Twenty-one High Point University students in the Siegfried Leadership Fellows program traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, in late November to participate in the National Conference on Student Leadership, one of the nation’s premier events dedicated to collegiate leadership development. They were accompanied by Dr. David Bergen, executive director of the Siegfried Leadership Fellows, and Dr. Brianna Clark, the program’s co-director.
HIGH POINT, N.C., Jan. 13, 2026 – High Point University students, faculty and staff recently completed service projects and received the following academic and professional awards.
HPU Siegfried Leadership Fellows Attend Student Leadership Conference
Twenty-one HPU students in the Siegfried Leadership Fellows program traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, in late November to participate in the National Conference on Student Leadership (NCSL), one of the nation’s premier events dedicated to collegiate leadership development. They were accompanied by Dr. David Bergen, executive director of the Siegfried Leadership Fellows, and Dr. Brianna Clark, the program’s co-director.
During the two-day conference, students engaged in leadership-focused sessions facilitated by nationally recognized experts. Presentations covered an array of topics, including effective communication, inclusive leadership, team development, personal branding and strategies for navigating complex professional environments.
By participating in national experiences such as the NCSL, HPU’s Siegfried Leadership Fellows deepen their leadership identity and expand their capacity to create meaningful impact on campus and beyond. Many of the students reported returning to campus with a stronger sense of purpose, enhanced leadership confidence and greater clarity in their career and graduate-school goals.
“Our Fellows represented High Point University with distinction,” said Bergen, who is the Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of Leadership. “Their eagerness to learn, grow and lead was evident in every session. I could not be prouder of how they embraced this opportunity and demonstrated the values of HPU.”
Jillian Balbat, a junior strategic communication major and entrepreneurship minor, described attending the NCSL as a paradigm shift and transformative experience, highlighting the critical need for mental health awareness in younger generations.
“Despite my confidence as a communications major, I was unexpectedly paralyzed by self-doubt when I stepped on stage to speak,” said Balbat, who is from Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. “Keynote speaker Julia Garcia, focusing on mental health reconstruction, used an exercise (tug-of-war) to inspire a boost of confidence in the moment. My vulnerability led to a profound lesson: overcoming self-doubt is essential for effective leadership. True leadership is about empowerment and using one’s position to guide, motivate and support. The conference broke down the internal barriers holding me back. Now, I understand that I can live life holding onto my authentic personality but approach every challenge with a dramatically different, empowered perspective. What I appreciate most about the NSCL is how it shaped my vision and helped jumpstart my pursuit in entrepreneurship, which I’d previously perceived to be impossible. There are no unrealistic dreams, only unrealistic timelines.”
Balbat said the NCSL provided a wider lens on what she can achieve. As a result, she strongly advocates for wider student access to the conference.
“These students were exceptional ambassadors for High Point University,” said Clark, who is chair of HPU’s Event and Hospitality Management Department. “Their curiosity, professionalism and willingness to step boldly into new learning experiences reflect the heart of what the Siegfried Leadership Fellows program is all about.”
HPU Alumna Coordinates U.S. Army Intelligence Data
U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Kendal Karstens, a Class of 2019 international relations major, recently led the intelligence team during the U.S. Army Reserve 7th Mission Support Command’s 209th Theater Liaison Detachment that played a pivotal role in Avenger Triad 25, a computer-simulated exercise that tests and refines NATO defense plans and integrated command systems.
The intelligence team she led applied liaison principles to exchange and coordinate live intelligence data between U.S. Army and Spanish command and control information systems. This critical function allowed the corps commander to gain a comprehensive understanding of the battlefield, supporting his decision-making process with a clear picture of the enemy. As a captain, Karstens was proud to have been asked to play the role of a major during the Avenger Triad exercise in Spain. All her hard work, including her education at HPU, led to that moment, she said.
As an HPU senior in 2019, Karstens received a scholarship from the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program to teach English in Belarus. She also studied Russian and Belarusian and learned more about Belarus’ culture, politics and history.
