2020
High Point University THE PREMIER LIFE SKILLS UNIVERSITY
VALUES & VISION HPU STUDENTS LIVE A LIFE OF BOTH SUCCESS AND SIGNIFICANCE
LIFE SKILLS PREPARE FOR THE WORLD AS IT IS GOING TO BE
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE
MENTORSHIP MATTERS STUDENTS THRIVE THROUGH COLLABORATIVE COACHING
Values-Based Learning (n): An environment that reinforces personal values while also surrounding students with mentors who model service, joy, generosity, gratitude, respect, personal initiative and patriotism, among others. Graduating students who are not only prepared to achieve success in life, but who are also dedicated to finding significance. A teaching philosophy that prepares not only the mind, but the heart and soul. A belief that in order to make effective decisions, leaders must have a foundation on which they stand.
Nancy Hotham and her son, Will, ‘19, embrace before the 2019 Commencement Ceremony.
High Point University Magazine
High Point University Board Leadership
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Board of Trustees Dr. Robert J. Brown, Chairman Chris Henson, Vice Chairman
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Board of Visitors Mark Phillips, Chairman Alumni Board Lauren McGraw Kraemer, ’10, President Panther Club Rev. Richard Payne, Director SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT HPU MAGAZINE TO: Pam Haynes, Assistant Vice President for Communications High Point University One University Parkway High Point, NC 27268 USA 336-841-9055 phaynes@highpoint.edu SEND INFORMATION FOR CLASS NOTES AND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Office of Institutional Advancement High Point University One University Parkway High Point, NC 27268 USA recordupdates@highpoint.edu 336-841-9696 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 Values-Based Living and Learning Students learn that values are the foundation on which they stand.
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INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT ‘You Are Among the Winners’ Dr. Michio Kaku told graduates that he believes a fourth wave of innovation is near.
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CARING PEOPLE HPU Selected for N.C. Governor’s School HPU hosted the statewide program for intellectually gifted high school students.
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Numbers to know: Admissions: 800-345-6993 Campus Concierge: 336-841-4636 Alumni Engagement: 336-841-9548 Family Engagement: 336-841-9641 Athletics: 336-841-9281 Security: 336-841-9112
On the cover: At High Point University, students are educated in an environment that celebrates the principles upon which this nation was built, including private enterprise, faith, patriotism and personal initiative. That’s why you’ll find patriotic imagery proudly displayed throughout the HPU campus. The artistic depiction of the American flag that proudly waves alongside the HPU flag on the cover of this magazine reflects HPU’s commitment to being a God, family and country institution.
VALUES AND VISION:
HPU’S RELEVANT AND UNIQUE APPROACH TO EDUCATION Cynt Marshall, CEO of Mark Cuban’s NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks, shared one of her favorite quotes during a recent mentorship session with HPU students: “When your values are clear, making decisions becomes easier.” The quote is from Roy Disney, Walt Disney’s older brother and business partner. It’s also inscribed along HPU’s Kester International Promenade, along with many other insightful quotes. By persevering through adversity, Marshall achieved a life of abundance. She
President Nido R. Qubein
became the chief diversity officer at AT&T before being called to lead the Mavericks as CEO. We are grateful for her role as HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence and the mentorship she provides for our students. Marshall’s son, Ken, is also an HPU alumnus. Like HPU, Marshall’s family knows that solid values are one’s foundation.
VALUES-BASED LIVING AND LEARNING Making decisions is becoming more challenging when you consider the relentless speed of technology and the torrent of images, data and news pushed in front of us daily. How can one continually make sound decisions? Well, we believe your decisions should be made through the lens of your values. HPU is a God, family and country institution. We believe in faith, private enterprise, personal initiative, generosity, gratitude, civility and a growth mindset. And we certainly believe that the United States, while far from perfect, is extraordinary. As an immigrant, I tell our students this land is full of opportunities for anyone willing to work hard, help others and commit to purposeful living.
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Values are important to us. Parents frequently tell me that they love HPU because our values are their values. It makes sense. Why would parents invest 17+ years of their lives modeling values for their children only to have their student attend a college that didn’t foster those same values?
LEADING WITH ACADEMICS We are blessed to have a unique campus community that not only celebrates these values, but one that models them, too. HPU students learn from world-class faculty who collectively bring stellar academic credentials and real-world experiences to the classroom. Our faculty don’t merely “teach.” They are enablers of learning who serve as heroes, models and mentors for the next generation of leaders.
At HPU, freshmen can engage in undergraduate research, an experience most universities reserve for upperclassmen (page 66). And that’s just one example of our unique learning model. Our Office of Fellowships and Awards assists students in achieving Fulbright Awards and many other academic recognitions. The Webb School of Engineering just welcomed its first cohort of electrical engineering majors. Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence, is so excited about our engineering school that he now serves as the honorary chair of the school’s advisory board. These efforts are framed by HPU’s commitment to fusing scholarly learning with pragmatic life skills.
PREMIER LIFE SKILLS & LEADERSHIP In order to thrive, students must build a treasure trove of competence that leads to confidence. Think about it — if parents want their student to earn a degree, that can be done online. But HPU recognizes that parents want their student to develop the type of humble confidence that allows them to boldly pursue career passions without being intimidated by life’s obstacles. Life skills are critically important to the sustainable success of HPU graduates, and we approach life skills development in multiple ways. First is through the President’s Seminar on Life Skills for all freshmen. I relish the opportunity to encourage students to strive for a life filled with success and framed with significance. Where else can 18-year-olds learn about
fiscal literacy, stewardship, relational capital or energy and time management? Students also benefit from an extraordinary group of “In-Residence” faculty who share valuable lessons with students. Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph serves as HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence. See a full list on page 39. And many more industry experts and global leaders mentor HPU students in impactful ways. When students meet with these accomplished leaders, they begin to understand that they, too, can achieve success.
CONTINUOUS TRANSFORMATION Of course, the HPU campus itself serves as a daily reminder to students that transformation is a way of life, not a singular event. This fall, we announced an investment of another billion dollars in scholarships, academic buildings, a new library and a new admissions center. New academic programs, such as nursing and optometry, are also being planned. Focused on rendering value and creating meaningful opportunities, HPU is preparing students for the world as it is going to be. Our best days are ahead. And our passion to empower students with strong values, an attitude for success and a life filled with significance is burning brighter than ever. I invite you to visit our campus. You’ll marvel at how the “American Dream” is still alive and well. Sincerely, Nido R. Qubein nqubein@highpoint.edu
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EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION
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HPUMinds, a student group who works with Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence, to build a self-driving golf cart, provided an update on the project during his latest visit. Read more about Wozniak and other members of HPU’s In-Residence team on page 36.
HPU’s approach to values-based learning promotes students’ academic growth while reinforcing their personal values and preparing not only the mind, but the heart and soul. Thanks to a network of mentorship and support, students are surrounded by role models who demonstrate personal initiative, service, joy, generosity, gratitude and respect. Apple Co-Founder and
HPU’s Innovator in Residence Steve Wozniak, pictured above, is just one example. He is part of an ecosystem of support that includes HPU Success Coaches (page 6), career advisors (page 8) and dedicated professors to help students identify and pursue their passions, reminding them to always leave the world better than they found it, no matter their career.
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Britt Carl (left), a Success Coach, and Emily Lyon (right), met regularly in the Mestdagh Learning Commons, the headquarters for HPU’s Student Success Program, located inside Cottrell Hall.
Illuminating THE PATH
Success Coaches light the way so students can envision their future. Each time a student meets with their HPU Success Coach, a positive change happens. Sometimes, it’s a small step — like connecting with the Writing Center or getting involved in a club. Other times, it’s a huge leap forward — like discovering the perfect major. Whether it’s a gentle nudge in the right direction or a challenge to step out in faithful courage, Success Coaches are there every step of the way.
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Success Coach Hilah Cook (left) helps freshmen like Jackson Barnes (right) transition to college life. All incoming freshmen at High Point University are matched with a Success Coach who guides them through the transition to college life. Success Coaches help students decide on a major, develop a plan for achieving their goals and connect with campus resources. They are the coach instructing from the sidelines, the cheerleader rooting them on and the agent with the right contacts to help make connections.
Making the Switch to Medical School
More Than an Advisor
Emily Lyon, ’19, is now in medical school pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. But she knows the value of Success Coaches firsthand.
In addition to academic advising, Success Coaches also serve as life coaches and university liaisons who encourage students to find their niche and pursue their passions.
Far from her family and Pennsylvania home, Lyon felt the full weight of the transition to college. She had planned to major in physical therapy, but after diving into her classes, she realized she wanted to pursue a pre-medicine track. It would be a challenge to change her academic plan, but Britt Carl, her Success Coach, helped illuminate the possibilities. “Britt stepped in and helped me find a way,” says Lyon. “Even though she was my freshman Success Coach, I talked to her throughout senior year. I would see her on campus, and she’d ask about everything from my classes to medical school interviews. She was a great motivator who encouraged me.” Freshman year seems like a blur now for Lyon. After graduating from HPU in May, she was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force and started medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. HPU’s dedication to “God, family and country” inspired that path. Carl’s chats — the simple ones and the major-changing ones — lit the way. “I was able to do it because I had mentors who pushed me to work hard and go for it,” she says. “If I would have gone to a larger school, I wouldn’t have had the same individualized support to accomplish such a risky change.” That’s what being a Success Coach is about, Carl says. “It was a full-circle moment to see Emily achieve the dream she set out pursuing freshman year,” says Carl. “We emphasize that we have a partnership with the students — they do their part and we do ours to achieve academic success. We absolutely love what we do and enjoy seeing our students continue to develop and grow during their college journey.”
As a freshman from Archdale, North Carolina, Jackson Barnes already had his mind set on majoring in theater. But he needed help finding the right balance with academics and extracurriculars. Success Coach Hilah Cook worked with him to develop a plan. “Hilah helped me create the perfect schedule and get involved in clubs and organizations,” he says. “She was there whenever I needed encouragement or help balancing everything. I never felt like I had to have it all figured out before meeting with her.” During one of their meetings, Cook encouraged Barnes to apply for a university ambassador position. He ran to her open office space in Cottrell Hall with the results. “I walked in acting like I had bad news, and she seemed very concerned,” remembers Barnes. “Then I showed her the email saying I had been selected. She laughed and gave me a hug.” ▲
No Major? No Problem! Nationally, an estimated 50% of students enter college undecided on their major, and an estimated 75% of students change their major at least once before graduating. HPU’s Project Discovery is a step-by-step process that guides students in uncovering their academic passions.
ONLY AT HPU: THE PROJECT DISCOVERY PROCESS Through eight destination points, HPU’s Project Discovery guides new students to their best career and graduate school opportunities. Below is a glimpse.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
It starts with a Success Coach! Every freshman has a Success Coach, who helps students explore their interests and review available options. Exploring Your Major and Career Path, a one-credit course, guides students through self-reflection and assessment. First-Year Navigators, students who were once undeclared, share their experience. The Academic Fair, an annual showcase of majors, minors and more, connects students with faculty from every discipline. Career Advisors help students translate their major into a real-world career path. They welcome students into their office beginning the first day of freshman year. The Career Center, the headquarters for the Office of Career and Professional Development, provides guidance and resources that lead to success after graduation. Coffee Connections are casual, one-on-one meetings with faculty to discuss opportunities and ask questions about a specific major. Peer Career Advisors are successful upperclassmen who offer convenient walk-in hours to help other students with resumes and tips for pursuing internships or summer jobs. highpoint.edu
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Connecting Passion with Purpose HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development helps students channel their talents into incredible career paths.
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Inside HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development is a wall filled with the success stories of HPU’s young alumni. These stories inspire current students to achieve their dreams. A month before his HPU graduation, Rami Aoun left a meeting with Dr. Doug Hall, assistant director of HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development.
work for the innovative company and was determined he’d be next.
“Try not to miss me too much!” Aoun said in the lobby of the suite, loud enough for each career advisor to hear. “I hate to leave you all for even a few seconds.”
He worked with Hall on compiling a list of 30 potential jobs that the two kept in a spreadsheet. Accompanying each potential career path was a list of contacts and information he would need to impress potential employers during interviews.
It’s an ongoing joke between Aoun and the career team — a result of his twice-per-week visits to the office.
Through HPU’s strong alumni network, Hall found an opening at Dell for Aoun.
As a senior majoring in business administration from Raleigh, North Carolina, Aoun had clear career goals and set his sights on Dell. He’d seen other HPU graduates go on to
The next step: an interview. Hall knew the skills needed to execute an impactful interview, and the pair set to work, practicing Aoun’s personal pitch.
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When he got the job offer, Hall was the first person to find out. “I’m so proud of you,” Hall told Aoun. “Now sit down and talk me through the questions they asked. I want to take notes and get the next student ready.” Ask Aoun how he got the offer, and he’ll grin and point to Hall. “It was all this guy,” he’ll say. But Hall knows it was a team effort. Ambition and determination carry students to their destination. For those in need of a guide or industry connection, Hall and HPU’s career advisors are there to pave a path. “I showed him the way,” Hall says, “but he ran with it.” And while Aoun’s story is unique, it’s common on HPU’s campus. In fact, 97% of HPU graduates are employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation. The people supporting that impressive outcome can be found inside HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development.
Months ahead of graduation, Rami Aoun achieved his career goals by landing a position with Dell.
97
%
Employed or Continuing Education within Six Months of Graduation
★ 11 POINTS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE
Data from the Class of 2018. High Point University follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers first destination reporting protocols.
Survey Says: Executives Want Life Skills Mentorship is a cornerstone of HPU’s campus, and it’s demonstrated daily inside HPU’s Office of Career and Professional Development. Whether students arrive at HPU with undirected passions or specific career aspirations, career advisors are there to point the way. They do this by staying ahead of national trends and keeping a pulse on what employers are looking for. In December 2018, HPU conducted a survey of 500 C-Level executives who represent organizations with 5,000 to 25,000 employees to determine the qualities they most desire in new hires. The results? Life skills, such as motivation, emotional intelligence and the ability to solve problems, were more important to their organizations than technical skills, such as training on a specific software or subject. Dr. Bill Gentry, director of the Office of Career and Professional Development, understands that to differentiate
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themselves in the hiring process, HPU students must know how to articulate their value to a company. In response, his team has collaborated with departments across campus to make sure students are equipped with the experience they need. Niche career fairs, small career fairs that target specific populations and majors, are one example. They set the stage for networking opportunities and allow students to practice presenting themselves in a professional manner. Advisors also assist students in landing internship and job shadowing opportunities by engaging parents, alumni and friends of the university through the Career Connectors Program. And successful upperclassmen serve as Peer Career Advisors, helping students with resume reviews, LinkedIn profiles and tips for finding internships during office drop-in hours. More than 500 students were served by Peer Career Advisors last year alone.
HPU will provide you with the resources you need to network, to get your foot in the door and to try something new. – Mackenzie Bliss, ’19, Human Resources Associate for the Carolina Panthers
PRO TIPS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Here’s a snapshot of the tips HPU career advisors frequently share with HPU students: Video interviews are becoming more popular with employers. They save both time and money during initial screening of candidates. Applicants are screened based on their digital first impression. That’s why HPU’s Harris Sales Center is equipped with video recording technology accessible to all students.
Research your audience. Know employers thoroughly before the interview process. With easy access to internet sources, employers expect job candidates to be knowledgeable about their organizations. Questions matter. Asking questions is an often overlooked element of a successful interview. Be prepared with thoughtful, relevant questions.
Tap into employer referral programs. Many companies offer financial incentives to their employees for successful referrals, so connecting with successful alumni is an effective strategy.
Differentiate yourself. Practice and know how to authentically articulate your unique skills and experiences on paper, online and especially in person.
Get active on LinkedIn. Great connections are made on LinkedIn, and having a compelling profile is key. That’s why HPU career advisors guide students in creating profiles and why HPU offers all students a complimentary professional photo!
Start early. Engage “early and often” in careerrelated experiences outside of the classroom with a focus on internships.
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What Employers Say about HPU Students
OVERHEARD Volvo
Reynolds American
MullenLowe
Chris Coulter, Investments Purchasing Manager
Jamie Thomas, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition
Jon Colón, Copywriter
outstanding HPU interns
“HPU students set
above their weight. They’re
who we’ve transitioned into
themselves apart when it
doing things you don’t
full-time employees. HPU
comes to expressing their
think someone the age
students have great business
abilities and what it is they
of 20 can be doing. HPU
mindsets, curiosity and the
seek to do in the future.
students are definitely
ability to stand on their own.”
They’re very self-aware,
prepared for that. They
they articulate what they’re
are professional and ready
looking for and they present
to thrive.”
“We’ve had some really
“We look for people who are challengers punching
strong leadership skills.” Visit www.highpoint.edu/lifeskills to learn more about why employers appreciate HPU graduates.
Finding Your Fit at the NFL Students like Mackenzie Bliss benefit from HPU’s robust professional development programing. She recognized it when she achieved her longtime goal of working for her dream company: the NFL. Bliss didn’t always know that a job in the NFL could be the way to pursue her passion in human relations and sport management. Then entered career advisor Kellie McLeod.
“Sophomore year, I came to the realization that I wasn’t happy with the path I was taking,” says Bliss. “Kellie encouraged me to follow my interests because, at the end of the day, hard work and determination would allow me to be successful in any field for which I’m passionate.” Bliss met frequently with McLeod in the years that followed, revising her resume and preparing for the application process. Soon, the NFL became a realistic ambition. Weeks ahead of her May graduation, Bliss got the job offer. Today, she’s a human resources associate with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. “HPU will provide you the resources you need to network, to put your foot in the door and to try something new that may make you feel uncomfortable at first,” says Bliss. “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do, and you will be thankful for the people you meet and the opportunities that come your way.” ▲
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A Glimpse at Class of 2019 Outcomes Since graduating in May, the Class of 2019 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. Meghan Lemmo • The Walt Disney Company Occupation: Disneyland University Professional in Anaheim, California Hometown: Moorestown, New Jersey Major: Human Relations
GR Dulac • Deloitte Occupation: Human Capital Business Analyst for Deloitte in Atlanta, Georgia Hometown: Grosse Point Farms, Michigan Major: Psychology and Nonprofit Management
FAST
Fridays
Like all programming developed by the Office of Career and Professional Development, “Fast Fridays” are designed to enhance students’ career readiness.
Alexandra Sprouse • Medical School Graduate School: Medical School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Hometown: Clemmons, North Carolina Major: Biology Wesley Whan • Graduate School Graduate School: Master of Science in Management Program at Notre Dame Hometown: Longwood, Florida Major: Exercise Science Hayle Caltabiano • MullenLowe Occupation: Project Management Representative for MullenLowe in New York City Hometown: Lighthouse Point, Florida Major: Strategic Communication
Each Friday throughout the semester, workshops that focus on resume building, polishing LinkedIn profiles, cover
Nico Nigro • Cornell Graduate School Graduate School: Sloan Program in Healthcare Administration at Cornell University Hometown: Allison Park, Pennsylvania Major: Exercise Science
letter writing, how to network, transitioning from college to a full-time career, budgeting 101, graduate school panels, and much more are held as an opportunity for students to learn and grow in a group setting.
Morgan Dean • Ernst and Young Occupation: Assurance Staff at Ernst and Young in Baltimore, Maryland Hometown: New Oxford, Pennsylvania Major: Accounting Andrew Wible • Lockheed Martin Occupation: Missile and Fire Control Multi-functional Financial Analyst Hometown: Long Valley, New Jersey Major: Business Administration with a minor in Finance
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Values-Based Living At HPU, students learn that their values are the foundation on which they stand. Spend no more than 15 minutes on High Point University’s campus, and HPU’s values become clear.
These words summarize HPU’s approach to values-based living and learning.
American flags fly next to sculptures of bald eagles and a boy holding folded stars and stripes against his chest. Students gather around red, white and blue seats at Patriots Plaza, located in the heart of campus.
It’s true that HPU has radically transformed its campus and culture. And it’s true that transformation is continually embraced here. New facilities equipped with innovative technology fill the entire campus.
The Kester International Promenade is lined with historical sculptures such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Benjamin Franklin and Rosa Parks, while inspirational quotes are inscribed along the sidewalks.
But as HPU President Nido Qubein tells parents and students on their earliest visits to campus, HPU is first and foremost grounded in values — hard work, personal initiative, generosity, gratitude, faith and more.
You’ll find these words from Roy Disney, co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, there: “When your values are clear, making decisions becomes easier.”
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“Values are everything in a world where technology is advancing at the speed and way in which decisions must be made,” says Qubein. “Parents spend their lives modeling values for their children. When they send their student to a university, they want it to uphold and further those values. And when
Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.
& Learning
– Gandhi
students choose a university, they want an institution that will serve as an extension of their home.” That’s where HPU’s values-based living and learning model comes to life. Qubein and other HPU leaders have intentionally designed a campus that reflects the university’s values. “But values cannot merely be taught; they must be modeled for students,” adds Qubein. “I remind our faculty and staff that we live, students watch and students learn. “At HPU, every faculty and staff member is empowered to positively impact students. Our culture promotes the values of generosity, gratitude, hard work, personal initiative and joy, among others. Values such as these built our nation, and we ensure students live in an environment that models those same values.” For a deeper look at the benefits HPU’s values-based learning model provides students, turn the page. Pictured above: You’ll find this life-size art depicting High Point University’s values and virtues in the Wanek Center. Pictured right: Sculptures of history’s noblest leaders, such as Gandhi, line the Kester International Promenade.
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MODELING VALUES A SYMBOL OF GRATITUDE Last winter, HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein received an email about a teddy bear from the CEO of the Mayo Clinic. An HPU student gave the teddy bear to a nurse at the hospital, where the student’s grandfather received cancer treatment. Giving the teddy bear to the nurse was the student’s way of saying, “Thank you for helping my grandfather.” It made the nurse’s heart swell with emotion. Just as the nurse’s care positively impacted the student’s family, the student’s gratitude positively impacted the nurse. “This act of kindness became the talk of the entire hospital,” the CEO wrote to Qubein. “I thought you should know.” Qubein was happy but not surprised. He knew where the teddy bear came from. During the President’s Seminar on Life Skills, which Qubein teaches for all freshmen, every new student receives a bear to give to someone as a symbol of gratitude. Throughout the seminar, Qubein discusses how a balanced life can be divided into thirds — one-third in learning, onethird in earning and one-third in serving. “Life is about achieving not only success,” he says, “but also significance. Success is in the eye of the beholder, but significance has greater clarity. It focuses on the good you do for the world. Significance is the outcome of what you do with your success.”
And then he shares these words from Scottish theologian William Barclay: “Always give without remembering; always receive without forgetting.” When students exit the Hayworth Fine Arts Center during the final seminar, they receive a teddy bear. “Children grow up with teddy bears providing a sense of warmth and comfort,” Qubein tells them. “Give this bear to a person who has made a measurable impact on your life. It can be your first-grade teacher, your grandma or your friend, but you must give it to someone. When you do, send me an email telling me why you gave it to that person.” Qubein replied to the CEO’s email and shared the story of the teddy bear. “I don’t know of another school in the nation that gives students something to teach them kindness,” the CEO wrote back. That’s the point, according to Qubein. He and HPU faculty and staff know that values can’t merely be taught; they must be modeled. “It’s not about the teddy bear. It’s a reminder that we are placed on this earth to be kind, loving and bring meaning in every circle of influence where we find ourselves,” says Qubein.
HPU President Nido Qubein provides every freshman with a teddy bear during his Life Skills Seminar and encourages them to give the bear to someone who has positively impacted their life.
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HOW GLOBAL LEADERS EMBRACE THEIR VALUES HPU attracts thought leaders, innovators and change agents to campus. Students meet them and discover the art of the possible. No longer are these leaders merely the genius behind Apple Computer, the first CEO of Netflix or the first African American female CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. Students come to know them as real
people and mentors, showing students that they, too, can accomplish great things. On these pages, enjoy empowering wisdom shared by global leaders who visited the HPU campus. You can learn even more from these leaders and others by watching “Conversations with HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein” at www.highpoint.edu/series.
