Commencement Program 2023

There are few milestones in life more significant than the one we gather to celebrate this day. This is truly an extraordinary event in the lives of our graduates… one which opens the doors to a world of promising opportunities. In the years ahead, the choices these graduates make will guide their footsteps and determine their destiny. Join with the HPU family today in wishing our new alumni a life filled with both success and significance.

College graduation is also a milestone for the families of our students. You have invested many years focused on nurturing your student’s soul and nourishing their mind. In every way emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, financially you have supported and encouraged them. Now, you celebrate their achievement with deserved pride. Thank you for being such caring family members.

Since the day your student arrived on campus, they have become more knowledgeable, more enlightened, more savvy about the world around them and more confident in their own abilities. They are now armed with the values, skills and tools to build a life of distinction. This is, after all, The Premier Life Skills University. And we are a God, family and country institution. Today, our graduates leave this university transformed prepared not only for the world as it is, but for the world as it is going to be.

The dedicated faculty and staff of our university have planted seeds of greatness in the minds and hearts of our graduates. We send them into the world with hopeful prayers that each one will find and follow their own path to noble stewardship and meaningful commitment.

nqubein@highpoint.edu

GRADUATION CEREMONY

Saturday, the sixth of May, two thousand and twenty-three at nine o’clock in the morning

Roberts Hall Lawn

President Nido R. Qubein, Presiding

PROCESSIONAL (Audience Stands)

Pomp and Circumstance ............................................................................................................................................... Edward Elgar

Marche Pontificale .................................................................................................................................................... Charles Gounod

Military March ................................................................................................................................................ Ludwig van Beethoven

PRESENTATION of COLORS (Audience Stands) ............................................................................ High Point University ROTC

NATIONAL ANTHEM (Audience Stands) ........................................................................................................... Chamber Singers

INVOCATION

GREETINGS from the CLASS OF 2023

INTRODUCTION of SPEAKER

Dr. Tawannah G. Allen Associate Professor of Educational Leadership

Ms. Shreya R. Rana President, Class of 2023

Dr. Nido R. Qubein President

CONFERRAL OF HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF BUSINESS LEADERSHIP UPON THE HONORABLE BONNIE MCELVEEN-HUNTER .......................................

WORDS for COMMENCEMENT ...............................................................................

Dr. Nido R. Qubein

The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, and Former U.S. Ambassador to Finland

PRESENTATION of DEGREE CANDIDATES .................................................................................................

AWARDING of DEGREES ..............................................................................................................................

PATRIOTIC MUSIC and SPECIAL PRESENTATION

America the Beautiful

RECESSIONAL (Audience Stands)

Dr. Daniel E. Erb Provost

Dr. Nido R. Qubein

Dr. Marc A. Foster Chair, Department of Music and Director of Choral Activities

Marche Pontificale Charles Gounod

Military March Ludwig van Beethoven

TO APPRECIATE THE FUTURE, ONE MUST HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PAST

On October 9, 1991, the name of High Point College was changed to High Point University.

In January 2005, Dr. Nido Qubein was elected the university’s seventh president, and within days he announced an ambitious fundraising effort which he himself would chair. Twenty-nine days later, $20 million had been committed. To date, $600 million has been given by generous donors.

Protestant Church, which is now part of The United Methodist Church, first became active in educational pursuits in North Carolina in the middle of the 19th century. At the turn of the century, The Reverend Joseph F. McCulloch of Greensboro began working to make the vision of a church-related college a reality. He labored for nearly a quarter-century before finding success.

The Annual Conference finally voted to proceed in 1921. Shortly afterward, it accepted an offer from the City of High Point to contribute 60 acres of land and $100,000 to the project. The campus of High Point College consisted of three partially completed buildings, nine faculty members and 122 students. Classes began in September 1924, even as the finishing touches were still being added to the original buildings.

The atmosphere of confidence ended abruptly with the Great Depression. For many years, the struggle to survive was severe. Faculty salaries were in major decline, while students occasionally paid tuition in chickens, pigs and vegetables. In 1934, the College underwent bankruptcy and reorganization in an effort to reduce its indebtedness. Slowly the situation began to improve. By the end of the decade, library and gymnasium facilities had been added and an athletic stadium was constructed. Financial stability ultimately returned with the liquidation of the debt in 1945.

