High Point University’s Circle K Club recently hosted the annual Miss High Point University pageant and raised more than $32,000 to support UNICEF’s construction of a school in Africa.
HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 3, 2025 – High Point University students, faculty and staff recently completed service projects and received the following academic and professional awards.
HPU Students Raise $32,000 to Support UNICEF Project
High Point University’s Circle K Club recently hosted the annual Miss High Point University pageant and raised more than $32,000 to support UNICEF’s construction of a school in Africa.
Circle K has raised more than $100,000 over the past four years for the UNICEF Brick x Brick Foundation, with this year’s amount being the highest total yet, said Paige Jones, an HPU senior who serves as pageant director and was the Circle K president last year.
Circle K brings together like-minded servant leaders to make an impact both on campus and in the community. The organization has received numerous honors from HPU’s Center for Community Engagement, including earning the Impact Award and being named the outstanding service club of the year.
“Being able to host an event that raises funds to build schools in areas where students do not have those same opportunities has been my greatest privilege of them all,” said Jones, who is a strategic communications major from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. “This pageant is much deeper than beauty but a chance to uplift the incredible women on this campus.”
Kendall McDowell, a senior double-majoring in psychology and dance, was crowned as Miss HPU at the Oct. 18 pageant.
“In the moment, it felt like my greatest dreams becoming reality,” said McDowell, who is from Mount Vernon, New York. “I’ve loved this university since the first time I stepped on campus, and there were a lot of people I wanted to make proud for giving me the opportunity to experience this place. With every club and organization joined, it was never about title or resume building but instead doing it with passion and purpose of knowing one day I will make a lasting and impactful difference on someone’s life.”
McDowell said Circle K’s mission on community service corresponds with her love of being a public servant. One of the world’s largest collegiate-led service organizations, Circle K is built on pillars of service, leadership and fellowship.
Nursing School Dean Re-Elected Chair of North Carolina Board of Nursing
Dr. Racquel Ingram, a registered nurse and the founding dean of HPU’s Teresa B. Caine School of Nursing, was recently re-elected to chair the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) for a third year.
Ingram said she hopes her nursing students will be inspired by her actions as the nursing school dean and through her leadership on the NCBON. She also hopes students will be inspired by her School of Nursing colleagues as they model the behaviors of professionalism, excellent practitioners and nurse leaders.
“I am deeply honored to chair the North Carolina Board of Nursing for a third term,” Ingram said. “With nearly 30 years of nursing experience, I understand the critical role our board plays in protecting public safety through informed, strategic decision-making. I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members to uphold the high standards of our profession while ensuring safe, quality healthcare for our communities.”
Under her guidance, the first cohort of nursing students achieved a 100% NCLEX pass rate, setting a standard of excellence. The NCLEX is the test for nursing licensure in the United States.
In addition, Ingram also completed the National League of Nursing (NLN) LEAD Leadership program, showcasing her commitment to elevating the standards of nursing practice and education at both the national and local levels.
Faculty Member to Receive National Mathematics Award
Anant P. Godbole, an adjunct professor in HPU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, will receive the 2026 M. Gweneth Humphreys Award from the Association for Women in Mathematics in January.
The award is presented to mathematic educators who are outstanding mentors. Godbole will be recognized for his significant contributions in mentoring and his impact on the mathematics community at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, D.C.
Godbole served as a professor of mathematics at Michigan Tech from 1984 to 2000 and later at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). He also chaired ETSU’s Department of Math and Statistics from 2000–2011. He joined HPU as an adjunct math professor in August.
“Receiving the Gweneth Humphreys Award validates all the research that I have done with the finest students from across the country over the last 35 years,” Godbole said. “It has been the defining activity of my career.”