HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 28, 2011 – Dr. Michael McCully, associate professor of Economics in the Earl N. Phillips School of Business at High Point University, attended the 48th Annual Missouri Valley Economic Association Conference in Kansas City, Mo., to present a paper on which he and several colleagues collaborated.
The article, titled “The Impact of Social Capital on Environment Behavior: A North Carolina Case Study,” was co-authored with HPU faculty Dr. Daniel Hall, assistant professor of economics, and Dr. Christine Cugliari, assistant professor of nonprofit management. The paper focuses on the idea of people cooperating with each other to protect the natural environment.
McCully explains the theory was that people who are active in social groups would also be more active in protecting the environment. With the help of HPU’s Survey Research Center, the professors collected information on whether people in North Carolina were actively involved in social organizations such as environmental groups or other nonprofits. People were also asked about their everyday environmental activities, such as recycling. A correlation was found between social involvement and environmental activity.
After further research, this paper will be published in an environmental journal. The professors also plan to share their findings with students in classes such as environmental economics.
The MVEA holds a yearly meeting to foster communication among scholars in the field of economics and to facilitate the extension of knowledge.
At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.℠ HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with over 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students from 51 countries and 46 states at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem. It is ranked by US News and World Report at No. 3 among Regional Colleges in the South. Forbes.com ranks HPU in the top 7 percent among “America’s Best Colleges.” Parade Magazine lists HPU in the top 25 private schools in the nation. HPU was selected in the 2010-2011 list of “Colleges of Distinction,” as well as one of the top green schools in the country by the Sierra Club. The university offers 50 undergraduate majors, 43 undergraduate minors and 10 graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference. Visit High Point University on the Web at highpoint.edu.
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Pam Haynes
Communication Specialist
336-841-9055
[email protected]