The postwar decades brought renewed prosperity and rapid growth. Under the influences of the G.I. Bill and the “baby boom” of the 1940s and 1950s, enrollment tripled. The College’s programs received full regional accreditation in 1951.

A transformational academic and campus development plan began in earnest. The plan ended with astonishing results. The general education curriculum was totally re-conceptualized to reflect 21st century knowledge and trends, while remaining centered on a liberal arts focus. Ten new schools were created (Art and Design, Communication, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Engineering, Undergraduate Sciences, Law, Dental Medicine, Optometry, and Nursing). Opportunities for study abroad, service learning, internships and undergraduate research were expanded in order to ensure experiential opportunities for all students. The number of faculty members tripled, and the university was approved to offer doctoral programs.

Campus size has tripled from 91 to 520 acres; enrollment has increased from 1,450 traditional undergraduate students to 6,000 total undergraduate and graduate students today; and the employee population increased from 380 to more than 2,000. The annual economic impact of the university is $765 million, and faculty, staff and students donate 500,000 hours of service to the community each year.

HPU has skyrocketed up the national college and university rankings, including being ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report for Best Regional Colleges in the South, No. 1 for Most Innovative Regional Colleges in the South, Best Value and Top 30 in the Nation for First-Year Experiences. The Princeton Review includes HPU among “The Best 388 Colleges” in the nation, as well as in the Best Southeastern Colleges “2022 Best Colleges: Region by Region” list. The Princeton Review also recognized HPU among the Top 20 in the nation for Best-Run Colleges, Best Career Services, Most Beautiful Campus, Most Active Student Government Association, Best College Dorms and Best Campus Food, as well as a Great School for Business/Finance Majors and a Great School for Communication Majors.

GRADUATION CEREMONY TRADITIONS

THE PROCESSIONAL

Led by the Faculty Marshal and the mace-bearer, the

platform party, officers of the university, faculty and graduates.

THE PROCESSIONAL MACE

The Processional officially commences as the Faculty Marshal and mace-bearer wave the mace to announce the arrival of the line of march. Developed originally as a weapon of war, the mace now serves as a symbol of the university as an official body of scholars. The High Point University mace was designed in 1965 by assistant professor of art, Raiford Porter. Carved from pecan wood, the top of the mace reveals the lamp of learning. The Office of the Provost, located in Roberts Hall, proudly displays the mace throughout the year.

THE ACADEMIC BANNERS

The Academic Banners each represent the academic units of High Point University: The Norcross Graduate School; School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences; Nido R. Qubein School of Communication; Earl N. Phillips School of Business; David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design; Wanek School of Natural Sciences; Stout School of Education; Webb School of Engineering; Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; Congdon School of Health Sciences, Workman School of Dental Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Optometry School of Nursing, School of Optometry and School of Law. The colors of the banners reflect the historical association of the respective disciplines. Banners were first used at the university during the 2005-2006 academic year.

GRADUATION CEREMONY TRADITIONS

THE ACADEMIC REGALIA

Precedent for academic apparel dates to the 12th century, when medieval European townspeople identified their positions in life by the clothing they wore. As students of the medieval universities organized into guilds, they followed the custom and developed distinctive costumes for bachelors (apprentices), masters (teachers), and doctors (teachers who had completed postgraduate study). Because the clergy comprised most of the educated class, the cloak and the mantle, worn by religious dignitaries in processionals, probably became the model for academic regalia.

In 1895, representatives from American universities and colleges standardized an intercollegiate code based on Oxford University’s costume. This code has changed little since its adoption.

The untrimmed bachelor’s and master’s gowns are distinguished by the pointed sleeves on the bachelor’s attire and the oblong sleeves on the master’s. Sleeves of the doctoral degree gown are long and flowing with three velvet bars on each. The university president’s sleeves have four bars on each sleeve. Faced with velvet, the doctoral gowns’ color schemes differ according to school and degree. Most gowns are black, but there are some exceptions: those with degrees from High Point University, royal purple; Columbia University are authorized to wear blue gowns; Dartmouth College, green; Harvard, Cornell and others, red.

