HPU’s Robotics Club recently won second place for its robot at the 2024 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) SoutheastCon’s student hardware competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Pictured from left are club members Alan Gutschmit, Jordan Destafino, Natalie Roberts, Eric Brockmann, Levi Wenger and Morgan Abrams.
HIGH POINT, N.C., May 10, 2024 – Members of the High Point University community frequently conduct, publish and share research and creative works in a variety of ways. Below is a recap of recent research and innovative initiatives.
HPU Robotics Club Wins Second Place in Regional Competition
A team from HPU’s Robotics Club recently won second place for its robot at the 2024 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) SoutheastCon’s student hardware competition in Atlanta, Georgia. The team competed on March 23 against more than 40 universities from across the Southeast.
IEEE is a technical professional organization of more than 460,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals from more than 190 countries whose work is related to electrical and computer sciences, engineering and related disciplines.
Students in HPU’s team included Eric Brockmann, Morgan Abrams, Alan Gutschmit, Levi Wenger, Jordan Destafino, Kendall Kobbe, Natalie Roberts and Allie Walters.
Winning second place was unexpected, said Abrams, a sophomore computer engineering major from Waxhaw, North Carolina.
“With all the work that went into this, it was wonderful to see and participate in claiming the HPU Robotics Club’s first trophy,” said Abrams. “Something that I learned from the experience that I think will help me in my future career is that communication is crucial when working in a team. I think building the skill in communicating with others will help in building my future network.”
The team kept pushing and building more points during the competition, said Destafino, a third-year neuroscience/electrical engineering double major from Mocksville, North Carolina,
“The atmosphere in the competition was also wonderful as teams helped each other do better rather than viciously compete,” said Destafino. “We lent tools and components to friends we made there and received the same from them, which allowed us to achieve a winning robot.”
“This proves that our electrical and computer engineering students can compete with the best engineering schools in the Southeast,” said Dr. Eve Klopf, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. “The team thanks both the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and HPU’s Student Government Association for supporting their participation in the competition and looks forward to competing again next year.”
English Majors Present at Sigma Tau Delta Convention
Four English majors traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, to give presentations at the annual convention of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society.
Dr. Matthew Carlson, an associate professor of English, accompanied junior Taylor Galavotti and seniors Julianne Kendrick, Max Kresock and Jowan Williams to the conference.
“Besides sharing their own research and creative work, the students were able to attend panel sessions, participate in professionalization workshops and hear keynote speakers, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Carl Phillips,” said Carlson.
Hearing Phillips speak was one of her favorite parts of the conference, said Kendrick, who is from Rogers, Arkansas.
“He is amazing, and I loved hearing him talk about his writing,” Kendrick said. “I also gained a lot of confidence in my abilities as a writer and in public speaking. Reading my piece of writing out loud in front of a bunch of other writers was a really great experience.”
With more than 770 chapters in the United States and abroad, Sigma Tau Delta is one of the largest college honor societies. Presenting at the annual convention is a great accomplishment for these students.
“The Sigma Tau Delta convention is always a great opportunity to network with others in your field, get a sense of what is going on at other universities and exercise your public speaking and presentation skills,” said Kresock, a senior from Buffalo, New York. “Along with the interesting speakers and the fun of travel, the convention is an experience that helps build confidence in a professional and academic setting.”
As a neuroscience and English double major from Lexington, Kentucky, Galavotti learned more about effective communication at the convention.
“I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience after graduation so learning more about critical formation of argument and development of ideas will be especially helpful as I craft my dissertation,” Galavotti said. “Overall, it was an awesome experience, and I’m so grateful I was able to go.”
Williams, a High Point native, agreed attending the Sigma Tau Delta convention was a great experience.
“Being able to hear the novel and innovative scholarship within the field of English from budding peers was not only intriguing, but also gave me a deeper appreciation for literary research and studies,” Williams said. “Likewise, having the opportunity to share my own research aided in improving my public speaking skills, and gave me the chance to connect with colleagues with similar interests. I am extremely grateful for having gone to this research conference, as I feel that this was an amazing trip to conclude my academic career at High Point University.”
