a family means taking responsibility for the community where you live.” ▲

JAPHETH SOTO is a Say Yes Scholar from the Early/Middle College at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has garnered the Outstanding Character and Citizenship awards from his high school. He served as secretary of his school’s HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) organization.

He worked as a pharmacy technician and helped local Hispanic families with their special needs children.

He aspires to be a pharmacist.

This university will provide experiences and support that will help you develop a solid sense of self to further equip you for your chosen purpose.

GENEVA HARRISON, a Say Yes Scholar from The Academy at Smith, served as a camp leader, working with young girls to create art that improves their self-esteem. She made the A-B honor roll and was drawn to HPU because of the diverse cultures on campus.

– Carlvena Foster, Guilford County Commissioner, leader on the HPU scholarship committee and HPU alumna

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Holiday Dances with Purpose HPU’s Council for Exceptional Children hosts numerous holiday dances annually to engage community members.

What do Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day have in common? They each come with a community dance and a chance for students to give back to the community.

Three times per year, HPU’s Council for Exceptional Children, an organization comprised of students who share a common interest in promoting awareness and providing support for individuals with disabilities, organizes and hosts a series of holiday dances for members of the community with special needs.

There aren’t many events specifically for this population, and these dances allow everyone to be themselves and have fun.

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More than 100 community members gather alongside HPU students for an evening filled with dancing, games, crafting and food. They come dressed in their best holiday attire, be that costumes for Halloween, elf hats at Christmas or red and pink attire for Valentine’s Day, and they mingle between holidaythemed rooms before taking to the dance floor.

“These holiday parties are one-of-a-kind dances,” says Erin Scerra, HPU student and dance organizer. “I have volunteered at the dances since my freshman year, and every year the same attendees come. There aren’t many events specifically for this population, and these dances allow everyone to be themselves and have fun. HPU’s Council for Exceptional Children continues to host it every year because of the joy it brings to those who come.”

“This event is so important because all of the participants are able to be themselves without worrying if people are looking and questioning them,” said Letithia Parker, the parent of an event participant. “During this event they are with their peers, and it’s a chance for them all to come together and enjoy a party with each other.” ▲

A Day On, Not Off

Students honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. HPU’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is more than just one day of giving back. It represents HPU’s dedication to the community throughout the year.

On a day that honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, HPU answers his charge by serving more than 1,500 collective hours. That’s an important part of the annual 100,000 hours of service completed by students, faculty and staff.

“The wonderful thing I’ve learned over the years about HPU’s Day of Service is that students volunteer now and then they keep coming back after this day is over,” said Jakki Davis, CEO and executive director of D-UP, a nonprofit focused on keeping local kids active. “They’re instilled with a commitment to the community and dedicated to maintaining a connection, helping where and when they can.”

This year, 33 service projects engaged students, faculty and community members across the city. They included working on community gardens, painting, cleaning community centers, meal preparation and packaging, clothing drives and more.

The day annually includes the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Worship Service inside HPU’s Hayworth Chapel. Members of the HPU family gather alongside community members to celebrate the life and work of King and to hear an uplifting message from noteworthy clergy and scholars from across the country.

“Today serves as a great opportunity for us to get out and spend time giving back to the community that has opened its doors to us as students,” HPU student Jordan Mister said.

Students took part in service projects on campus, too, such as packaging food and assembling “blessing bags” filled with necessities for High Point’s homeless.

High Point City Councilman Wesley Hudson attended the bag-packing event and welcomed the HPU student and community volunteers who took part in assembling blessing bags.

“HPU students are taught the importance of giving back and make it a priority to serve others,” Hudson said. “You as students can take that out into the world. We’re grateful for your service.” ▲

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Values

>

Vacation

Students dedicate their spring break to service.

During spring break, High Point University students celebrated the values of service, selflessness and generosity by giving back to communities around the world. Through the Alternative Spring Break Program, students renovated a home in Houston, Texas, affected by Hurricane Harvey and served children in Haiti.

Their efforts reflect the opportunities that HPU provides to students to expand not only academically, but interpersonally through a holistic education. Through the university’s innovative approach, students see the bigger picture and discover a world outside of their own.

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Restoring Houston

Helping Haiti

Led by HPU Chapel and Religious Life, students journeyed to Houston, Texas, to work alongside the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church on Hurricane Harvey flood relief.

A group of HPU students traveled to the Be Like Brit Orphanage in Haiti, which was ravaged by an earthquake eight years ago. The organization is operated by parents of an HPU graduate. During their week of service, students built a home for a Haitian family. They shoveled the foundation, built all four walls, and presented the family with a key to the home at the conclusion of the week.