You must recognize what’s truly important in life. When I think about my greatest accomplishment, it wasn’t starting Netflix. It’s that I did it while staying married to my wife and raising our three children. – Marc
Randolph
Co-Founder and First CEO of Netflix; HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence
It’s not about how smart you are. It’s about your values. – Malcolm
Gladwell
New York Times Best-Selling Author
People behave in a manner that is consistent with their beliefs. – Kelly
King
Chairman and CEO of BB&T Corporation HPU National Board of Advisors
Expand to view more —u
I’m a values-based leader, and I rely on my values wherever I’m called to lead. What I have to do in this job and what I’ll have to do in the future is learn the subject matter, and that’s the only really big difference. – Cynt
Marshall
Always stay friendly. The more that people like you, the further you’re going to go. My father taught me that when I was very young. How far you go is usually how kind you are. – Steve
Wozniak
CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence
Apple Co-Founder and HPU’s Innovator in Residence
Find that which you love doing and that which you do well. When you put those two together, you have put into place the roadmap for a successful and satisfying life.
You won’t waste your talents
– General
Colin Powell
Former Secretary of State, National Security Advisor and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and education if you use them to help people. – Laura
Bush
Former First Lady
Expand to view more —u
People notice when you show up, when you put your head down and when you work hard. You won’t always succeed. You won’t always be the best. But nothing in life comes easy. So show up, be on time and be ready to work. – Wolf
Blitzer
As the Bible says, ‘Count it all joy.’ Everything in life is meant to grow us. There are no stumbling blocks, only stepping stones. – Byron
Pitts
CNN Anchor and Emmy Award-Winning Journalist
ABC News’ “Nightline” Anchor and HPU’s Journalist in Residence
Be passionate about what you choose to do in life. Use your power of reason. Cultivate humility. Remain optimistic and always try to serve others as well as the goals of freedom, peace and justice.
Strong beliefs are necessary if you’re going to make significant change. Strong beliefs are necessary if you’re going to get through difficult times.
– Condoleezza
Rice
66th Secretary of State
– Rudy
Giuliani
Former New York City Mayor
POWERING
GLOBAL COMPANIES High Point University graduates work at the world’s leading companies.
Their passionate pursuits reflect HPU’s promise: When we enroll a student, we commit to their success. Here’s a sample of graduates who are contributing to industries and technologies that impact your world.
Ruslan Salakhutdinov, ’01
Alex Palmer, ’13
James Jadotte, ’13
Tyler Yusko, ’13, ’14
Apple Director of AI Research
Google Program Manager, Staffing Services ™
Apple Software Engineering Manager
Google Engineering Leadership Recruiter ™
Mary Boylan, ’11 Google Channels Specialist
™
Jillian Koehler, ’11 Google Channels Specialist
™
Mitch Rissmiller, ’19
Dan Short, ’10
Matt Tetu, ’18
Stefanie Vorleiter, ’15
Emily Krol, ’17
Anfernee Parker, ’18
Katie Manning, ’15
Lexi Becer, ’18
“TODAY” Show Production Assistant
General Electric Imaging Account Manager
Lenovo Gaming Strategic Marketing Manager
Facebook Product Design Recruiter
Marathon Oil Business Development Advisor
Lenovo Global Account Manager
Lenovo Inside Sales Account Manager, Higher Education
Calvin Klein Product Strategy and Speed Innovation Coordinator
Andrew Greene, ’17
Caroline Tucker, ’17
Rami Aoun, ’19
Kyra Hennessey, ’18
Kayleigh O’Brien, ’15
Madison Sullivan, ’18
Jodi Guglielmi, ’15
John Marsicano, ’15
Marco Sebastian, ’18
Mikaela Campbell, ’18
Amazon Area Manager
Dell Technologies Inside Sales Representative
Dell Technologies Financial Advisor
People Magazine Writer & Reporter
Bloomberg Global Data Analyst
Amazon Delivery Operations
Dell Technologies Global Sponsorship Team
Wayfair Promotional Planner
Magnolia Public Relations Manager
NBA Associate
GENEROSITY SHARING TIME, TALENT, MUSIC AND MORE Every week, New York native Josh Allen watched tiny hands pick up drum sticks and happy fingers dance across flutes. That’s when he knew. “Generosity is the heart of what this student body does,” says Allen, ’19. But really, Allen discovered the generous nature of HPU’s campus before he and his peers began providing free music lessons to children at Kirkman Park Elementary School. Allen, an exercise science major, has played the trumpet since middle school. He understands the intrinsic value and the practical lessons gained by playing a musical instrument. “Learning an instrument provides all of these intangible lessons,” says Allen. “You learn commitment, perseverance and teamwork, and it can really build your confidence. But many children don’t have access to instruments or instructors.” Enter HPU’s Musical Empowerment chapter. Musical Empowerment is a national nonprofit that raises funds to purchase musical instruments for underserved children in the community and offers free one-on-one musical lessons. Thanks to Allen, HPU is now one of a handful of universities to offer the program, along with Duke and Dartmouth. Establishing the chapter took work. For starters, Allen recruited fellow students who were passionate about music. And like Allen, they weren’t all music majors. Instead, they represented many walks of life. Together, the HPU students began raising money to purchase musical instruments and received a major funding boost from HPU’s Student Government Association.
Elementary student Jer-meriah Venable (left) learns to play the flute with the help of HPU student Mikaela Seemann.
When it was time to launch, they partnered with Kirkman Park Elementary School across the street from campus. The music lessons progressed and so did the bond between the HPU student instructors and their elementary students. The HPU students decided to make a promise to the children: If you stick with your music lessons for two years, you can keep your instrument. Allen accomplished all of this while also conducting undergraduate research and serving as a supplemental instructor for fellow exercise science majors. A few weeks before Allen graduated, he looked back and saw a long list of what he calls “legacy moments.” This was one of them: At a spring recital HPU students organized for the Kirkman Park children, Allen watched them pick up their instruments in front of a crowd and play with a new level of confidence. “If you had told me four years ago that I would have accomplished all of this,” says Allen, “I would have given you a big, hearty laugh. I don’t know if I would have believed it.” “There are so many different arms of service; it’s a big part of this campus,” adds Allen, who is now a physical therapy doctoral student at Duke University. “HPU shows you how to take what you’re learning — your skills and abilities — and apply them to your community. All of my work here influenced my career path. I see myself serving underserved communities so I can give back.”
HPU shows you how to take what you’re learning — your skills and abilities — and apply them to your community. – Josh Allen, ’19, Exercise Science Graduate and Physical Therapy Doctoral Candidate at Duke University
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CIVILITY AND RESPECT There’s a reason HPU students pick up trash off the ground, hold the door for one another and engage in civil discourse. One day Daniel Bartlett will enter a courtroom as an attorney. When he does, he’ll bring with him a seemingly forgotten but crucial skill: civility. He’ll debate the law and stand up for what he believes is right, but he’ll do it while being respectful to differing viewpoints.
Daniel Bartlett, ‘19, graduated from HPU with his degree in business administration and is now pursuing his law degree at American University.
Bartlett, originally from Great Falls, Virginia, graduated in May with a degree in business administration and a minor in philosophy. He began his law school career this fall at American University’s College of Law in Washington, D.C. He took with him lessons learned on HPU’s campus through a variety of leadership opportunities. Chief among those was serving as a student justice for HPU’s Conduct and Honor Court, the campus body responsible for upholding the university’s Honor Code. Bartlett and his peers signed HPU’s Honor Code during their first days on campus. Every new student participates in the signing ceremony, which sets the tone for academic and personal integrity, as well as character development. But HPU’s commitment to maintain an honorable community extends beyond the signing ceremony. Through different avenues, the university fosters opportunities to learn and grow from people different than oneself. Students can engage in political debate viewing parties, voter registration drives and service opportunities at a variety of organizations across the city. They can conduct public opinion surveys in HPU’s
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Survey Research Center or learn from people of different faiths at regular meetings and dinners held by HPU’s Interfaith Club. Respect and compassion are an important part of civility — that’s something Bartlett learned while serving as a student justice. The university’s commitment to an honorable community is strong, but HPU’s Conduct and Honor Court provides a roadmap whenever a violation of the honor code occurs. Bartlett has counseled students and helped them see violations as learning opportunities. He learned to make unbiased decisions based on what was best for the entire community. He saw students experience tremendous growth through that. “Whenever someone feels as if they have been misunderstood, they can be tense or stressed,” says Bartlett. “I learned to help people remain calm and find solutions. The best course of action is to remain level-headed, make smarter decisions, take emotions out of it and help everyone stay on the same page.” Those are valuable lessons in a world where civility seems to be lacking, especially with the rise of social media, Bartlett notes. “People often say things online that they wouldn’t say in person, and it can seem difficult for people to remain civil,” says Bartlett. “They seemingly have two personalities. I don’t want two different personalities. I’ve learned that exhibiting civility and respect in all aspects of your life is valuable.” Whether in a courtroom, in a conversation with a friend or any setting, Bartlett knows being civil and respectful will take him far. These skills already have.
GRATITUDE I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE When Class of 2019 President Emmi Esker took the podium for her Commencement Ceremony address, she shared her favorite word with fellow graduates — ubuntu. It’s Zulu for “I am because you are.” Esker discovered the concept of ubuntu when she traveled to South Africa on a mission trip. She was still in high school, and it was around the same time she began visiting HPU’s campus as a prospective student.
Emmi Esker, ‘19, is a sales and marketing graduate now working in the Commercial Leadership Program at GE Healthcare.
She and her parents realized how much HPU’s values aligned with their own during those visits. “My dad appreciated how Dr. Qubein unapologetically proclaimed HPU to be a God, family and country institution,” Esker remembers. “Dr. Qubein also explained how HPU doesn’t weed students out of the system, but instead weaves students into the family. “ A few months later, Esker returned for Presidential Scholar’s Weekend. During her scholarship interview, she met Dr. Robert Hirth, assistant professor of management. Hirth had just adopted his daughter from Ethiopia, and Esker had just returned from South Africa. The two had much to talk about. Months later when she arrived at HPU as a freshman, Hirth reached out to ensure Esker was transitioning to college well. The two discussed her career goals, and Hirth connected her with resources in the Phillips School of Business. “I was blown away that Dr. Hirth proactively sought to help me,” says Esker. “Not only did I appreciate his classes, but he connected me with the Professional Selling Club, which led me to declaring my sales major. His depth of mentorship to me was transformative.” Esker went on to become president of the Class of 2019 and the Professional Selling Club. She also volunteered her time with local children through the Boys and Girls Club of High Point, and she led a female empowerment class for 20 local high school students.
When she wasn’t serving the community, the Student Government Association or the Selling Club, she mentored fellow students at HPU. It was her way of showing gratitude to the school that gave her so much. “Serving my peers and underclassmen has been one of the most rewarding experiences during my time at HPU,” says Esker. “I’ve sat down with freshmen who remind me of my first-year self and gone over their resumes or talked about career paths and their interests. HPU has such a culture of servant leadership. The university holds students to such a high standard and encourages them to help others. We build each other up at HPU.” Before she graduated, Esker landed a selective spot in General Electric’s Commercial Leadership Program. She knows how she got there — hard work in and out of the classroom had much to do with it. So did the support of her HPU professors and peers. “Today, let us focus on being grateful for the generosity of others,” said Esker during her final speech as senior class president. “But tomorrow and every day after, let us focus on being generous to all those we encounter. Let’s live in a way that all of those we meet along our journey toward greatness will be able to sincerely say to us: ‘ubuntu’ — I am because you are.”
VIDEO: Visit www.highpoint.edu/commencement to watch highlights from the 2019 Commencement Ceremony.
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PERSONAL INITIATIVE HPU STUDENTS SEEK OUT OPPORTUNITY You could find Sara Barlok at almost every HPU baseball game during her four years on campus. Inside the Coy O. Williard Baseball Stadium, she recorded stats and ran game operations while players dotted the field and American flags waved in the background. The story of how this student became the baseball team’s director of operations is filled with values that are as quintessentially American as baseball — values like personal initiative and patriotism. It’s why Barlok appreciates her HPU experience so much. As a freshman majoring in business administration and minoring in sport management, Barlok’s professors told her that gaining experience was paramount. She searched for campus opportunities, and an email she sent to HPU Baseball Coach Craig Cozart requesting a management position changed the course of her college career. “I’ve learned that you must have drive to achieve your goals,” says Barlok, from Cheshire, Connecticut. “By contacting the baseball team, I opened a door I didn’t know existed.”
During freshman year, Barlok assisted an upperclassman who served as director of baseball operations. By her sophomore year, however, Barlok had become the director, making her the youngest and the first female to hold the position. The volunteer role often carries the commitment of a fulltime job — ordering and organizing equipment, arranging team travel, ensuring there’s nutritious food, organizing community service opportunities, analyzing game stats and much more. But Cozart knew he could trust Barlok. “It can seem difficult to find young men and women today who have personal initiative, but Sara embodies that, along with motivation and professionalism,” says Cozart. Organizing volunteer opportunities were some of Barlok’s favorite experiences. The team frequently volunteers with organizations that assist disabled military veterans, such as the Wounded Warrior Umpire Academy. The organization provides training for military veterans who have faced some level of injury, and every umpire during HPU’s Purple Versus White Series was a Wounded Warrior Umpire.
PROUD PATRIOTISM When Craig Cozart visited High Point University to interview for the head baseball coach position, he noticed red, white and blue flying across campus. “To see stars and stripes everywhere I turned was good for my soul,” says Cozart. “It was so unique.” Cozart came from a large institution where American flags were rare. The patriotism visible on HPU’s campus was a sign he’d found a university that shared his values. Cozart discovered the value of patriotism was embraced beyond flying flags on campus, too. HPU’s Veterans Day Celebration is one example. During the annual event, HPU volunteers welcome 1,000 veterans and their family 20
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Sara Barlok, ‘19, is a business administration graduate who launched her career as the membership services coordinator for the American Baseball Coaches Association thanks to experience she gained during her time at HPU.
For Barlok, the experiences she amassed have paid dividends. She gained a new family through the team, a long list of resume-worthy skills and her first full-time job offer. Today, Barlow is the membership services coordinator for the American Baseball Coaches Association, a career that was made possible thanks to her work for HPU Baseball.
“I’ve learned so many life lessons during my time at HPU, most importantly that you are the driver of your own destiny,” says Barlok. “By pushing toward your goals and trying to achieve the best, not only will you make an impact on yourself, but others in the process. You decide how hard to work and what impact you make every day, so make sure you strive to achieve excellence.” ▲
members to campus for a complimentary hot breakfast, patriotic program, speaker and a blanket — a gift that serves as a symbol of the warmth and comfort veterans have provided to others.
frequently welcomes veterans to games, along with referees from the Wounded Warrior Umpire Academy. The players also volunteer their time with organizations that build homes for disabled veterans.
There are countless other examples, too, of HPU students, faculty and staff embracing veterans. Cozart’s team is one of them.
“One time we arrived to a house frame with studs,” says Cozart about a recent volunteer day. “By the time we left, siding and windows had been installed.”
“When I think about God, family and country, I think about all of the opportunities we have because of our military,” says Cozart, whose family history includes many military veterans.
Values are fostered everywhere at HPU, from the classroom and the campus, to the baseball field and beyond.
“In order to convey our values to our team, we give our players the opportunity to put them into action,” says Cozart.
The Coy O. Williard Baseball stadium, the team’s home, has chairs dedicated to each branch of the military and
“I don’t think there’s a bigger calling in our lives than to be a patriot,” says Cozart.
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HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein (center) mentors students in the collaborative spaces located across campus. He often stops to catch up with students and to provide encouragement during their studies.
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GROUNDED & GROWING
A Glimpse at High Point University’s Continual Transformation Transformation can take many forms for those willing to embrace it. A caterpillar can change into a butterfly. A shy student can grow into a professional leader. A quiet college can flourish into a hub of innovation. A teenager can come to America to start a new life. When HPU President Nido Qubein leads his weekly Freshman Seminar on Life Skills, he tells stories such as these. He knows what it’s like to start a new life. He came to America when he was just 17 years old. New students, all of whom take his course, fill the Hayworth Fine Arts Center to learn from Qubein. They’re just beginning their academic journey at HPU, but after almost 15 years of serving as HPU’s president, Qubein knows the many opportunities that await. “High Point University knows a thing or two about transformation,” Qubein tells students in the seminar. “And transformation creates opportunity if you are willing to embrace it.” Qubein leads a team of faculty and staff who model adaptability, persistence and a growth mindset. When he first arrived, things on campus were different. In those days, one reporter referred to HPU as “a dusty old college.” That changed when he became president in 2005. Qubein has led HPU on a meteoric rise that includes a $3 billion investment. His vision led to more than tripling enrollment from 1,450 to 4,600 undergraduate students, more than quadrupling campus from 91 to 500 acres, taking HPU to doctoral degree-granting status and establishing six new academic schools, for a total of nine academic schools now at HPU. Today, growth doesn’t come in phases for Qubein and HPU. It’s a continual journey. There’s a total of $200 million in active construction on campus with more to come. Transformation, Qubein knows, is possible for any person or any organization willing to embrace it. But the transformational environment students experience at HPU isn’t one they’ll find elsewhere.
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MAJOR Milestones
A look at four extraordinary achievements HPU accomplished since 2005 The continual transformation of HPU’s campus and
From new academic facilities and student centers,
culture is based on HPU’s promise to students.
to satellite libraries and recreational facilities, the
“When we enroll a student, we commit to their success,” says HPU President Nido Qubein.
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CAMPUS AND CULTURE TRANSFORMED Over the last decade, Qubein has led HPU to be wholly student-focused. The success and support of students drives the design of HPU’s intentional environment, which has exploded from just 28 facilities to 122 new facilities and entirely renovated existing facilities. The size of faculty has tripled to ensure students not only learn in state-of-the-art spaces, but also in small classes led by accomplished faculty.
ACHIEVING DOCTORAL STATUS In 2012, the Stout School of Education welcomed its first cohort of Ed.D. students. The Doctor of Education degree, with its emphasis on educational leadership, reflects the visionary thinking that transformational leaders need to guide today’s educational organizations. In 2016 and 2017 respectively, HPU welcomed its first cohorts of pharmacy and physical therapy doctoral students. HPU bestowed its first-ever education doctoral degrees in 2016. In 2020, HPU will award its first doctoral degrees in pharmacy and physical therapy.
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growth on HPU’s campus supports their learning and professional development. Here are four milestones HPU has achieved in its extraordinary expansion.
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FROM THREE TO NINE ACADEMIC SCHOOLS In 2005, HPU had just three academic schools. Today, it has nine academic schools. New schools added are the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, Congdon School of Health Sciences, Wanek School of Natural Sciences, Webb School of Engineering and School of Art and Design. Thanks to this expansion, HPU now offers majors such as biochemistry, neuroscience, actuarial science, international relations, entrepreneurship, sales, physician assistant studies, pharmacy, physical therapy, communication, exercise science, visual merchandising design and more. The addition of these six new schools and the expansion of majors across the board allow students to thrive in an engaged community founded on robust academics.
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Congdon Hall, a $120-million health care education facility, is home to the Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy.
EXPANDING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES As the Premier Life Skills University, HPU’s holistic learning programs are designed to further enrich students’ academic lives and professional development. Established programs include: • Success Coach program that supports all freshmen through the transition to college • Survey Research Center (HPU Poll) • Human Biomechanics and Physiology Laboratory • Norelli Office of Global Education • Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works • Harris Sales Education Center • Belk Entrepreneurship Center • Dwyer Office of Career and Professional Development • Robust alumni and parent partnerships that provide internship and career opportunities • Life Skills and Executive Leadership Development Program that provides students with a 360-degree experience at an established company
• Professional Selling Club
• Service Learning Program
• Expanded club sports, intramural sports and more than 100 clubs and organizations that provide leadership and growth opportunities
• Research Rookies program to engage freshmen (much earlier than other universities)
• Support for faculty and students to attend national and international conferences
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ARENA VIEWS:
Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel
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.
When the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel opens in 2020, it will become home to the HPU men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as a venue for major events, speakers, concerts, entertainment, academic symposia and recreational activities.
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high-tech audio and video equipment, ticket office and practice gym.
And for students, it will be the bustling center of Panther pride on campus.
The Conference Center will seat 2,500 visitors and will be a space for growing undergraduate and graduate programs, student groups and community organizations and have the ability to be subdivided into smaller venues with lighting, sound and video for state-of-the-art presentations. It will also support the event management major.
The Qubein Arena will seat 4,500 spectators and include luxury suites, locker rooms, staff offices, concession stands, a merchandising area, media suite, film room, press conference room, weight room, athletic training room, hospitality area,
A small, executive 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
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Naming this facility in the Qubein family’s honor is a symbol of gratitude for their profound vision, leadership, service, philanthropy and love of this great university.
The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel at a glance: •$120 MILLION total cost •4,500 ARENA SEATS •2,500 CONFERENCE CENTER SEATS •Home to the men’s and women’s basketball teams •Designed to host major events, speakers and conferences •30 HOTEL ROOMS with dining facilities and meeting spaces •Slated for completion in 2020
– Bob Brown, Chairman of the HPU Board of Trustees campus and experience HPU’s unique educational environment and culture. The hotel will provide 30 guest rooms with dining facilities and meeting spaces. When this project — one of the largest in HPU’s history — began, the Board of Trustees knew whose legacy it represented. “The HPU Board of Trustees unanimously voted to recognize HPU President Nido Qubein and HPU First Lady Mariana Qubein by naming this facility in their honor,” said Bob Brown, chairman of the HPU Board of Trustees, during the groundbreaking ceremony. “Naming this facility in their honor is a symbol of gratitude for their profound vision, leadership, service, philanthropy and love of this great university.”
Top left: The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel is named in honor of HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein (left) and First Lady Mariana Qubein (right). Top right: This view of the facility shows the arena’s main entrance (left) and the conference center (right). Bottom: This artistic rendering depicts the main lobby inside the arena.
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HPU FANS RALLY AROUND ARENA’S GROWTH
This artistic rendering shows the future basketball court inside the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel. As construction continues on the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel, the generosity of High Point University supporters continues to propel the project forward. Since the project’s initial announcement, the university has received a $5 million anonymous gift from the family of a current HPU student to fund the executive hotel that will support the proposed hospitality management program. Additionally, $1 million has been donated to the arena by HPU parents Stephanie and Barry Zekelman. Their daughter, Samantha, recently graduated in May.
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Head Men’s Basketball Coach Tubby Smith, ’73, and his wife, Donna, ’76, have committed $1 million to the project. The basketball court inside of the arena will be named in their honor. One of the two student suites, which overlooks the basketball court, will be named for the Budd Family, in recognition of the $750,000 gift given by Amanda and Joe, '83, Budd. Their son, Alex, is also an alumnus of HPU. The Panther Club Hospitality Suite will be named in honor of fellow HPU alumni Amy, ’84, and David, ’81, Smith, parents of two HPU graduates, who generously contributed $600,000 to the project.
HPU THANKS FAMILIES FOR THEIR GENEROSITY
The people listed here have generously supported the growth of the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel. Additional gifts to the project will be recognized throughout the facility as the grand opening nears. Anonymous Family of a Current HPU Student Sara J., ’91, and Herbet H. Adkins Vivian and Gary Biesecker Patricia P., ’63, and Douglas L., ’61, Brackett The Christman Company Church Interiors Audio and Video, Inc. Linda, ’63, and Bill, ’62, Davidson Janet, ’61, and E. Vance, ’61, Davis Kristy S., ’93, and Christopher H., ’92, Dudley Earl Foster Velma T.* and Rayford B., ’63, Grant Roy A. Grant, ’63 Jeanette P.*, ’61, and H. Richard, ’61, Hallman Hanes Construction Debra J. and Louis B. Hoffman, Jr. Kelly and George W. Holbrook Sally B. and Joseph Kenneth W. Hughes Jane and Gene, ’66, Kester Ilderton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Beverly D., ’58, and Joe McCabe Katherine K. and David L. Maynard Samet Corporation Susan R. and Michael D. Samuel Elizabeth M. and Albert H., ’80, Seymour Sandra D. and Kenneth D., ’69, Smith * denotes deceased
Donna and Orlando “Tubby” Smith are both HPU alumni. NCAA Championship winning coach Tubby Smith leads the HPU men’s basketball team. The basketball court inside the arena will be named in their honor.
David, ’81, and Amy, ’84, Smith graduated from HPU, as did both of their children. The Panther Club Hospitality Suite will be named in their honor.
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$200 MILLION IN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION In addition to the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel, these major construction projects are part of HPU’s continual transformation.
WANEK SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES The Wanek School of Natural 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 is the new home to HPU’s flourishing science programs in biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry and neuroscience.
CAINE CONSERVATORY 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 Botanical Gardens. Read more about the Conservatory’s new director on page 97.
