HPU Awards and Honors: August 2026
High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine recently marked a historic milestone as it celebrated its inaugural cohort of post-doctoral residents and fellows. From left, Dr. Jerry Reeves, assistant Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program director for the dental school, with the school’s first AEGD residents Hatice Burcu Tuzcu Ucunoglu, Kenneth Morales-Walton and Keia Lusk, and Dr. Haseeb Hussain, AEGD program director.
HPU Awards and Honors: August 2026
HIGH POINT, N.C., August 31, 2026 – High Point University students, faculty and staff recently completed service projects and received the following academic and professional awards.
Workman School of Dental Medicine Celebrates Firsts
HPU’s Workman School of Dental Medicine recently marked a historic milestone as it celebrated its inaugural cohort of post-doctoral residents and fellows. The school recognized its first class of Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents and its first fellow in oral oncology.
AEGD residents Keia Lusk, Kenneth Morales-Walton and Hatice Burcu Tuzcu Ucunoglu, and Oral Oncology Fellow Farah Sattouf were recognized by Workman School of Dental Medicine Dean Ali Shazib and HPU Provost Daniel Erb. Program directors presented framed certificates before dinner was served to all in attendance.
“These programs provide advanced, multidisciplinary clinical training to care for patients with complex needs, including cancer,” Shazib said. “Our trainees built lasting relationships with faculty and staff while delivering patient-centered care grounded in strong evidence, clinical expertise and ethics. All members of the inaugural cohort have secured either employment or advanced training opportunities of their choice, reflecting the strength of our outcomes.”
The dental school received its initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation in April 2025 to start a one-year, full-time residency program in general dentistry. This marked another milestone for the school, which welcomed its inaugural class of 60 students in Fall 2024.
The AEGD residency program, which started last July, is designed to broaden a resident’s professional knowledge and clinical skills, so they can provide a broad spectrum of dental services for patients with complex needs.
The AEGD residency and Oral Oncology Fellowship programs enable learners to train at the highest level at HPU while providing comprehensive care to patients as community health care partners, Shazib said.
“I deeply appreciated the supportive and welcoming environment. It is a place where I always felt comfortable asking questions, which helped me grow both clinically and professionally,” said Sattouf, who is from Al Nabek, Syria. “This fellowship has helped shape me into a more confident and thoughtful clinician, and I feel well prepared for the next step in my career.”
HPU’s AEGD residency is unique in comparison to residency programs at other dental schools across the country. For example, the program has an extremely low student-to-instructor ratio to allow residents to receive one-on-one training. Residents receive hands-on training and gain clinical experience at various practice locations within the HPU Oral Health Network. They also learn while working in the classroom with state-of-the-art simulation, digital dentistry and imaging technology.
“My favorite aspect of the program has been my evolution from start to finish,” said Morales-Walton, who is from Gary, Indiana. “I believe my treatment planning acumen and skillset were sub-par upon my initial start of the program. I have seen my skills continually soar in ways that I did not think was possible in such a short period of time.”
Tuzcu said meeting incredible people along the way was her favorite part of the AEGD residency.
“I learned something from every supervising dentist and every assistant I had the opportunity to work with,” Tuzcu said. “What makes HPU special is the genuine passion everyone brings to their work and the way that people support one another while always putting patients first. The relationships I built here have had a lasting impact on me, and I am grateful for the lifelong friendships that came from this experience.”
Honors Scholar Program Receives Educating Character Initiative Grant
HPU’s Honor Scholar Program recently received a $32,430 Capacity-Building Grant from the Educating Character Initiative for the Educating Character in the Honors Scholar Program at High Point University, a project proposed by two faculty members.
With this grant Dr. Pamela M. Lundin, associate director of the Honors Scholar Program and an associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Amy L. MacArthur, assistant professor of philosophy, will implement a number of initiatives to promote character education in the Honors Scholar Program. The initiatives include courses in the Honors Scholar Program curriculum and activities outside of the classroom, including monthly character-centered events and materials centered around the Honors Scholar community in Finch dormitory. The Educating Character Initiative is a project of The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Student Carries Flag in Relay for America
John Michael Zimmerman, a senior exercise science major, ran leg 216 of the America 250 Relay for America on July 1 and carried the American flag across the Ohio River into his hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia. He described it as a truly unforgettable experience.
