As 2023 approaches, HPU pauses to reflect on this past year, the families and friends we welcomed to campus and the continued transformational growth that made this year so memorable. As always, HPU is thankful for our students, parents, alumni supporters and friends for their continued advocacy, which allowed the university to move onward and upward in 2022. In the last year, HPU achieved several academic milestones while also furthering campus expansion plans. Students continued to receive unprecedented access to innovators on the HPU campus, and the university’s distinguished learning model was recognized again for excellence.
In honor of the year HPU was founded, 1924, here is a glimpse of High Point University’s top 24 moments from 2022:
#1
$400 Million Expansion Fueled By $100 Million in Gifts
It was a year of extraordinary expansion. After receiving three historic gifts totaling $100 million from three families in 30 days, HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein announced in March a $400 million academic expansion to be completed by the 2024-2025 academic year, HPU’s Centennial Anniversary.
The expansion includes new academic schools such as law and optometry, which will also receive new facilities in the future. Campus housing and facilities will also grow to include the John and Lorraine Charman Library, new Panther Commons residential and student life facility, a parking deck and more. Already, construction is well underway on Panther Commons, set to open in fall 2023, as well as the new fully enclosed parking deck.
#2
Class of 2021 Earned 98% Rating
Research shows that HPU’s Class of 2021 earned a 98% career or graduate school placement within 180 days of graduation. That’s 14 points higher than the national average!
#3
Rick and Angie Workman Foundation Give $32 Million Dental School Gift
During a major event this spring, HPU announced that the future dental school will be known as the Workman School of Dental Medicine in honor of Dr. Rick and Angie Workman. HPU was blessed this year with a $32 million donation from the Rick and Angie Workman Foundation. Dr. Workman is HPU’s Dental Innovator in Residence and the founder of Heartland Dental, which supports more than 1,600 dental offices nationwide.
#4
$30 Million Gift from the Charman Family Funds New Library
In September, HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein unveiled a $30 million transformational lead gift from John and Lorraine Charman to help fund the new $80 million library, part of HPU’s $400 million expansion, which is expected to be completed in 2025-2026. The new facility will be named the John and Lorraine Charman Library in honor of their generous contributions to the growth of the university. The Charmans are HPU advocates who have supported the university from the moment their daughter Olivia enrolled.
#5
Student Housing Options Soar
HPU's nationally ranked student housing continued to blaze trails. HPU became the first private university in the nation to add tiny homes to its campus housing options this year while also making progress on the extraordinary Panther Commons, which will include a hibachi restaurant, barber shop, nail salon and several restaurants as part of a campus food hall. These housing additions are all part of HPU’s $400 million expansion.
#6
2023 Commencement Speaker Announced
With two semesters to go, HPU announced in August that Rob Lowe, actor, director, producer and New York Times bestselling author, will deliver High Point University’s Commencement Address in 2023. Lowe joins an extraordinary lineup of Commencement Speakers for graduates and their families on May 6, 2023.
#7
Largest Enrollment in History
HPU’s August move-in was the biggest yet. 1,600 Panthers were welcomed home during Move-In Weekend as HPU’s largest group of new students, as well as the largest total enrollment of 6,000 students. The Welcome Week crew included hundreds of upperclassmen, faculty and staff volunteers who greeted the freshmen and their families and moved their items into their residence hall.
#8
A Parking First
As the number of students and facilities continues to grow at HPU, and as part of the $400 million expansion, HPU is building its first enclosed parking garage on campus. The garage will have 1,200 parking spaces and be located behind Congdon Hall and the Wanek School of Natural Sciences. It will also include a coffee shop. Construction on the $25 million project is slated to finish by the summer of 2023.
#9
HPU President Honored by N.C. Association of Broadcasters
In October, HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein was awarded the Wade H. Hargrove Community Leadership Award by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters (NCAB) at its 2022 Awards. It is one of the highest awards presented by the NCAB and honors North Carolinians who have distinguished themselves with service to our local communities. Qubein said he is proud to be associated with NCAB and to partner with PBSNC which airs “Side by Side with Nido Qubein” at 7 p.m. each Tuesday after "PBS Newshour."
#10
HPU Ranks #1 Again
September brought news to be proud of. For 11 years now, High Point University has been named No.1 Best Regional College in the South by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges.” HPU has also been named No.1 Most Innovative for the eighth consecutive year and is recognized in several special categories.
#11
HPU’s Access to Innovators Continues to Grow
HPU’s list of global leaders expanded x10 this year. HPU welcomed Ellen Zane, former CEO of Tufts Medical Center and HPU’s Health Care Executive in Residence; Dr. Willie Jolley, Hall of Fame speaker, bestselling author and HPU’s Personal Development Expert in Residence; Phil M. Jones, business communication expert, bestselling author, Hall of Fame speaker and HPU’s Persuasion Expert in Residence; Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., president and CEO of SHRM and HPU’s Human Capital Expert in Residence; Sue Downes, CEO and co-founder of MyEyeDr. and HPU’s Health Care Expert in Residence; Steve Spangler, STEM educator, bestselling author, television personality, business leader and HPU’s STEM Educator in Residence; JiNan Glasgow George, managing director and founder of NEO IP and co-founder of Magic Number and HPU’s Intellectual Property Expert in Residence; Marilyn Sherman, Hall of Fame speaker and HPU’s Personal Development Expert in Residence; Gary Inman, president of Gary Inman Interior Design and HPU’s Designer in Residence; and Christopher Ullman, founder and president of Ullman Communications LLC and HPU’s Strategic Communication Expert in Residence, as in-resident faculty part of the Access to Innovators Program. Throughout the year, students got to enjoy one-on-one moments with industry leaders Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence; Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and HPU’s Innovator in Residence; Dean Cain, famed actor, producer, television presenter and HPU’s Actor in Residence; Cynt Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence; Dee Ann Turner, former Chick-fil-A V.P. for talent and HPU’s Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence; Bob Ryan, renowned sports columnist for The Boston Globe and HPU’s Sports Reporter in Residence; and more!