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THE CULP PLANETARIUM The Culp Planetarium, named in honor of HPU supporters Rob and Susan Culp, is located in the new Wanek School of Natural Sciences. The facility provides a threestory, 6,000-square-foot planetarium and lecture space that includes 125 seats and a 50-foot dome with a 4K projection screen. The facility teaches astronomy, earth science, anatomy and a variety of STEM lessons for HPU students, as well as elementary, middle and high school-age groups in the community.
High Point University Growth
Undergraduate Enrollment (Traditional Students)
Full-time Faculty
Square Footage
Buildings on Campus (new and acquired)
1,450
4,600
108
349
Campus Size (acres) 91
Total Positions
2004
650,000
2019
217% 223% 449%
500
515%
4 million
455%
22 122 385
Economic Impact $160.4 M
402%
1,934 $765 million
377%
Operating and Capital Budget
$38 million
$400 million
Annual United Way Giving
$28,000
$247,500
Study Abroad Programs
953% 784% 1,480%
5 79
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HPU’S ACADEMIC INNOVATION The university has invested more than $250 million in state-of-the-art STEM facilities and programs.
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What university provides the opportunity to consistently learn from Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak and Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph?
Michael Oudshoorn, founding dean for the Webb School of Engineering, when he had the chance to interview Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence.
It’s a question with only one answer:
High Point University.
Bauer is a scientist, and Randolph is a Silicon Valley veteran. Students from all majors filled the Callicutt Auditorium for the big event.
So Dr. Angela Bauer, founding dean of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences, wasn’t surprised when she had the opportunity to interview Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, during a campuswide Q&A session. Neither was Dr.
It represented Bauer’s favorite teaching method — an interdisciplinary approach. She knows that in every industry — including science — experts in one field must work with and learn from experts in another.
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Collaborating and communicating well are life skills HPU works to instill in students. Bauer asked Randolph about the importance of life skills that day, including the ability to adapt, problem solve and take risks. “Let’s say you’re mentoring a young entrepreneur, and they have resistance going into the risk-taking exploration of their personal growth,” said Bauer to Randolph. “How do you advise them to engage in an opportunity — to seek out, expand and grow in that respect?” “Every person has a dream in their head,” answered Randolph. “But when they think about what is required to take that risk, they also think of a big problem. They think, ‘I don’t know how to raise money for it,’ or, ‘I don’t know how to get distribution.’ Scale the risk back to something you’re comfortable taking. “That,” Randolph said, “is the real skill of being a risk-taker.”
SCIENCE OPPORTUNITIES INCREASE EXPONENTIALLY Bauer knows HPU is a real-life example of having the courage to turn big dreams into reality.
The school’s list of experiential learning opportunities is long. It includes research projects funded by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health; the HPU Mobile Lab, which students and faculty take into the community to foster science education; a Science Advantage Camp for minority and underrepresented students; and a partnership with the future Nido and Mariana Qubein Children’s Museum that will allow HPU students to create engaging science activities for children. At the core of the curriculum and mission for these academic schools are student experiences and student outcomes. From gaining acceptance to medical, dental and veterinary schools, to other high-level graduate programs, Bauer has seen graduates achieve success. “We have many opportunities to engage in what we are passionate about and what first lit our fire in the field of science,” says Bauer. “We have different labs, classrooms and faculty offices interwoven throughout this facility because that’s how science is conducted. It’s important for our students and faculty to discuss their work and learn from one another.”
She joined the university in 2013 as chair of the Department of Biology because she appreciated HPU’s commitment to high-impact educational experiences. She was named founding dean of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences in 2019. Now, she’s leading science faculty and students inside a new, 128,000-square-foot facility. “We are on the precipice of great transformation within the undergraduate sciences,” says Bauer. “The innovative, holistic classroom approaches that have always been a hallmark of the HPU education now take place in one of the most unique, state-of-the-art undergraduate science facilities.” The Wanek School of Natural Sciences is home to HPU’s biology, chemistry, physics, neuroscience and biochemistry programs — all of which have experienced an influx of students. The facility’s four stories gleam with new instrumentation, lab space and faculty offices with inviting glass windows.
Dr. Angela Bauer, founding dean of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences, leads faculty and students in a new, 128,000-square-foot facility.
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NSF-FUNDED RESEARCH
BUILDING FUTURE ENGINEERS
Below is a glimpse of projects the National Science Foundation has funded in the sciences at HPU:
Oudshoorn joined HPU in 2018 and has three decades of experience. Since 2004, he’s been a member of ABET, the non-governmental organization that accredits college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology.
• Dr. Brad Barlow, assistant professor of astrophysics, received nearly $350,000 to investigate the effects that small objects like planets might have on the future evolution of stars similar to the sun. Several students assist Barlow with the research. • Dr. Pamela Lundin, assistant professor of chemistry, received an instrumentation grant for nearly $300,000 to purchase an NMR spectroscopy. Her students use the high-level instrument to observe a specific element’s nuclei and the overall structure of molecules. • Dr. Andrew Wommack, assistant professor of chemistry, received a $172,000 grant, which supports nine HPU students as they investigate biochemical signaling related to how peptides and proteins use disulfide bonds.
“During an ABET conference I recently attended, they emphasized the importance of communication and collaboration skills,” said Oudshoorn. “HPU engineering students benefit from HPU’s focus on life skills.” Thanks to Oudshoorn’s experience, he knows the Webb School of Engineering has competitive advantages that students won’t find elsewhere. “At a large research university, first-year engineering classes are incredibly large and instructed by teaching assistants,” says Oudshoorn. “At HPU, however, engineering majors benefit from small class sizes and faculty mentors.” Students also learn in the completely renovated Couch Hall, updated with the latest technology. And there’s Wozniak — HPU’s Innovator in Residence and the genius behind the Apple computer who worked alongside Steve Jobs. “He’s a good example of someone who understands that whatever your discipline is, you don’t accomplish things alone,” says Oudshoorn. “It’s a team effort that uses people with very complimentary skill sets to make it happen.”
• Wommack is also part of a $418,000 NSF-funded project in collaboration with professors at UNC-Chapel Hill and Mississippi State University. The project focuses on how plants react to internal and external stressors to maintain and adapt their physiology on a cellular and biochemical level. • Dr. Niky Hughes, assistant professor of biology, received $205,000 to examine the effects of cloud immersion, sunlight and temperature on the physiology and productivity of high altitude conifer species, in order to model tree-line migration and seedling survivorship in the context of global climate change. Hughes’ research project was completed with the help of HPU students. Using HPU’s Mobile Lab, students foster an appreciation for the sciences throughout the community.
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Oudshoorn arrived at HPU after the university received a major gift from Mark and Jerri Webb, successful business owners and strong HPU advocates, to establish the school. Many more milestones have since been achieved. The school strengthened HPU’s existing computer science degree by adding a concentration in cybersecurity — a field that Oudshoorn says is “off the charts in terms of demand.” In March, HPU received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to begin implementing degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering.
This fall, HPU welcomed the first cohort of engineering majors who can choose between those two degree paths. Through the Webb School of Engineering, HPU students will benefit from HPU’s focus on life skills and graduate into a job market that is in need of them. “Our graduates will have the ability to work in fields that are experiencing up to a 28% increase in demand in the coming years,” says Oudshoorn. “Their work will be fulfilling, and their salary will be great. They will have endless upward mobility.” ▲
Dr. Michael Oudshoorn (center), founding dean of the Webb School of Engineering, and faculty help students develop the competitive edge needed to succeed in the marketplace.
The Webb School of Engineering is named in honor of 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 student at HPU. The school offers the following majors: • Computer science with an optional concentration in cybersecurity • Computer engineering • Electrical engineering • First-year curriculum with flexible migration for new students as they decide on the best path
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ACC E S S TO INNOVATORS
HPU is the only university where students learn from a “Justice League” of global entrepreneurs, leaders and change agents. 36
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Netflix Co-Founder and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, Marc Randolph, answers questions from a student panel in front of an audience during one of his returning visits to campus.
In the middle of Congdon Hall, Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak test-drives a golf cart that HPU students are transforming into a self-driving vehicle.
And Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph takes selfies with students after critiquing their business plans inside the Belk Center for Entrepreneurship.
ABC News’ “Nightline” anchor Byron Pitts leans against the HPU television studio desk and waits for his cue from the student behind the camera.
HPU students know what a big deal it is to have access to these innovators so frequently on their campus. Their consistent presence reinforces HPU’s belief in the art of the possible.
When Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall visits High Point University, students fill an auditorium to learn how her career ascended from a vice president at AT&T to being recruited by Mark Cuban.
When students regularly meet and work with global leaders, they discover that they, too, can accomplish much.
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Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence, meets with students and consults as an advisor for some of their projects.
Netfix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, offers feedback to students about their business plans.
The Power of Persistence
When Welter graduated in May with a degree in physics and handed over the leadership to his HPU peers, he knew the overarching lessons he would take away with him.
Michael Welter and his peers know a lot about persistence. For nearly his entire HPU career, he led a student group called “HPUMinds,” and they were mentored by Wozniak through a series of brainstorming sessions and conference calls. Through his guidance, they decided to turn an ordinary golf cart into an autonomous vehicle. The project involved sleepless nights and troubleshooting, but the motivation of providing regular updates to Wozniak kept them going. In the Congdon Hall lobby, a crowd of students, faculty and staff gathered to watch Wozniak test-drive the cart and receive an update on its progress. A few turns later, Welter showed Wozniak the fruition of their work thus far. “We have taken this mechanical vehicle and given it an electric brain,” Welter told Wozniak and the crowd. “When it comes to creating an autonomous vehicle, the transformation from mechanical to electrical is the major leap. An autonomous vehicle has no foot to push the pedal or hands to steer the wheel. Instead, we’ve given it sensors as eyes and an electric brain to help it make decisions.”
“Wozniak helped align my values,” says Welter. “He values education, learning through experience and persisting through challenges. He also taught us to use our experiences to teach and support others in their work.”
Netflix Co-Founder Supports Student Growth When Ryan Gilbert, ’19, first met Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, he was nervous. But it didn’t take long for what Gilbert calls “the veil of intimidation” to lift. Gilbert launched Crate Systems, LLC, a storage solutions company, when he was an HPU student. He met Randolph several times in different locations on campus. “At first, I was hesitant to approach Mr. Randolph,” says Gilbert. “But then I realized he was very approachable and open to providing feedback. After our first conversation, I had some follow-up questions that I asked when he returned to campus.
I’ve gone to several sales meetings with Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph’s advice in mind. – Ryan Gilbert, ’19 Co-Founder of Crate Systems, LLC
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It was great to know that he’d be returning so I could continue our conversation.” One of Gilbert’s big questions to Randolph was this: How did you prepare for the meeting when your team tried to sell Netflix to Blockbuster?
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.
“He told me to always practice and be prepared, but to always expect the unexpected,” says Gilbert. “No sales meeting will ever go exactly as you planned. I’ve gone to several sales meetings with his advice in mind.”
INNOVATOR IN RESIDENCE Steve Wozniak Apple Computer Co-Founder
Relevant to All Majors
ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE Marc Randolph Netflix Co-Founder
While these leaders represent specific industries — technology, business, journalism or others — they provide lessons relevant to students from every corner of campus. Bruna Zucchi, ’19, was a business administration major who attended multiple events featuring Wozniak during her time at HPU. And during each one, she learned something new. Before she graduated in the spring, she met Wozniak on HPU’s campus for the third time, and it was one of the most impactful moments of her HPU experience. “I had already attended two interviews with Mr. Wozniak prior to this one, but as we grow, we begin to absorb more of their wisdom,” says Zucchi, who hails from Brazil. “We listen and we interpret in a more mature way. Wozniak constantly said during his visits to HPU that we should always be aware of what we are passionate about and not forget to go back to our goals and dreams. That is what I try to do every day.” Today, Zucchi is pursuing her master’s degree in business management at the International University of Monaco. “HPU has helped me through every stage of my undergraduate life, from my first moments here until my last. From my faculty mentors, to the abundant study spaces on campus, to the In-Residence program and the feeling of empowerment since day one, it all adds up and shows us a path that we never believed we could pursue.” ▲
SPORTS EXECUTIVE IN RESIDENCE Cynt Marshall CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and former Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T JOURNALIST IN RESIDENCE Byron Pitts Co-Anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline” CORPORATE EDUCATOR IN RESIDENCE Scott McKain Best-Selling Author, Business Consultant and Trainer BROADCASTER IN RESIDENCE Joe Michaels Former Director of the NBC “TODAY” show for 22 years GLOBAL ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Karen Jacobsen The “GPS Girl” and Australian Voice of Siri SPORTS REPORTER IN RESIDENCE Bob Ryan Former Sportswriter for The Boston Globe; known as “the Quintessential American Sportswriter” 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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Communication Students Mentored by Industry Experts HPU’s Nido R. Qubein School of Communication connects students with a network of mentorship needed to excel in the workforce. What do Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks and HPU students have in common?
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The opportunity to work with Cynt Marshall. Marshall is the CEO of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. She is also HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence. Housed within the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication is the sport management major, a program crafted for students who are looking to step away from the sidelines and into the business side of sports.
Five Years, Two Degrees
Cynt Marshall, Dallas Mavericks CEO and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence, is pictured mentoring students during a recent campus visit.
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 five-year time frame. The M.A. program in strategic communication focuses on the persuasion and production skills to develop strategies and messages to implement campaigns.
On a Wednesday in March, Marshall walked into a classroom filled with sport management majors, clapped her hands together and waved her arms. “Well hello there,” she said. “I’m Cynt Marshall. But more importantly, I want to know who you are. Let’s get to it.” On that day, HPU sport management students gained a mentor in Marshall.
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Professors within the school were always pushing me to stretch my abilities and step beyond my comfort zone. – Collin Giuliani, ‘19, Sports Law Student
HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence Marshall was named HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence in early 2019, about a year after taking on her role as the Dallas Mavericks CEO.
AHEAD OF THE GAME Ever-evolving curriculum and professors who are dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends prepare students to meet the needs of tomorrow’s employers. The game and interactive design major is just one example. Earlier this year, game and interactive design majors sponsored the first-ever HPU gaming conference. Students and professors hosted dozens of presenters — some local, some out of state and a few international gaming leaders — for a day-long deep dive into media design and the industry’s changing landscape. The conference allowed students to hear about upcoming industry developments and unique ways to apply their skills, while also offering an opportunity to network with experts giving them an edge beyond graduation. Riley Greer, a recent graduate of the game and interactive design program, found that the School of Communication curriculum and experiential learning opportunities such as the gaming conference helped her earn admittance into the No. 1 graduate program for game design in the nation at Southern Methodist University. “The School of Communication gave me many skills that other gaming design graduates missed out on,” she says. “They helped me to stand out in the application process for graduate school and ultimately gain admittance to my dream program.” 42
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She brings with her experience in navigating complex organizational situations and effectively communicating amongst teams — a few of the life skills that set HPU communication majors apart. During one small-group session, HPU student Aidan Jensen, who’s held internships with ESPN and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, raised his hand. “If I want to be a team owner by the time I’m 50 or 60 years old, where do I start?” he asked. Marshall shook her head and smiled at Jensen. “First things first — take the limits off,” she said. “Why do you have to be 50 or 60? Don’t set limits for yourself. You can do it by the time you’re younger. It happens all the time. I work for a man who’s done it.” With each student she met, Marshall always shared her contact information. Cassandra Diaz had just completed an internship with the NBA when Marshall visited, and the two formed a lasting bond. “When you have someone such as Cynt Marshall and her status in the sports industry come speak with you, you get a clear idea of the skills you need and the things you need to improve on to assess yourself and become a better person in that industry,” says Diaz. “I’m humbled by the opportunity, especially knowing the history of HPU and what its values are,” says Marshall, whose son graduated from HPU. “I’m very familiar with this extraordinary place, and to be a part of it means a lot to me.” Marshall isn’t the only industry expert guiding students inside the School of Communication. There’s also famed Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan, who in the past year joined the university as HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence. For recent HPU graduate Collin Giuliani, the chance to work with Ryan was a game changer.
Meeting a Media Legend Growing up, Giuliani came home from school and turned his family’s television to ESPN at 5 p.m. for “Around the Horn with Bob Ryan.” He idolized Ryan’s work. Just a few weeks ahead of his May graduation, Giuliani, a sport communication major, was presented with the School of Communication’s first-ever Bob Ryan Sports Reporter of the Year award. It was the culmination of his work in and out of the classroom as both a broadcaster for HPU’s Sportslink, a student-run organization that covers HPU athletics, and as a sports writer and editor for HPU’s student newspaper, the Campus Chronicle.
Experiential Learning Opportunities: The Limit Does Not Exist In June of 2018, a team of HPU students saw the need for an entertainment news and lifestyle talk show within the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication. They met, brainstormed, developed an outline, and the show “Point Blank” was born.
Giuliani takes a lot of pride in the award, especially considering its namesake. Today, Giuliani calls Ryan a mentor. He’s worked directly with Ryan during Ryan’s numerous visits to campus. It’s an opportunity he says he never thought he’d have. “I had the pleasure of getting to know Bob Ryan during several occasions at HPU, and both times, it was an amazing experience,” says Giuliani. “The chance to talk sports with him, considering his experience and the number of games that he’s covered, was eye-opening.”
With the encouragement, feedback and support from numerous School of Communication faculty, including former “TODAY” Show Director Joe Michaels, HPU’s Broadcaster in Residence, the show is now filmed every Wednesday inside the School of Communication’s state-of-theart TV studio.
Giuliani chose HPU because of the hands-on experience he knew he’d have inside the School of Communication. Small class sizes and innovative work spaces drew him there. The mentorship he received from professors and industry experts propelled him to where he is now.
Bethany Reeves, a 2019 electronic media production graduate, was a founding anchor for the show. Now, she’s earning her graduate degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Today, Giuliani is pursuing a sport law degree at Arizona State University — a passion he uncovered thanks to his time in the School of Communication. “My HPU experience helped me unlock my passion for writing and being involved in the sports industry,” says Giuliani. “Professors within the school were always pushing me to stretch my abilities and step beyond my comfort zone. Applying the skills I’ve learned to a law degree is my way of doing just that.” ▲
Reeves says that the opportunities in HPU’s School of Communication — including the ability to work with peers and faculty outside of class time to channel her passion into a student-produced TV show — set her graduate school application apart. “Point Blank would not exist if it weren’t for the faculty within the School of Communication,” says Reeves. “We pitched the show to several faculty members and were met with enthusiasm and support. We’ve been offered that same support every step of the way. The faculty trust us to use the studio and control room equipment, allowing us to produce a high-quality show that we’re all proud to talk about in interviews and add to our portfolios.”
Bob Ryan, sportswriter formerly with the Boston Globe, serves as HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence. Ryan is pictured here working with students inside HPU’s state-of-the-art TV studio.
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Defining Design for the World Around Them
School of Art and Design students use their education to set new standards. With eyes focused on the task in front of her, Kate McManus transforms an ordinary newspaper into an extraordinary creation. This piece of paper joins others just like it to convert a regular mannequin into an artistic installment. Why? Because hands-on projects such as these make all the difference to a young designer’s education. For students like McManus, Sophie Lannon, Chris Coscia and Bayleigh Thomas, their visual merchandising project allowed them to experiment with a medium not typically used in the fashion industry. “Unique opportunities like this to construct new things out of ordinary objects is so normal to us, but many other universities don’t have these opportunities,” says McManus, a junior marketing major with a minor in fashion merchandising. But this is nothing new at High Point University. Students in the School of Art and Design begin these projects early in their college careers and experience immense growth at HPU. 44
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Life Skills = Lifelong Learning “I’m only a sophomore, but I can already show future employers I’ve accomplished things like this in a short period of time,” says Coscia, a fashion marketing major. Hands-on projects are one of many ways School of Art and Design students learn the value of life skills. “We encourage our students to be part of professional organizations,” says Dr. Jane Nichols, chair of the Department of Home Furnishings and Interior Design at HPU. “Networking, shaking a hand, thanking people, introducing yourself or collaborating — life skills to us equals lifelong learning. Things constantly change, and having a growth mindset allows our students to learn the skill of adaptation.” HPU students are surrounded by experiential learning opportunities inside and outside of campus to make connections and find mentors. It’s all part of the process at HPU. “From service learning courses that challenge students to document the significance of the home furnishings industry
Because of HPU, I had double the professional working experience for someone my age. Working at High Point Furniture Market also gave me valuable experience for my career in visual merchandising.
Successful Outcomes HPU graduates commence many prestigious career and graduate school paths. While their success is too expansive to list here, below is a sampling of where HPU’s School or Art and Design graduates are now.
– Meredith Matsakis, ‘17, Corporate Visual Merchandiser at Diane von Furstenberg
Maddie Travell Class of 2018 Visual Merchandiser Nordstrom
Far left: From left to right, Sophie Lannon, Chris Coscia and Kate McManus turn newspapers into fashion. This visual merchandising project required students to use only paper to create eye-catching pieces. in the city of High Point, to bringing real-life clients like West End Ministries into the classroom, we introduce students to experiences that show how they can be a change-agent in whatever path they choose after graduation,” says Dr. John Turpin, dean of the School of Art and Design. “At our core, the School of Art and Design believes that artists and designers can facilitate social and cultural change at local and global levels.”
Graduates Guiding their Dreams Molly Livingston lives for volleyball. She’ll pull her red hair back into a long ponytail or weave it into two braids and lose herself in a game she’s grown to love. She stands 6-feet-2, played middle hitter for HPU and was good. She started volleyball in seventh grade in her hometown of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and since then, she’s earned her share of recognition. She graduated in May with a degree in graphic design and a minor in marketing, and afterward she headed overseas. She signed with an agent, and she’s playing professional volleyball in Europe.
If that isn’t enough, she’s also running her own apparel company, Coast Easy, and her own graphic design brand, Miss Molly Graphics. “It’s three different dreams working together,” says Livingston, referring to volleyball, graphic design and Coast Easy. “I can take all of these with me.” It’s not uncommon for graduates like Livingston to begin their careers before they even leave campus. At HPU, Livingston learned how to run her own company, and she started her own design brand. Now, she knows she can take an idea and make it happen. Livingston discovered the potential for her graphic design career at HPU, and she knew that the faculty and staff would always be there to help her.
Nick Bellamy Class of 2017 Associate Buyer Pottery Barn
Meredith Matsakis Class of 2017 Corporate Visual Merchandiser Diane von Furstenberg
Carley Downs Class of 2019 Clemson Master’s in Architecture Program
“It’s a great feeling to have someone behind you at a great university to help support your dreams,” she says. “That’s pretty special, and High Point University has the ability to make people feel special.”
Brianna Scordato Class of 2019 Interior Design Assistant Libby Langdon
With the knowledge, connections and values in hand, Livingston and other HPU students enter the world equipped to make their dreams a reality. ▲
Karen Wang Class of 2019 Pratt Institute Master’s in Interior Design Program
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LIFE SKILLS The Phillips School of Business provides students with a path and resources to achieve their professional goals. Business majors at High Point University have big plans. They take advantage of competitions and clubs, seek advice from professors and local mentors and use their own savvy ingenuity to gain internships, start careers right out of college and even secure a patent for a product they create. They take to heart the lessons they learned both in and out of class. They visit companies, listen to speakers, go to career fairs and write thank-you notes to their professors because they know the guidance they received helped them achieve their dreams. Consider these four. Lexy Rahim found a career. Scott Weigel and Timin Sonik found direction. Caitie Gehlhausen found validation and support for what she first sketched out in her blue notebook of ideas. All through HPU’s Phillips School of Business.
A Place of Mentors It was a Wednesday in April when Gehlhausen won $10,000. She earned first place in HPU’s Business Plan Competition. She presented what she calls Socket Lock-It — a product she created that helps customers hold their smart phone better and keep credit or business cards from falling out. She came up with the idea nearly two years ago. Since then, she has secured a patent, found a manufacturer and sought advice from her professors, friends, parents and Marc Randolph, the Netflix co-founder and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence. Left: Pictured center is Professor Larry Quinn, chair of the Department of Sales and Marketing, mentoring students in one of three professional sales labs where HPU students can practice in settings that mimic real-world environments.
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At HPU, you have networking opportunities at your fingertips. – Caitie Gehlhausen, Junior and Creator of Socket Lock-It
She now has the money she needs to advertise online and attend trade shows and conventions. Randolph and business professors Kathy Elliott and Troy Knauss helped make that happen. “HPU will go that extra mile if you’re willing to put in the work,” Gehlhausen says. “Think of the connections you can make. You have networking opportunities at your fingertips.” Elliott, director of HPU’s Belk Center for Entrepreneurship, loves to hear that. In her office, across a wall behind her desk are these three words: Do something amazing. Gehlhausen did. She is now a junior and an entrepreneurship major from Indianapolis, Indiana. “That’s the goal of our campus — to help students with real life,” says Elliott. “Troy and I get such energy from that. It reminds you why you’re doing this.”
