HPU Vision Surpasses Goal of Raising $10,000 With First-Ever Telethon

HIGH POINT, N.C., May 6, 2026 – Students in High Point University’s Nido R. Qubein School of Communication surpassed their goal of raising $10,000 for a local charity during a six-hour telethon broadcast from HPU’s state-of-the-art TV studio on April 12.

HPU Vision, the university’s student-led news and entertainment network, received donations of more than $5,300 during the first-ever live telethon hosted on campus. Donations continued to pour in, and the network collected more than $4,900 in the days immediately following the telethon to reach its goal of raising $10,000 for Communities in Schools of High Point (CISHP).

HPU Vision has so far raised more than $10,200 for CISHP, a nonprofit organization that provides support to at-risk K-12 students in the city of High Point and empowers them to stay in school and be successful in life. All the donations raised through the telethon will go directly to CISHP.

HPU Vision is continuing to collect donations for the nonprofit. Individuals can give directly at www.highpoint.edu/hpu-telethon-donations.

“I cannot thank everyone enough who tuned in, donated or contributed to making this show a success,” said Jack O’Donnell, HPU Vision’s president who graduated this month with a bachelor’s degree in popular culture and media production. He is from Avon, Connecticut. “I am overjoyed that so many people were inspired to believe in Communities in Schools as much as we are. My hope is that future HPU students will see this as proof that truly impactful work is possible, even this early into a career, and makes them feel compelled to give back to the community. As a graduating senior looking back, I know my time here was well spent by the ways others benefited from me being here.”

The telethon, which ran from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 12, featured original content from HPU Vision and performances from the student band Banana Split and the Offbeats, a student a capella group. The Charcoal Pony, a student improv troupe, also performed during the telethon.

Courtney Lowe, executive director of CISHP, said the funds that HPU has raised through the telethon can have a lasting impact on the students that the organization serves.

“Every dollar helps us provide critical support for students facing barriers both inside and outside the classroom — from meeting basic needs to offering encouragement, resources and relationships that help them stay engaged in school,” Lowe said. “We are incredibly grateful to the students at High Point University for partnering with us to invest in the success and well-being of local students.”