#12
Game Design Program Ranked Top 50 in the Nation
Once again, High Point University was selected on The Princeton Review’s 2022 list for the “Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Game Design.” HPU’s game design major, as well as a corresponding minor, is housed in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, and it is the second time the major has earned this recognition. HPU is the only university in North Carolina to earn this recognition.
#13
Celebrated Class of 2022
1,400 graduates crossed the stage at the Class of 2022 Commencement Ceremony, representing the largest graduating class in HPU’s history. More than 14,000 family and friends filled the Roberts Hall Lawn to congratulate the graduates and learn from Commencement speaker, Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND Snacks.
#14
Concert Recap
It was showtime at HPU many times throughout the year! HPU hosted concerts featuring Chris Lane, ABBA and Beatles tribute bands at Family Weekend, and Disney’s “A Dream is a Wish” concert free and open to the community. Students also brought the energy to the annual fall concert on Roberts Hall Lawn, featuring a performance by MAX.
#15
HPU’s 12th Annual Veterans Day Celebration
HPU values veterans and their service to our country. More than 1,500 veterans and their families arrived on campus for HPU’s Annual Veterans Day Celebration in November. The celebration, made possible by 100 student, faculty and staff volunteers, included a complimentary breakfast, a patriotic salute, the revealing of two track chairs that the HPU fraternity Kappa Alpha raised $40,000 to purchase, and much more.
#16
100% Pass Rates
HPU celebrates another year of successful graduate programs and its students. Class of 2022 graduates in HPU’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies Program and Athletic Training (MSAT) both received 100% pass rates on their national exams, surpassing the first-time pass rate national average.
#17
HPU Welcomes First Class of Nursing Students
It was a moment of firsts for the Department of Nursing. HPU’s inaugural cohort of nursing students were welcomed this fall and received their white coats at the Department of Nursing’s first White Coat Ceremony in October. The students have been learning in the 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art complex at Parkway Commons on campus. The complex includes a 16-bed skills lab with 14 diverse simulators modeling an acute care environment, as well as three high-fidelity simulation suites.
#18
Over $20 Million Awarded Toward Teacher Preparation
HPU’s Stout School of Education is one of six universities in the nation and the only one in North Carolina awarded a more than $10 million Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant to develop the capacity of principals or central office leaders to transform schools. The grant is in addition to the nearly $10 million Teacher Quality Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In total, HPU will receive more than $20 million over the next five years for educator preparation.
#19
HPU’s Nationally Televised ESPNU Basketball Game
In February, ESPNU aired nationally the HPU Men’s Basketball game against Longwood. The HPU family and fans filled the stands in the Qubein Arena, cheering with hype and enthusiasm for their Panthers. Students enjoyed a pregame party with free hot wings, mac and cheese bowls, pizza, ice cream, T-shirts and more.
#20
HPU Honors 9/11 Heroes by Installing Steel from NYC’s Twin Towers
HPU is a God, family and country school, with symbols of patriotism abounding throughout campus. To honor and remember the heroic sacrifices made by our first responders, the university installed 3,000 pounds of steel, from the remains of New York City’s Twin Towers that were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. The steel was used to forge the letters underneath the 30-foot-wide American flag display in the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center.
#21
Princeton Review’s Best Colleges
Recognized for excellence, the Princeton Review once again recommends High Point University as one of the best institutions for undergraduate education in America. This is the sixth consecutive year HPU has been recognized. Only about 14% of America’s 2,700 four-year colleges are included in the 2023 edition. The Princeton Review selects colleges based on data it annually collects from administrators, as well as surveys from students at those colleges.
#22
Big Wins
It was a year of big wins in sports for Panther fans. HPU Men’s Soccer made history with its first-ever NCAA Tournament match win with a 2-0 victory against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tarheels. HPU Women’s Volleyball earned the title of 2022 Big South Champions.
#23
NBC Christmas Special
HPU’s Christmas special, “A Serenade for Shepherds,” aired across the nation on NBC affiliated stations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The production was filmed on HPU’s campus, with many students and HPU family involved. The special features scripture readings, prayers and performances by members of the HPU community and students.
#24
Annual Christmas Drive
Once again, HPU is welcoming the community to campus for a complimentary Christmas Drive from 5 p.m. to 8 pm. on Dec. 19 through Jan. 1 as a way to celebrate Christmas together. HPU has expanded this year’s drive by adding the state’s tallest Christmas tree to campus at 70 feet, more than 230 nutcrackers, thousands of new lights, decorations and more figures in the life-size Nativity. Members of the community are invited to enjoy this drive-through event through Jan. 1, 2023.