HPU Awards and Honors: March 2026
A team of four students from High Point University’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy was one of five finalist teams awarded a $2,500 grant in the Walmart Prescription for Service Scholarship Competition, held each year at the National Pharmaceutical Association Convention. Pictured from left are pharmacy students Xyrish Pino, Parker Wyatt and Sarah Debru distributing health information to community members at Walmart.
HIGH POINT, N.C., March 12, 2026 – High Point University students, faculty and staff recently completed service projects and received the following academic and professional awards.
Pharmacy Students Awarded National Service Grant for Third Year
A team of four students from HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy was one of five teams awarded a $2,500 grant in the Walmart Prescription for Service Scholarship Competition, held each year at the National Pharmaceutical Association Convention. Participating teams developed a comprehensive proposal and submitted a five-minute video outlining their health initiative.
Pharmacy students will be recognized during the March 13-14 Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SBPhA) region I and II conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This was the third consecutive year HPU pharmacy students have been finalists in the national program that recognizes student pharmacist teams who design and implement innovative, community-centered health initiatives.
HPU students will use the $2,500 award to help implement their Project HER (Hormonal Empowerment and Readiness) in the community. Their project outcomes will be presented at the national SNPhA conference July 31-Aug. 3 in Rockville, Maryland. One team will be recognized as the national winner and receive a $10,000 scholarship while the four remaining finalists will receive varying scholarship amounts to be divided among members.
This year’s team included Parker Wyatt and T’Nasia Priester, both members of the School of Pharmacy’s Class of 2028; and Sarah Debru and Deardra Lewis, both with the Class of 2027. Their mission was to empower underserved women in Guilford County by improving readiness, confidence and awareness for pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception while strengthening the role of community pharmacists as accessible, trusted providers of reproductive healthcare.
The team developed HER Hub, a web-based platform for readiness screening and will distribute HER Empowerment Kits to help equip underserved women with items they may not have access to, including feminine hygiene products and nonhormonal contraception. They also will host pop-up screening and education stations referred to as HER Health Stations, where they provided pharmacist-led education on hormonal contraception and accessibility within Guilford County.
“Participating in the Prescription for Service Competition has profoundly shaped our development as future healthcare leaders by pushing us to translate classroom knowledge into meaningful, real-world impact,” said Wyatt, who is from Greenbrier, Arkansas. “Most importantly, the competition reinforces our responsibility to advance health equity by designing initiatives that reduce barriers to care and improve access to resources. It challenges us to think beyond traditional dispensing roles and instead view pharmacists as advocates, innovators and frontline public health leaders committed to serving communities that need us most.”
Wyatt and Debru were members of last year’s HPU team that was recognized as one of the five finalists in the competition. Joined by fellow pharmacy students Xyrish Pino and Payal Mehta, the team worked to empower individuals in the High Point community to thrive through affordable exercise, nutritious foods, accessible testing and mental health support. The Whole You Initiative advanced holistic wellbeing and better outcomes for underserved communities. The initiative offered a free 5K run and wellness fair event to the local community, provided point-of-care testing services to 47 individuals and handed out 100 health kits that included items to support healthy lifestyle habits and chronic disease prevention at a Walmart store in High Point.
The 2024 HPU team was recognized as the third-place national winner and was awarded a $2,500 scholarship, which was divided among team members that included Monica Sanchez Angulo, Class of 2027, and Kiera Rountree and Taylor McMannen, both 2025 graduates. Their mission for NutriRx Chefs was to guide and support the community in making informed dietary choices that foster optimal health, prevent and manage chronic diseases via point-of-care testing, and provide access to affordable healthy food options. The team educated patients on obesity, conducted screenings for high blood pressure and diabetes, and purchased and donated fruits and vegetables to Growing High Point for distribution to older adults. They also volunteered for D-Up’s annual Summer Jubilee and provided 1,144 snacks and 74 lunch boxes to children.
HPU’s chapter of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a national student organization dedicated to serving underserved communities and improving health equity, consists of 48 members. The chapter is supported by faculty advisors Dr. Diamond Melendez, assistant professor of clinical sciences and director of standardized client experiences, and Dr. Tamera Hughes, assistant professor of clinical sciences.
Student Wins National Interior Design Award
Stephanie Warnica, a junior interior design major, recently won an Otto Zenke Award from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) for
her student project. She won third place honors for her thoughtfully designed interior space that emphasized functionality, aesthetics and user experience. She developed a complete concept, including space planning, material selection and design details for a cohesive and purposeful environment.
“Winning this ASID award is incredibly meaningful to me as a design student,” said Warnica, who is from Kinnelon, New Jersey. “It feels like validation that the long hours, creative problem-solving and attention to detail I put into my work truly matter. Being recognized by a professional organization like ASID gives me confidence in my design voice and reassures me that I’m on the right path as I continue to grow and learn in this field.”
Warnica said this award is a great steppingstone for her future career and educational goals.
“It strengthens my portfolio and helps me stand out as I pursue internships, job opportunities or further education,” she said. “More importantly, it motivates me to keep pushing myself creatively and professionally, knowing that my work has the potential to make an impact within the design community.”
Student Earns Congressional Award Gold Medal
Meagan Kerins, a junior fashion merchandising major, recently earned the Congressional Award Gold Medal.
