HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 14, 2018 – High Point University faculty, staff and students recently received the following academic and professional awards and recognitions.
Professor to Receive Award for Distinguished Service
Dr. Aaron Titus, professor and chair of the Department of Physics at HPU, has been selected to receive the Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service from the American Association of Physics Teachers. The award is presented in recognition of exceptional contributions to the association at the national, sectional or local level. Titus has been an active member of AAPT for 20 years and has served on various committees. He was elected and served as the Four-Year College Representative for AAPT from 2013-2016. He has been a vital member of the North Carolina section of AAPT, presenting talks and workshops as well as hosting several section meetings. At HPU, Titus was instrumental in creating the physics major, originally within the Department of Chemistry and then as a separate Department of Physics, which he has chaired since 2013.
“Members of AAPT have been my professional mentors for more than 20 years, and these relationships have changed my life forever,” says Titus. “Through service in AAPT, I hope to be as inspirational to others as they’ve been to me.”
HPU Listed as Top Dining Program in NC
HPU has the top college dining program in North Carolina, according to a list compiled by FoodService Director Magazine, an industry publication covering management and innovation in noncommercial food service providers. The publication used rankings by NICHE to name the top university dining service in each of the 50 states. The ranking is based on meal plan costs and student reviews. HPU’s dining was recognized for several sustainability initiatives, including fryer oil recycling, trayless dining and a reusable mug program. The dining team also hosts various events and programs throughout the year, including a food truck takeover and cooking classes at the university’s teaching kitchen.
Music Students Share Opera in the Community
Students enrolled in HPU’s Opera Scenes course this semester performed excerpts of the English translation of the operetta “Die Fledermaus” at the String and Splinter in High Point on Nov. 1. The club hosted a special Viennese meal to accompany the operetta. The students performed the entire operetta in concert on campus Nov. 2 as part of HPU’s Community Enrichment Series. Then, they were the featured entertainment for the Greensboro Symphony Guild’s annual gala on Nov. 10. In the spring, students enrolled in the Musical Theatre Scenes course will have the opportunity to perform selections from various musicals at senior centers, engaging with residents who will be able to share their experiences growing up in the Golden Age of musical theatre.
“Singing a full three-act opera was a big achievement for HPU music students,” says Dr. Scott MacLeod, assistant professor of music. “This is an unusual accomplishment for students in an all-undergraduate program, and I am proud of their commitment to excellence.”
Student, Staff Member Recognized by National Student Employment Association
Anna Desbiaux, a junior business major at HPU, is the first national recipient of the President’s Student Choice Award from the National Student Employment Association. She was nominated by her supervisor, Student Employment Program manager Whitney Neal, for her outstanding work toward rebranding the association’s training program. Desbiaux and Neal worked together on updating manuals, presentations and other marketing materials for the organization.
“My two campus positions have provided me the environment to build and enhance life skills,” says Desbiaux. “The SEP and the Survey Research Center have both given me the opportunity to not only learn these life skills but to grow my professional experience.”
Neal recently spoke at the National Student Employment Association conference and accepted the award on Desbiaux’s behalf. She serves as the organization’s vice president and was awarded the 2018 NSEA Margene Ozalli Memorial Award.
“It made perfect sense to ask Anna to assist me with this project,” said Neal. “Her time and energy outside of the office was above and beyond any expectations I had. When I found out Anna was the recipient, I was ecstatic. She certainly deserved it.”
HPU Student Wins National Championship in FFA Agriscience Competition
Emmy Beck-Aden, a freshman at HPU, won a national championship in the FFA agriscience competition. After winning the state competition for Ohio in May, she was one of 12 national finalists to compete at the FFA National Convention and Expo in Indianapolis. She was first announced a Top three finalist and then awarded first place and a $1,000 prize.
“My project was in the food science category and explored how processing affects ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C, levels in oranges and peaches,” says Beck-Aden, who is a freshman class officer and Media Fellow Student Advisory Board member at HPU this year. “The goal of this project was to help food-insecure consumers in southeastern Ohio understand how to gain the most vitamin C on a minimal budget, as well as to help the food science industry understand what products are most beneficial to consumers.”