During their pilgrimage, students worked to clean and repair the home of a pastor’s widow and also visited with some of the most unique ministries in the country. They heard from clergy, developed their philosophy for ministry, learned to ask and answer deep questions about what it means to be a disciple of Christ in a multicultural setting like Houston, and learned how faith relates to service and social ethics.

“I decided to go on the trip because I love to serve others,” says HPU student Jacob Lancaster. “It is through service that I find the most joy, and I also find meaning in the community that is built on these trips, this being my third time on a pilgrimage.”

Beyond helping Houston, the trip also held personal ties for the group. Wes Fields, an HPU freshman and member of the Board of Stewards, the student leadership group for the HPU Chapel, is from Houston. Many of his family and friends were affected by the flood, and throughout the week, he helped the entire HPU team see the service they were doing through the eyes of the people who live there.

“The most impactful part of our trip was interacting with the family of the woman whose house we were working on,” says HPU student Anna Linares. “They were beyond gracious and patient, and it was an honor to help them through this season of their lives.”

At the end of each day, the students would play sports and spend time with the children at the orphanage.

Alexis Ogren, one of 12 HPU students who made up the Haiti team, dedicated her spring break to service because she wanted to be pushed beyond her comfort zone and grow through serving others.

“My absolute favorite part of the trip came at the very end,” says Ogren. “We had a huge dance party with all the children from the orphanage — the perfect way to end the week. Everyone was so happy, relaxed and having a blast.

When we had to say goodbye to all the children, the impact of the experience hit me. I was shocked with how attached I’d grown to all the kids. And, of course, a favorite moment was our house blessing. After completing our build, we gathered together to bless the house and hand over the key to the family.” ▲

“It is through service that I find the most joy, and I also find meaning in the community that is built on these trips.”

— Jacob Lancaster, HPU student

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THIN SLICES

A service learning photography course allowed students to work with and photograph Patriot Rovers, a nonprofit service dog training facility located in High Point.

Students helped host Children’s Day at the High Point Public Library.

The event promoted children’s literacy and also commemorated Earth Day.

Students partnered with the YWCA to plan the International Women’s Day Celebration event to honor the city of High Point’s rich and diverse community of women.

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$ The Student Government Association presented $6,000 to local elementary school Erwin Montessori after the school sustained damage from a tornado.

THIN SLICES

As part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, students helped members of the community file their taxes free of charge for the sixth year in a row.

The HPU Civitan Club, Circle K chapter and Alpha Delta Theta Christian service sorority raised money to purchase a specially made, adapted Amtryke bike for a local child with disabilities.

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THIN SLICES

HPU received its sixth consecutive Spirit of North Carolina Award from the United Way of Greater High Point for commitment to service and the $245,580 that faculty, staff and students contributed to the 2017 campaign.

The annual Superhero Dash 5K run/walk and 1K fun run was held on campus for the fifth year as part of an ongoing campaign to raise money for Family Service of the Piedmont (FSP).

FSP works to help victims of child abuse.

Students in the HPU LifeLines poetry program partnered with Operation Xcel, a community after-school program, to teach middle school students the benefits of poetry and collective creativity.

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More than 100 Southwest Guilford High School students took part in a National Biomechanics Day Celebration, hosted by the Department of Physical Therapy.

THIN SLICES

The Stout School of Education hosted the Lego Showcase event, welcoming more than 800 people to experience science, technology, engineering and math in a creative and fun way.

The Cell Art Collaborative exhibit brought together HPU science students and high school students from Penn-Griffin School for the Arts to showcase work they created blending science and art.

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t i i e r s a h C r o f e c Alumni Ra Three HPU alumni have taken the motto of “service above self” to new heights.

Jessica Wayashe, ’11, ran 230 miles across Haiti while Nikki Sanford, ’13, ran 195 miles across the desert in Nevada and California, and GR Dulac, ’18, ran 26 miles in the Boston Marathon.

They raised a combined $35,000 for charity so far, but they aren’t finished yet.

They all have a passion for service they will continue to carry throughout their lives and careers.

Sanford’s Relay Garners $10,000 for MS Research Sanford picked up running as a quick way to get a workout when she was double majoring in physics and mathematics at HPU. Six years later, after graduating from HPU, finishing William and Mary Law School and beginning her career as an attorney at BakerHostetler in Seattle, Washington, she committed to running a 195-mile segment of a 3,100-mile relay run across the United States to raise funds and awareness for multiple sclerosis.

MS Run the US is an organization that hosts running events to raise money for multiple sclerosis research.

Each runner in the race is asked to raise $10,000.

