Tributes to Dr. Dennis Carroll

Tributes

TO DR. DENNIS CARROLL

Dr. Daniel Erb

School of Health Sciences Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

When I reflect on the past nine years in which I have known Dr. Carroll the one word that continually comes to mind is “caring.” No matter what the circumstances, no matter the personality or character of the individual, Dr. Carroll is always concerned about their well-being and whether decisions are made fairly and to the benefit of all concerned. After my arrival at High Point University, I realized early on that Dr. Carroll cares deeply about connecting with faculty, staff and students. After all, he is a man who has cared enough to learn the name of every faculty and staff member with whom he works and remembers the names of students with whom he regularly meets. Frequently, he not only knows your name but also information about your family, where you were before coming to HPU and the path that brought you to become a member of the HPU family. This certainly makes a newcomer on campus feel welcome.

I appreciate the care, patience, understanding and wisdom Dr. Carroll has shown and shared with me as we created and traversed new territories for HPU and our students. This was most helpful as we developed the Congdon School of Health Sciences and initiated, transitioned and/or revised programs in the Departments of Athletic Training, Exercise Science, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies and the proposed nursing program, as well as programs such as Employee Wellness and the Willed Body Program. As a result of the attributes above, we were able to capitalize on and create opportunities and overcome challenges for the benefit of students, faculty and staff.

Because of the efforts of Dr. Carroll, many Health Sciences students have joined the HPU family of clinicians, researchers and educators who contribute to the care of the sick and the advancement of science for the greater good.

Thank you for all you have done. ❧

Dr. Angela Bauer

School of Natural Sciences Vice President for Academic Affairs

As faculty in the Wanek School of Natural the value and mission of undergraduate research, Sciences contemplate the retirement of our both for the manner in which research experiences provost, Dr. Dennis Carroll, we can’t help but help students to deeply learn their disciplinary reflect on the indelible mark his leadership has subject matter and for the numerous ways in left on our natural science programs here at High which they facilitate their professional success Point University (HPU). Thanks to his student- once they graduate from our institution. To centered approach to decision-making, his fulfill his vision, he worked diligently to establish commitment to providing high-impact learning sources of financial support for students to attend experiences that propel our students to success professional conferences and competitions; he upon graduation from our institution, his “sixth supported the establishment of an Office of sense” in the selection of faculty and chairs for Undergraduate Research and Creative Works on our programs who are committed to student our campus; and he played a key leadership role in success and his endless words of encouragement, the founding of a summer-long intensive research our natural science programs have grown experience for natural science majors (the Summer exponentially, warranting the establishment of a Research Program in the Sciences, or SuRPS) separate school of natural sciences in June of 2019. that has led to remarkable professional outcomes Hallmark events in the natural sciences that graduation (such as entrance into top tier Ph.D. and occurred during his leadership include the M.D. programs and positions with noteworthy following: the establishment of three new majors biotech and pharmaceutical companies). (biochemistry, neuroscience and physics), and enrollment increases exceeding 70% in the case As a result of Dr. Carroll’s vision, a remarkable of some existing majors; significant growth in commitment to undergraduate research is now in the number of faculty in the natural sciences, the DNA of HPU. It is a pillar of HPU’s academic many of whom are nationally recognized for their success; it is highly valued, marketed, recognized, teaching and scholarship (with funding from celebrated and financially supported. For this prestigious sources, including the National Science — and for the many other ways in which his Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and leadership encouraged and inspired us, and for the National Aeronautics and numerous times in which Space Administration); As a result of Dr. Carroll’s vision, he celebrated our successes and, most notably, a remarkable commitment to — we are so honored to significant growth in the number of undergraduate research experiences undergraduate research is now in the DNA of HPU. have worked and learned from Dr. Carroll. As he retires from our institution, provided to natural science majors. we wish him much It is this last facet of his leadership — Dr. Carroll’s of accomplishment for all that he has contributed vision for and support of undergraduate research to our programs. ❧ — that is likely to be viewed as his defining success during his time as provost. Dr. Carroll believes in for many of our natural science majors upon happiness and contentment and a profound sense

Dr. Jim Wehrley

School of Business

What would a former English teacher, Dean of Education and now Provost have in common with the Business School? As it turns out, a LOT— specifically, Dr. Dennis Carroll encourages a core mission of helping college students focus on developing the skills and attributes necessary to a fulfilling life.