The head covering of the academic costume may be either the transitional mortar board or the velvet tam. Tassels for bachelor’s and master’s degree caps signify the field of study, while gold bullion distinguishes the doctoral cap.

The most informative part of the regalia is the academic hood, worn around the neck. The width of its velvet trimming designates the level of degree; the color heralds the major field of study and the lining identifies the institution that granted the degree.

FACULTY MARSHALS

The Faculty Marshals and Junior Marshals together arrange the official ceremonies of High Point University. They establish the proper line of march and direct other activities consistent with their duties. The Faculty Marshals in these functions each carry a High Point University mace as a symbol of the authority of the position.

CHIEF FACULTY MARSHAL

Dr. Jenny Fuselier, Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences

FACULTY MARSHALS

Dr. Comfort Boateng, Assistant Professor, Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences

Dr. Miguel Sahagun, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing

Dr. Bryan Vescio, Chair and Professor, Department of English

JUNIOR MARSHALS

The Junior Marshals serve as banner-bearers and escorts for all lines of march during Commencement. The top 50 students in the junior class are selected to be Junior Marshals. The following students, listed in alphabetical order, are nominated to the Faculty of High Point University to be Junior Marshals for the 2022-2023 academic year. The GPAs for the students nominated range from 4.00 to 3.96.

Angelena Antenuci

Athanasia Ballas

Halie Balogh

Connor Bauer*

Parker Blue

Sean Bowen

Lauren Buddie*

Courtney Collar

Emily Davis*

Merran Decker*

Savannah Graver*

Kiera Denicola

Kayla Dixon

Allison Gosling

Jadon Harloff

Taylor Hartley

Emerson Heckler*

*Chief Junior Marshal

Jason Hinkle

Dylan Hudson

Julianne Kendrick*

Olivia Krumpe*

Ashley Levister

Lily Maggio

Madeleine Maggioncalda

Brian Margolis

Letizia Marsico

Haley McCall

Jarrett Meibaun

Mia Miller

Hannah Parson

Emily Paternostro

Josslyn Payne

Jamie Perkins*

Alexander Perry

Alyssa Pittari*

Nathan Pyne

David Santisi*

Sophia Santoyo

Alexa Schuette

Taylor Shelah

Phoebe Shelburne

Michael Smid*

Zane Sobejana

Robin Stempel*

Roshan Sundar

Hannah Tameling

Jordan Vincent

Jowan Williams

Morgan Wysocki

Hanna Zelis

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

THE HONORABLE BONNIE MCELVEEN-HUNTER

Ambassador Bonnie McElveen-Hunter is the Founder and CEO of Pace, the largest independently owned custom content agency in the nation, serving Fortune 500 companies. She was appointed as the first woman National Chairman of the Board of the American Red Cross in 2004 and is currently serving her fifth term. In 2007, she co-founded the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Society of Women Leaders, which has grown to include 63 Chapters. To date, Tiffany Circle Chapters nationwide have raised over $200 million dollars.

Ambassador Hunter served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Finland from 2001-2004. As Ambassador, she initiated the Stop Child Trafficking: End ModernDay Slavery and Children of Karelia program, as well as founded the Women Business Leaders Summit®, a model for business entrepreneurship partnering women business leaders around the world. She was awarded one of Finland’s highest honors – The Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion.

As a long-time philanthropist and charitable-cause activist, Ambassador Hunter served on a United Way of America board and chaired the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, founding the first Billion Dollar National Women’s Leadership Initiative which to date has raised over $2 billion dollars. She currently serves on the boards of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts, Blair House Restoration Fund, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Museum of the

PREVIOUS COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS

Bible, Macedonian Ministries, Inc., Elon University School of Law, Ellis Island Foundation, and the Society of the Four Arts as a Trustee and also as Chairman of the Esther B. O’Keeffe Speaker Series.