Hard Work Pays Off
Rahim took with her one suitcase, two professional outfits and this advice from Moser: “You have to know yourself if you want to sell yourself.” In May, Rahim graduated with a degree in marketing and a minor in sales. Before she walked across the stage, she had a job: a merchandise analyst trainee for Kohl’s. She’s now in her dream career, fashion merchandising, and living in Milwaukee. Weigel, a junior finance major from Middletown, New Jersey, just got back from Milwaukee. This summer, he worked as an intern with GE Healthcare in its Commercial Leadership Program. It’s a coveted internship, and Weigel worked hard to get it. He talked to GE representatives at university career fairs held on campus and HPU students who interned at GE. He also asked Quinn and Moser for advice and built relationships with GE employees, including HPU alumni who work there.
Larry Quinn keeps thank-you notes he receives from students in his office-desk drawer. When he reads them, he often tears up. “I get great peace from seeing them rise up and get better,” Quinn says of students. “And I raise my eyes up to heaven and say, ‘Thank you.’ It’s a gift from God to be in this position.” Quinn is HPU’s Sales Professional in Residence and the chair of its Department of Sales and Marketing. He, along with business professor Randy Moser, advise the Professional Selling Club. So, scores of students know Quinn and Moser. Students like Weigel and Rahim. In the summer of 2018, Rahim interned with Tanger Outlets in New York City. In February, Kohl’s was so impressed with her video interview the department store chain flew her to Milwaukee for a day of interviews. 48
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Lexy Rahim, ‘19 Kohl’s, Merchandise Analyst Trainee
Scott Weigel, ‘21 GE Healthcare, CLP Intern
This year, Weigel is the president of the Professional Selling Club. And he feels free. Last November, he left HPU’s soccer team and a sport he played since he was 5 years old because he wanted to focus on a career he never knew existed. “The best part for me is outside the classroom,” Weigel says. “You get to sit down with CEOs five and six at a time here on campus, pick their brains on how they got to where they are and gain perspectives from people like Quinn and Moser. “For that, I couldn’t be more grateful.”
The Thrill of Discovery Sonik is grateful, too. He found focus at HPU with the help of the seven-page mentor list the business school created last year.
Sonik looked at the list and sent out at least 50 emails. He got 35 responses. He called them all and visited at least 10 of them, driving nearly two hours to talk. Those visits lasted anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.
Timin Sonik
Sonik made connections. He also gained perspective. “HPU will make students successful if we’re willing to listen and take advantage of the opportunities the university provides,” says Sonik, a junior entrepreneurship major from nearby Winston-Salem. “It’ll set you up for the future.” Dr. Jim Wehrley, the dean of the Phillips School of Business, understands. “It’s the little things,” he says, “that build confidence.” ▲
A Parent’s Perspective: ‘She Has Grown So Much’ Carl and Carrie Gehlhausen didn’t say a word. They were too nervous. They watched on their laptop how their daughter, Caitie, delivered her business plan in front of four judges at High Point University. They sat at their kitchen table in Cicero, Indiana, tuning in to the livestream broadcast. They were awestruck by their daughter’s poise. “She nailed it,” Carrie told her husband after Caitie’s six-minute presentation. “Whether she won or not, she did great.” Caitie did. And she won. In April, she received $10,000 in HPU’s Annual Business Plan Competition to help her market Socket Lock-It, the product she created for smart phones. “We tell her all the time that she wouldn’t get the support and personal attention she does from HPU at other universities,” Carrie says.
Caitie Gehlhausen, a junior and inventor of Socket Lock-It, won $10,000 during HPU’s Annual Business Plan Competition. The competition is supported by BB&T. HPU’s professors helped guide her. Her parents did, too. Carrie left a fundraising company where she had worked for 33 years to help Caitie run her business, while Carl helps Caitie with the legal side of things. Like HPU, her parents have faith in Socket Lock-It — and Caitie. “What she has learned creating this product is priceless,” Carrie says. “She has grown so much.”
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MINDSET
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL High Point University’s student entrepreneurs know where to channel their energy and find support. Inside the Belk Entrepreneurship Center, students craft sound business plans, pitch to investors for startup funding, brainstorm with business owners and connect with their peers.
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving at HPU. Through Annual Business Plan and Elevator Pitch Competitions, experiential learning opportunities and a campus that embraces innovation, HPU students are equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. On the following pages, discover a snapshot of business ventures led by HPU students and graduates.
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Michael Mayolo • Face2Face Business Plan Competition Finalist, 2019 Face2Face is a facial recognition platform that aids Alzheimer’s patients in remembering names and maintaining relationships. By utilizing existing facial recognition technology, Face2Face places a small camera (like the ones in iPhones) into the frames of normal prescription or non-prescription glasses. When a face is recognized, Bluetooth software pairs that camera with a speaker on the temples of the glasses, reminding the Alzheimer’s patient who they are interacting with. That information will be pulled from a database stored within the app.
Ivana Korankyi • Leopard Electric Business Plan Competition Finalist, 2019 Korankyi, a pre-pharmacy major, created Leopard Electric to be a portable power station with a sleek, attractive design that is cylindrical with AC outlets on one side. Leopard Electric is not just emergency power; it is a solution for locations where there is limited power and a need to eliminate electrical cords. Leopard Electric will most likely appeal to medical facilities, nursing homes, computer labs, office spaces and living spaces. With this product, the user could place lamps, televisions and other appliances anywhere in a room without the hazard of a cord running across the floor.
Jenna Fortier • We Are PASTA HPU’s Elevator Pitch Competition Finalist, 2018 Fortier, a junior, founded We are PASTA (Peers and Students Taking Action), a nonprofit, student-run organization focused on kids helping kids in their communities. Through mentorship, advice and resource development programs, the organization provides a variety of services that include tutoring for third through sixth graders, support for families in crisis and leadership development for youth. Fortier’s organization has 25 active chapters in Virginia, and she is working to establish additional chapters in communities across the country.
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Jordan Hatfield • Ragamuffin Co. After graduating from HPU in 2017, Jordan Hatfield not only began graduate school to pursue her master’s degree in occupational therapy, but she and her husband, Jacob, launched their own clothing company, Ragamuffin Co. Their company was started in Hickory, North Carolina, and is now run out of Boise, Idaho, where the couple moved earlier this year. Their goal is “to encourage you to get outside, experience the world and connect with the Creator of it all.” When customers select an item of clothing for purchase, they can also select a cause to support, including Trees for the Future, Samaritans Purse, Water for Good, or socks for children in Nairobi, Kenya.
Haley Bossart • On Point Magazine As a freshman interested in the world of art, design and publishing, Bossart gathered a team of students to create and launch On Point Magazine, a lifestyle magazine filled with inspiration, style and student voices. By overseeing a team of writers, designers, photographers and local businesses who advertise throughout the publication, Bossart has grown her business model to support the creation, printing and distribution of fall and spring editions. The publication is now in its fourth year of operation on campus. As Bossart prepares to graduate in the spring, she looks forward to maintaining the On Point staff at HPU while taking the publication to other college campuses as well.
Jared Brumm • Easy Reach Crutch HPU’s Elevator Pitch Competition, Third Place, 2018 Easy Reach Crutch is a novel design for forearm crutches with added mobility, convenience and safety. After using crutches for more than a year, Brumm grew tired of the lack of mobility with his hands and arms to carry out daily tasks. His design allows crutch users to seamlessly move their arms while the crutches stay attached to them and upright by their side without the risk of falling. Brumm plans to sell the devices to medical distributors and department stores, as well as online retailers in order to improve the daily lives of the people who use walking aids.
Brandon Holder • Water the World HPU’s Business Plan Competition, First Place, 2016 HPU’s Elevator Pitch Competition, First Place, 2015 On his back porch in Clayton, North Carolina, Holder invented a portable water filter that distributes water at 5.5 gallons per minute. A filtration attachment reduces viruses, bacteria, cysts and protozoa by 99.99 percent, making virtually any water clean. It’s self-sustainable, has a life span of more than a decade and uses gravity to filter water. Since earning his business administration and MBA degrees from HPU, Holder has worked full time in the logistics industry in Charlotte while securing funds from investors and sharing Water the World with those in need.
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Mackenzie Bonvallet • Ohana Lock HPU Business Plan Competition, Third Place, 2019 Bonvallet created Ohana Lock to solve the problem that arises for those using watersport equipment. Ohana is a patent-pending lock that secures paddles to kayaks and stand-up paddle boards while in use or while in transit. Ohana Lock makes it easy to transport and secure paddles on vehicles, wearable equipment and watersports gear. Once the lock is fully developed, the functionality of the locking device will have a number of extended uses for the transportation of other products.
Dylan Silber and Anthony Capece • Ace Footwear HPU’s Business Plan Competition, Second Place, 2019 Ace Footwear is a patent-pending shoe design that allows the user to attach and detach into different soles specifically designed for different activities with a simple click. The shoe’s design includes being waterproof, lightweight and ultradurable, making it ready for any occasion.
Allie Bollman • Eat Safe: The Food Allergy Test Strip HPU’s Elevator Pitch Competition, First Place, 2018 The Eat Safe strip tests for proteins found in one’s specific allergen. Bollman’s product will be available for the eight most common allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. This will allow allergy sufferers to test their food when eating out to prevent an allergic reaction sometimes caused by cross-contamination.
Michael Beale and Conley Brown • LUCA Clothing Co. Beale, the founder, and Brown, the designer, are both HPU students who transformed their idea into a startup in just six months. LUCA Clothing Co. is a carbon negative clothing brand that reforests endangered animals’ habitats. By reinvesting 15% of profits into conservation and reforestation efforts, the company’s goal is not only to be carbon neutral (having no carbon footprint), but carbon negative by reducing more carbon through conservation efforts than the company creates during manufacturing and shipping. Their products, which can be purchased online at www.lucaclothingco.com, include beanies and T-shirts that feature animals such as a koala or elephant on the pockets. Beale says the “Hidden Pocket Tees” represent the fact that if mankind is not careful, these species could be hidden forever.
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David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences:
A PLACE OF DISCOVERY, WHERE CONFIDENCE GROWS In the David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences, students dream big. They become Army officers and earn Fulbrights. They teach in places they never knew existed and see professors as advocates who mentor them at every step. Students become more confident — they feel it, they say — and through 19 majors and 26 minors available within the school, they gain the skills they need in a rapidly changing world. Like Aaron Jefferson and Kendal Karstens, two 2019 graduates. Look at where they are now. 54
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The Importance of Mentorship Karstens lives halfway around the world. She’ll teach English for a year to students in Belarus, a country sandwiched between Russia and Poland, in a city a little larger than High Point. She received the opportunity because of a grant from the Fulbright Program, the acclaimed educational exchange program that connects the United States with the world. When she got it, she cried. Her professors, Drs. John Graeber and Mark Setzler, gave her the courage to apply. She’s glad she did. “It gives you more confidence,” Karstens says, “when someone you respect tells you, ‘You got this.’”
From performance to political science, students in the David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences are exposed to a vast array of opportunities for life skills and professional development.
Jefferson lives in southwest Oklahoma. He’s stationed in Fort Sill for basic artillery training. Like his father and grandfather, Jefferson will make the Army his career. His grandfather spent 31 years in the army; his dad, a lieutenant colonel, is in his 23rd year. HPU, he says, helped prepare him to continue his family’s legacy. “HPU partnered with my parents to raise and nurture me,” Jefferson says. “They provide people who care. It’s not just their job. It’s who they are.”
‘Ready From Day One’ Both Karstens and Jefferson came to High Point University as Presidential Scholars, and they came because of the university’s stance as a “God, family and country school.” They joined Army ROTC, and last spring, they were named as outstanding students in their major — Jefferson in political science; Karstens in international relations. On a Thursday in May, two days before graduation, Karstens and Jefferson sat beside one another in the Cottrell Amphitheater preparing to be commissioned
as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. After Belarus, Karstens will be stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Their fathers did the honors, and their family sat in front. A few rows back, their professors felt as proud as any parent because of what they saw. “We’re graduating them ready from day one,” Setzler says. “That doesn’t happen by accident.”
The Rewards of Intellectual Rigor In the College of Arts and Sciences, students can explore everything — from medical ethics and data analytics to clinical psychology, Tudor history, and women’s role in Methodism. As they do, they look within and discover much. They’re curious and reflective, becoming better communicators, collaborators and critical thinkers. They are, in the words of Dr. Carole Stoneking, the college’s dean, “fully human.” “Students begin asking not how something works, but why it is, and ask, ‘How does it fulfill our humanity?’” Stoneking says. “That is the power of the liberal arts.” ▲
A Faculty Perspective: The Power of Engaged Students Dr. Kirstin Squint is a game master. Her students love it. In her class last year, they became Cherokee leaders, state politicians and President Andrew Jackson. They wrote, debated, negotiated, researched and they wrote some more about the 19th century struggle of Cherokees wanting to stay on their land. Soon, Squint’s students began to understand the why behind the what. “I’ll be sitting in class, and I’ll get chills over things students have said,” she says. “To see students that engaged is really powerful.” Squint received one of HPU’s Think BIG! Grants and has educated other HPU professors on how they can become game masters in their classrooms and create role-playing simulations around historical events. Those professors come from almost every corner of campus — from history and math to economics, English, theater, religion and business management. Their keen interest is understandable. Research has shown the immersive intellectual experience known as “Reacting to the Past” has helped college students nationwide become better leaders who see empathy, teamwork and critical thinking as crucial life skills. All from historical role play. “Put play in the classroom and the learning changes,” says Squint, an associate professor of English. “They have a reason to care.”
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The Tools Teachers Need The Stout School of Education prepares alumni to educate children from a global perspective. 56
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Two Degrees, Five Years The Stout School of Education offers numerous bachelor’s to master’s programs for students looking to earn a second degree within a span of five years. Programs include a master’s in educational leadership, elementary education and special education.
When they arrived in Kuwait in late April, they alumni leading an international classroom.
They also saw how the school could be a valuable pipeline for HPU students. Education majors could do their student teaching in Kuwait, and that opportunity would prepare them to be effective teachers in their own classroom someday.
But the big deal?
And that classroom might even be in Kuwait.
Drs. Shirley Disseler, Amy Holcombe and Heidi
That is the future of education, these three professors say. It’s the need for America’s next generation of teachers to expand their view of the world and challenge their own assumptions about education to prepare children for a global economy.
rode a camel. They also saw one of their own
Summey found potential. Inside the American United School of Kuwait, the three HPU education professors visited classrooms, talked to students and teachers and saw firsthand how HPU could help the K-12 school with technology, leadership and curriculum.
That is what HPU’s Stout School of Education is all about. The trip to Kuwait is one example. Another exists just steps from the education building.
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Mock Interviews, Real Experience Each year, the Stout School of Education welcomes local principals for a day-long “Principal Panel” that prepares senior education majors for job interviews. Students ask questions and collect valuable information on what principals look for in new hires. Then, principals conduct one-on-one mock interviews with HPU seniors, giving them tailored feedback and advice. The experience equips education majors with interview skills for future teaching positions.
HPU’s Art of the Possible It was late April when Dr. Anne Leak, an assistant professor of education, opened the back door of the Stout School of Education. She walked onto an expanse of grass and pointed out what looked like the boundaries of a big map. This fall, those lines became the boundaries of four big gardens. “This will be important space,’’ Leak says. The gardens will grow vegetables that help HPU’s education majors learn fun ways to teach math and science. But that’s not all. A few steps away is a new maker space where education majors use all kinds of tools to create lesson plans that stoke curiosity through experiments involving STEM, the educational acronym of science, technology, engineering and math.
In doing so, they learn how to help their future students overcome their fear of certain concepts. When understanding comes, Leak says, students will become more comfortable with biology, chemistry or physics. That will happen with HPU’s future teachers, too. “I want our students to see what is possible,” she says. They do.
Changing Children’s Lives Meet Henley Guffey. In May, she received her master’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in STEM and secured a teaching position at Wolf Meadow Elementary School in Concord, North Carolina. The year before, she received her undergraduate degree in elementary education. She stayed at HPU because of the one-year master’s program and her discovery of a “whole new world.” She never really thought about teaching science or math. But in her sophomore year, Guffey took a class with Disseler and saw how Legos can help students learn in a different way. She saw it first-hand while student teaching her senior year. That’s how she met a third-grader named Tyreese. Tyreese had a speech impediment, and he didn’t like speaking in class. But Lego blocks helped him with math, science, social studies and reading, and gave him confidence he never thought he had.
Pictured center is Dr. Shirley Disseler, associate professor in the Stout School of Education, at the American United School of Kuwait, where a new partnership provides education majors with international learning opportunities. 58
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Tyreese changed. His shoulders were no longer hunched with his eyes cast downward. His shoulders were back, his eyes were alert, and he raised his hand frequently and asked, “Ms. Guffey, can I share?”
“I feel like Wonder Woman,” says Guffey about her ability to spark change in the classroom. “I have such a massive tool belt going into any school thanks to HPU.”
The Power of Potential HPU’s partnership in Kuwait is a three-year contract, providing at least eight HPU education majors the opportunity to teach for a semester. Meanwhile, school administrators from Kuwait are planning to visit HPU to talk about opportunities.
FULL STEM AHEAD
Those opportunities, the three education professors say, are endless. And those opportunities came about because an educator in Kuwait read a textbook Disseler wrote.
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’s partnership could help recruit new students from Kuwait, create other partnerships with schools in other countries, build on HPU’s international reputation and give the university’s own students a reliable channel to go abroad and teach.
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.
Katie McCabe, ’14, did just that.
LEGO Education is instilled in HPU students through various annual events:
She is a first-grade teacher at the American United School of Kuwait, and like Guffey, she is one of Disseler’s former students. Disseler, Holcombe and Summey caught up with McCabe on their visit. Ask Holcombe and Summey about the reunion, and they talk about potential. Ask Disseler about the reunion, and she tears up.
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.
“It’s an emotional thing for me,” she says. “Our HPU students are going out there trying to change the world, and we at HPU had a small part in that.”▲
International Teacher’s Perspective: Katie McCabe
STEM CAMP is an opportunity for fifth-year bachelor’s to master’s students to create lessons and carry out a practicum experience for over 120 students ages 8-11.
In 2014, after graduating from HPU with a degree in elementary education, Katie McCabe knew what to do — stay an extra year to get a master’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Little did she know that her two degrees would become her passport. McCabe is now far from her home in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She lives in Kuwait, travels and teaches first-graders from seven different countries at the American United School of Kuwait. Children everywhere need the same thing — nurturing and guidance. McCabe learned that first at HPU, a place that gave her the skills, confidence and support to go after a dream: Teach on the other side of the world. Her professors helped make that happen.
LEGO SHOWCASES invite more than 16,000 children and parents to campus annually and offer HPU undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to work with participants in the area of STEM.
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.
Pictured center is Katie McCabe, an HPU graduate who now teaches at the American United School of Kuwait, along with a few of her students.
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Cleats and Feet How HPU Research Changes the Way We Walk and Play Faculty and students in HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences are conducting research to improve the lives of athletes, the elderly and everyone in between.
High school athletes from the community wore two different specially designed cleats for the study. Now, Ford and his students are analyzing why one cleat worked better than the other for certain athletes.
Their work is made possible by stellar faculty and state-of-the-art facilities such as the Human Biomechanics and Physiology Lab, as well as the Virtual Reality and Clinical Gait Analysis Lab.
“We found the best cleat design tends to differ based on the position an athlete plays,” says Ford. “A player that is typically a lineman favors one style of shoe, while a quarterback or running back prefers a lighter shoe.”
Drs. Kevin Ford, Yum Nguyen and Jeff Taylor have worked with Adidas for three years to help design the next innovative pair of football cleats to prevent injuries on the field.
Becoming an International Scholar
“We looked at how the athletes performed biomechanically in the lab while wearing two different types of cleats,” says Ford, professor of physical therapy. “They wore one cleat while jumping, landing and doing other football-related movements while the motion analysis system and force platforms measured how they performed.” 60
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Tommy Hockenjos, a first-year physical therapy student, participated in Ford’s research for two years through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, which pairs students with faculty over the summer to conduct intensive research. “I was involved in a diverse part of the study,” says Hockenjos. “The first year, I did a lot of the biomechanics cleat analysis on
This is why I came to HPU. Presenting my research at an international conference has been incredible. – Tommy Hockenjos, First-Year Physical Therapy Student
the turf. The second year, I was doing body compositions with DXA scans, so I was looking at bone mineral density, muscle mass and body fat.” Hockenjos presented his findings at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting where industry leaders from across the globe gather. “This is why I came to HPU,” says Hockenjos. “Presenting my research at an international conference has been incredible.”
VR Treadmill Helps the Elderly Through their virtual reality research program, Drs. Lisa Zukowski and Renee Hamel want to help the elderly stay more mobile and avoid falling. “We know that cognitive, sensory and physical changes with normal aging are associated with an increased risk of falling. However, traditional fall prevention programs for the elderly are primarily focused on just the physical aspects of walking and balance to prevent falls,” says Hamel. That’s where the Virtual Reality and Clinical Gait Analysis Lab comes in. Research participants use their virtual reality treadmill to simulate activities these individuals may encounter in daily life, such as walking around obstacles or talking while walking. Wireless eye-tracking glasses also allow these researchers to record what participants are visually attending to while they perform a task.
“Research has shown that exercise training in older adults can improve both mobility and cognition,” says Zukowski. “We believe that the visual interaction component of virtual reality exercise training used in our study could stimulate the parts of the brain that we rely on during walking in everyday life. This could result in even greater improvements in safely carrying out daily activities while walking.”
From Wheelchair to Walking Andrea Douden, a second-year physical therapy student, is assisting Zukowski and Hamel with the research. And she’s also taking her passion of helping people with neurological conditions to the community. Every Friday afternoon, first and second-year physical therapy students treat patients that are referred to HPU’s Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic in a free “neuro clinic” led by Hamel. One of those patients is Felix Bautista from Salisbury, North Carolina. He was referred to the clinic from his doctor after suffering a significant stroke two years ago, which forced him to use a wheelchair. Today, he’s beginning to walk and lose the need for his wheels. “Look at me — I’m able to walk and drive better because of everyone here,” says Bautista about HPU faculty and students in the lab. “These students are like brothers and sisters to me, and Dr. Hamel has been awesome. It’s been a blessing, and God put me here for a reason.” ▲
COMMUNITY CONNECTORS PA educators Toni Jackson and Julienne Connor take their physician assistant students to local high schools to provide free vision screenings to students. HPU students receive real-world experience, and the high school students receive free care.
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Grant-Worthy Research in HPU’s Pharmacy Labs What do antibiotic resistant bacteria, opioid addiction and jaundice have in common? These health care challenges are all being researched inside High Point University’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. Dr. Comfort Boateng is developing a drug molecule to treat opioid and cocaine addicts, and Dr. Aurijit Sarkar is battling antibiotic resistant bacteria. Working alongside them are students like Kristen Korankyi (pictured above), a third-year pharmacy student, who’s now writing an academic article on her findings. 62
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It Takes a Growth Mindset to Succeed The foundation for impactful research experiences in the School of Pharmacy begins with faculty who are committed to their students’ success. Sarkar believes having a growth mindset is crucial in science and works to instill that in students. “I help them understand the degree of work and rigor required to produce high quality data,” says Sarkar. “The constant question we must ask ourselves is, ‘How do we improve our work?’ Then they learn to turn that data into information for presentations or manuscripts. This helps them develop critical and transferrable life skills wherever they go.”
Through encouragement and persistence, Sarkar has seen students transform into scholars. “Kristen took on the responsibility of conducting background research on how bacteria use sugars to manifest antibiotic resistance,” says Sarkar. “I like maintaining strong communication with professors because it helps me connect to different research opportunities,” says Korankyi. “I’ve learned how to comfortably communicate with colleagues. All of this has led me to develop a growth mindset.”
Globally Impactful Research with a Personal Touch Savannah Heath, a third-year student, and Sarkar are submitting an article to the European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Heath approached Sarkar for research during her first year. “Dr. Sarkar told me about how his son was born with a mild form of jaundice,” says Heath. “I did a lot of background research and wrote a 32-page review article related to what causes jaundice.” “The hospital drew close to a milliliter of blood from him every day for routine tests,” says Sarkar. “For a newborn baby, that’s a lot of blood, so I was drawn to the problem.” Heath was there to help. She found a problem they could work on. “During jaundice, children have excess bilirubin in their blood, partly because certain gut bacteria break down the excreted form of bilirubin and make it into a more absorbable form, so it goes right back into the blood,” says Sarkar. “We are looking into developing a drug to block the enzyme that is responsible.” Sarkar’s son overcame the condition quickly, but the project could potentially have a lasting global impact.