A thorough study of Dr. Carroll and his motivations reveals his uncompromising love of people. He has supported the vision of the Phillips School of Business (PSB) in developing a dynamic mix of faculty, which includes not only strong academics but business practitioners who possess practical wisdom and decades of experience. This dynamic mix is responsible for the growth and success of the PSB.

And what explosive growth it has been! The number of traditional undergraduate business students has more than quadrupled from approximately 320 students to over 1,370 under Dr. Carroll’s term.

Dr. Carroll’s journey with the PSB began with development of an academic program focused on the entrepreneurial mindset, hence, the Belk Center for Entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurship major were born. This mindset comprises key tenets of the liberal arts education: the abilities to think critically and to solve problems. The entrepreneurship proposal was not a stretch for Dr. Carroll. He immediately recognized the value of this program and its consistency with the new entrepreneurial spirit of High Point University.

The next stage of our journey involved the development of an academic sales program. Fundamentals of sales include persuasion, negotiation, communication and problem solving, additional disciplines foundational to a liberal arts education. Dr. Carroll instantly grasped the benefit of a sales program even though at the time sales programs were rare. As a result, the Harris Sales Education Center and a sales major were created.

The third phase of our journey was the development of a sequencing of career education courses from the freshman to the junior years. Visits each week from a panel of career professionals in a specific field open the imaginations of first-year students to different career pathways. The sophomore-level course focuses students on professionalism, career exploration and discovery of opportunities to differentiate themselves. The final course develops the skillsets needed to find an internship or a first position out of college. This bundle of courses, combined with two dedicated business school career advisors, provides the resources students need to develop their pathways.

Dr. Carroll’s willingness to consider innovative ideas were powerful strengths in the development of new initiatives. He listened first and followed up with laser-focused questions to sharpen the programs. His natural empathy allowed him to see beyond traditional requirements and concentrate efforts on developing the qualities students need to become competitive.

Dr. Carroll continually supported the creation of a thriving business school to develop life skills in high demand in the business world. As Dr. Carroll completes his last year, he continues to encourage innovation as the business school considers health care management programs and the further integration of analytics. ❧

Dr. John Turpin

School of Art and Design

The School of Art and Design has blossomed in its first decade due to the support of our Provost, Dr. Dennis Carroll. The necessary scaffolding to assure quality research and creative endeavors requires time, funding and an awareness of the many forms of scholarship. He has supported our faculty when they requested the all-important sabbaticals. At a time when many academics are seeing a reduction in travel funds, our Provost has continued to champion increased funds to support professional development. Perhaps most significantly, Dr. Carroll understood the value of creative works and helped assure that they were respected and received the appropriate recognition during the tenure and promotion process. As a result of this support, faculty have disseminated research in fashion merchandising, graphic design, interior design and visual merchandising design. Creative works included ceramics, painting, photography and sculpture. They have exhibited works in North America, Europe and Asia, and they have presented at professional conferences both nationally and internationally, assisting in the development of their national reputations. Some highlights include: “Is it Art or is it Documentary?” presented at the Inter-Photography and Architecture International Conference in Pamplona, Spain, by Ms. Benita VanWinkle; “The Flex-Nest: The ADU as Adaptable Housing for the Life Span” by Dr. Jane Nichols published in Interiors: Design, Architecture, Culture; “Arrangement with Three Eggs” by Mr. Scott Raynor, rated as a semifinalist in the Sunny Art Centre International Art Prize, London, U.K.; and “jetsam” by Mr. Mark Brown exhibited at the Kochi International Triennial Exhibition of Prints in Kochi-ken, Japan.

Through these endeavors faculty have improved the educational experience of our students. They are practicing artists who bring their experiences into the classroom. They are researchers who integrate the latest information into their class discussions and assignments. We all benefit when faculty research and creative programs are supported. But this can only be achieved when the faculty are motivated and the administration is supportive — a delicate symbiotic relationship.