Awards and Honors: Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Palm Beach Atlantic University Women of Distinction, Points of Light Tribute, Carolina Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, North Carolina Award for Public Service, Courage Visionary Award from National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Alumni Association, Internationalism Award, American Women for International Understanding, North Carolina Society of New York Honoree, United Way Women’s Leadership Award, United Way National Women’s Leadership Council’s Inaugural Women in Philanthropy Award, National Alexis de Tocqueville Society, John M. Templeton Biblical Values, Appeal of Conscience Public Service Award, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Lifetime Member of Hadassah, Lifetime Member of Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Carolina State University, Dr. Carl-Christian Rosenbröijer Award, Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by National Foundation for Women Legislatures, National Athena Award, Northwood University Outstanding Business Leader, Trailblazer of the Year by Women Leaders Forum, and Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

Ambassador Hunter lives in Palm Beach, Florida and Washington, DC. Her husband, Bynum Merritt Hunter, Sr. (deceased) practiced law with Smith Moore Law in Greensboro for over 60 years. Their son, Bynum Merritt Hunter, Jr., is a graduate of Williams and Harvard Business School.

High Point University’s Alumni Association fosters lifelong support of the university and allows graduates to participate in activities and services that connect them to a global network of more than 32,000 members. Through participation in social events, class reunions and career development programs sponsored by the Association, HPU alumni receive unprecedented access to resources and a network of colleagues who will continue to inspire them throughout their journey in life. The Association is led by the HPU Alumni Board of Directors and supported by the Office of Alumni Engagement. To learn more about the HPU Alumni Association, please visit engage.highpoint.edu/alumni or contact Bradley Taylor, ’13, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement, at 336-841-9548.

TIPS FOR ENJOYING COMMENCEMENT

g The entire Graduation Ceremony will be broadcast live at www.highpoint.edu/live-stream.

g Safety is our top priority. Please cooperate as HPU employs heightened security measures due to the size of the event and the renown of the Commencement speaker.

g Thank you for being considerate during the ceremony. Please be respectful of this formal occasion and refrain from loud talking and other noises.

g Please observe the rope barricades and closed areas. Guests are asked to honor requests made by Junior Marshals.

g The Graduation Ceremony will be broadcast via closed-circuit television at the Hayworth Fine Arts Center, Phillips Hall Francis Auditorium, and R.G. Wanek Center Podell Extraordinaire Cinema.

g Roberts Hall, Wrenn Hall and Smith Library are closed during the Graduation Ceremony.

g Restrooms are available at Hayworth Fine Arts Center, Slane Student Center and beside Wrenn Hall.

g Coffee and food will be available to purchase in the Slane Student Center. Bottled water will be available at the Promenade kiosk.

g A photographer with Photo Specialties will take photos of individual graduates during the Graduation Ceremony. A free color proof will be sent to your current mailing address, including a password for online viewing. You are under no obligation to purchase prints. To receive an email notification the moment your photos are online, please visit www.photospecialties.com to pre-register.

g Photographing candidates for graduation during the Graduation Ceremony is permissible. The platform area is restricted and may not be used for photographs. Please be respectful of boundaries; they have been put in place to prevent injury.

g First aid service is available during the Graduation Ceremony. Anyone in need of assistance should contact uniformed officers or visit the Information/Security Station located outside of Finch Hall. Security can be reached at 336-841-9111.

HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY FACTS

g The traditional undergraduate program has grown from 1,450 in 2005 to a record high of 6,000 students today. Nearly 95 percent of the traditional undergraduate students live on campus.

g HPU is recognized by the John Templeton Foundation in its list of Colleges that Encourage Character Development. The foundation highlights HPU’s emphasis on character development as an integral part of the undergraduate experience, including 500,000 hours of service contributed annually by the HPU family.

g The Princeton Review named HPU in the 2023 edition of “The Best 388 Colleges” in the nation, as well as in the Best Southeastern Colleges “20222023 Best Colleges: Region by Region” list. The Princeton Review also recognizes HPU among the Top 20 in the nation for Best-Run Colleges, Best Career Services, Most Beautiful Campus, Most Active Student Government Association, Best College Dorms and Best Campus Food, as well as a Great School for Business/Finance Majors and a Great School for Communication Majors.

g In March of 2022, HPU President Nido Qubein made an extraordinary announcement: HPU is beginning a $400 million expansion fueled by $100 million in gifts from three families. HPU will launch new schools in law, optometry, nursing and entrepreneurship, while also adding a new, 150,000-square-foot library, building a state-of-the-art facility for the Workman School of Dental Medicine, constructing the Panther Commons to house undergraduate and graduate students, as well as retail space, and add a parking garage with 1,200 spaces to campus. Several projects are anticipated to for completion by HPU’s Centennial Anniversary in 2024.