Kerins said she dedicated more than two years to achieving this honor, and the achievement of earning this Gold Medal from Congress is meaningful to her. Recipients must log a minimum of 800 total service hours over at least two years. This includes 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development and 200 hours of physical fitness.
“For me, it is not about earning a medal. It is about the people and communities I was able to help and the knowledge I gained along the way,” said Kerins, who is from Westchester County, New York. “Being a part of the Congressional Award program these past few years has helped me in understanding how much giving back to your community can impact your life and shape you as a person. I am very fortunate to be a part of a school that gives back so much. Many of my community service hours I was able to complete through events like the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and the Annual Veterans Day Celebration.”
Kerins also gave back to the community through her participation with HPU’s Siegfried Leadership Fellows by packing hygiene kits for homeless veterans as well as collections and drives for local food banks. Outside of HPU, she also worked with a children’s hospital in New York that specializes in care for children with long-term and terminal illnesses.
“I spearheaded a project creating activity kits for the patients and their siblings, as well as hygiene kits for family members,” Kerins said. “My love for volunteering dates back to 2017 when my siblings and I started our own charity: Kids BFF (Building For the Future). Our charity cleaned, packaged and donated Legos to children in underprivileged communities. We partnered with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA afterschool program and Big Brothers and Big Sisters to help reach children in need. I am so very proud to stand alongside the other alumni of The Congressional Award Program, and I look forward to being a mentor to other young Americans who would like to work towards this award.”
The United States Congress established The Congressional Award in 1979 to recognize initiative, service and achievement in young people. It began as a bipartisan effort in both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. The enabling legislation established The Congressional Award as a private-public partnership, which receives all funding from the private sector. The legislation was originally signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump have each signed continuing legislation.
Faculty to Judge National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition
Mark Brown, associate professor of art and chair of the Studio Art and Graphic Design program, has been selected as the juror for this year’s National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition. He will have $25,000 in awards to distribute based on his assessment. It is a significant honor to be invited to be the sole juror for a national competition in his field, said Dr. John Turpin, dean of the David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design.
“The prize honorarium and prize money in this exhibition are, of course, important to any sculptor, as is the notoriety of having your work included in a prestigious exhibition like this and seen by thousands of patrons over the course of the year,” Brown said.
Brown’s works have been featured in more than 350 exhibitions across the U.S. at venues including the National Arts Club in New York and the North Carolina Museum of Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Internationally, his work has been exhibited in Japan, France, New Zealand, Australia, Hungary, Finland and Spain. His sculptural works are included in numerous private and public collections, including the Daura Museum of Art at the University of Lynchburg, the Coca Cola Company, Toyota Motor Racing and the city of Kinston, North Carolina.
Brown is a past president of the Tri State Sculptors Educational Association and has contributed to and led panel discussions for the International Sculpture Center, Southeastern College Art Conference, the North Carolina Zoo, the North Carolina Sculptors Consortium and the Asheville Museum of Art. Additionally, he has curated three traveling exhibitions.
Faculty Member Inducted in N.C. Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame
Dr. Jolene Miller Henning, department chair and program director of HPU’s Master of Science in Athletic Training program, was inducted into the North Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association’s (NCATA) Hall of Fame on March 7 in Wrightsville Beach. Henning has led HPU’s athletic trainer program growth, innovation and faculty mentorship since 2011.
“I am deeply honored and truly humbled by my induction into the North Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame,” Henning said. “This recognition is not simply a reflection of my work, but a testament to the remarkable dedication, talent and support of my colleagues, students and alumni at High Point University. I am grateful every day to learn from and collaborate with such an inspiring team. This honor strengthens our shared commitment to advancing the profession and reminds me how much we can achieve together for our athletic training program, the students we prepare and the patients we serve.”
A collaborative and inspiring leader, Henning’s influence as a mentor and educator has shaped the careers of countless athletic training professionals.
She is a nationally recognized authority in athletic training education. She has held numerous leadership roles within the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, including chair of the Professional Education Committee, service on the Executive Committee for Education and co-chair of the Professional Degree Work Group that helped guide the transition to the professional master’s degree. She has also served on multiple Athletic Training Educators’ Conference planning committees and national task forces dedicated to advancing professional education standards.
Within North Carolina, Henning has demonstrated sustained and meaningful service to the NCATA, including serving on its Board of Directors. Her contributions have been recognized with several of NCATA’s highest honors, including the Bill Griffin Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award and NCATA Educator of the Year. She has also been honored nationally and regionally for her service and leadership.
The NCATA Hall of Fame previously inducted Dr. Nancy Groh, clinical education coordinator for HPU’s athletic training program and an associate professor in athletic training, in March 2024.
Alumna Ranked Among Forbes’ Top Women Wealth Advisors
Emily Promise, a Class of 2020 HPU alumna who is now CEO of ShorePoint Advisory Group (formally Blakely Financial), recently ranked second among women financial planners in North Carolina in Forbes’ 2026 Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State list.
ShorePoint Advisory Group was ranked 13th among Forbes’ 2026 Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams for North Carolina. The firm, based in High Point, manages more than $1.5 billion.
“This distinction reflects the strength of our team and our commitment to providing complete and connected planning. I’m grateful to our team for their dedication and to our clients,” Promise said.
As a financial advisor and CEO of ShorePoint Advisory Group, Promise serves as an advisor and strategic partner to the families, individuals, and nonprofit organizations she represents. She is especially passionate about empowering female investors, helping them build confidence and take an active role in shaping their financial futures.