HIGH POINT, N.C., June 25, 2021 – High Point University faculty and students recently received the following academic and professional awards and recognitions.
HPU Professor Received Award from American Physical Therapy Association
Dr. Alicia Emerson, assistant professor of physical therapy who helps lead High Point University’s Physical Therapy Pro Bono Clinic, received the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Societal Impact Award.
This national award recognizes leaders within APTA’s member community who demonstrate commitment and dedication to addressing issues related to societal welfare. The award also acknowledges individuals who exemplify the compassionate nature of the physical therapy profession by exhibiting a distinguished commitment toward philanthropic initiatives, raising public awareness on key societal issues and demonstrating how physical therapy can be applied to address these issues.
Emerson was nominated for this award based on the work she has done as the director of clinical practice in leading the HPU’s Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic, her research, and her teaching and mentoring of students in this area. The clinic has provided more than $1.3 million in care to the High Point community since it opened in 2018.
“It is a tremendous recognition for Dr. Emerson, the Pro Bono Clinic, the Department of Physical Therapy, the Congdon School of Health Sciences and High Point University,” said Dr. Jeffrey Taylor, chair and associate professor of physical therapy.
HPU Students and Faculty Featured in International Publication
Six HPU 2021 graduates and one faculty member were selected to be featured in Creative Quarterly 64, an international publication that features work from the best in graphic design, illustration, photography and fine art.
Winners were Nina Rizzo for graphic design and Will Hoffman for photography. Gabrielle Bryce, Adem Hasanaj, Katherine Minchala and Sydney Stallings were runners-ups for graphic design. Carrie A. Dyer, associate professor of graphic design, was also recognized as a winner in the professional design category.
“We could not be happier to see students achieve such honors on an international level,” said Dyer. “We are proud to be listed among distinguished-ranking schools for graphic design. All students worked extremely hard refining their portfolios last semester. We are so proud of our graphic design students.”
Creative Quarterly 64 will be available in the fall online at https://cqjournal.com/winners/64.
HPU Professor Received National Grant
Dr. Laurie Zack, associate professor of mathematical sciences, recently received the national Mathematical Association of America grant from PIC (Preparation for Industrial Careers) Math. The grant provides faculty with resources for a semester-long, credit-bearing course focused on solving industrial problems. Zack, who will receive a $4,000 stipend, will assemble a team of three to five students and work with them to develop their problem solving, teamwork and communication skills.
“Dr. Zack is an outstanding professor, and her receiving this national external grant is the culmination of her commitment to providing excellent opportunities for our students,” said Dr. Dandrielle Lewis, chair of the department of mathematical sciences. “The MAA PIC Math grant is great for her research program, our department and the opportunities and exposure it will provide to our students and faculty.”
Over the summer, Zack is participating in a training workshop that will provide her with information on careers and internships to share with students, guidance on developing business and industry connections and partnerships, exposure to mathematical and statistical problems that arise in the industry, training on how to develop skills in students that are valued by employers, and preparation for the PIC Math’s research course and review.
PIC Math prepares mathematical science students for industrial careers by engaging them in research problems that come directly from the industry. A strong component of the PIC Math course involves students working as a group on a semester-long undergraduate research problem from business, industry or government that will improve student abilities in problem solving, critical thinking, independent thinking and communication.
“These traits and skills will also enhance our students coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation, temperament and technical competence skills,” said Lewis. “The course will increase awareness among undergraduates about non-academic career options and prepare students for industrial careers.”
HPU Graduate Student Awarded 2021 ALD National Fellowship
Kelley Gosling was awarded the Dr. Herman “Butch” Hill Graduate Fellowship from Alpha Lambda Delta for $2,000. Gosling graduated in 2020 with a degree in exercise science and is pursuing her Master of Science in athletic training at HPU. She was inducted into Alpha Lambda Delta in 2018.
“I fell in love with this profession because athletic trainers have a diverse skillset and can work in a wide variety of settings,” said Gosling, from Edison, N.J. “I enjoy that every day is different, and that athletic training values treating the whole patient. My goal as a future clinician is simple: provide the best health care I can to my patients.”
The graduate fellowship is for the 2021-22 academic year. Each fellowship is named for a person of significance to Alpha Lambda Delta. Dr. Herman ‘Butch’ Hill is the director of the Cutler Scholars Program and University Ombudsman at Ohio University. He has advised the Alpha Lambda Delta chapter at Ohio University since 1992. A national honor society, Alpha Lambda Delta’s mission is to “encourage superior academic achievement, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their unique roles in society.”
“Kelley is a phenomenal representative of both High Point University and Alpha Lambda Delta for her academic achievements and professional aspirations,” said Bradley Taylor, senior director of alumni engagement and chapter co-advisor at HPU. “She quickly became involved as a chapter officer with Alpha Lambda Delta and has continued to support and uphold the high ideals of the society in both her undergraduate and now graduate education. Kelley will continue on to make positive change in our world as a future athletic trainer.”
HPU Graduate Wins History Award
Anne Baldwin, who graduated in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in history, won the 2021 Midgette Award from the North Carolina Association of Historians (NCAH). This award is given for the best student paper presented at the annual NCAH conference, at which Baldwin presented in March. It is open to undergraduate and graduate students and is judged by a panel of three historians. Her paper, “Fashion and Symbolism in Portraiture of Queen Elizabeth I,” analyzed how Queen Elizabeth I used fashion in portraits to change her public image as her reign progressed.
“Anne used many of the liberal arts skills cultivated in her four years at HPU as a history major, especially in the realm of research,” said Amanda Allen, instructor of history. “She used an array of primary sources, including art, fashion and laws, to construct and support her thesis throughout. The history department is excessively proud of her paper and the recognition she earned in the field with her unique fashion/cultural history approach.”