HPU Faculty Members Earn University Awards for Innovation and Leadership

Dr. Daniel Erb, provost, presented faculty awards to Dr. Paul Ringel and Dr. Jenny Sharpe.

HIGH POINT, N.C., Sept. 4, 2025 – Two High Point University faculty members were recently recognized for their dedication to students and contributions to the university.

In 2018, HPU President Nido Qubein commissioned the establishment of annual faculty awards for Innovation and Creativity in Teaching and Extraordinary Leadership. The award recipients receive a plaque and a $5,000 cash award.

Innovation and Creativity in Teaching Award

Dr. Paul Ringel, professor of history, received the Innovation and Creativity in Teaching Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who exhibits traits such as the creation of a unique body of research, art, design, animation, video or photography using divergent thinking, imagination and risk taking.

The recipient models innovation in the classroom by putting curiosity, problem solving, critical thinking, deep understanding and creative brainstorming at the center of the course curriculum.

“It means a lot to me to be recognized by my peers for this award,” Ringel said. “I’m also thrilled that the award highlights the communities I’ve worked with over the past decade.”

Over the last 20 years, Ringel has taught more than a dozen courses in the general education (GE) curriculum, including the first-year freshman seminar, the Honors Scholar program and Maymester experiences. His courses emphasize the productive application of knowledge rather than solely the ability of a student to acquire knowledge. Many of his courses have been team-taught to emphasize interdisciplinary perspectives on various topics, problem solving and the practice of life skills.

Ringel’s colleagues noted his ability to challenge his students to work on complex, community-engaged projects that have benefited the city of High Point’s historically underserved populations. Under his tutelage, students have created public history websites, museum exhibits, an oral history archive and a documentary film that have preserved the city’s history and brought attention to the needs of its underserved populations. His students have conducted hundreds of off-campus interviews and experienced firsthand how historical research informs and sometimes produces meaningful changes in contemporary society.

For example, students in Ringel’s history seminar completed interviews and archival work to preserve the history of High Point’s historically Black high school that was transformed into Penn-Griffin School for the Arts. The project involved students documenting and preserving the history of William Penn High School through primary research and oral histories. One of his students noted that this project “exemplifies Dr. Ringel’s commitment to community-based learning and the transformative power of public scholarship.” For one HPU alumna, the project was also a “transformative experience” that gave her the opportunity to join Ringel on the public radio program “The State of Things” to share their research and its long-lasting public impact.

Ringel also assigned his students a class project involving deep research into the history of racial disparities in High Point, which culminated in a public presentation of their findings at the High Point Museum. Student research from the project informed work by the High Point City Council’s One High Point Commission, which made recommendations to address historically rooted racial disparities still present in the city.

Ringel recently received the Reverand E.B. Freeman Award from the High Point branch of the NAACP. The award recognizes his teaching and various student projects that have made outstanding contributions to the High Point community and advocate for the rights of others.

Dalton Lucas, former president of HPU’s Class of 2022 and currently a law student at Georgetown University, expressed gratitude for Ringel’s mentorship.

“Dr. Ringel was a mentor, the biggest cheerleader and an advisor to me (and still is),” Lucas said.

Extraordinary Leadership Award

Dr. Jenny Sharpe, professor and chair of HPU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, received the Extraordinary Leadership Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who has provided extraordinary leadership that advances HPU’s excellence in innovative programs, university service, scholarly work and creative expression.

Sharpe has demonstrated leadership ability at the department, school and university levels as well as in the classroom, said HPU Provost Daniel Erb. She also advises and mentors students.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by my colleagues with this award,” Sharpe said. “I’ve been fortunate to learn from dedicated leaders and to witness leadership and service in action every day here at High Point University — not only among my peers but also in the determination and curiosity of our students. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to grow as a leader during my 16 years at HPU, and I look forward to a great year ahead.”

Since joining the Department of Mathematical Sciences in 2009, Sharpe has taken major roles in coordinating course assessments, serving on math placement and awards committees and overseeing alumni panels. During her three years as chair, HPU’s Curriculum Committee for the College of Arts and Sciences reviewed two new majors, seven new minors, 16 revisions to majors and minors, and nearly 100 new courses. She was instrumental in promoting and ensuring the integrity of courses supporting liberal arts within the university.

At the university level, Sharpe demonstrated leadership as a member and vice chair of HPU’s Academic Planning and Intercollegiate Review Committee. As the representative from the Webb School of Engineering, she has been involved in numerous roles, including revising the general education (GE) curriculum on the Stakeholder Input Subcommittee, presenting potential GE models to faculty for discussion and reviewing courses for the rollout of the new GE curriculum in 2022.

“Dr. Sharpe has shown strong leadership in her roles as vice chair for the Academic Planning and Intercollegiate Review Committee and chair of the math department,” a faculty member wrote in one of Sharpe’s letters of recommendation. “She approaches every challenge with a collaborative spirit and navigates complex academic issues with clarity and fairness.”

Sharpe has served as the chief faculty marshal and associate director of the Honors Scholar Program, as well as held leadership roles on several committees. Her leadership was instrumental in organizing the 104th Southeastern Section Meeting of the Mathematical Association of America, which was held on the HPU campus. The three-day regional conference included more than 300 mathematics students and professors.

Sharpe also demonstrated leadership in teaching by positively impacting students through her advising and mentoring. Her teaching philosophy is that learning should be driven by student curiosity. Her goal is to encourage students to think and ask questions. Sharpe worked one-on-one to mentor three former undergraduate research students who went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics and two alumni who are currently in Ph.D. programs for mathematics.

“Dr. Sharpe made me realize my potential as a student and also as an adult in the ‘real world,’” one of her former students said. “She encouraged me to apply for a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates and pushed me past my comfort zone. I was successful because of her.”