The Best of 2025: HPU’s Year in Review

In August, The Princeton Review named HPU as the #1 Best-Run College in the Nation in its “Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition.” It marked the second consecutive year that HPU earned this distinction. HPU is also the only North Carolina school to be ranked in the Top 10 nationally for Best-Run College, among numerous other prestigious rankings. This is the ninth consecutive year that the university has been named one of the top schools in the nation by The Princeton Review. As President Qubein says, “When you make students your #1 priority, the nation notices.”

In addition to being recognized as the #1 Best-Run College in The Princeton Review’s "Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition,” HPU earned recognition in 12 national categories – more than any other North Carolina institution. These top rankings include Best College Dorms (#2), Most Active Student Government Association (#6), Best Career Services (#9) and Most Beautiful Campus (#10). The accolades are a direct reflection of HPU’s strong national reputation for delivering exceptional student experience.

HPU ranked #7 for Strongest Alumni Networks in LinkedIn’s inaugural Top Colleges list, a data-backed ranking of the 50 best U.S. colleges for long-term career growth. HPU is one of only two schools in North Carolina included in the Top 10 list. LinkedIn collected data to determine how well college graduates are connecting with their alma mater’s current students and if future graduates will have a strong network of alumni to help open doors for them during their careers. HPU alumni regularly return to campus to mentor students.

HPU is committed to and nationally recognized for equipping students with life skills that continue to produce extraordinary results throughout their personal and professional lives. Data collected by HPU in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards shows an overall placement rate of 99.2% for all graduates in the Class of 2024. Over the years, HPU’s placement rate is 14 points higher than the national average and reflects the university’s focus on life skills, experiential learning, and providing industry connections and resources that accelerate students’ careers.

HPU celebrated the grand opening of the new home for the Workman School of Dental Medicine with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the three-story, 77,500-square-foot facility, the state’s only private dental school. Hundreds of faculty, staff, students, community members and special guests gathered as Angie and Dr. Rick Workman cut a large purple ribbon to mark the official opening. Located on HPU’s Innovation Corridor, the building is one of the university’s newest academic facilities. The Rick and Angie Workman Foundation donated $32 million to establish the school, which now serves two cohorts of students and features state-of-the-art simulation labs, innovative learning spaces and a fully functioning dental office.

HPU held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of a new three-story, 77,500-square-foot building that will serve as the permanent home for the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law. HPU also opened its pro bono veterans law clinic, giving the inaugural class of the School of Law an opportunity to help local military veterans. The new law school started the Bergmann & Moore Veterans Law Clinic to help injured veterans receive disability compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This aligns with HPU’s commitment to being a God, family and country school and working on behalf of veterans.

HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein began the 2025-2026 academic year with a new distinction as North Carolina’s longest-serving active college president, having led the university with vision and dedication for 21 years. While the average tenure for a college president is only 5.9 years, Qubein began serving as HPU’s seventh president in January of 2005. He has led the university through an extraordinary transformation during his two decades and counting in office. Under Qubein’s leadership, enrollment has nearly quadrupled, the number of full-time faculty members has jumped to nearly 500, campus has grown with the construction of 128 new or renovated buildings and a total of $3 billion has been invested in facilities and resources for academics, student life initiatives, student support services, and Division I athletics.

HPU continued its extraordinary growth this fall by enrolling the largest number of freshmen in history. The freshman class grew by 9.4% from last year as HPU welcomed 1,671 new students to campus in August for Move-In Weekend. There’s never been a more exciting time to be a part of the HPU family!

In addition to welcoming the largest freshman class, HPU celebrated the largest total enrollment in the university’s 101-year history with 6,550 students arriving on campus for the start of the fall semester. The total number of new undergraduate students grew by 8% to 1,780 students. HPU defied national trends in higher education by increasing its enrollment by nearly 3% this year, up from 6,335 students in Fall 2024.

HPU hosted a groundbreaking for the new John and Lorraine Charman Library, a $100 million library that will serve as the university’s flagship library when it opens in 2027. The university received a $35 million gift from the Charmans to help fund the four-story, 150,000-square-foot library that will be named in honor of them. Their daughter Olivia graduated with two degrees from HPU. The new library will be located across from the R.G. Wanek Center on Panther Drive.

For the first time in HPU history, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams went on a historic run and punched their tickets to the NCAA Tournament in the same season. Longtime HPU fans and students had waited for this moment, and they celebrated in a big way when HPU hosted a watch party for the announcement of the NCAA Tournament brackets for both teams in the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center. On game day, HPU chartered a plane to bring students to Providence, Rhode Island, to cheer on their Panthers at the Big Dance.

Fortune Magazine featured HPU and offered a glimpse into how the Premier Life Skills University has become a magnet for college students. The article touches on HPU's successful approach to education through its life skills model, Innovators in Residence, career preparation and resources that support professional growth on campus.

HPU earned three #1 rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges edition for the third consecutive year. The university earned the top spot in the following categories: #1 Best Regional College in the South for the 14th consecutive year, #1 Most Innovative Regional College in the South for the 11th consecutive year and #1 Best Undergraduate Teaching for Regional Colleges in the South for a third consecutive year. HPU continues to be recognized for its commitment to innovation and student success.

Five HPU graduates earned scholarships from the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program to teach English and pursue graduate studies abroad. This achievement represents a record number of Fulbright awards for HPU in a single year, reflecting the university’s focus on academic excellence. The five recipients are Taylor Galavottie, Ethan Muckerheide, Madison Shelby, Emma Higgins and Blake Horne.