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During her portion of the race, which lasted more than seven days, Sanford ran across deserts from Barstow, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada.

“HPU gives each student opportunities they can take to be extraordinary,” says Sanford. “My experiences at HPU helped me develop as a whole person, and I learned that it’s important to give back whenever you can. I love running and fitness, so MS Run the US was a way for me to channel something I love into a way to give back.”

Dulac Raises $18,000 for Orphanage A High Point University senior and a nonprofit organization founded by HPU parents united forces to support children in Haiti.

By running the Boston Marathon in the organization’s honor, Dulac raised more than $18,000 for Be Like Brit.

Len and Cherylann Gengel began the Be Like Brit Foundation to honor the memory of their daughter, Britney Gengel, who died in an earthquake in Haiti during a college service trip. Since their son, Richie Gengel, attended HPU, they became supporters of the university and invited students to Haiti for volunteer opportunities at the Be Like Brit orphanage.

In 2016, Dulac took part in one of HPU’s alternative spring break trips to the orphanage and became invested in their mission.

Looking to be part of a campus with caring people?

“Running it for charity, in honor of Britney, and for the 66 children in the Be Like Brit orphanage made the finish line seem 26 miles closer,” says Dulac. “While it’s great to run a marathon for yourself, doing it for a higher cause makes it that much better.”

Visit highpoint.edu/admissions

Wayashe Runs to Help Haiti In February, Wayashe boarded a plane bound for the Caribbean. This wasn’t her vacation destination; it was her chance to make an impact on the lives of others.

A sport management major during her time at HPU, Wayashe was participating in the 2018 Run Across Haiti mega marathon. The race is hosted annually by Work, an organization which helps Haitian families find financial stability.

Each runner was challenged to raise $5,000 to help a small community called Menelas outside of Port-au-Prince with jobs and educational needs.

Wayashe raised $7,509.

Training for the race was a major time commitment to add to her full-time job at City Fitness in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as fundraising for the race. But Wayashe had gained plenty of life skills at HPU like time management and self-discipline.

“While at HPU, I was very involved on campus, so managing my time and being disciplined were key,” said Wayashe. “These life skills continue to help me manage my busy schedule. The key is to keep putting one foot in front of the other without giving up. Once you apply that to your personal life, you learn not to overthink obstacles and to have grit. Soon that improves your mindset.”

Previously, she ran the Boston Marathon amidst the bombings in 2013 and participated again in 2014.

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HPU Attracts $43 Million in Philanthropic Gifts This Year During the 2017-18 academic year, High Point University received generous support from alumni, parents and friends of the university totaling $43 million in gifts. Their investment furthers educational opportunities for students through new scholarships, academic programs, technology and facilities.

HPU received more than 10,000 gifts last year, each of which is important. Below are highlights of families who made significant investments at HPU. In total, the university has raised $375 million since Nido Qubein became president in 2005.

MARK AND JERRI WEBB, who have been generous donors to HPU in the past through a gift to the Webb Conference Center, have committed an additional major gift in support of the Webb School of Engineering. Mark Webb is a 1983 alumnus. He owns and operates Interstate Foam and Supply, Inc. in Conover, North Carolina, where the company employs more than 400 associates.

The Webbs live in Charlotte, and their son, Connor Mosack, is a rising sophomore at HPU. Their contribution underscores the importance of alumni giving as graduates from across the decades continue to make philanthropic investments in HPU and visit campus frequently.

DAWN AND NORM MILLER, from The Woodlands, Texas, are making a philanthropic investment at High Point University after their daughter’s meaningful experience as a student. Norm Miller, CEO and chairman of Conn’s, Inc., and wife, Dawn, have generously contributed $2 million to support HPU. The Millers’ daughter, Alexandra, graduated in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in communication from the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication. Alexandra was a member of Phi Mu sorority.

Since graduation, Alexandra has been building her video and photography portfolio, and pursuing graduate schools in the field of video editing.

DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA (DTNA) supported HPU’s Congdon Hall and Congdon School of Health Sciences with a $1 million donation. The building was named for Earl Congdon, the executive chairman of Old Dominion Freight Line, one of America’s leading transportation logistic companies with over 20,000 employees. He and his wife, Kitty, and their family are strong supporters of HPU and the High Point community.