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the School of Art and Design, I extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Carroll for all that he has done for us during his tenure as Provost at High Point University. ❧

Dr. Virginia McDermott

School of Communication

How do you convince a university to add a major in game design? Social media? What if you want to have an esports arena? Move expensive editing computers into hallways so that students walking by could use them? Send faculty to Thailand to present their research? Provide students the opportunity to work on a children’s media research project for the Sesame Street foundation?

Well, if you’re lucky enough to work with Dr. Dennis Carroll, you can turn all of these ideas quickly into reality. The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication (NQSC) was established in 2008, and we would not have grown to 10 majors and 800+ students without Dr. Carroll’s ability to see possibilities and support creative endeavors.

Dr. Carroll is always willing to talk about a new initiative and to evaluate the benefits to the students and larger community. His leadership style is invitational, and he creates a space for faculty to share ideas. Each time Wilfred Tremblay, the founding dean of the NQSC, or

Dr. Dennis Carroll and HPU President Dr. Nido R. Qubein sharing a joyful moment at a High Point University Commencement ceremony.

I went to Dr. Carroll with an idea, his response was always “tell me more.” This approach creates excitement and encourages innovation. It is part of why HPU has been so successful.

Perhaps the best example of how Dr. Carroll evaluates academic initiatives is his commitment to the esports arena. Now, Dr. Carroll admits that he doesn’t really “get” esports. His initial reaction to the proposal was: “So, people watch other people play video games? And they pay to do this?” But what he does understand is how space conveys value and that this space sends a message to students that we support what is important to them. He immediately saw how this initiative could benefit curriculum in majors like game design, sports media and sports management. And because of his dedication to best practices in student learning, Dr. Carroll supported the NQSC transforming a large instructional area into three spaces that included a dedicated esports arena.

And if one wonders whether Dr. Carroll’s support of an esports arena has paid off, then one only has to look at the numbers. Last year, there were 13 students involved in the esports club. The esports arena opened six months ago. As of spring 2020, there are now approximately 90 students involved in esports.

I will miss Dr. Carroll. I will miss conversing with him on potential new programs — and revisions to current programs. I will miss his constant encouragement and his dedication to innovation and student learning. But, most of all, I will miss his mentorship and leadership, which allowed us to grow and expand the NQSC to what it is today. ❧

Dr. Michael Oudshoorn

School of Engineering

Dr. Carroll has been a faculty member and administrator at HPU for many years. I, on the other hand, have been at HPU for only the past 24 months. However, over that relatively brief time, Dr. Carroll has shown himself to be a kind, caring, thoughtful and considered academic leader. He is genuinely interested in each of the academic schools and colleges that report to him and the faculty and staff within those academic disciplines. Even though engineering and computer science are not his areas of expertise, he is able to see how these disciplines fit within the fabric of a liberal arts education and he is incredibly supportive in helping these disciplines succeed.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to a conference with Dr. Carroll. The conference was on accreditation of engineering and computer science programs and Dr. Carroll was there to learn what was necessary to seek accreditation. He learned a great deal about the process, but I think he left even more sure that engineering was a good choice for HPU – the entire theme of the meeting was liberal arts and its relationship to engineering. Everything we do at HPU, everything that Dr. Carroll does to preserve our liberal arts background, and everything he does to promote liberal arts to prospective students was reaffirmed at the conference as being absolutely necessary for the success of the professions and for engineering in particular. I believe Dr. Carroll left that meeting even more committed to the professions and to liberal arts education.

It isn’t a surprise to any dean that Dr. Carroll would attend an engineering accreditation conference. He is a diligent provost who wants to understand the disciplines that make up the academic schools and colleges. He encourages collaboration and cooperation. He was rewarded Dr. Dennis Carroll in his Roberts Hall office

to learn that the engineering profession also believes in the liberal arts and that the vision that he and the president have mapped out for HPU was indeed the path that the professional body and employers wanted.

Dr. Carroll’s focus, however, transcends the disciplines. He is interested in the individual faculty members that make up each department. He enquires after the health of faculty who may have been ill, about the heat and cooling in the building should the chiller or boiler need repair to ensure the building occupants are comfortable. He remembers important little details to let faculty know he honestly is interested in their well-being. He is a reminder to everyone that while managing a large complex organization it is crucial to remember what is truly important: the people who make things happen — the faculty, staff and the students of High Point University. We wish Dr. Carroll all the very best in his retirement. He will be missed. ❧