HPU student broadcasters, sophomore Jimmy Rosselli and senior Griffin Wright, gained national attention after a video of them calling HPU’s win in the Big South Conference championship game went viral on TikTok. The duo were guests on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” featured on ESPN’s "The Pat McAfee Show" and interviewed by numerous other media outlets. Today, the soon-to-be sportscasters go by the "Brocasters," commenting on live HPU basketball games that are streaming on HPU+.

Jane Seymour, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress, and Raj Subramaniam, CEO and president of the FedEx Corporation, offered inspirational messages while serving as HPU’s Commencement speakers in May 2025. Seymour addressed undergraduate students, and Subramaniam addressed graduate students. They both spoke to the graduates about life, resilience and wisdom. At the December 2025 Commencement, J. Frank Harrison III, Coca-Cola Consolidated CEO and Chairman, addressed graduating students after receiving an honorary Doctor of Business Leadership degree from HPU President Nido Qubein.

HPU’s Access to Innovators program connects students with accomplished industry professionals who bring real-world insight and mentorship directly to campus. This was a robust year of visits and opportunities for students to learn from global leaders, including Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak (HPU’s Innovator in Residence), Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph (HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence) and CBS Sports Lead Golf Producer Sellers Shy (HPU’s Network Television Producer in Residence). They are a part of an impressive list of industry leaders that includes former Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall (HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence) and Byron Pitts, co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline” and HPU’s Journalist in Residence.

For the second year in a row, two HPU physical therapy faculty members were recognized among the world’s most influential researchers. Dr. Kevin Ford, dean of the Congdon School of Health Sciences and professor of physical therapy, and Dr. David Sinacore, professor of physical therapy, were named to Stanford University’s annual Top 2% of Scientists list, based on citation impact measured through the Stanford Elsevier rankings. These rankings reflect how frequently a researcher’s work is cited in peer-reviewed academic publications, a key indicator of research influence and scholarly reputation. This marks the fourth year that faculty from the Congdon School of Health Sciences earned placement on this prestigious global list.

Thanks to a generous gift from David and Christy Cottrell, the new Cottrell Japanese Garden was commemorated this year. Christy Cottrell laid the ceremonial cornerstone, which symbolizes the garden’s strong and stable foundation. The garden will feature a tiered waterfall and pond, a stone terrace and a Japanese-style tea house, all designed by acclaimed landscape architect Sadafumi Uchiyama. It will be located behind Cottrell Hall, which is HPU’s hub of professional development named in the Cottrell family’s honor.

This year, HPU has been blessed to receive a record number of major gifts that totaled more than $195 million. This is all thanks to generous donors who philanthropically invest in HPU, including several new multimillion-dollar gifts that are dedicated to supporting academics, athletics and campus growth.

On Veterans Day, HPU welcomed approximately 2,500 veterans, family members and community guests to the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center to honor those men and women who have served and sacrificed for this country. U.S. Army veteran Edward Graham, grandson of American evangelist Billy Graham, served as a featured speaker. Grammy Award-winning singer Lee Greenwood, who serves as HPU's Artist in Residence, closed the program by performing “God Bless the USA" as a bald eagle soared over the crowd.

HPU launched its tuition-free program to allow students to earn micro-credentials in several key life skills that employers value. These micro-credentials help students stand out in a competitive job market, articulate their relevant experience, and achieve their career goals. The program further prepares HPU graduates to thrive during a time when recent studies have shown that employers believe Gen-Z workers lack critical professional and interpersonal skills.

This fall, HPU received notification from ABET, the premier accreditation agency for engineering, computing and technology programs, that the Webb School of Engineering has earned accreditation for its Bachelor of Science programs in computer science, computer engineering and electrical engineering. This accreditation verifies that these programs meet rigorous academic and professional standards and that the school’s curriculum, faculty, facilities and student outcomes align with industry expectations. ABET accreditation is often preferred or required by employers and is essential for eligibility for certain professional licensure exams. It also signals to prospective students, parents, and employers that the School of Engineering offers competitive, high-quality programs that attract top students and faculty.

HPU raised a record $285,000 for the United way of Greater High Point (UWGHP). HPU President Nido Qubein presented a check to UWGHP Campaign Chair Adam Hoover (center) and Joe Barnes (right), the nonprofit organization’s vice president of resource development, during an HPU men’s basketball game in the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center.

HPU’s campus transforms into a winter wonderland every December. The university's annual Christmas Drive allows community members to take a magical ride through campus and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season. HPU’s 14th Annual Christmas Drive celebration is free and open to the public, running from Dec. 20-27, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. It is a fun and festive way for families, friends and neighbors to enjoy more than 100,000 Christmas lights, 235 large nutcrackers, a life-size Nativity scene, the state’s tallest Christmas tree, and many other holiday displays.

As we head into 2026, here’s a 26th bonus milestone that was also achieved this year – the HPU men’s soccer team advanced to the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in the program's history. The Panthers opened the season with a 2-1 win over nationally ranked Georgetown, and things only got better from there. Under coach Zach Haines, HPU went undefeated in the Big South Conference (9-0) and finished with a 14-2-4 record. The team made its first-ever appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, earning a 3-2 win over West Virginia at Vert Stadium to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. As a result, HPU was ranked #16 by the United Soccer Coaches, marking the team's highest postseason ranking ever.