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HPU ALUMNI DAVID AND AMY SMITH are investing $600,000 into HPU’s continuous growth. David and Amy graduated from High Point College in 1981 and 1984, respectively. The Smiths’ daughter, Ansley, graduated from HPU in 2013, and their son, Chas, in 2015. David is owner and president of High Point-based Smith & Jennings, Inc., where both Ansley and Chas are involved in operating the business as well. Inside the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel, the David and Amy Smith Panther Club Suite will be named in honor of the family’s success in business and their commitment to HPU. The Smiths are avid HPU Panthers fans and regular attendees at athletic games. They have previously supported the Panther Club and the annual HPU Prayer Breakfast for more than a decade.

A $5 MILLION GIFT FROM A PARENT WHO WISHES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS will support the development of a small, executive hotel that will be part of the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel. The hotel will support a proposed hospitality management program and accommodate a growing number of requests by organizations that specifically want to tour the campus and experience HPU’s unique educational environment and culture.

A $1 MILLION ANONYMOUS GIFT has been received for the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education. Since 1924, HPU has been synonymous with extraordinary education. This fund allows the university to continue helping students achieve excellence in their future. Gifts at all levels enable the university to provide more than $38 million in scholarship support for students who may not otherwise be able to experience the innovative academic environment and values-based learning opportunities provided at HPU.

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Endowment Giving Benefits University Growth Many alumni, families and friends of the university choose to support HPU through gifts to the endowment, and their investment leaves a lasting impact on the university. Making a gift in perpetuity to HPU provides a solid foundation for the university’s endowed scholarships and endowed program funds. Below are examples of HPU advocates who have supported recent endowment growth.

Payne Family Establishes Planned Giving Scholarships When Toye Payne was a junior at High Point College in 1973, she received a scholarship from a generous HPU supporter named Annie Mae Powell.

Powell’s support meant much to Payne, who was navigating her future career in accounting. In fact, the two developed a friendship.

Now, she and her husband, Richard, have chosen to support High Point University students with two scholarships, just as Payne was once supported.

Through the Sterling Society, which is HPU’s planned giving program, the Payne family has established two endowed scholarship funds.

Their first scholarship supports students who are enrolled as accounting majors and also a member of one of High Point University’s athletic teams in good academic standing. Preference will be given toward female students with financial need. The second scholarship supports members of High Point University’s athletic teams with good academic standing and financial need.

“We believe in giving back because HPU is a God, family and country university,” says Payne.

How Planned Gifts Help HPU The generosity of planned giving donors strengthens opportunities for High Point University students, faculty and programs. The Office of Institutional Advancement can assist interested donors in determining the best method to meet their financial needs while making an impact at HPU. Those who support HPU with a planned gift also become members of the Sterling Society, which celebrates the lasting legacy of their gift.

To learn more about how to include HPU in your estate plans, please visit engage.highpoint.edu/sterlingsociety.

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Family Establishes Veterans Awareness Endowment An HPU family hopes to perpetuate their values of patriotism and service to the country by establishing The Sheriff Family Veterans Awareness Endowment, a $250,000 gift that will support the annual Veterans Day Celebration at HPU. Established by Alan and Karen Sheriff, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, the gift will provide resources to support HPU’s Veterans Day Celebration, which has grown to more than 1,200 attendees each year, as well as other patriotic activities on campus and in the community.

The Sheriffs were greatly inspired by the HPU Veterans Day Celebrations and hold military service close to their hearts. Their son, HPU sophomore Daniel J. Sheriff, serves in the United States Marine Corps; another of the Sheriffs’ four sons is a veteran of the USMC. “Creating this endowment allows our family to recognize the men and women who have served our country in order to preserve our ideals and freedom,” says Alan Sheriff. “Veteran awareness can sometimes get lost in today’s world, but not at High Point University.”

Alumni Couple Establishes Scholarship Fund Charles “Charlie” and Mildred “Millie” Maultsby have established a scholarship with a $50,000 gift to further the success of students. The Charles V. and Mildred P. Maultsby Endowed Scholarship will support students who demonstrate financial need and can be renewed annually.

First preference will be given to students from the Piedmont Triad.

Charlie and Millie first met as children at the Methodist Home for Children in Raleigh, North Carolina. They grew up in the home and became teenage sweethearts. Both went on to attend High Point College with the support of scholarships. Charlie had a successful career as a controller with Lilly Industrial Coatings (now Sherwin Williams), and Millie worked at a variety of financial institutions throughout her career.

“As a young man growing up in an orphanage, I never dreamed that I would be able to attend college,” said Charles Maultsby. “But because of the full tuition scholarship given to me by High Point University, I was able to receive a college degree. Millie and I want to help future students attend HPU, just like someone helped us.”