Students Show Game Designs at National Conference
Eighteen HPU game design students recently presented their game concepts to more than 100,000 attendees at PAX East 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Stefan Hall, chair and associate professor of game design, and Brian Heagney, an associate professor of game design, accompanied the students for the March event. The students were Nathaniel Bryant, Michael Connelly, Dylan Daner, Austin Edwards, Terry Evans, Steven Gast, Luke Harless, Nathan Harvey, Brett Ingram, Tyler Johnson, Cecile Li, Ashley Longbottom, Riley Siegel, Zuri Smith and Henry Wallace.
“Four days of demos reaching hundreds and hundreds of people as well as networking with professionals in the industry was an amazing experiential learning adventure for them,” said Hall. “The entire trip was made possible through a team effort from the Communication Fellows, Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, the Department of Game Design and the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication at High Point University.”
As the students were traveling, they learned HPU had been recognized for a third consecutive year by The Princeton Review for providing one of the Top 50 Game Design Programs in the country. Hall said the honor is a testament to the hard work of students and alumni, as well as of the faculty for dedication to excellence in teaching and learning, running dynamic clubs and finding good jobs in the industry.
“One of the coolest things about PAX was that you had no idea who you were talking to – it could be a producer, game developer or just an enthusiast,” said Ashley Longbottom, a senior entrepreneurship and game design and interactive media major from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Everyone had amazing feedback. It was nerve wracking going into PAX knowing the audience, but we quickly grew more comfortable the more we interacted with everyone. Going to this conference to present is an opportunity that is only available for a few people so the fact that we were there as college students will really help us get a firm foot in the door of the game industry.”
Being able to network with industry innovators such as HPU’s Innovator in Residence, Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, as well as designers, producers and publishers from the game industry, gives students valuable insight to help their own careers, said Hall.
HPU’s game design program is extremely active. Students have presented their work at other conferences, including the East Coast Game Conference (ECGC) in Raleigh, the Broadcast Education Association Conference in Las Vegas and the Popular Culture Association Conference in Washington, D.C.
Education Doctoral Students Present at National Conference
Five HPU Doctor of Education students recently participated in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) conference for student affairs professionals in higher education.
Dr. Tara Shollenberger, an assistant professor of leadership studies in the Stout School of Education, accompanied the students as they traveled to Seattle, Washington, for the March 9-13 conference. The students included Angela Mahoney, Shawnteya “Teya” Hayes, Chyna McQueen, Ashanti Shepherd and Melissa “Missy” Watson.
The students delivered two presentations. McQueen presented her dissertation research, titled “The Examination of Academic Support Programs for University Athletes.” Hayes, McQueen, Shepherd and Watson presented research on persisting in doctoral programs called, “It Takes a Village to Change the World: Understanding and Expanding the Concept of Relationship While in a Doctoral Program.”
“Offering experiential opportunities to our doctoral students encapsulates the essence of higher education,” said Shollenberger. “These students had the chance to showcase their research at a national conference and engage in networking with colleagues and fellow doctoral candidates from around the world. This experience will not only enhance their marketability but also instill confidence as they approach the completion of their doctoral degrees. These students epitomized HPU pride and served as a source of inspiration for other aspiring doctoral candidates.”
Watson said presenting on a national level during her doctoral journey was an incredibly rewarding experience, fulfilling a longstanding aspiration on her personal bucket list.
“It was extra special to be able to present to current and future doctoral students across the country about the concept of a village in the context of doctoral studies, highlighting the pivotal role of relationships, support networks and collaborative endeavors in fostering the growth and triumph of doctoral candidates,” said Watson. “This opportunity not only contributed to my professional growth but also reaffirmed my dedication to continuous learning and scholarly engagement. Engaging in meaningful exchanges with fellow academics and professionals has been invaluable, and I am excited to embrace new challenges and opportunities in academia.”
Watson won a NASPA Black Diaspora Knowledge Community (BDKC) 2024 Stellar 50 award, which was presented to recipients who have worked within the student affairs profession for at least five years and have made an impact in their professional and philanthropic endeavors.
“Receiving the NASPA BDKC 2024 Stellar 50 award was a moment of profound humility and gratitude in my career journey,” said Watson. “Being acknowledged among peers who share a commitment to positively impacting student affairs is truly an honor. This recognition validates the years of hard work and dedication I have poured into both my professional and academic pursuits. I am deeply thankful for the unwavering support of my chair, Dr. Tara Shollenberger, my classmates and the wider student affairs community. This award fuels my determination to continue striving for excellence in my endeavors.”