I’ve learned how to comfortably communicate with colleagues. All of this has led me to have a growth mindset. –Kristen Korankyi, Third-Year Pharmacy Student, pictured left
“Jaundice occurs in around eight to 11% of all newborns and can lead to brain damage,” says Sarkar. “Our research could potentially help millions of children avoid childhood jaundice. Think of all the lives we would be making better.”
Drug Discovery and Design On the next floor up from Sarkar’s lab, Boateng is hard at work developing a drug molecule to treat opioid addiction thanks to funding from the American Chemical Society Project SEED. “Everything that we are doing in our research lab is to treat addictive patients by developing new drug molecules,” says Boateng. Rebekah Placide, a third-year student, and Sonvia BrownKing, a fourth-year student, work with Boateng in the lab. At conferences, they’ve presented their findings regarding the effects of dopamine receptors on cocaine-use disorders, and they’ve both won awards for their work. “I have an interest in mental health and substance use disorders,” says Placide. “Once I saw that was Dr. Boateng’s background, I had to get involved. At HPU, the classes are small, so having personal experiences with professors has helped me develop public speaking and scientific writing skills.”▲
Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy Hosts Inaugural Pinning Ceremony More than 50 third-year pharmacy students in the Class of 2020 took part in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy’s Inaugural Pinning Ceremony. Each student received a pin to symbolize the transition from being primarily a didactic learner to being fully immersed in experiential education.
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BREAKING BOUNDARIES: A CLASSROOM BEYOND CAMPUS
HPU students learn the value of cultural diversity through immersive experiences. “When I began my freshman year at HPU, there were multiple challenges that I faced because I was simply unfamiliar with the environment. And during my first week in Korea, I felt as though I was dealing with some of those first-year experiences all over again. I believe that overcoming those obstacles and adapting to living The Office of Global Education in a foreign country has helped offers 79 study abroad me become more independent, outgoing and confident.” programs, 62 of which are
Picture eating traditional Korean street food in the bustling downtown of Seoul, South Korea; admiring centuries-old architecture in the city of Madrid, Spain; or taking a deep breath and looking out over the sun-dappled horizon of Florence, Italy. High Point University students do all that and more through the immersive opportunities they experience while studying abroad. Students like Jesse Ingham, Tyler Murray and Haley Bossart have been immersed in these experiences. Ingham, a junior business administration major, spent the last semester at Korea University gaining a deeper knowledge of international marketing and communication.
semester exchange or affiliate partnerships and 17 are faculty-led Global Experience Maymester programs.
“This experience has challenged me in many ways, but the most important thing I have learned is to be more confident,” says Ingham, who hails from Carthage, North Carolina. 64
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Guided by Values Much like Ingham, Murray also found that across cultures there are means of connection that transcend borders.
Murray was able to find meaning behind the pages of a textbook by experiencing first-hand the history and cultures of Spain. Interacting with locals and living with a host family allowed Murray to take his lessons from the classroom and apply them to different situations abroad.
“By choosing to study abroad in Madrid, Spain, at the Comillas Pontifical University, I was not only able to use the values modeled and practiced at HPU, but I was able to strengthen them by witnessing how those values can guide me throughout other parts of the world,” says Murray, a sophomore international relations major from Denver, North Carolina. Values are the basis of all decisionmaking. That’s why High Point University models the values that students can utilize across all walks of life, even internationally. “Relying on my values abroad in different environments and in different ways reinforced what they mean to me and showed me how truly important my values are.”
Flourishing in florence As Haley Bossart applauded runways filled with trend-setting fashion brands at Milan Fashion Week, she reflected on the experiences that had brought her to that moment. “Traveling through different countries requires developing a deeper understanding of culture that surpasses language barriers,” says Bossart, a junior from Naples, Florida. “The ability to learn transportation norms and to be comfortable communicating with new people each day is an invaluable experience.” “During my time abroad, I have also learned the true value of patience,” Bossart adds. “This includes the patience to listen to others when verbal communication is limited, the patience to learn from other fashion professionals and the patience to enjoy the moment. Both critical thinking skills and patience reside in perfect cooperation with what I learned at HPU.” While spending the spring 2019 semester at Lorenzo de’ Medici School
in Florence, Italy, Bossart’s personal initiative has expanded with her knowledge of the fashion industry. “Attending a school like HPU, a place that focuses on innovation, prepared me for Europe in numerous ways,” says Bossart. “HPU President Nido Qubein’s teachings are reinforced across campus. Upon my arrival to Europe, I followed similar innovation techniques. I practiced reflection for my journey ahead; I reminded myself to set goals; and I focused on what is best for me as a young professional and as a student. The values that HPU instilled in me have allowed me to flourish in Florence.”
While studying abroad, Jesse Ingham visited the Jeonju Hanok Village in South Korea and saw traditional houses, calligraphy and sake museums.
Through these opportunities, HPU students develop an appreciation for diversity, global citizenship and the ways to connect with others different from oneself. Study abroad experiences are different for each person, but they all carry similar difficulties that require finesse and adaptation. HPU students begin learning those abilities as soon as they set foot on campus. “We must equip students with the ability to communicate effectively, confidently and compassionately across cultures. We must provide them with real-life opportunities to understand the importance of valuing both diversity and appreciating our collective humanity,” says Dr. Jeff Palis, director of the Office of Global Education. “The Global Education experience helps us work toward those noble educational goals. Our students return to campus from their time abroad with the confidence to navigate the beautiful complexities of the modern, interconnected world, setting them up for success wherever their careers or studies may take them next.”▲
HPU students Sophia Brown (left) and Haley Bossart (right) visited the Milan Cathedral during the height of fashion week.
While in Spain, Tyler Murray studied at Comillas Pontifical University in the bustling city of Madrid. highpoint.edu
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EARLY RISERS Research gives HPU students a head start on their academic and career ascent. 66
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Pictured on the far left is Dr. Joanne Altman, director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, collaborating with students inside Cottrell Hall, HPU’s hub for professional development.
NO WAITING REQUIRED!
At HPU, freshmen are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research. That’s two years sooner than most universities.
It’s not Everest, but any trek through the Himalayas gets the heart pumping. While climbing to 15,000 feet in the Annapurna region of Nepal, exercise science students compared their physiological responses to the local Sherpas. “Our heart rates and oxygen concentrations varied with the change in altitude while theirs remained consistent,” says junior Brooke Smith. “The Sherpa people have lived at high altitude for generations, and their bodies have adapted in order to thrive.” Meanwhile, HPU students have adapted to thrive in their scholarly and creative works because undergraduate research is in the university’s DNA.
Smith noticed that while looking at colleges. She met with professors and got involved in research her first semester on campus. Now, just halfway into her undergraduate education, she’s worked in a worldclass lab on campus, been mentored by faculty experts and had an abstract accepted for presentation at a national conference. The head start makes a difference.
The Career Advantage There is a strong connection between skills developed while conducting research and qualities employers look for in new hires, according to Dr. Joanne Altman, director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works.
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“It’s easy to think about research and career preparation separately, but they require the same life skills,” says Altman. “The critical component is getting an early start. It’s not doing a single project but having four years of growth. “Research teaches students to rise to the professional level of their field. Over time, they develop something unique they can discuss during job interviews. It gives them an edge and makes them far more marketable.”
No Waiting Required Many students start freshman year in HPU’s unique Research Rookies program. They complete a series of trainings in research approaches and techniques to earn the status of Research Apprentice. “It was the perfect way for me to get my foot in the door,” says senior biology major Bella Grifasi, who joined the lab of a pharmacy faculty member. “Without Research Rookies, I wouldn’t have unlocked the opportunity to connect with my research mentor, Dr. Alex Marshall.” Two years in, Grifasi has published twice and delivered several presentations. Her original research assessing the effects of ethanol on the neuroimmune system will distinguish her as a competitive applicant for physician assistant programs.
Sophomores Aleah Hayes and Jack Davis joined through HPU’s Summer Research Institute. “Having done research early prepares me for future internships,” says Hayes, a psychology major. “I’ve attained certification in research ethics and compliance, giving me a great professional launching point.” “Since I likely won’t be doing just one thing for the rest of my life, it’s best to fill my toolkit with an array of skills,” says Davis, a graphic design major. “Research is a credible way to put that on paper.”
Jump Right In Charis Dinger first experienced research as the subject of a study her freshman year. From there, the senior and member of HPU’s track and cross country teams jumped in with both feet. She took a biomechanics class with Dr. Justin Waxman, assistant professor of exercise science, and became a research assistant. Dinger and Waxman are testing a portable force plate system that collects data about athletic performance more efficiently.
“Early research experience definitely served me well in strengthening my adaptability and team-player mindset,” says Grifasi. “Research is something I never want to stop because there will always be questions to be answered.”
All Majors Welcome Research at HPU happens across disciplines and involves students in projects of national and international impact. One of those studies is collaborative research using website data to study political campaigns. Dr. Martin Kifer, chair and associate professor of political science and director of HPU’s Survey Research Center, has worked on this project with Dr. James Druckman of Northwestern University and Dr. Michael Parkin of Oberlin College for almost two decades. More than 100 HPU students have participated in the National Science Foundation-funded project. They’ve reviewed about 3,000 congressional candidate websites and helped analyze the strategies that incumbents and challengers use. The results have been published broadly. “Working on a project of this scale can be important for students no matter where they are in their time at HPU,” says Kifer. “The methods used to quantify and analyze text, photos, video and audio can be applied to many different disciplines.” 68
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The National Science Foundation funded a research project led by Dr. Martin Kifer (left), chair for the Department of Political Science. He and his students have reviewed 3,000 congressional candidate websites to analyze the strategies that incumbents and challengers use.
When an athlete completes a jump test on the plate, the results are captured in an app on a smartphone or tablet. The test could help identify potential injury risk. “It’s helping me develop critical thinking by designing experiments when not a lot has been done in that realm before,” says Dinger. “Also, being exposed to the computer software, literature and background knowledge of human biomechanics will set me apart.”
Professor Justin Waxman (right) works with students in the biomechanics lab using cutting edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities.
“Some students are intimidated, but the key is remembering that professors support your growth,” explains Waxman. “It goes the longest way when a student contacts me and says, ‘I heard about your research and I’m interested.’ Motivation and curiosity start the relationship. HPU undergraduates take on responsibility they wouldn’t otherwise get and rise to the challenge. I’m always impressed by their knowledge and how they carry themselves.” ▲
HPU’S RESEARCH ADVANTAGE Undergraduate research leads HPU alumni to exciting careers. Thomas Boudreaux, Class of 2019 Boudreaux made his first research connection with Dr. Brad Barlow as a senior in high school. This led to discovering pulsating stars and observing their properties, as well as research on using neural networks to process large astronomy data sets. He was the first author on two papers, co-author on a third publication and presented at 13 conferences. He’s now pursuing a doctorate in astrophysics at Dartmouth College.
Katelyn Long, Class of 2015 When Long applied to veterinary school, her research was a big hit. She studied animal cognition on lemurs and gibbons for three years with Dr. Joanne Altman. Having presented at multiple conferences, she had confidence to discuss the findings in her interviews. She’s now an associate veterinarian in Mooresville, North Carolina.
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TINY HOUSES and
Technical Writing: A Unique Learning and Community Service Opportunity By Dr. Erin Trauth, Assistant Professor of English, Public and Professional Writing
Experiential learning and service learning are core components of the High Point University experience. In the spring, one technical writing class in HPU’s public and professional writing minor learned firsthand the gratification of serving a local nonprofit organization. The class, titled “Tiny Houses and Technical Writing,” helped Tiny House Community Development write and revise several professional and technical documents. Over the course of the semester, the class learned about the organization’s mission to help individuals experiencing homelessness with tiny homes that serve as safe and stable home bases while these individuals rebuild their careers and lives. Using several of the documents made or revised by the HPU students, Tiny House Community Development won $12,000 at an annual competitive grant funding event. Students like Jordan Wise, a junior psychology major and public and professional writing minor in the class, saw the impact of their work come to fruition in the real world. 70
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“Initially, I was happy a nonprofit as deserving as Tiny House Community Development won money that I know they will put to good use,” Wise told me. “Then, I felt very honored to have been a part of creating materials that may have assisted them in making their pitch for the grant even stronger.” In the summer, Tiny House Community Development finished its first Greensboro home site, a community of six tiny homes ranging from 180- to 288-square-feet, each with a bedroom, full bathroom, kitchen and living area. Recently, the organization broke ground on its High Point site, a community of 10 homes ranging from 384- to 448-square-feet. Throughout the term, the class worked with the organization’s leaders, held a series of client meetings and traveled to Tiny House Community Development’s new recycling center and local build sites. They even helped assemble walls and framing. During on-campus course meetings, the class applied pillars of technical and professional writing and design to the organization’s current documents, including brochures, digital documents and a construction training program
manual. In addition, the class worked to create several new documents, including new volunteer brochures and a flyer explaining the organization’s 2020 campaign to build at least 20 new tiny homes across the Triad through the year 2020. Scott Jones, executive board chair of the organization, was happy to welcome the class to the organization as partners in collaboration. “We have enjoyed collaborating with students to develop new materials that are already being shared. The $12,000
“In the documents, they got every detail of our nonprofit organization,” Stinson said. “We are so proud to be using their flyers at our events now.” For Wise, who plans to one day become an adolescent psychologist, the collaboration not only helped her to grow her technical writing and design skills, but it also helped her prepare to put her clients’ needs first. “Before collaborating with Tiny House Community Development, I had not previously worked with a real-world client,” she said. “It was a huge learning experience getting
The collaboration with Tiny House Community Development is just one example of the many opportunities HPU students have to serve the community and practice premier life skills by working with real-world clients. — Dr. Erin Trauth, Assistant Professor of English, Public and Professional Writing
grant these materials helped us win is also being used for a new adult workforce development program that will certify individuals in Core Construction this year and in years to come,” Jones said.
to create documents based off of the clients’ needs and then revising them after receiving feedback. It requires you to learn how to put your own thoughts and opinions aside and focus on what is best for the client.”
Mark Stinson, construction committee chair, feels a sense of pride in the documents the class created.
The class collaboration with Tiny House Community Development is just one example of the many opportunities HPU students have to serve the community and practice premier life skills by working with real-world clients to advance a programmatic community mission. Students from the class can always take pride in the fact that they have used their professional and technical writing expertise in service to the local community. The impact of their work will live on through years to come in the many tiny homes — and the many lives — being built by Tiny House Community Development. ▲
Students in a technical writing class helped Tiny House Community Development secure $12,000 by writing and revising professional and technical documents for the organization.
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LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP With Nido Qubein and ABC ‘Nightline’ Anchor Byron Pitts
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 Byron Pitts, co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline” and HPU’s Journalist in Residence. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity and can be viewed in its entirety at www.highpoint.edu/series.
QUBEIN: In your book, “Step Out on Nothing,” you describe how your father was absent during your childhood. Twenty years later you met him. Take us there.
PITTS: My father basically abandoned our family, and I was raised by my mother. She is my hero. Like a lot of boys who don’t have a relationship with their father, I was angry on the inside. For a portion of my life, that anger was a wonderful fuel. It drove me to be the best student, 72
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the best athlete, and when I started my career, the best journalist I could be. I realized as I got older that hate is a dangerous fuel — it isn’t very efficient. Love is a far more powerful and sustainable fuel.
QUBEIN: And how is it that you’ve done well in your life despite adversity?
PITTS: My mother raised us to believe, as the Bible says, “Count it all joy.” Everything in life is meant to grow us. There are no stumbling
a voice to the voiceless and speak truth to power. Going into Baghdad with the Marines on the top of vehicles 8 feet off the ground, I saw men, women and children waving like they were welcoming us. But the footage from the ground looked different. With the huge, loud machines and weapons, the U.S. military looked like invaders. You have to seek the truth in different perspectives and report the facts as best you can.
blocks; there are stepping stones. So, I’ve succeeded not in spite of it, but because of the hard lessons that separation afforded me.
QUBEIN: You had a challenge of stuttering. How did you overcome that?
PITTS: I didn’t learn to read until almost 13, and I stuttered until my junior year of college. I had a wonderful professor in college who was a speech pathologist, and with his help, I overcame that. There are still words I avoid, but I’ve learned to manage it.
QUBEIN: Sometimes journalism and agendas get mixed up. How do responsible journalists navigate that?
QUBEIN: After 9/11, you reported from Iraq and Afghanistan. Tell us about that.
PITTS: God bless the men and women in our military. They are the best of us. Reporting on them was the greatest honor of my professional life. I was embedded with members of the U.S. Marine Corps. On the day the statue of Saddam Hussein fell, I was in a vehicle with 12 young Marines. They were joking and laughing, just like kids. When the corporal said, “Marines, mount up,” they went from being children to warriors. The way they had each other’s backs still sticks with me.
PITTS: One of the things we see occurring isn’t journalism; it’s people yelling at each other and assuming the worst of the opposition. We get it wrong sometimes, but the fundamentals of journalism are the fundamentals of America. Journalists who are doing it the right way will continue to do so, and people will seek out good information. It is a privilege to have people watch your work and trust that you’re giving them the facts without opinion or bias. QUBEIN: Do you have any regrets along the pathway of your life?
QUBEIN: How does a responsible journalist remain neutral?
PITTS: My job is to report the truth, afflict the comfortable, comfort the afflicted, give
Access to innovators Gen. Colin Powell
Josh Groban
Multi-Platinum Singer, Song Writer Former Secretary of and Producer State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
PITTS: I wish that I would have always known to dream bigger. That’s my advice to young people. Whatever your dream is now, make it bigger. ▲
High Point University students learn from world-renowned thought leaders who are attracted to HPU’s campus. Watch HPU President Nido Qubein interview these change agents for HPU’s Innovator Series online at www.highpoint.edu/series.
Dr. Michio Kaku
Co-Founder of String Field Theory
Biz Stone
Twitter Co-Founder
Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Dr. Carol Dweck
Stanford University 66th Secretary of State Professor of Psychology, Author of “Mindset”
Steve Wozniak Apple Co-Founder, HPU’s Innovator in Residence
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The Parent What I wish every parent knew about finding the right college for their child College is a crucial time in a young adult’s life. What campus will be the best home for them? Who will become their mentors? How can they make the most of the next four years? While high school students must consider these questions when choosing their university, HPU knows that parents are working alongside them, diligently searching for the same answers. Meet Shannon Gonzalez, mother of HPU sophomore Emily Gonzalez. Emily is a biology major from Manchester, New Jersey. Her studies at HPU focus on genetics. Outside the classroom, she’s found a second family through HPU’s Natural Science Fellows and the Symphonic Band. After only one full year as an HPU student, Shannon has already noticed the transformation her daughter has experienced at HPU. Below, she reflects on Emily’s HPU journey thus far:
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Q. How did your family discover and ultimately choose HPU? A. We heard about HPU when Emily began touring colleges her junior year of high school. We planned a weekend trip to tour several North Carolina schools, HPU included. We had already decided on another North Carolina college, one we’d toured earlier on our final day of visits, so we called HPU to cancel our tour. We spoke with our personal admissions counselor who kindly asked if we would still consider a stop at HPU; she said she would have someone give us a brief tour and overview. Since we were passing it on our way home, we decided to make the stop.
I can’t put into words what happened next. As we walked around campus and really began talking to the students, I could see something happening to Emily. It was like a switch turned on, and her eyes began to light up. She became more engaged and excited. She started asking questions and really listening. On campus, we came to a set of larger-than-life rocking chairs known as the “Dream Big Chairs.” We stopped to read the plaque at the base of the chairs — a note from HPU alumna Christine McKnight. As Emily and I read the letter, tears started coming down my face. It was the first time I had cried since we began touring colleges, and believe me, we toured many. I cried because I knew in my heart this was it. Emily read the words aloud:
Perspective: Up until our HPU tour, no other college had made it personal. Not one school talked about the real world. Not one school talked about God, family and country. Not one school talked about preparing my daughter with life skills. Until that very moment, not one school made us feel at home. High Point University was that school. – Shannon Gonzalez, mother of HPU sophomore Emily Gonzalez
“I had so much support at HPU that I graduated to face the real world with a new perspective. HPU gave me the positive outlook I needed to dream big dreams and achieve my goals without being intimidated by life’s obstacles.”
direction of her dreams. At one point, her dream was to become the first Hispanic female in our family to graduate college. Today, her dream goes beyond graduation, and she’s now on track to become a geneticist.
Q: What was it that made HPU different from other colleges you toured?
In her first year at HPU, she made the Dean’s List both semesters, was accepted into The Natural Sciences Fellows, played the flute in HPU’s Symphonic Band and most importantly, created bonds with like-minded students who share the same core values. This semester, she kicked off her sophomore year as a peer mentor on campus and mentored incoming freshmen. At HPU, Emily has discovered not only how to achieve her goals, but also how to constantly set and accomplish even greater ones.
A. Up until our HPU tour, no other college had made it personal. Not one school talked about the real world. Not one school talked about God, family and country. Not one school talked about preparing my daughter with life skills. Until that very moment, not one school made us feel at home. High Point University was that school. The fact that the campus, faculty and staff are amazing is a huge bonus, but the real reason we chose HPU was for its extraordinary education and the university’s values and beliefs. That’s what sets HPU apart from all the others we had considered. We knew HPU would teach her lessons that last a lifetime. Q: How has Emily transformed after only a short time at HPU? A. Watching her grow as a person has been the most rewarding. She has always been strong and ambitious, but HPU is teaching her the skills needed to propel her in the
Q: What do you tell parents and high school students who are considering HPU? A. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that God knew where she needed to be, and his hand guided us to High Point University. We are grateful to the amazing HPU professors, mentors, staff and more importantly our entire HPU family. We truly are part of one family at High Point University! ▲
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Forging Careers in Finance When students ask big questions, Dr. Jo Lacy helps them find the answer. Michael Mayolo worked through big questions when he began his journey as a finance major. How would he find his first internship? And how would he know which career path to take in the industry? Those questions can seem daunting to new college students. But at HPU, students quickly discover an ecosystem of support through caring staff and faculty like Dr. Jo Lacy, assistant professor of accounting and finance. As a former accountant who has worked in auditing and in accounting consultant roles, Lacy brings two philosophies to her classroom. First, collaboration is key. She is focused on getting students to work together as a team. “That’s how life works,” says Lacy. “You need to have good oral and written communication, so we practice conveying their thoughts clearly and articulately to each other. It’s OK to disagree, but work through it together, and in the process, grow your own value system.” Second, learning doesn’t just happen inside the classroom. As a former accountant, Lacy knows that getting experience outside of the classroom is key for her graduates.
Many students leave ‘Meet the Firms’ events with internships, and many internships lead to employment. –Dr. Jo Lacy, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Finance
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“I bring speakers from firms to my classroom as much as possible because I want students to not only make career connections, but also to ask questions about the profession, advancement and different paths within the field,” Lacy says. “Our department also hosts ‘Meet the Firms’ events, where students can learn directly from firm leaders on our campus. Many students leave these events with internships, and many internships lead to employment.” Lacy’s efforts are evident in the outcomes of her students. “In Dr. Lacy’s class, I was challenged to look beyond a textbook, instead using current events and real companies to better understand the financial world,” said Emily Beilman, ’16, who launched her career at M&T Bank in Buffalo, New York, upon graduation. When Mayolo took Lacy’s finance class, her teachings helped him grasp financial concepts and prepare him and his classmates for opportunities in the industry. After acing an interview for a summer finance internship with Leidos, a technology and research company in Mayolo’s home state of Virginia, he further understood how much Lacy had coached him. “During my interview, I discussed some of the concepts I had learned in Dr. Lacy’s class,” Mayolo says. “She helped to prepare me for the business world, giving me advice about interviews, Excel and communications skills.” Mayolo is now a senior who has taken advantage of the resources in the Earl N. Phillips School of Business, such as competing in HPU’s Annual Business Plan Competition. His success inside and outside of the classroom is fostered by professors like Lacy who bring industry experience and connections to the classroom. “I tell my students to envision themselves 10 years down the road and stand in that space,” says Lacy. “Then turn around and look behind you at the path to getting there. That’s where we have to begin, starting with stepping stone No. 1.”▲
From the Page to the Stage Dr. Nathan Hedman bridges the gap between theater and literature while helping students connect with ideas about the world. Reading the works of Shakespeare is an educational rite of passage for most students. There’s much to be learned from simply reading the plays, but as Dr. Nathan Hedman knows, even more depth can be gleaned when the stories have legs, voices and emotions.