The Relay for America grew from the friendship of Joe Nail and Wyatt Moss, who met two years ago with a shared goal of running 50 marathons in 50 states. As the 250th birthday for the U.S. approached, Nail envisioned a coast-to-coast relay with more than 250 Americans handing a single flag from mile to mile across the country. With a goal of uniting Americans, the relay required 20 consecutive days — day and night, nonstop — from the Golden Gate Bridge to the nation’s capital, timed so the finish landed under the July 4th fireworks.
“Being able to support and carry the American flag into my home state was something that I could not have dreamed of doing ever in my life,” Zimmerman said. “It is truly remarkable that these two men from Relay for America decided to do this at the last-minute, traveling from San Francisco all the way to the nation’s capital, not sure who would join or participate. It has shown the unity in our country as people are coming together to run and support the runners. From local law enforcement guiding us to veterans lining the streets saluting the flag, it only brought strength to those running.”
HPU’s God, family and country values have given Zimmerman the opportunity to support and participate in events like this.
“Being able to aid in the Veterans Day ceremony and being a member of the Kappa Alpha Order raising money for Operation K.A.R.E. helps me to be able to give back to those who have served this country,” he said. “Doing what small part I can in a chain spanning over 3,000 miles long is the least that I could do to support America’s 250th birthday.”
HPU Alumna Wins Miss North Carolina 2026
HPU alumna Lauryn Mallard, representing Charlotte, was crowned Miss North Carolina 2026 at the High Point Theatre on June 27. The Advance, North Carolina native received a total of $20,000 in awards and will represent North Carolina in the Miss America 2027 competition in September.
Mallard graduated summa cum laude from HPU in 2024, earning her master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in health care management. During the pageant, she promoted her community service initiative of “Fight with Grace: Fundraising and Advocating for Childhood Cancer.” She performed a lyrical dance to Whitney Houston’s “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” during the talent portion of the competition.
She relishes the community service aspect of Miss North Carolina because she grew up in a family that volunteered with organizations that help children with cancer, such as Make-A-Wish and St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
“Childhood cancer advocacy has never been a foreign concept to me,” she said.
This was Mallard’s fifth time competing for the Miss North Carolina title. A year ago, she was the third runner-up and won a preliminary talent award as Miss Caldwell County. In 2024, she was second runner-up and won a preliminary evening gown award as Miss Ballantyne. She was a semifinalist in 2023 as Miss Jacksonville and the third runner-up as Miss Randolph County the year before that. Since becoming Miss North Carolina, she has met the governor, spoken with state legislators and interacted with countless children at hospitals and elsewhere.
PA Day at the Legislature
Nathalie Ortiz Pate, associate professor and clinical coordinator in HPU’s Physician Assistant (PA) Program, recently met with North Carolina legislators on PA Day at the Legislature in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Hosted by the North Carolina Academy of PAs (NCAPA), this advocacy and educational event provided an opportunity for PAs, PA students and educators to talk directly with lawmakers on June 3. During the day, Ortiz Pate talked with Senator Dan Blue and Representatives Jay Adams and James Roberson.
“Following the passage of HB 67 in 2025, which established team-based practice and brought North Carolina into the PA licensure compact, the event served as a forum to thank legislators for their support of policies that improve patient access to care and allow PAs to practice to the full extent of their education and training,” Ortiz Pate said. “Additionally, PA Day at the Legislature helped increase awareness of the PA profession by educating policymakers about the critical role PAs play in delivering high-quality, team-based health care across diverse specialties and practice settings throughout North Carolina.”
With more than 9,600 PAs practicing across the state, Oritz Pate said continued legislative engagement is critical to ensure that PAs are appropriately represented in health care policy discussions, included in future health care legislation and continue providing accessible, high-quality care to patients.