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PHILANTHROPIC FAMILIES

Callicutt Honors Mother with Creation of Endowed Scholarship Pictured from left to right are Rick Callicutt; his parents, Barbara and Doug Callicutt; and HPU President Nido Qubein. Rick Callicutt surprised his mother by establishing a scholarship in her name. The Barbara Frisbee Callicutt Endowed Scholarship will support students with a demonstrated financial need majoring in elementary education — a nod to the family’s invested interest in education.

When Barbara Callicutt arrived for a luncheon at High Point University, she had no idea the event was for her. In fact, her son, Richard D. Callicutt, a 1980 HPU graduate, helped orchestrate the lunch as a ruse to surprise his mother with a special announcement: With a $300,000 pledge, he established The Barbara Frisbee Callicutt Endowed Scholarship in honor of his mother, a 1965 HPU graduate.

Barbara Callicutt, a Thomasville, North Carolina, native who received her degree in elementary education from HPU, had a distinguished career with Davidson County Schools. She is married to Doug Callicutt and has four children, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Her son, Rick Callicutt, a member of the HPU Board of Trustees, has hopes of supporting future students while honoring his mother. The endowed scholarship will support students with a demonstrated financial need majoring in elementary education — a nod to the family’s invested interest in education. In addition to Barbara Callicutt’s career as an educator, her daughter and Rick’s sister, Pam Hall, graduated from HPU and served as an elementary teacher in Davidson County Schools for more than 30 years.

“Attending High Point University is a legacy for my family as my mother, my sister, myself and my daughter — three generations — graduated from HPU,” says Rick Callicutt. “We hope this scholarship helps future students receive the same extraordinary education that my family has received.”

Rick Callicutt has a distinguished career in the banking industry of North Carolina.

Following his graduation from HPU with a degree in business administration, he began his first bank job just four days later. He later joined a startup banking company in Thomasville, North Carolina, that became the Bank of North Carolina. During his tenure at the company, he served as compliance officer, chief credit officer and chief operating officer before becoming president and CEO of BNC Bancorp and Bank of North Carolina. Callicutt is now Pinnacle Financial Partner’s chairman of the Carolinas and Virginia region.

Earlier this year, the university honored a $1 million gift to support the 370-seat tiered Callicutt Auditorium, which is located in Congdon Hall — home to the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and the Congdon School of Health Sciences.

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Endowed Funds Support Students and Programs Since June 1, 2017, the following endowed funds have been established at HPU: Bainbridge Family Endowed Scholarship Barbara Frisbee Callicutt Endowed

Scholarship

Charles V. and Mildred P. Maultsby

Endowed Scholarship

Daniel H. Herbert, Sr. Family Endowed

Scholarship

DeBell Family Endowed Scholarship First Generation Endowed Scholarship Grohowski Family Endowed Scholarship Guglielmi-D’Arpino Family Endowed

Scholarship Harry R. and Catherine W. Culp Endowed Scholarship Jerry W. and Joan S. Murdock Endowed Scholarship Johnson Family Endowment Katharine B. Polan Endowed Scholarship Keith and Wendy Moore Endowed Scholarship Endowment for the Bonner Leadership Program Michael Edward and Jill Rivenbark Carr Endowed Scholarship Ray and Sallie Edwards Endowed Scholarship Sapraicone Family Endowed Scholarship Sheriff Family Veterans Awareness Endowed Fund Siegfried Leadership Endowment Surratt Endowed Scholarship Sylvia S. Nicks Endowed Scholarship The Hamilton Family Endowed Athletic Scholarship Fund Wilfred Tremblay Leadership Award

Learn more about establishing an endowed fund at engage.highpoint. edu/endowment.

ALUMNI PROFILES

Alumni in Victory Lane Earlier this year the Richard Childress Racing team brought home one of NASCAR’s most coveted wins: The Daytona 500. As confetti rained down on the winner’s circle, several High Point University alumni, including No. 3 driver Austin Dillon, were there to celebrate. HPU ties run deep at Richard Childress Racing. Here’s a glimpse at a few alumni who are making a big impact on the NASCAR community: Austin Dillon came to HPU in 2009, continuing his education while maintaining his racing career. Since then, Dillon has gone on to become a two-time NASCAR Champion, 2017 Coca-Cola 600 Winner and 2018 Daytona 500 Champion.

“My time at High Point University provided a great foundation for my life. I made friends that still remain great friends to this very day. I learned a lot and have been able to apply many of the things I learned at High Point University to my current career, especially on the business, communications and marketing side of the sport. I have many fond memories of High Point University and feel proud to be able to represent the school in my professional life.”