“The work of a dramaturg maximizes the power of the play,” says Hedman. “You become an expert in that world. You help the director and designers with historical concepts, and then you create materials that provide background to help the play resonate with the audience.”
As an assistant professor in both the English and theatre departments at HPU, Hedman gives life to the written word. This dual world is a unique place uncommon on college campuses, where the disciplines are mostly studied separately. But Hedman serves as a bridge between the two departments at HPU, connecting the traditional boundaries between text and performance.
Since Hedman joined HPU in 2014, he has mentored students specializing in dramaturgy within the theater major. Senior Christine Watt completed an internship this summer at Writers Theatre in Chicago, a position she landed in part due to Hedman’s mentorship.
As a college graduate in his hometown of Seattle, Washington, Hedman started as an actor and playwright. Wanting the content of his work to be richer, he became interested in the history of ideas. He studied the Great Books for a master’s in liberal studies and then earned a master’s in religion at Yale Divinity School. From there, he completed both a master’s and doctorate in theater and drama at Northwestern University.
“I learned tangible skills about gathering the most useful information and presenting it in an attractive, engaging way,” says Morgan, who assisted with HPU’s productions of “On the Verge,” “Mary Stuart” and “Grapes of Wrath.” “I also learned to remain curious about everything and not to make assumptions but to ask questions and value other’s perspectives and input. The more open I am in my research and discussions, the better I can support the production process.”
“The more I learned about ideas and theater, the more it became an embodied way of seeing the world and projecting a way of thinking to an audience,” says Hedman. This is the work he does as head dramaturg at HPU. For each theater production, Hedman supports both the director and audience by providing context and interpretation.
Education is about widening the scope and amount of passion students have for knowledge. — Dr. Nathan Hedman, Assistant Professor in the English and Theatre Departments
Hunter Morgan, a 2016 graduate, also trained with Hedman and now works with Peppercorn Children’s Theatre in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Hedman works to develop curiosity in all students. His classes in theater history, composition and literature help them become more inquisitive, creative thinkers. He won a Cutting-Edge Curriculum Award from the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for his class called Grit: Explaining Survival. He was also tapped for an Excellence in Teaching Award from HPU’s Class of 2021. “Education is about widening the scope and amount of passion students have for knowledge,” says Hedman. “Caring more deeply and having intellectual curiosity is a great life skill. Employers want people with fire in their eyes ready to do anything. We need to encourage students to love ideas in a way that motivates them to get going.”▲
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Five HPU music students competed in the North Carolina competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). Four students qualified for the Mid-Atlantic competition. Those four students are (pictured left to right) sophomore Tabitha Brandel, junior Noah Sigsworth, junior Jerry Hurley and 2019 graduate Laura Carskadden.
Dr. Tony Kemerly, professor of exercise science, was named the area chair for fitness, exercise and physical culture for the Popular Culture Association.
Elisa Crane, ’19, was featured as a runner-up in Creative Quarterly 54. Creative Quarterly is an international journal that promotes the best work in graphic design, illustration, photography and fine art.
THIN SLICES
Senior Gina Figliozzi completed an internship at Marvel Entertainment in New York City as a digital comics intern. She formatted digital copies of comic books and created seamless visual transitions once the original comics were processed for digitalization.
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A manuscript co-authored by Dr. Julie Cooper, associate professor of clinical sciences, appeared in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Titled “Cost Related Medication Underuse: Strategies to Improve Medication Adherence at Care Transitions,” her research focuses on how patients use medication when they are discharged from the hospital.
Senior Corinne King served as a Committee of House Administration intern in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. Her tasks included both administrative and legislative duties, such as organizing data, preparing briefs, attending hearings, performing research and drafting public statements.
Courtney Wallen, ’19, was selected to participate in the CBC-UNC Diversity Fellowship at WRAL in Raleigh. Wallen was one of 12 students selected from across the nation. Today, she is an associate producer at Spectrum News in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Two, full-tuition scholarships established by Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph, HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, were presented to Jardai Sharper and Iyinoluwa Afolayan Ogunyinka, graduates of Roxborough High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The scholarships, which cover tuition, books, and room and board, are awarded to students who demonstrate strong academic potential and financial need.
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Lisa Quiñones, a senior and business administration major, completed an internship at JetBlue corporate headquarters in Long Island City, New York. Quiñones supported efforts for the JetBlue platform and JetBlue for Good. She also worked on the Soar with Reading program to unveil vending machines that provide free books to children in five boroughs of New York City.
Senior Nolan Roth, a physics and computer science major, interned at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Roth worked with a team of scientists and engineers to manufacture and test instruments for correct analysis of extra-terrestrial bodies.
Kendra Perley, ’19, was honored as the 2019 recipient of the Haverty Cup. The award honors an outstanding graduating senior in a home furnishings-related program.
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Erica Schimmel, ’19, received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to teach English in Eastern Europe during the 2019-2020 academic year. Schimmel is teaching English in Moldova and enhancing her Moldovan and Romanian language skills.
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Pictured left to right, Meagan Pusser, Julia Wallace, Emmi Palenbaum, Raegan Thomas and Emily Burke traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, to present at the annual convention for Sigma Tau Delta, an international English honor society. Each of the students presented a scholarly paper derived from British literature, American literature and critical theory courses at HPU.
Dr. Jane Nichols, chair of the Department of Home Furnishings and Interior Design, and Dr. John Turpin, dean of the School of Art and Design, received a grant from Steelcase Education to create a new active learning classroom. HPU was one of 12 schools selected out of more than 900 applications. Nichols and Turpin use the classroom for a research study focusing on the impact of the classroom environment on student and faculty growth mindset. The installation of the classroom, located in Norton Hall, is valued at $67,000.
HPU inducted new members into Phi Beta Delta, the first honor society dedicated to recognizing scholarly achievement in international education. Student members must rank in the top 20% of their class, participate in cultural enrichment activities and study abroad.
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A group of students attended the American Marketing Association International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans. The group competed in several different simulations and placed in the Top 20 overall competition. They also attended a variety of events, including a career fair, leadership seminars, career exploration workshops and speakers from various marketing career paths.
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The Kester International Promenade is a gathering spot for students between classes. While they enjoy studying and catching up with one another in this green space, they also easily spot some of history’s most influential figures like Mahatma Gandhi, pictured above. Historical sculptures and inspiring quotes are found along the Promenade to remind students that they, too, can achieve great things.
HPU’s values are physically reflected in the campus environment. Look to the dynamic, modern learning facilities that encourage collaboration and mimic the work spaces of businesses like Apple, Google, Bloomberg and Amazon. It’s intentional. These companies understand that employees are inspired to dream big and strive for greatness, in part, by the environment in which they work. Next, look to the very ground
on which students walk. You’ll find a trail of inspiring quotes etched into the sidewalks of the Kester International Promenade. To the left and right of those quotes, you’ll find some of history’s most impactful leaders — their sculptures placed on benches that line the walkway. And surrounding it all are HPU’s gardens, a reminder for students to stay rooted in their values while they grow to their fullest potential.
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‘You Are Among the
WINNERS’
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Dr. Michio Kaku Encourages Students to Seize the Initiative As a physicist and co-founder of String Field Theory, Dr. Michio Kaku believes a fourth wave of innovation is near, if it hasn’t already begun. On May 11, Kaku delivered the HPU Commencement address to 1,100 graduates and 10,000 guests during a time when HPU’s science majors in biology, chemistry and physics are growing. “We say that the origin — the engine — of progress is science and technology. But science comes in waves,” said Kaku. “The question for today is, ‘What is the fourth wave of wealth generation?’ If the first wave was steam power, if the second wave was electricity, if the third wave was computers, what is the engine driving jobs, the economy and your future? What is the
fourth wave? I say it’s a combination of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and biotechnology.” He told HPU graduates that the timing of it all is beneficial for their future. “We are witnessing a new era of science and technology, and you are among the winners!” Kaku said. “Every revolution has winners and losers. You are among the winners because you’re graduating from this great university. You’re embarking upon one of the greatest adventures of your life. You have the vision, the vitality and the imagination to seize the initiative.” On the subject of predicting the future, which many people often ask Kaku to do, he quoted famous philosopher Yogi Berra: “Predictions are hard to do, especially when it’s about the future.” But he still went on to offer his insight to the audience.
You’re embarking upon one of the greatest adventures of your life. You have the vision, the vitality and the imagination to seize the initiative. – HPU 2019 Commencement Speaker Dr. Michio Kaku Physicist and Co-Founder of String Field Theory
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To truly find success in life and to frame it with significance, you must go from being an optimist to an ‘actionist.’ — HPU President Nido Qubein
“In the future, when you want to get online, you will put on your contact lenses, you will blink and you will be online,” said Kaku. “The internet will be everywhere and nowhere, including your contact lens… Medicine will be turned upside-down in the future. You will swallow a pill. In that pill, there’s a chip with a magnet and a camera. It photographs your stomach. It performs operations inside your body. And, yes, we will grow organs of the body. Today, from your own cells, so there’s no rejection mechanism, we can grow skin, bone, cartilage, noses, ears and blood vessels. We can grow bladders. We can grow entire windpipes. The next organ to be grown in the laboratory from your own cells is the liver.” 86
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Graduates also received a powerful Senior Send-Off on May 10 from HPU President Nido Qubein, who encouraged them to plant seeds of greatness throughout their lives by turning dreams into actions. “Graduates, to truly find success in life and to frame it with significance, you must go from being an optimist to an ‘actionist,’” said Qubein during his address to the Class of 2019. “The goodness in this world happens because somebody acts on it. We can’t just be dreamers. Ideas are a dime a dozen. We can have more ideas by noon every day than we can act on in a lifetime. We aren’t looking for ideas. We are looking for a way to carry out that plan. Be an actionist.” ▲
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HPU COMMENCEMENT TRADITIONS
Each year, High Point University seniors experience a Commencement unlike any other. Here are five traditions that make HPU’s Commencement unique.
1 2 3 4 5
SPECTACULAR SPEAKERS HPU features impressive Commencement speakers like physicist, co-founder of String Field Theory, best-selling author and popularizer of science Dr. Michio Kaku; internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and actor Josh Groban; 66th Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; former secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell; Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak; Former First Lady Laura Bush; Chairman of the Board and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company Muhtar Kent; NASA Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin; Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; Queen Noor of Jordan; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and more.
SENIOR SEND-OFF FROM DR. NIDO QUBEIN Graduates receive a powerful Send-Off titled, “Onward with Faithful Courage,” from HPU President Nido Qubein, who encourages them to plant seeds of greatness throughout their lives by turning dreams into actions.
A SYMBOL OF PATRIOTISM Every year during the HPU Commencement Ceremony, a bald eagle soars over graduates to represent the ideals of free enterprise, personal initiative and the ability to pursue new opportunities in America.
A MOTHER’S DAY BLANKET Every graduate receives a blanket after the ceremony to give to their mothers in honor of Mother’s Day.
BACCALAUREATE SERVICE Held inside the historic Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, the Baccalaureate service is an occasion of thanksgiving and celebration that precedes Commencement. It’s the first event when seniors wear their caps and gowns and come together with family and fellow graduates.
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A Culture that Cultivates Excellence HPU’s intentional design inspires students to rise up and meet life’s challenges. 88
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Think your environment doesn’t matter? Think again. Why do NFL teams pipe loud sound into their stadiums while practicing? Why do military pilots use simulations to test their flight skills? We thrive in real-life scenarios only if we test ourselves in a similar setting. We overcome life’s obstacles by surrounding ourselves with examples of those who’ve done it before us. We rise to the level of our surroundings. At High Point University, students are surrounded by the extraordinary.
A Different Kind of Education You recognize it as soon as you step on campus. First, you’ll notice the people: A professor mentoring a student on their walk down the Kester International Promenade, the president pausing in the Slane Student Center Café to speak with a student, or a student holding the door for you. When the university began its transformation under HPU President Nido Qubein’s leadership in 2005, campus didn’t just get bigger, although it quadrupled in size. It became more student focused, with each element begging a fundamental question: How does this benefit our students? There’s no denying the beauty of HPU — most families notice that first. But it isn’t about beauty; it’s about intentional living.
The inspiring quotes featured on wall murals and stamped along the walkways are placed among sculptures of notable historical figures that line the promenade — a reminder of life’s possibilities. Then there are state-of-the-art facilities that foster academic success. The trading room inside the Wilson School of Commerce features a live stock ticker and trading software. Executive boardrooms throughout campus allow students to present themselves in a corporate setting. The newly updated TV studio, equipped with cutting edge technology in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, ensures students will be comfortable in a real-world newsroom.
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In 1924 Prime, HPU’s fine dining restaurant and learning lab, students are educated on formal dining etiquette and international cuisine — skills put to good use beyond graduation when business deals and interviews are conducted over dinner. Inside Cottrell Hall, you’ll find the International Student Concourse, an anchor to the building’s international theme. It’s home to the airplane fuselage — the profile of a plane’s interior, complete with reclining seats and inspirational quotes that scroll through the windows of the plane. Sure, it’s an attention grabber that intrigues campus visitors. But it provides a tangible lesson for students, teaching them how to turn everyday encounters into networking opportunities. Air travel offers endless opportunities to meet people. Seated next to the CEO of a top-tier company? Instead of wasting hours in silence, students know how to conduct themselves and capitalize on these occasions. They’ve practiced on the HPU campus. When students have been immersed in professional settings for years, they grow confident and unintimidated. HPU senior Corinne King recognizes this. The HPU environment has prepared her to pursue greatness at every turn.
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WAYS HPU CREATES VALUE THROUGH AN INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT
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Campus-Connected Outcomes On their transformational journey from college student to career professional, students often pause and realize how the physical surroundings of HPU have prepared them for life’s defining moments. For King, a summer spent in Washington, D.C., interning with the U.S. House of Representatives proved the value of HPU’s preparation. “Capitol Hill runs off coffee dates,” says the Farmington, Connecticut native. “It was not unusual for a networking opportunity or an interview to take place over daily coffee in a casual, chance setting.” King recognized and knew how to seize the moment — a product of HPU’s environment. “The airplane interactions HPU instills are not far off from the real world,” says King. “HPU exposes you to the reality that you don’t know who you’ll end up sitting next to on an airplane or who you’ll run into at the Capitol Building. The knowledge that you should prepare to take advantage of those situations is what gives HPU students an edge in the marketplace.” HPU students come to appreciate these special corners of HPU’s campus. For King, it was the airplane fuselage. For Curtis Pope Jr., it was the statue of Atlas.
WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES SIMULATE REAL-WORLD ENVIRONMENTS
Whether students are in class, a residence hall or one of the library learning common spaces throughout campus, students are consistently surrounded by excellence. Spaces are designed to mimic real-world environments, giving students the confidence to standout beyond graduation.
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POSITIVE CULTURE PROMOTES PERSONAL INITIATIVE
HPU President Nido Qubein frequently tells audiences, “To be a great person, walk hand-in-hand and side-by-side with great people.” HPU faculty and staff choose to be extraordinary by modeling the values of service, joy, generosity, gratitude and respect. When students are surrounded by mentors and peers who have a positive attitude, they begin to understand that nothing is impossible for the individual who is willing to work hard enough and smart enough.
Inspiration You Didn’t Know You Needed A sculpture can exist for the entirety of a student’s educational journey, but in a single moment bring so much meaning and inspiration that it becomes a turning point the student was seeking. In July 2017, while earning his Master of Science in athletic training at HPU, Pope was struggling in his anatomy class. He left the library after a late study night and found himself at the base of HPU’s Atlas statue. He sat on the steps that circle the base of the statue and faced Roberts Hall from across the lawn.
He was struck with the realization that he couldn’t quit. As a member of HPU’s first athletic training cohort, he knew that finishing the program would cement him in HPU history — it was bigger than his personal journey.
He was taunted by thoughts of giving up.
He decided that no task was insurmountable if he put his mind to it. He was inspired.
“Looking back, it feels like fate drew me to that spot at that moment,” Pope says.
In May, Pope crossed the stage at Commencement having earned his master’s in athletic training.
Sitting there, he realized that the statue and him had something in common: the weight of the world on their shoulders.
His story is one of many. It proves the power of environment and the clearly defined moments of inspiration sparked by HPU’s physical surroundings. ▲
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GROWTH MINDSET
HPU instills in students a growth mindset. They live, learn and grow to understand that intelligence, like a muscle, can be exercised and strengthened. This way of thinking enables students to learn more efficiently and transforms them into lifelong learners — a skill that will stay with them long after they graduate.
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A 500-ACRE “CLASSROOM”
Flags from dozens of nations fly along the Gene and Jane Kester International Promenade to honor each international student’s home country. Quotations provide ideas for reflection. Sculptures of significant historical figures inspire students to pursue their goals. The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens bring holistic learning to life throughout HPU’s 500-acre classroom.
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ENGAGING EVENTS FOSTER CONNECTION
From the Activities Fair, to Greek organizations, guest lectures, athletic events, concerts, theater performances and more, students learn to thrive in collaborative environments, build relationships and connect the dots wherever they go.
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The Roots of Success By HPU First Lady Mariana Qubein
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Whenever I walk around campus and see what needs to be planted, pruned or replaced in our gardens, I find our rose bushes in bloom in front of the Smith Library, and I remember how each plant started out as three sticks in the ground. Within a season, those three sticks produced a beautiful bush filled with roses, and it reminds me of the birth of a child. Both are miracles, and both remind me of the importance of new beginnings and the need to appreciate the roots of our family, our faith and who we are. During our Arbor Day Celebration in April, we honored those roots. In front of a crowd at the Cottrell Amphitheater, we celebrated our distinction of being named Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 10th straight year, and we offered every attendee a gingko biloba maidenhair tree to take home and plant.
faculty, staff and community volunteers, has attracted national attention and drawn visitors from across the country. This fall, we will unveil a 332-page illustrative gardens book with dozens of quotes and more than 700 photos to showcase the beauty of our campus and document how it has inspired staff, faculty, students, alumni, donors and community volunteers. We’ll call it “Planting Seeds of Greatness.” It’s a phrase my husband often uses to describe our work at HPU. The gardens are an example of how we plant seeds of greatness with our students so they can grow like a majestic tree. A tree is an excellent symbol of what we believe as a university. We are a student’s anchor; we are their roots. Once they graduate, their roots support them for the rest of their lives. They grow into healthy and productive citizens, and like a grand tree, they reach for the stars. ▲
It was our gift and our way to illustrate the importance of roots in our own lives. At High Point University, we help our students strengthen their own roots by providing them with an education and the tools they need to compete, as my husband says, not for the world as it is, but as it is going to be. Once they leave our campus, they graduate grounded like grand trees. They are prepared to handle any climate that they may encounter and create a life of success and significance where they work toward making our world a better place to live. Yet, students need guidance. They’re busy trying to make a life for themselves, and our gardens help by exposing them to a whole different world where they can learn, relax, pray, create, volunteer and think about what their life can be. I am so proud of what our gardens have become. We planted our first garden in 2006 with the rose bushes in front of the Smith Library, and we went from there, one garden at a time. Now, it’s 13 years later. Our gardens have given me a purpose and a passion for my alma mater. But I never thought in my life we would create what it has become — 28 gardens, nine plant collections, more than 700 taxa of trees and 3,700 different varieties of plants. Every year, we plant at least 72,000 annual flowers in our landscape areas. This beauty, created by a team of students,
Guardian
–By Sophomore Rhianna Becker
A tree stands alone on the promenade, Vast unmoving branches, a watchful mother above campus. The nearest of her friends sits many yards away, Each isolated by sidewalks and buildings. I wonder how she stands alone, but so strong, Because we don’t fare so well alone. Watching as groups of students sit below her, Their laughter floating through her outstretched arms. She hides their faces from the sun, dappling their skin, Her fallen leaves soften the ground below them. People mill about, hardly stopping to notice her, Yet she stands there, watching over each of her children. Eventually I realize she’s not alone, Our roots run deep alongside hers. As we grow beneath her, she grows above us, Protecting and providing — for nothing in return. Without her we’d have no clean air to breathe, no shade to lie in, Protect your silent guardian, just as she protects you.
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of Faith
HPU’s Chapel and Religious Life Programs Encourage Spiritual Growth Students of many traditions foster their faith at HPU, and the Chapel and Religious Life Office is there to support and encourage them. Here, they explain their spiritual journey in their own voices. BOARD OF STEWARDS “I am super busy as a double major. It would be easy to feel stuck or lost, but I found my campus home within the chapel. Every week, I look forward to centering myself both in our Board of Stewards meetings and with two deep breaths during the chapel services. I’ve been the Angel Tree coordinator for the past two years. Last December, we spent 14 hours in Walmart together buying Christmas gifts for children in the community. In the end, we had 30 carts full of gifts for 150 children! Now, as president of the Board of Stewards, I tell other students to get involved in this loving and welcoming community. I have been pushed to grow in my faith alongside people I might never have met otherwise. I cannot imagine my life at HPU without their support and love.” — Christine Watt, senior theater performance and English literature major from Austin, Texas 94
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JEWISH LIFE “I love being part of Hillel because it offers a connection to my roots and my spirituality. It is a place I can go to feel at home and connect to other people who come from similar backgrounds. I have made friends who understand me, and because of how welcoming they are, I was confident to take on the role of co-president this year. HPU Hillel started small but has grown and continues to grow. We experience many special moments throughout the year, including making challah, decorating the traditional sukkah and finding our ‘big’ in the mishpacha (family) program. I will forever be proud to be a part of Hillel.” — Steph Stone, sophomore vocal performance major from Short Hills, New Jersey
WEEKLY CHAPEL SERVICES “As an executive council member for the Board of Stewards, I work alongside my fellow stewards to plan and execute the weekly chapel services, including leading prayers and reading scripture. Being part of this wonderful group has given me a new family at HPU. While supporting each other, we also reach out to the community, invite them in and help them experience God’s unconditional love firsthand. I’m grateful to be part of such a caring group that shows everyone there’s a place where they belong. Attending chapel is a great way to meet others at various stages of their faith. Joining any of HPU’s religious life organizations is highly recommended, as we all invite new members in with open arms.” — Nicholas Kirby, junior chemistry major and Spanish minor from New Bern, North Carolina
INTERFAITH DINNER CLUB “Belonging to two minority groups in the United States (Arab and Muslim), it is hard to blend in, but the Office of Religious Life has played a vital role in helping me belong and feel acceptance. The Interfaith Dinner Club meets once every month to have fruitful discussions from various perspectives. It reminds me of how beautiful diversity can be if we allow it. Members of the Interfaith Dinner Club were the first to pave this path for me since my freshman year. It’s easy to get distracted. Religious Life organizations help you find your way. They empower your identity. Being with others pursuing a spiritual path, even if you don’t belong to the same faith, is very beneficial.” — Tara Shtayyeh, junior psychology major and dance minor from Ramallah, Palestine
RELIGIOUS LIFE OPPORTUNITIES Here’s a glimpse of the many avenues HPU offers on a regular basis to support students of all faiths and backgrounds. n The Charles E. Hayworth Sr. Memorial Chapel,
home to the university’s weekly worship services and community events throughout the year, is a symbol of HPU’s Methodist heritage and hospitality for people of all traditions. Worship services are held Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m. in the Hayworth Chapel. Each worship service strives to provide inspirational space and a message that aids all who attend in the ongoing work of self and social transformation. n HPU’s Catholic Campus Ministry hosts Catholic
Mass on Sundays at 6 p.m. The organization also offers weekly activities and semester retreats. n HPU’s Hillel offers Jewish students a campus
faith community. The organization hosts celebrations for all major Jewish holidays, including a Hanukkah dinner at 1924 Prime and a Passover Seder dinner, as well as activities such as challah making and the traditional decoration of the sukkah. n Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and other faiths
utilize the Multifaith Prayer and Meditation Space in the Chapel. The Interfaith Dinner Club brings students of all walks of life together to learn from each other and hosts events such as the annual Iftar. n Through several choirs and musical
opportunities, including the Chapel Choir, the Collision Contemporary Worship Band and the Genesis Gospel Choir, students utilize music as a vehicle to express and strengthen faith.