“As an international relations major, I learned about national and international security, European politics and more that allowed me to understand how NATO contributes to North American and European security,” said Karstens, who is originally from Pensacola, Florida. “This gave me the early preparations to grow my career in the Army. When I was an active duty officer stationed in Germany, our mission directly advanced the international security and relations I had studied as an undergraduate.”
Karstens developed her leadership and life skills while she was an HPU Presidential Scholar. She broadened her international perspectives by studying abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia, and learning from other students’ study abroad experiences. She also commissioned into the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps while an HPU student.
“The growth mindset HPU promotes granted me self-confidence and a can-do attitude that has allowed me to excel in positions and responsibilities beyond my rank as well as take risks in my personal life,” said Karstens, who now lives in Paris, France. “In 2023, I left active duty to change careers and pursue a master’s in environmental policy. Despite the numerous connections between international security and environmental policy, this career change was nonetheless a scary leap to take. HPU gave me the courage and open mind to take a chance on myself. I remained in the Reserves to continue serving my country while completing my master’s and now while establishing my new career path. Service to country is a value HPU continues to inspire in its students, including me.”
Nursing Program Ranks as Fourth Best in North Carolina
HPU’s Teresa B. Caine School of Nursing was ranked as the fourth-best nursing school in North Carolina according to a new ranking from RegisteredNursing.org.
The website, which promotes excellence in nursing, says its rankings focus exclusively on the passing rates that each school’s graduates have on the state licensing exam. In 2024, HPU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program achieved a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, the national licensing exam for registered nurses. The 2025 pass rate is expected to be released later this month.
In addition, Dr. Lorrie Davis-Dick, assistant professor and psychiatric mental health coordinator for the School of Nursing, was recently elected as vice president and governance committee chair of the National Consortium of Academic Nurse Educators for the 2026-2027 term. She will hold the position from Jan. 1, 2026, until Dec. 31, 2027.
Global Nursing AI Alliance also appointed Davis-Dick as its chair of global mental health research and innovation.
“I am excited to work alongside our talented board members and dedicated committees to advance our mission of excellence in nursing education,” Davis-Dick said. “I look forward to serving our community and contributing to the vital work of shaping the future of nursing education.”
HPU Staff Member Earns Highest Research Administrator Certification
Matthew Kroll, HPU’s director of Research Administration and Sponsored Programs (RASP), recently earned his research administrator certification. This is the highest certification that research administration professionals can be awarded.
“I think this is important for my position as the director of Research Administration and Sponsored Programs as it gives leadership and faculty confidence that I have the expertise and knowledge needed to help faculty successfully obtain and manage prestigious research grants and that I can be relied on for sound advice and assistance,” Kroll said. “The RASP office is here to help reduce the administrative burden on research faculty so that they can spend their time helping students and performing research to make new discoveries in their fields, and this certification can give them confidence that we can do just that.”
In preparation for the certification exam, Kroll attended the 67th Annual National Council of University Research Administrators Meeting from Aug. 10-13 in Washington, D.C. He attended lectures that covered a large amount of subject material.
Kroll also took several practice exams since he began working at HPU last January. His preparation continued until he took the research administrator certification test in early November. He was notified that he had passed the test on Dec. 10.
“As a certified research administrator, Matt has enhanced HPU’s credibility and capacity in research administration by affirming his ability to support faculty, manage complex projects and compete effectively for external funding,” said Dr. Jeff Adams, HPU vice president for research and planning. “It really is a meaningful feather in Matt’s cap. We’re very proud of his accomplishment.”
Wall Street Journal Publishes Student’s Second Editorial
Jonathan Lazaridis, a junior sales major with a minor in economics, recently wrote a second editorial that was published in The Wall Street Journal as part of its Future View opinion section. His topic involved how the proliferation of streaming services will reshape the movie theater industry, and his analysis was focused on an innovative business model perspective.
His editorial was published on Dec. 16, 2025.
“I feel blessed to be able to represent, promote and raise visibility for our university on a national level,” said Lazaridis, who is originally from Greece and grew up in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
His first editorial for The Wall Street Journal, published in 2024, focused on a permanent ban of the social media platform TikTok in the U.S. He said he wants to use his editorial writing skills in his future career to reach wider audiences and best serve consumers by providing out-of-the-box perspectives and solutions.