Derrell Edwards, a 2014 alumnus and former HPU men’s basketball player, joined RCR as a pit crew member shortly after graduation. As a student, Edwards was introduced to leadership at RCR through HPU’s Alumni Association, which led to an internship that then developed into a career. This year, Edwards became the first African American over-the-wall pit crew member to ever be part of the winning Daytona 500 pit crew.

“Thinking back to even my first visit, HPU gave off that family atmosphere everyone looks for. The attention to detail on campus and in my education carried over to the basketball team and taught me the value of caring for every aspect of my performance. The lessons I learned at HPU have fueled the success I’ve had in this industry in only four short years. I work in a performance-based job, and when I have an off day and my performance isn’t at its best, I know that I can hold myself up because I’ve been shaped into a good person. HPU had everything to do with that.”

Nick Woodward is a 2001 HPU graduate with a degree in Business Administration. After connecting with a fellow alumnus at an HPU alumni event, Woodward was introduced to the world of NASCAR graphic design. Having garnered industry experience, he joined RCR in 2010, developing the organization’s first in-house design team. Today, he oversees a staff of eight in the creation of all car and apparel designs.

“I credit HPU for introducing me to the industry that I work in now. Alumni connections and my HPU education got me where I am today. HPU taught me the necessary skills for building a program from scratch, both the business side and the mindset needed to make it happen. It’s exciting to watch how the campus has expanded and grown since my time there. It’s great for not only current and future students, but for alumni too.

Now, when I venture out and tell people where I went to college, they immediately know the school.”

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ENGAGING ALUMNI & FAMILIES ACROSS THE NATION Get Involved!

A caring and engaged HPU network is vital to the strength and success of High Point University. We need your talents, energy and commitment in preserving HPU’s legacy as: • Admission Advocates • Reunion Chairs • Regional Event Hosts • Alumni Peer Agents • Social Media Ambassadors

MEAGHAN WADE, ’12, serves as Social Media Ambassador.

Wade is an alumna who advocates for her alma mater on social media. During HPU’s annual #DayForHPU this March, she posted this sentiment to Instagram: “I support High Point University so future generations of women are able to find lifelong friends, shoulders to cry on and their greatest supporters, like I did. #HPUAlum.” Promoting university events, Panther Pride and the Alumni Association to your personal network is vital to staying involved.

JOAN CAMERON, ’82, serves as an Alumni Peer Agent. In this role, Cameron has a direct impact on her alma mater’s standing in national ranking organizations like The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Cameron identifies and connects with her HPU classmates to encourage them to support student scholarships and their alma mater with an annual gift.

CHRISTINE YACKMAN is a member of the Service Committee.

As a parent of a current student, Yackman participates in the Family Weekend service project sponsored by the Parents Council. The Yackman family, from Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, knows that by supporting the service project, they are not only giving back to the university, but also the local community in which all the meals are distributed. The service project provides more than 20,000 meals to the Greater High Point area twice a year.

BOB and KAREN BAINBRIDGE are chairs of the Outreach Committee. The Bainbridge family have been engaged with High Point University since their son, Nick, came to campus last fall. From Raleigh, North Carolina, the Bainbridge family participates in many of the on-campus engagement opportunities, including Community Christmas. Because of the passion they have for HPU, they established the Bainbridge Family Endowed Scholarship to support other students who would otherwise be unable to attend HPU.

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Read about those currently serving in volunteer roles at HPU below or visit engage.highpoint.edu/get-involved to start your own journey today.

Social Media Ambassador

Alumni Peer Agent

PARENTS COUNCIL COMMITTEES

ANN OSBURN, ’68, served as Reunion Chair for the Class of 1968 for their 50-year reunion. In her role, she and other reunion volunteers connected with classmates and invited them back to campus to attend reunion activities at Commencement 2018. In collaboration with the Office of Alumni Engagement, Osburn planned the weekend’s festivities for her fellow classmates.

Reunion Chair

RICHARD and BONNIE HOUSTON serve as part of the Admissions Advocate Program and are responsible for identifying potential students in their area of West Roxbury, Massachusetts. As parents of two HPU graduates, their efforts ensure HPU continues to thrive and attract the highest caliber of students.

Admissions Advocate

WILL TARRANT, ’06, serves as an Admissions Advocate and refers potential students who may be interested in the university to the Office of Admissions. He also attends college fairs near his home in Texas to speak about his HPU experiences.

His support enables the university to reach a greater number of students who would thrive here.

JOHN HERRING, ’99, supports HPU in the City through his role at Bloomberg in New York City. For the third consecutive year, he hosted students who attended HPU in the City, a career exploration program, by providing them with a tour of Bloomberg and an overview of the many opportunities available to recent graduates. HPU in the City is an excellent way alumni and parents provide mentorship and insight into career exploration for today’s students.