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IN FITNESS and IN HEALTH Mat Allred and the HPU Rec team keep students active with energetic recreation programs and facilities. For Mat Allred, one game of intramural basketball or one spinning class is all it takes to start a friendship. These activities and the wealth of other recreation offerings available at High Point University are key to a fulfilling and vibrant college experience. As director of recreation services, Allred and his team provide opportunities for students to engage in a range of fitness and wellness activities. Whether it’s a group fitness class, skiing trip or casual game of beach volleyball, recreation is an important part of HPU’s inspiring environment and collaborative culture. As a lifelong athlete, Allred found his place in college through campus recreation — he met his wife playing flag football. Now, he works hard to ensure HPU students have a variety of activities to enjoy. “Our students are very fitness conscious, and I love how we adapt to their interests,” says Allred. “The best way to encourage them to develop healthy lifestyle choices is to get them involved. It doesn’t have to be a sport. It could be playing cornhole or studying by the pool. It’s about promoting overall wellness and building fellowship.”
NATIONALLY RANKED RECREATION FACILITY HPU’s Slane Student Center is ranked No. 15 in the 50 Best Campus Recreation Centers by College Consensus.
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HPU’s facilities, ranked No. 15 out of the 50 best recreation centers by College Consensus, are a part of the extraordinary transformation that has taken place on campus in the past decade. The Slane Student Center, home of HPU Rec, is one of 10 fitness centers on campus. It includes a group exercise room, multipurpose basketball courts, indoor running track and pool. All services provided for students, including 50 exercise classes a week, are complimentary. This also includes activities
at HPU’s Outdoor Discovery Center, which boasts a ropes course, climbing wall and professional-grade laser tag field used regularly for team building. There are also excursion trips, such as whitewater rafting, and more than 300 intramural teams in popular sports such as basketball, soccer and flag football. The student-led culture also sets HPU Rec apart. Allred and his team mentor more than 150 student employees. “If you want to work in the fitness industry, you need experience,” says Allred. “We train and certify the students who work for us. The responsibilities we give them build great confidence and leadership — qualities that employers don’t see in the average college graduate.” Hanna Callahan is one of them. She worked at the guest services desk as a junior and then as a facility manager during her senior year. “Mat has helped me with my next steps,” she says. “He’s talked to me about who my contacts should be and where I should be looking for positions. He’s given me advice to become better at my job.” Michael Dutcher, ’19, worked for HPU Rec for four years. Now, he’s pursuing a master’s degree in Auckland, New Zealand, to become a strength and conditioning coach. “Rec was a huge part of my time at HPU,” he says. “I met some of my best friends and gained experience. I’ve learned a lot about recreation and building camaraderie. The respect and increasing responsibility Mat and his team gave me as a student helped me grow and develop as a professional, and I had a lot of fun.” ▲
Greenery, Scenery and Learning Opportunity The new Caine Conservatory director blends beauty and science. When Dr. Jason Lattier talks about plants, names of ornamental species flow effortlessly like he’s talking about dear friends. There’s Amorphophallus titanum, a giant flower from Sumatra known for its pungent aroma. There’s Epiphyllum, a stunning Central American genus of night-blooming cacti, and Wollemia nobilis, a rare living fossil and critically endangered species from Australia. Through his travels and research positions in such places as the Costa Rican Cloud Forest and London’s Kew Gardens, Lattier has learned about a diversity of plant species. Now, he is bringing them to HPU to share with students and the community. As a horticulturalist, an expert in the cultivation of gardens, Lattier’s passion is bringing together plants of diverse climates, characteristics and purposes. Lattier also serves as director of HPU’s Caine Conservatory, a 15,000-square-foot space that’s currently under construction on campus. When it opens in 2020, the facility will be dedicated to studying, propagating and displaying plants from all over the world under one glass roof. Lattier is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, where he grew up next door to his grandparents and their gardens. His love of plants started there, but in college he combined his passion and career. Today, he shares that with HPU students through teaching, botanical research and ornamental display. “North Carolina has one of the largest green industries in the country, and there are many applications for botanical research in plant breeding and genetics, as well as medicine
I want students to look at the conservatory as a potential starting point for cutting-edge careers. – Dr. Jason Lattier, Director of HPU’s Caine Conservatory
and biotechnology,” says Lattier. “I want students to look at the conservatory as a potential starting point for cuttingedge careers. Beyond that, horticulture is exciting work. It’s a little bit art, a little bit science. The byproduct is people getting to enjoy in awe and wonder the beautiful displays you put together.” Already renown for the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, which have achieved Tree Campus USA recognition for 10 years in a row, HPU is gaining greater attention from botanical experts and enthusiasts for having one of the only conservatories of its kind on a university campus. The Caine Conservatory is named for Don and Teresa Caine, owners of Camco Manufacturing in Greensboro, North Carolina, who generously gave their support. It is located next to the new Wanek School of Natural Sciences and will support scientific research at HPU. In the working greenhouse space, professors and students can do everything from breeding to isolating medicinal compounds, such as those used to fight cancer. “We are thankful to the Caines for fulfilling one of our dreams, a conservatory that serves our university and community,” says HPU First Lady Mariana Qubein, who leads the vision for the campus gardens and arboretum. “Jason will curate a collection of plants we are unable to have in our outdoor gardens to add greater diversity and expose people to plants they may not otherwise experience. It will be great for experiential learning and an educational instrument for our community.” The plant displays will be open to campus visitors, and a lineup of speakers and workshops will be open to the community. With classroom space and a bistro, the conservatory will also serve as a place to gather and fellowship. “Much like the rest of campus, every detail has a meaning and a purpose,” says Lattier. “It’s a place to learn and get your hands dirty working with plants, but it’s also a place to relax, recharge and take a break from your busy schedule. It’s educational, meaningful and beautiful.”▲
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Bonner Leaders and AmeriCorps VISTAs hosted a Social Innovation Series: Justice Within Our Community. The event helped participants network with different organizations and learn about the career fields they can pursue in policy reform and criminal justice.
Media Fellows hosted Josh Williams, a multimedia editor for the New York Times. He designs and builds interactive presentations for the newspaper’s website.
HPU’s Hillel, the Department of History and the Office of Jewish Life hosted Hank Brodt, a Holocaust survivor, as part of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
THIN SLICES
HPU’s Department of Theatre and Dance performed William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
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For 10 years in a row, High Point University has been named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Campus USA honors universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.
The Princeton Review once again named HPU in the 2020 edition of “The Best 385 Colleges” in the nation. HPU was also recognized for Most Beautiful Campus (No. 18), Best College Dorms (No. 5) and Best Campus Food (No. 20).
THIN SLICES
HPU students collaborated with YWCA High Point to celebrate International Women’s Day and the contributions women make throughout the world.
HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences welcomed nearly 100 high school students for National Biomechanics Day.
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HPU Lacrosse:
The Ingredients of Success
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The lacrosse players that coaches Lyndsey Boswell and Jon Torpey recruit to play for High Point University spring from the same mold. They come from supportive families, and they’re forged by discipline and hard work. They’re good. And they’re hungry. As members of a program still considered young in the eyes of the lacrosse world, they feel they have something to prove. So, when they come to HPU, they play with a passion that fuels their goal: Let everyone know HPU men’s and women’s lacrosse can compete with the best. They have. And they’ve won. They’ve beaten ranked teams once thought untouchable, and because of their play, HPU men’s and women’s lacrosse teams have been ranked nationally, too. But how did this happen in such a short period of time? Start with the coaches. The team’s winning chemistry begins there.
Feeling Like Family Know this — Boswell and Torpey are a lot alike. They both come from blue-collar backgrounds, raised in families full of tough love. They were raised with a lacrosse stick in their hands, and they played in the sport’s biggest hothouse of competition and talent — Maryland. Boswell coaches the women; Torpey, the men. Off the field, they’re warm. On the field, they’re all business. Together, they are HPU’s lacrosse dream team. They’re both close. They describe themselves like brother and sister. Their teams are close, too. One finishes practice and the other starts. One is playing a game and the other is in the stands sitting together, cheering loud. That synergy, the players say, is crucial. It’s created a brothersister bond between both programs. As for the teams, players say there are no cliques. They see themselves as one, mentors to one another. They practice six days a week at least two hours at a time. On some days, they get up an hour before daybreak, hit the practice field at sunrise and go to class sometimes without a shower.
Left: The women’s lacrosse team celebrated their 2019 Big South Championship before competing in the NCAA Championship. Below: The men’s lacrosse team defeated nationally ranked No. 2 Duke University.
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Their work ethic breeds respect, and the wins come. Players hone their bodies and improve their skills by using the innovative technology in HPU’s biomechanics lab. They also tap into the expertise of a sports psychologist and listen to motivational speakers to help get their minds right to practice and play. And they listen to Boswell and Torpey. The coaches are like surrogate parents. They help their players on all aspects of life — from heartache and staying healthy, to schoolwork and navigating their future. That kind of sage counsel helps teammates feel like family, and they realize lacrosse is a guidebook to life. Like Samantha Herman, the senior captain who graduated in May. “We knew we’d be better people off the field because of those early morning workouts and late nights finishing up homework,” she says. “It made everyone better.” And HPU’s role? “It starts with our president, Dr. Nido Qubein,” Herman responds. “He wants an inspiring environment with caring people and an extraordinary education. I was impacted by all three.”
Building a Powerhouse The women’s program turns 10 this fall, the men’s program will be nine, and both Boswell and Torpey have helmed the program from the beginning. That newness has made their players scrappy. Against more established programs, players say they fight for respect because they long to build HPU into a lacrosse powerhouse ranked year in and year out. So, players come for Boswell, for Torpey and for the idea of creating a lacrosse dynasty. Take Abby Hormes, a junior from Fallston, Maryland. After accepting an offer to play for HPU, she sat in the stands Below, the HPU Men’s Lacrosse Team storms the field after defeating No. 2 Duke.
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when Boswell’s team beat Towson 21-15 in the spring of 2017. It was HPU’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win in any sport. “It gave me chills watching them,” Hormes says today. “Just the fact that I was going there in the next year made me super happy. I knew I had made the right choice.” Last spring, Hormes was named Offensive Player of the Year in their conference, the Big South. Then there is Asher Nolting. He came to HPU from Greenwood Village, Colorado. Last spring, he was named Second-Team All American by Inside Lacrosse Magazine and highlighted on ESPN when he scored with a behind-the-back goal when No. 11 HPU beat No. 9 Virginia. “WHAA?!’ the ESPN announcer yelled repeatedly. It was some kind of shot. But that’s indicative, Nolting says, of how they play. “This is what makes our program special,” Nolting says. “We are all so close, from the top to the bottom of the roster. We know everything about our guys. We’re all like brothers, and we’ll do anything for each other. There are no cliques, and that makes it easy for us to play for each other. We play hard.” There’s no better example than a Wednesday in February.
Defeating Duke HPU beat Duke 13-9. It was the highest ranked opponent HPU had ever beaten in the program’s history. Duke was No. 2. When the game ended, the entire team stormed the field. Nolting immediately found his goalie, HPU senior Tim Troutner Jr. Troutner made 19 saves that game. Nolting hugged Troutner hard. “I knew we could do it!” Nolting told Troutner. “This is why we wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning!” ▲
The HPU Women’s Lacrosse Team won the 2019 Big South Conference Championship.
WOMEN’S
LACROSSE
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CONFERENCE TITLES
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NCAA
(5 REGULAR SEASON, 6 TOURNAMENT)
APPEARANCES
1WIN NCAA
HPU lacrosse: snapshot of success
MEN’S
LACROSSE
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CONFERENCE TITLES
(3 REGULAR SEASON, 1 TOURNAMENT)
NCAA 1 APPEARANCE
(2O17 AGAINST TOWSON) 123-51 (.707)
54-53 (.505)
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Tip-
ff Talk: A Q&A with the Head Coaches of HPU Men’s and Women’s Basketball COACH TUBBY SMITH HPU Athletics Hall of Famer Tubby Smith returned to his alma mater in March 2018 to become the 12th men’s basketball head coach in program history. The former all-conference guard of High Point College has now completed his first season as the leader of HPU Men’s Basketball.
What does the future of HPU Men’s Basketball look like? Smith: The future looks bright because of our youth and the excitement over our new facility inside the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel. The anticipation of a new regime is also fueling us. We have five new players, including Othello Smith, who redshirted last year, and we’ve established a good recruiting base. The future is bright because of the level of talent we were able to recruit this past year. I’m really excited about these freshmen. How much does the new Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel play into that future? Smith: It’s everything. While our current facility is nice, it only seats about 1,800 people. We’ve outgrown it. For where we want to go as an athletic department and as a basketball program in particular, the arena is going to be spectacular for recruiting and growing our fan base. It’s going to be a one-of-a-kind facility compared to basketball venues across the country. Everyone is talking about it and keeping up with the construction through live video
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and the renderings we’ve shared. It inspires the inquisitive student-athletes and has them asking, “What’s going on at High Point University?” It’s a major advantage for our team and our future. How does the rest of the university play into the future of men’s basketball? Smith: The transformation that has taken place under HPU President Nido Qubein has been remarkable. It’s amazing. That level of notoriety and that type of talk around the country gets people interested and eager to come see the campus. Every time I walk around campus, there is somebody touring seven days a week. The university has a lot to offer students from all aspects. President Qubein had the vision to first grow the infrastructure of the university, focusing on academics and different degree programs. Now, he’s expanded that vision to the city of High Point by leading downtown revitalization efforts, including High Point’s new BB&T Point baseball stadium and surrounding facilities. The future is bright for the city of High Point, which creates an even brighter future for High Point University.
COACH CHELSEA BANBURY In the spring, the Panthers named Chelsea Banbury the head coach of HPU Women’s Basketball. She brings with her 11 years of coaching experience and understands how to develop athletes who maintain a primary focus on academics.
What’s the outlook for the upcoming season of HPU Women’s Basketball? Banbury: The future is promising because we already have the foundation of a good team. This team played together in the postseason during this past year, which helps us land recruits who can take us even further into postseason. That’s how we build a great program. We develop the talent we have, attract more talent and so on until we achieve that next-level recruitment. I also think our style of play is going to be very successful in the Big South. In the big picture, what is the future of this women’s program? Banbury: Big picture, our goal is to stay at the top of the Big South consistently. This conference doesn’t currently have a team that dominates and shows up at the top every year, which means it’s an opportunity for us to come in and take that honor. That’s our plan, and that’s what we’re going to do — stay on top. How much does the new Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel play into that future? Banbury: The facility is going to be second-to-none. When we’re recruiting head-to-head against other
schools and recruits arrive to campus, we can show them this brand new arena and everything that they’re looking for in a program. Starting now and going forward, all recruits we speak to are going to be playing in that arena. It gives us the confidence to go after top talent, and we see the immediate impact of the arena on recruits when we show it off. You just arrived to campus and went through a recruiting process yourself to get here. That provides a unique perspective. What was it about HPU that attracted you? Banbury: What they do for students here, not just student-athletes, amazes me. The academic development of this university is something that really appeals to both parents of recruits and the students. HPU offers something more than just basketball. For me, the basketball program already had the foundation to win. Throw that together with a university that focuses heavily on the student experience, and it’s an easy sell. It’s exciting. It’s also a major bonus that HPU is the most beautiful campus I’ve ever seen. You can look at pictures online all you want, but pictures don’t do it justice. Once I got to campus, it was just breathtaking.
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HPU’s Club Running team meets regularly to practice, compete and enjoy time with fellow runners.
CLUB SPORTS: More Than A Place To Compete They row. They fish. They run. And that’s only three of the 34 club sports at High Point University. Students join because they love the rush of competition, but in doing so, they temper the skills that are vital in creating a life of relevance. Those life skills involve everything from teamwork to perseverance, and they help form friendships and create memories that make college an indelible time in every student’s life — whether they win or lose. As for Daniel Hackney, he just wanted to get started. 106
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‘It’s Like A Brotherhood’ Hackney grew up with a fishing rod in his hand. He started fishing at age 3. He now has three boats, and he fishes every chance he gets in his proverbial backyard — at Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. When he came to HPU to study business management, he met Chad Sigmon during his freshman year. They both loved to fish, and they decided to start a fishing team. They worked on it for two years. Last year, it became real. They brought in a dozen other members. Hackney created a design for their hoodies and T-shirts, and the HPU Fishing Team competed in seven tournaments.
The Club Rowing Team (pictured left and right) compete in regattas throughout the year and practice at Oak Hollow Lake. This year, the team has grown to 20 members. They’ll compete in at least 20 tournaments between meetings every Tuesday in a third-floor room of the Wilson Commerce building. But their time together is not limited to one weeknight. They have helped each other move and tutored members who’ve needed help in a subject. They’ve bonded over more than just how to catch a largemouth bass. “In my opinion, it’s like a brotherhood,” says Hackney, a senior. “We treat each other as family.”
‘That’s Real Life’ Wes Whan has a favorite moment. It was in Atomic City. He and his three crew members pushed hard for third place in a regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the production site in the 1940s for the atomic bomb. Whan saw four boats beside him, all hitting the finish at the same time. Afterward, Whan fell to the ground exhausted.
“If you do this, you’ll feel the best you have in your life,” she told him. Whan rowed for four years. Last year, he became one of the team’s five captains. During his time with the team, he volunteered at the High Point Boys & Girls Club and taught children how to row. Whan is now a graduate student, pursuing a Master of Science in management at Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business. He now knows his coach was right — in more ways than one. “We all learned together,” Whan says. “That’s real life.”
‘A Place To Belong’ Ask Erin Moran about HPU’s Running Club, and she’ll pull out her iPhone. She’ll scroll through photo after photo of the team she coaches. She has become their mentor, counselor and go-to supporter. She has stories about all of them. When she tells them, she tears up.
Before he came to HPU, Whan had never rowed before. In Longwood, Florida, he played hockey, baseball and football. He felt it in his knees, shoulders and back.
“They know I care about them,” says Moran, HPU’s associate director of admissions. “And I know how important it is for students to find their niche when they’re in college. It’s different for our 5,000 students, but we provide them a place to belong, to make their own stories.
As a freshman, he heard about HPU’s Club Rowing Team through the coach.
“I tell them all the time, ‘I’m so proud of you!’”▲
Ten minutes later, he heard it. They won. By less than a second.
HPU’s 34 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 Men’s Gymnastics Women’s 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
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CARING PEOPLE At HPU, students embrace generosity and gratitude on day one of their college journey. During Convocation, the concluding event of Move-In Weekend that officially welcomes HPU freshmen, students are presented with an HPU blanket. HPU President Nido Qubein encourages freshmen to give that blanket to a person who has impacted their life. Pictured right, Kirby Naspinski, ’19, presents her mother, Stephanie Hutcheson, with the Convocation blanket. The lesson teaches students to adopt a pay-it-forward attitude. In turn, they become good stewards of their abilities by giving back and thanking those who support them. The result? An HPU family that contributes more than 110,000 hours of annual service in the local community and beyond.
During Convocation, it is tradition for HPU freshmen to receive blankets, which President Nido Qubein encourages them to give to someone who has made an impact on their life, such as their parents, a teacher or a friend. Pictured here, Kirby Naspinski,’19, presents her mother, Stephanie Hutcheson, with the blanket immediately following her freshman convocation.
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Intellectually gifted high school students from across the state moved to HPU’s campus for Governor’s School West, a rigorous program held during the summer.
HPU Selected for N.C. Governor’s School West High Point University is home to the statewide program for intellectually gifted high school students. 110
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This is another opportunity the HPU family has to prepare our younger generation for the world as it is going to be. – HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein As the newly selected home for North Carolina Governor’s School West, HPU welcomed 335 intellectually gifted high school seniors from across the state to campus during the summer months. Governor’s School of North Carolina is a summer residential program that integrates academic disciplines, the arts and unique courses on two campuses in the state. Selecting HPU as the new western location in the state positions Governor’s School for the growth necessary to meet the educational needs of outstanding students in North Carolina’s K-12 public and private schools. “We are looking to challenge these students, who are the best and the brightest in the state,” says Rodney Allen, director of Governor’s School West. For five and a half weeks, students attended classes focusing on one of five academic disciplines in English, math, social science, natural science or Spanish, or one of five arts disciplines in choral music, instrumental music, dance, theater or visual art. Students were also engaged in classes other than their particular academic and art classes. The HPU campus provided innovative technology and resources, along with a welcoming environment. “We appreciate what HPU has been able to do to help kick off Governor’s School West,” says Allen. “On move-in day, we
were in front of Cottrell Hall enjoying the students’ company and snacks, and it was such a beautiful location. The students settled in nicely, and it was a great opportunity for them to build on their education.” It makes sense for the program to be located on one of the state’s fastest growing college campuses, according to HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein. “This is a win-win relationship between a thriving institution and outstanding high school students in North Carolina,” says Qubein. “This is another opportunity the HPU family has to prepare our younger generation for the world as it is going to be.” ▲
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Servant Leadership Dalton Lucas is only a sophomore, but he’s already creating impact through his work with nonprofit organizations and policy.
If you ask Dalton Lucas, a Roanoke, Virginia native, what service means to him, he’ll tell you it means everything. “Service has always been a big part of my upbringing and my life,” says Lucas. “If you’re given a plethora of opportunities, you should want to do something positive.” But Lucas didn’t fully realize how much he could capitalize on his ability to serve others until his journey at HPU began.
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The Front Lines of Change Lucas is a political science major with a minor in civic responsibility and social innovation. He’s also a member of HPU’s Bonner Leaders, a four-year program that puts students at the front lines of change by promoting leadership development and connecting them to service projects in the community. Through the Bonner Leaders Program, Dalton Lucas, pictured second from right, works alongside community members through his service to West End Ministries, a nonprofit in the city. Lucas was connected to West End Ministries, a nonprofit organization, where he organizes the food pantry and tutors children. But no matter Through his experiences with the Bonner program, Lucas is what job he’s doing, he’s always smiling. getting one-on-one time with neighbors in the surrounding community. “When a child is excited about math and science and you get to help them, that’s a great opportunity,” says Lucas. As a political science major, he has a passion to make change at a policy level. With guidance from Dr. Joe Blosser, Robert G. Culp Jr. director of service learning and assistant professor of religion and philosophy, Lucas began volunteering with the city of High Point’s Community Development and Housing Department. “Dalton has a remarkable ability to learn about the challenges people face and then connect them to large-scale policy level decisions,” says Blosser. “So when he encountered food insecurity, poverty and educational disparities at West End Ministries, he wanted to engage these issues at both the face-to-face level and by working with the city of High Point to improve policy and systems.”
Paving the Way for Policy And that face-to-face level has been an experiential learning lesson for Lucas. “This has been a great opportunity because I get to see how policies impact the community,” says Lucas. “We need food pantries, tutoring programs and community resources, but I want to learn what the government can and can’t do so I can help make change.” His responsibilities include shadowing city employees to inspect houses, hosting community events and regularly speaking at city council meetings.
“I see how service can truly change people’s lives,” says Lucas. “We represent HPU and help develop an ‘our city, our university’ mentality. When we go out into the community, we’re not only representing HPU, but also an entire city.”
Connecting Communities Lucas recently started a new role as the community garden coordinator at local nonprofit West End Ministries. His responsibilities include maintaining the garden so fresh fruits and vegetables are available to neighbors, recruiting volunteers for service projects, fundraising and planning events to help build a sense of community within the neighborhood. “I will continue the desire to create a culture of volunteerism on HPU’s campus so students become more and more involved within this community,” says Lucas. “With events like the annual MLK Day of Service, students are beginning to understand, interact and solve problems community members face.” To Lucas, it doesn’t matter where he is — a city council meeting or a community food pantry — he will continue bringing people together. “The more we’re united, the more we can do to change people’s lives and have an impact in the world,” says Lucas. “When Bonners go out into the community, we have that in mind. I wear purple every time to let people know that I’m proud to be an HPU student.”▲
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Greek Organizations Give Back High Point University’s philanthropic spirit is embodied by the students, faculty and staff of the university. Greek Life organizations are no exception. Fraternities and sororities support and actively represent national and local philanthropies throughout the year. Here is a glimpse at some of their recent efforts:
Dr. Qubein always says HPU is a God, family and
Kappa Alpha
country institution. Our goal is to help provide resources for the men and women who serve our country, so they can live their lives to the fullest. – Brendan Barrera, Kappa Alpha Chapter President
Kappa Sigma The brothers of Kappa Sigma fraternity sold roses throughout campus during the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day for “Roses for a Cure,” which raised money and awareness for Lou Gehrig’s disease, commonly known as ALS. They sold 2,050 roses and raised almost $6,000 for the ALS Association. On Valentine’s Day, the brothers delivered the roses to recipients throughout campus.