g Graduates from the Class of 2023 achieved phenomenal success in their four years. They are commencing careers at major companies such as Amazon, Visa, Cisco, Gartner, Ernst and Young, and GE Healthcare and are continuing onto impressive medical, law and other professional schools.

g HPU offers 66 undergraduate majors, 68 undergraduate minors and 17 graduate degree programs.

g HPU is a member of NCAA Division I athletics and has 17 varsity sports –eight men’s and nine women’s – as well as 34 club sports.

g 99% of HPU graduates begin careers or continue their education within 180 days of graduation.

g Students, faculty and staff volunteer nearly half a million hours of service annually during events such as HPU’s Annual Veterans Day Celebration, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and more.

g The Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center has infused campus with a new sense of Panther pride since opening in fall 2021. The 350,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is home to the men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as a venue for major concerts, speakers and community and campus events. The Office of Career and Professional Development’s annual Career and Internship Expo is held in the conference center and welcomes more than 50 companies from national and local organizations such as Coca-Cola Consolidated, Northwestern Mutual, Novant Health and Volvo. A variety of academic conferences, research symposiums and more are also being held in the space, bringing professors and students from all over the country to experience academic innovation at HPU.

g HPU’s Innovation Corridor represents a $500 million investment in STEM programs and facilities. Located throughout the corridor are the Webb School of Engineering, the Wanek School of Natural Sciences with the Culp Planetarium, the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, the Congdon School of Health Sciences with the Human Physiology and Biomechanics Lab, and the Caine Conservatory, which includes the Butterfly Cafe, a classroom and botanical display space. New facilities for the Workman School of Dental Medicine and the School of Optometry will also be housed along the corridor. Each facility houses the latest technological equipment and lab space, as well as collaborative study space.

g HPU established the Webb School of Engineering in 2018. The academic school houses HPU’s existing computer science major with three concentrations: cybersecurity, software and systems, and visual computing. New majors in mechanical and civil engineering will be offered in 2025.

g HPU has been recognized with the 2022 Tree Campus Higher Education award, formerly known as Tree Campus USA®, marking the 14th consecutive year the university has received this designation.

g Through HPU’s annual Business Plan Competition, students are awarded thousands of dollars in start-up funds for innovative concepts. Not only do students win venture capital, but they also benefit from the network of entrepreneur judges who offer feedback and assistance as HPU students develop solid plans. The competition has awarded thousands of dollars to student-entrepreneurs since its launch in 2011.

g HPU’s In-Residence program connects students with global innovators. Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak serves as Innovator in Residence; Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph serves as Entrepreneur in Residence; ABC News’ Byron Pitts serves as Journalist in Residence; Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall serves as Sports Executive in Residence; and retired Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan serves as Sports Reporter in Residence, among others. View a complete list at www.highpoint.edu/innovators.

g Since 2005, HPU has grown from three academic schools to 13 academic schools – the School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences; the Phillips School of Business; the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication; the Stout School of Education; the David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design; the Wanek School of Natural Sciences; the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; the Congdon School of Health Sciences; the Webb School of Engineering; the Workman School of Dental Medicine; the School of Nursing; the School of Law and the new School of Optometry.

g HPU first achieved doctoral degree-granting status in 2012. Since that time, prestigious graduate programs have become a cornerstone of HPU’s academic programs. Master’s programs in physician assistant studies, athletic training, biomedical sciences, healthcare administration and more have flourished in recent years, along with doctoral degree programs in pharmacy, physical therapy and medical sciences. In 2024, HPU anticipates enrolling its first students in the Workman School of Dental Medicine and the School of Law. A School of Nursing was founded this year, and a School of Optometry is underway.

g In January, HPU annouced that it has established a School of Nursing that Dr. Racquel Ingram will lead as founding dean. While a nursing department typically offers undergraduate programs, establishing a School of Nursing provides opportunities for HPU to develop additional undergraduate and graduate-level programs. The inaugural cohort received their white coats in the fall of 2022, during the thenDepartment of Nursing’s first White Coat Ceremony. The students have been learning in the 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art nursing complex in 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 for adult health, pediatric and maternal/newborn.