Career Connectors ARTHUR PFEFFERLE, JR. and KATE GREENGROVE serve as Career and Professional Development Committee Chairs. Through their role, Pfefferle and Greengrove advocate for internship and job shadowing opportunities for HPU students. As long-standing investors in the Parents Council, Pfefferle and Greengrove, along with their daughter, Eva, are all active members of the HPU family.

ANGELO and COLLEEN DIROSA serve as advocates for the Parents Council, which they’ve been part of for the last four years. They are parents of two HPU students — AJ, ’18, and Murphy, ’20. The DiRosas, who reside in Easton, Pennsylvania, support the university by attending HPU events in their area and on campus.

Regional event representatives & hosts

Engage Online

MARY and PETER, ‘86, HOLLETT serve as hosts for HPU Connects. The Holletts, whose daughter, Hannah, graduated in 2016, continue to stay engaged with the university through their involvement with HPU Connects. At their home in Charlotte, North Carolina, more than 40 alumni, families and current and prospective students gathered for an evening of fellowship and networking.

Create your account today at engage.highpoint.edu to start connecting with your HPU network.

By joining our online community of alumni, families and friends, you gain access to exclusive information about High Point University.

You’ll find: • Upcoming Events

• Alumni Class Notes

• Alumnihood Benefits

• Family Resources

• Social Media Networks to Join

...and many more ways to engage in the life of YOUR UNIVERSITY!

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With the continued support of alumni, families and friends, High Point University delivers an extraordinary educational experience for each student. From providing internship opportunities to supporting the $38 million in annual scholarship assistance awarded each year, the leadership and investment of our HPU network makes meaningful and measurable difference in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.

These pages provide a glimpse of HPU family members who are helping students build bright futures, as well as ways you can get involved.

As a member of the League of Loyal Alumni, Tyler Heaggans, ’13, has supported the university with an annual contribution for more than three consecutive years. He loves giving back to a place that has given him so much. This past spring, Tyler was invited to meet T-Pain during HPU’s Spring Concert through his involvement with The League.

The league of loyal Alumni

The League of Loyal Alumni recognizes, honors and celebrates alumni who donate to HPU for three or more consecutive years. Members of The League receive a membership card that provides exclusive discounts and privileges, an exclusive car decal, recognition at select HPU events and more! To learn more, visit engage.highpoint.edu/TheLeague.

Lauren McGraw, ’10, is the senior director of training and development at Hissho Sushi Inc. As the president of the Alumni Board of Directors, she leads an advisory board of 50 fellow alumni who support programs, activities and services aimed at helping alumni stay connected to their alma mater. She loves helping fulfill the Alumni Association’s mission to further engage and involve all alumni with the university.

Harris Walker, ’11, is the director of Intergovernmental and Stakeholder Engagement at the National Nuclear Security Administration. As the president of the Young Alumni Council, he leads an advisory board consisting of 50 alumni who have graduated within the past decade.

He acts as a liaison to the administration of the university on matters related to young alumni engagement, communications and more.

To learn more about alumni leadership opportunities, please contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumnioffice@highpoint.edu or visit engage.highpoint.edu/alumni-association.

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Alumni Board of Directors

Young Alumni Council

INVESTING

and LEADING

@

Greg and Lisa Mayes from Cary, North Carolina, are investors in the President’s Leadership Cabinet and serve as chairs for the Parents Council. The Mayes, along with their daughter, Kathryn, ’19, have hosted HPU Connects events in their region for the past several years. As active investors in the President’s Leadership Cabinet, the Mayes family encourages other families to become engaged with HPU.

President’s leadership cabinet

forever family

HPU offers opportunities for engagement and philanthropy through two leadership-level annual giving organizations for HPU families. The President’s Leadership Cabinet (PLC) is composed of philanthropic families who support the values-based education provided to students during their extraordinary journey at the university. PLC investors work collaboratively with HPU President Nido Qubein and university leaders to plant seeds of greatness in the hearts and minds of HPU students.

The Parents Council (PC) is open to all parents and families who are interested in supporting the university’s mission of delivering educational experiences that enlighten, challenge and prepare students to lead lives of significance in complex global communities. Families participating in the Parents Council are encouraged to take part in one of the four committees that serve various areas of university development. For more information about the PLC and PC, please contact Erica Burroughs, director of Family Engagement and Annual Giving, at family@highpoint.edu or visit engage.highpoint.edu/PC.