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Kappa Alpha fraternity founded Operation KARE (Knowledge, Awareness, Results, Empowerment) to benefit a local veteran each year in partnership with The Independence Fund, a national organization dedicated to empowering wounded veterans. In the fall of 2018, they donated over $16,000 to purchase a track chair for a wounded veteran, and they plan to donate another chair this year. They raised more than $100,000 in the past three years.
Kappa Delta
Annually, Kappa Delta sorority hosts the Superhero Dash Fun Run and 5K, bringing local children and families to HPU’s campus. This year, the sixth annual event raised $18,000 for Prevent Child Abuse America and Family Service of the Piedmont, a nonprofit agency that provides quality support services, advocacy and education for children and adults dealing with domestic violence, child abuse, mental health and financial stability.
Sigma Nu
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha sorority held their annual “Big Man on Campus” event, raising $5,250 toward breast cancer education and awareness. The event is a male talent competition where each contestant is sponsored by different organizations across campus.
Sigma Nu fraternity’s fourth annual car show was held this spring to support the American Heart Association. The fraternity brothers and car show participants raised more than $11,000 during the event, which contributed to the fraternity’s yearlong efforts to raise money for the AHA. During the school year, they raised $13,000 after numerous combined events and were recognized as the top donor in Guilford County for the AHA.
Beta Theta Pi
Alpha Chi Omega
Beta Theta Pi fraternity held their annual cornhole tournament to benefit local Kirkman Park Elementary School. The event raised $1,350 and collected 90 books for the elementary school, which is located next to HPU’s campus.
Phi Mu
Every spring, Alpha Chi Omega sorority hosts “Healthy Relationships Week,” during which the chapter raises awareness of domestic violence warning signs and what a healthy relationship looks like. The philanthropy week raised $1,315, and all proceeds went to Carpenter House Shelter in High Point.
Alpha Gamma Delta
Phi Mu sorority hosted the inaugural Dance Marathon Kickoff event this spring and raised $14,000 to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
During Alpha Gamma Delta sorority’s week of service, the organization served meals at Open Door Ministries in High Point, made PB&J sandwiches to deliver to local homeless shelters and held a fundraiser selling grilled cheese sandwiches on campus. Their chapter raised and donated $3,680 toward fighting hunger through the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation during the Spring 2019 semester and collectively provided over 2,700 hours of service.
During the event, children and families undergoing treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital, North Carolina’s local Children’s Miracle Network hospital, shared stories and inspired HPU students through their resilience and positivity.
Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity held their annual Jimmy V. Foundation philanthropy week in April with the biggest event being their weekend golf tournament. The entire week resulted in $32,000 raised to benefit cancer research through the Jimmy V. Foundation.
Sigma Sigma Sigma By hosting their annual Sigma Night Live event, Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority supported two philanthropies: The March of Dimes and The Tri Sigma Foundation. The event included live and pre-recorded skits performed by students and raised more than $1,300.
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Students, faculty and staff of HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences gathered for “An Impact Beyond Life” memorial service. The service honored the 22 donors who helped educate HPU students in the 2018 year through the Willed Body Program.
HPU’s Colleges Against Cancer raised more than $11,000 for the American Cancer Society at a Relay for Life event.
Dr. Michala Stock, assistant professor of exercise science, offered her forensic anthropology knowledge to the High Point Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit.
THIN SLICES
Evan Campbell was recognized for outstanding leadership and service by North Carolina Campus Compact, a statewide network of colleges and universities with a shared commitment to civic engagement. Campbell, a business administration major, was honored for his leadership and dedication to serving D-UP and PNAC, two afterschool programs for children in the nearby Washington Street neighborhood.
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HPU Women’s Lacrosse hosted the seventh annual Mason Run 5K and raised more than $4,500 to support the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, an organization that improves the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and cancer by pairing them with teams, clubs and community groups.
HPU’s Campus Enhancement team planted a Purple Leaf Flowering Plum tree in front of Shadybrook Elementary School in honor of North Carolina Arbor Day.
Pharmacy students partnered with community organizations to host a free OTC medicine giveaway event.
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Kenzie Hansley was crowned Miss North Carolina Collegiate America 2019 and is supporting B.R.A.V.E., Building Respect and Value for Everyone, an organization that brings awareness to and prevents bullying.
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The Student Government Association partnered with other student organizations to pack 100 Easter baskets for local children.
HPU welcomed the High Point Police Department’s Youth Leadership Academy for the sixth consecutive summer. The academy develops local teenagers’ leadership skills and introduces them to avenues of community service.
HPU’s Civitan Club and Circle K Club helped purchase a specially adapted Amtryke bike for local child Veyla O’Donnell. The therapeutic tricycle creates mobility and independence for people with disabilities.
THIN SLICES
The Student Council for Exceptional Children hosted its third annual Valentine’s Day Dance for people with disabilities. More than 50 participants made crafts, played games and danced.
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Each summer, physical therapy doctoral students help community children with limited mobility become stronger at Camp High Five. The camp limits the child’s use of the most mobile side of their body in order to encourage increased movement on their limited side.
HPU hosted nearly 100 community children for the fifth annual STEM Camp. The camp is planned and led by HPU faculty and students, who guide the children in building their own rockets and offer a variety of fun activities focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The HPU family presented the United Way of Greater High Point with $247,500 for the 2018 campaign. Since 2005, HPU has increased its annual contribution by 784%.
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Students hosted multiple events throughout April to recognize Autism Awareness Month, including an “Eat the ‘R’ Word” bake sale.
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FACES OF
ENGAGEMENT Visit engage.highpoint.edu/get-involved to learn more about current opportunities that best suit your passion and availability.
Get Involved! A caring and engaged HPU network is vital to the strength and success of High Point University. The talent, energy and commitment of HPU alumni, parents and advocates can be maximized through one of our volunteer service programs. Read more to learn more about a few of those who are currently called to serve at HPU based on their alumni and family experiences with the university.
Tyler Heaggans, ’13
Career Connector Strategic Price Optimization Analyst at Family Dollar Tyler Heaggans has been involved in the Career Connector program by attending HPU Connects networking events as a member of the Young Alumni Council.
Career Connector
“I’ve enjoyed connecting alumni to careers because it’s a way for me to engage with my HPU family. I say family because that’s what HPU has become for me. It makes me happy when I can provide someone with access to an opportunity or a network connection. My first job out of college was in part thanks to Matthew Schiffer, ’11, who provided me with a positive recommendation for the company. That experience alone taught me to forever pay it forward. I’ll always be here for my future and current Panther alumni!” Career Connectors build a bridge from HPU to the real world by creating internship and job shadowing opportunities for today’s students. Start making connections for HPU students by visiting engage.highpoint.edu/Career-Connector.
Heather and Brendan McCarthy, Parents HPU Connects Regional Event Hosts
The HPU Connects program is a Regional Engagement program created to keep High Point University alumni, parents, family and friends connected to the university and each other. Heather and Brendan McCarthy, parents of Brendan Jr., ’19; Connor, ’20; Ryan, ’21; and Devon, ’23, recently served as hosts for the Boston chapter’s regional networking event.
Regional Event Hosts
“Hosting an HPU Connects event gives our family the opportunity to reach fellow HPU families,” says Heather McCarthy. “As parents of four HPU students, we have a lot invested in this university. Giving back is part of the holistic approach HPU takes when it comes to education. We are pleased to be just a small part of this amazing experience.” To attend or host a regional event, visit engage.highpoint.edu/HPU-Connects to view upcoming dates and cities.
Amy Audlin, ’92
Alumni Peer Agent HR Manager at Capital Mechanic Amy Audlin connects with her HPU classmates as an Alumni Peer Agent and encourages them to support student scholarships and their alma mater with an annual gift. Through her role as an Alumni Peer Agent, Audlin has a direct impact on HPU’s standing in national ranking organizations like The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report, both of which consider alumni giving in their methodology. “Since graduation, I have continued to rally the troops to give their time, energy and money to the university that brought us all together and created lifelong friendships.” Join the Alumni Peer Agent Network at engage.highpoint.edu/Peer-Agent.
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Alumni Peer Agent
Matt Jakubowski, ’14
Reunion Chair
Reunion Chair Producer at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Matt Jakubowski served as President of the Class of 2014 and as one of the Reunion Committee Chairs. In this role, Jakubowski and the committee connected with classmates and invited them back to campus to attend reunion activities at Homecoming 2019. In collaboration with the Office of Alumni Engagement, Jakubowski planned the weekend’s festivities for his fellow classmates. “I am so thankful to bring my class together, reminisce on our time at HPU and hear about the continued success of the Class of 2014.” Find HPU reunion information online at engage.highpoint.edu/Alumni-Reunion.
Karen and Bob Bainbridge, Parents Parents Council, Admissions Advocates
Karen and Bob Bainbridge, parents of Nick, ’21, serve as the chairs of the HPU Parents Council Admissions Advocate Committee. In this role, they encourage future HPU families to visit campus. “It is exciting to reach out to potential students and share all that High Point University has to offer,” says Bob Bainbridge. “We can’t say enough about the unique life skills programming that students and graduates benefit from. It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to interact with such bright and focused young people who will accomplish great things.”
Parents Council
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. More information about the PC and Admissions Advocate programs may be found at engage.highpoint.edu/PC.
Stacy and Dave Rolfe, Parents
President’s Leadership Cabinet, Service Committee Chairs Investors in the HPU President’s Leadership Cabinet (PLC) play a dynamic role in HPU’s success. Annually, they support the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education. The Rolfes have become fully engaged during their son Oliver’s first year at HPU. “We have chosen to serve on the HPU Parents Council Service Committee because we believe in serving the community. HPU has become not only his, but our community as well,” says Stacy Rolfe. “It only makes sense to support the community that you are a part of. We choose to give to HPU because we believe in what the university represents. Led by Dr. Qubein, the beliefs in God, family and our country are three values that we strongly share.” Find Parents Council information online at engage.highpoint.edu/PC.
Engage Online
Create your personalized account today at engage.highpoint.edu to start connecting with your HPU network. By joining our online community of alumni, families and friends, you’ll discover: • Alumni Class Notes • Upcoming Events • Family Resources • Alumni Association Benefits • HPU Connects Regional Chapters ...and many more ways to engage in the life of YOUR UNIVERSITY!
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INVESTING
and LEADING
@
The caring support provided by High Point University’s alumni, family and friends is the foundation from which students’ dreams are launched into a lifetime of success and significance. Those featured below represent the faces of many who give their time, talent and resources to make an impact on HPU. This group provides a small glimpse at the dedicated individuals who have joined together to sustain lifelong connections through the HPU Global Network.
Darrell and Nancy Blackwell, Parents Forever Family
Following the graduation of their last HPU student, many families choose to continue supporting High Point University by dedicating time and resources to the students who will soon join the alumni family. Nancy and Darrell Blackwell have done just that following the graduation of Brendan, ’15, and Rilee, ’18. “Supporting HPU financially and volunteering our time for different events are two ways we show our love and gratitude to the university that cared for our children and prepared them for successful lives.” Continue your family’s lifelong relationship with HPU at engage.highpoint.edu/ForeverFamilies.
forever family
Dell Johnson, ’61
League of Loyal Alumni As a member of the League of Loyal Alumni, Dell Johnson has generously supported the university with an annual contribution for more than three consecutive years. “Giving back is giving forward. How wonderful it is to see how HPU has grown. The foundation I received on campus has helped me with the many blessings and challenges of life. I can only hope that as the university continues to grow, others will have the same experience and continue giving much-deserved support, including their time and talents.” 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.
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league of loyal alumni
Dan Costello, ’09
District Sales Manager at Forrester
Alumni Board of Directors
Dan Costello works as a District Sales Manager for Forrester in Boston, Massachusetts. As a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Costello leads the Alumni Association by example. Costello has helped implement processes, programs and activities aimed at helping alumni stay connected to their alma mater. “I serve on the HPU Alumni Board because I believe in the power of connections. My time on the board ensures future generations of HPU students can make those same connections I had the opportunity to make while at HPU.” Find Alumni Association information online at engage.highpoint.edu/Alumni-Association.
Steven Haller, ’13
Benefits Specialist at AIPAC
young alumni council
As the president of the Young Alumni Council, Steven Haller leads an advisory board of 50 alumni who graduated within the past decade. He acts as a liaison to the university on matters related to young alumni engagement, communications and more. “I feel a calling to support the university that gave me so much, and I get to do that most significantly by serving on the Young Alumni Council. It is an intrinsically fulfilling experience to focus my time and effort toward helping young alumni stay engaged and invested in our alma mater and toward fostering and maintaining the relationship between young alumni and the university.” Jump start your involvement as an HPU Young Alumnus at engage.highpoint.edu/Young-Alumni.
Emily Promise, ’20
Student Alumni Council
student alumni council
The Student Alumni Council consists of students currently enrolled at HPU who are committed to remaining involved after graduation. As a member of this council, Emily Promise helps host events that showcase the alumni experience while educating students on the importance of staying connected to HPU beyond graduation. “I wanted to join the Student Alumni Council to connect with alumni and learn from their experiences, while also planning events that the organization holds on campus. Being a part of the Student Alumni Council has provided me with valuable networking experiences.” Find Student Alumni Council information online at engage.highpoint.edu/alumni/Student-AC.
Wendy and Keith Moore, Parents President’s Leadership Cabinet
President’s leadership cabinet
The President’s Leadership Cabinet (PLC) is comprised of philanthropic families who believe in the mission of High Point University and work collaboratively with HPU President Nido Qubein and university leaders to plant seeds of greatness in the hearts and minds of HPU students. Wendy and Keith Moore have been both advocates and investors since their daughter, Cathryn Saliga, ’20, arrived at HPU. “We believe every young adult deserves the prestigious opportunities and foundational principles High Point University offers,” says Wendy Moore. “HPU goes above and beyond the average educational institution by preparing each student with its premier life skills learning approach. Students graduate extraordinarily prepared for their future, not only in a career, but in relationships with God, family, their country and the world. We are truly blessed our daughter is experiencing all this and more at HPU, and our prayer is that many other young adults will as well.” PLC investors make an annual gift to the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education for scholarship assistance and have opportunities for engagement through the Gratitude Program. To learn more about investment opportunities provided through the President’s Leadership Cabinet, please visit engage.highpoint.edu/PLC.
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The Hayworth family has contributed more than $25 million to HPU. Pictured above is the David R. Hayworth Park, one of many locations on campus that David Hayworth and his family have supported throughout the years.
A Life of Success and Significance: David R. Hayworth The Hayworth family’s total investment in HPU is more than $25 million. A lifelong resident of High Point, David R. Hayworth has made a significant and meaningful impact on the lives of students through his investments in High Point University. “David R. Hayworth is a community benefactor extraordinaire whose generosity has played an important role in High Point University’s transformation,” says Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president. “We are blessed to have him as a friend. His giving spirit serves as an inspiration to us and our students.” Hayworth is the son of the late Charles Emerson Hayworth Sr., one of several business leaders who helped found HPU in 1924. David R. Hayworth and his brother, Charles Hayworth Jr., led Hayworth Furniture Industries, once the city’s largest employer. 124
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Read more about the David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences on page 54, and read more about the Charles E. Hayworth Sr. Memorial Chapel, pictured right, on page 94.
Sustaining Sacred Spaces Most recently, David R. Hayworth donated $500,000 through two family foundations for the renovation of the Charles E. Hayworth Sr. Memorial Chapel on campus. Upgrades and enhancements that were completed during the summer include new flooring, seating, painting, lighting and audiovisual improvements. “For nearly 50 years, Hayworth Chapel has been a symbol of the spirit of caring and giving on HPU’s campus,” says Rev. Preston Davis, minister to the university. “We are so thankful for David R. Hayworth’s support and vision for the future. With these renovations to the beauty and functionality of the space, the chapel will be a place of even greater inspiration for our students for years to come.” “The Chapel is the heart and soul of HPU,” says David R. Hayworth. “I am pleased to have supported these upgrades so that the community and all of HPU can enjoy enhanced services here for many years to come.” The Chapel holds weekly worship services on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. that are open to the community. The services are led by Davis with students officiating. The Chapel also hosts community events throughout the year, including the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Worship Service and Lessons and Carols Candlelight Service. The chapel was built in 1972 thanks to the support of Charles Hayworth Jr., brother of David R. Hayworth, in memory of their father. David R. Hayworth Hall, adjacent to the chapel, was built in 1998 with a gift from David R. Hayworth and added 12,500 square feet of offices, classrooms, restrooms and lounge space for the campus. David R. Hayworth made a gift in 1999 to add to the chapel a vestibule, a Palladian window, a Georgian porch and a 95-foot
steeple. The steeple has a combination French and Celtic cross made of stainless steel weighing 49 pounds that was donated by the builder, Pete Howard, a former blacksmith.
Lifelong Philanthropic Commitment In total, the Hayworth family’s investment in the university is more than $25 million. In 1993, David R. Hayworth committed to leave his residence on Rockford Road in High Point to the university. And in 2007, David R. Hayworth and his family foundations pledged the single largest gift in the history of the university. The David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences and David R. Hayworth Park on the HPU campus were named in recognition of his generosity. The David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences is home to academic programs anchored in the liberal arts that develop students’ intellectual capacities, equip them with valuable life skills and help them discover their ability to overcome challenges using thoughtful consideration, resourcefulness and social responsibility. David R. Hayworth Park is a place of solitude, reflection, fellowship and natural beauty. Located in the park is the Hoffman Amphitheatre with 15-foot waterfalls that students can walk behind. The park is also home to the Human Link sculpture, a sculpture garden and several botanical gardens. David R. Hayworth is an active philanthropist in High Point and across the state, having contributed generously to dozens of organizations that benefit children and the health and wellbeing of the community. He has been a member of the university’s Board of Trustees since 1992 and has served on the boards of many other nonprofits and institutions. ▲
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‘To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required’ Alumnus Who Benefited from Others’ Generosity Supports Future Students
Jerry Murdock
Born in Statesville, North Carolina, as one of 12 children, Jerry Murdock lived at the Methodist Children’s Home in Winston-Salem after his mother passed away and his father could no longer care for his young family. Murdock attended High Point College on a full scholarship and decided then that he would someday give $1 million to the university. During his college career, Murdock was a member of the track team and TKE fraternity. His personal initiative and appreciation for hard work was evident as he worked campus jobs in the library, dining hall and on the maintenance team. In 1962, he graduated with a business administration degree. In addition to attending HPU, he served in the U.S. Navy, first at New Port, Rhode Island, and later on the Shangri-La aircraft carrier in May Port, Florida. He joined Johnson and Johnson in manufacturing management and then went to International Paper as an industrial paper salesman. Later, he moved to Henley Paper in High Point as a distributor salesman. In 1976, he started IPS Packaging in the basement of his Greenville, South Carolina, home. IPS is now one of South Carolina’s fastest
Mr. Murdock’s life reflects the fact that your present circumstances don’t determine where you go; they merely determine where you start. –HPU President Nido Qubein 126
alumni and families
growing private companies. He and his wife, Joan, have one daughter, Kendra, three sons, Kevin, Derrick and Brad, and nine grandchildren. In 2018, the Murdocks committed $1,250,000 to High Point University for the Jerry W. and Joan S. Murdock Endowed Scholarship, which will support students who have financial need in perpetuity. “Mr. and Mrs. Murdock give generously and are loyal supporters of High Point University, as well as current and future HPU students,” says HPU President Nido Qubein. “We are blessed to have them as part of the High Point University family. Mr. Murdock’s life reflects the fact that your present circumstances don’t determine where you go; they merely determine where you start.” “I came to High Point College with a full scholarship and didn’t have to pay for anything. I was very appreciative of that and knew one day I wanted to repay that scholarship for people like me,” says Murdock. “Fortunately, I was able to start my own company, and I’m grateful for my 42 years in business. The professors at High Point were wonderful to me. What they taught me has been very valuable to my life.” In 2018, Murdock received the Alumni Service Award from HPU for his continued involvement in various service initiatives that support the university and his local community. ▲
Endowed Funds Support Student Scholarships and Programs Between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019, the following endowed funds were established at HPU to support programs and student scholarships in perpetuity. These gifts represent a 7% growth in the university’s endowment over the previous fiscal year. • Rick and D.D. Alexander Family Endowed Scholarship • Elaine L. Bassford Endowed Scholarship for Education • May Gay and Don Brady Endowed Scholarship • Michael S. and Janet K. Brown Business Fellows Endowed Scholarship • Cook-Boyle Family Endowed Scholarship • Cox Family Endowed Scholarship • Crisp Family Endowed Scholarship • Carl V. and Louise H. Downing Endowed Scholarship • William A. Fidler Endowed Scholarship • Fisher Family Endowed Criminal Justice Scholarship • Hernandez Family Endowed Scholarship • Kenneth F. and Jana S. Kahn Extraordinary Staff Award Endowment • Paul and Elizabeth A. Lemmo Endowed Scholarship • Matthew F. and Kathryn Anne Mettler Endowed Scholarship • Norrelli Endowment for the Office of Global Education • Leonard H. and Melissa R. Novick Endowed Scholarship • Barbara Pfeiffer Redcay Endowed Scholarship • Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic Support Endowed Fund • Milford R. Quinn Endowment for the Professional Selling Program • Rohrer Family Endowed Scholarship • Rollins Family Endowed Scholarship • Schofield Family Endowed Scholarship • Sydney E. Shaw Family Endowed Scholarship for Student Accessibility and Services • Swindle Family Endowed Scholarship • Traylor Family Endowed Scholarship • Valentine Family Endowed Scholarship
Learn more about establishing an endowed fund at engage.highpoint.edu/endowment.
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HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY
P ? p Quiz! How well do you know HPU’s commitment to values-based learning? Test your knowledge!
1 2 3
In a primary location on campus, students are welcomed with an inscription of Luke 12:48, which says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Where will you find this? A. Hayworth Fine Arts Center B. Charles E. Hayworth Sr. Memorial Chapel C. Slane Student Center D. Wilson School of Commerce HPU’s Kester International Promenade is adorned with which of the following? A. Sculptures of history’s most impactful leaders B. Inspirational quotes inscribed on the sidewalks C. Flags representing all the countries from which students hail D. All of the above Which sculptures of these historical leaders will you find located throughout HPU’s campus? A. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. B. Mother Teresa C. Abraham Lincoln D. All of the above
4 5 6
In HPU President Nido Qubein’s Life Skills Seminar for all freshmen, every student receives a teddy bear. What does Qubein encourage students to do with the teddy bear? A. Keep it in their dorm room B. Give it to someone who has made an impact on their life as a token of appreciation C. Donate it D. Take a selfie with it During HPU’s Annual Veterans Day Celebration, students give a gift to all veterans. What is the gift? A. A T-shirt with an American flag that reads, “HPU Loves Veterans” B. Complimentary hot breakfast C. A blanket that symbolizes the warmth and comfort veterans provide our nation D. All of the above How many hours of service annually do HPU students, faculty and staff provide? A. 10,000 B. 50,000 C. 110,000 D. 75,000
Rotate the page to see the answers and add up your score!
You know HPU is a God, family and country institution, and you aren’t afraid to shout it from the mountaintop! Like you, HPU knows that in a world of constant change, our values are the foundation on which we stand.
5 to 6 Correct: You’re a values visionary!
You know HPU is committed to modeling generosity and gratitude for our students. Visit campus to learn more about HPU’s deep commitment to furthering the values families have worked 18+ years to instill in their students.
3 to 4 Correct: You appreciate success and significance!
You should come visit HPU ASAP to learn more about the university’s commitment to values-based living and learning. Not only are HPU’s values celebrated throughout the entire campus environment, but they are modeled by every member of HPU’s staff and faculty. Our holistic living and learning environment helps students graduate with a solid foundation so they are prepared to thrive in a world that’s always changing.
0 to 2 Correct: Heroes, models and mentors await!
Answer Key: 1. (A) 2. (D) 3. (D) 4. (B) 5. (D) 6. (C) Total Correct_____ Add up the number of times you chose the correct answer! 128
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NASA Astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison Named HPU’s 2020 Commencement Speaker Dr. Mae Jemison, an accomplished NASA astronaut, engineer and physician who became the first woman of color to travel to space, will deliver High Point University’s 2020 Commencement address on May 9. Jemison graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University and a medical degree from Cornell University. She flew on space shuttle Endeavour in 1992 and performed experiments in material science, life sciences and human adaptation to weightlessness. She served six years as a NASA astronaut. She went on to teach at Dartmouth College and now leads 100 Year Starship, an initiative working toward human travel beyond our solar system to another star within the next 100 years. Jemison has been a strong advocate for science and has established numerous initiatives that foster children’s appreciation for and accessibility to the sciences, including an international science camp for high school students. She also makes regular national and international television appearances.