Donna and Kenneth Blackwelder continue to demonstrate their love and support for daughter Summer’s alma mater following her 2017 graduation. During their time here, the Blackwelders invested in the President’s Leadership Cabinet and created the Blackwelder Family Endowed Scholarship to celebrate their graduate’s successes.

In honor and celebration of their students’ milestone achievements at HPU, many families continue to make charitable gifts after Commencement. Family commitment sets the tone for a graduate’s future involvement with his or her alma mater. To learn more about supporting HPU as a Forever Family investor, please visit engage.highpoint.edu/ForeverFamilies.

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Department

DAILY MOTIVATION Relevant.

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Sign up today: highpoint.edu/motivation

Department

Department Happy New Year

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Ask yourself today, ‘What if I could do anything, what would I choose to do? Who would I choose to be?’

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Tuesday, January Monday, January 12 Choose to Be Extraordinary!

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In Their

WORDS

Students, alumni, parents, donors and friends frequently give high praise for High Point University. Here are just a few examples of online advocacy. michaela.oc

High Point University

michaela.oc High Point University has taught me a lot over the past four years.

Most importantly, I have learned that my dreams don’t have to be just dreams. They can be reality if you work hard enough and strive for greatness. Thank you for everything HPU!

Amy Deane You have made the best decision of your lives!

Enjoy every moment at HPU. It flies by!

1

Love • Reply • Message • 6d

olafandolivia I’m so proud of you Michaela!!!

samentwistle

meglemms Obsessed with this pic

High Point University

becca22pilney So proud of you! I know you will do great things ariellex0x0 Can’t wait to see you when you get back!!!

samentwistle M.Ed it! Thank you HPU for five unbelievable years of education, friendship, and extraordinary care. Thank you for helping me spread my wings to fly #hpugrad2018

michaela.oc @olafandolivia thanks Olivia!!

Can’t wait for all our future adventures!! michaela.oc @meglemms obsessed with you and Disney

acmcauley5 Proud for you little one, a superstar jo_hat23 I LOVE YOU SO MUCH SAM!! So proud of you ajentwistle Awesome. Congrats Sam Paige! beardclaudia GOOD GRAVY I LOVE YA!!!!!

And so beyond proud of you!!!

Heather Parker reviewed High Point University May 3

flanz61 Yah!! Congrats!!

We could not be more happy than to be a part of The HPU family! From the food choices, staff, communication you need as a partner to the extraordinary campus — you name it and they have it all.

“

As a parent with a rising freshman at HPU who’s attending Summer Experience, I am so very pleased with this school!

The HPU administration, faculty and staff are ALL engaged with the students.

It’s a beautiful campus and it is staffed with friendly people who go out of their way to be helpful when you are in need.

The rest of the college world should sit up and take notice...because HPU does student/customer service the right way!

mikeolano You’re unreal!! Congrats can’t wait to celebrate soon !! ange1021 That last picture

HPU offers an amazing holistic learning environment and staff and professors who passionately pour their knowledge and life experiences into our kids!

My son has been extraordinarily prepared to succeed in his career choice and has been presented with multiple job opportunities months before graduating.

– Duane Franks, father of 2018 graduate

– Edward Virag, father of a rising freshman

HPU is an extraordinary, innovative university emphasizing God, family and country in all aspects of learning. HPU’s continuance of our family values gives us peace of mind for our daughter. Her family at HPU not only prepares her for a career, but more importantly teaches her life skills for an adulthood of success she will utilize to give back to others.

Thank you, HPU. – Wendy Moore, parent

HPU SOCIAL

”

www.highpoint.edu/socialmedia

Presorted Bound Printed Matter U.S. Postage PAID PPCO

One University Parkway High Point, N.C. 27268 USA 336-841-9000

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FAMED PHYSICIST DR. MICHIO KAKU NAMED 2019 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Dr. Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist, bestselling author, renowned futurist and popularizer of science.

As co-founder of String Field Theory, Kaku carries on Albert Einstein’s quest to unite the four fundamental forces of nature into a single grand unified theory of everything. He has gained popularity in mainstream media due to his knowledge and his accessible approach to presenting complex subjects in science. While his technical writings are confined to theoretical physics, his public speaking and media appearances cover a broad range of topics, from the Kardashev scale to subjects such as wormholes and time travel.

Kaku has starred in a myriad of science programming for television including Discovery, Science Channel, BBC, ABC and the History Channel. He is also a news contributor to “CBS: This Morning” and is a regular guest on news programs around the world including CBS, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC and CNN. Kaku has also written four New York Times bestselling books.

Kaku becomes part of an extraordinary lineup of HPU Commencement speakers, including 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; Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple; Rudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor; Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan; NASA Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin; and Muhtar Kent, CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.