HPU Research and Innovation: July 2026
HPU students John Marsh, Rilee Bahner, Dr. Jeremy Whitson, Natalie Maloziec, Kayley Simon and Luke Bantamoi were pictured from left at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Conference in Denver, Colorado.
HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 6, 2026 – High Point University students, faculty and staff frequently conduct, publish and share research and creative works in a variety of ways. Below is a recap of recent research and innovative initiatives.
Students Present Research at National Vision Conference
HPU students Luke Bantamoi, John Marsh, Kayley Simon, Natalie Maloziec and Rilee Bahner presented their research in May at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Conference in Denver, Colorado. The conference attracted an international consortium of thousands of top scientists and clinicians in the visual sciences.
Bantamoi, a senior biology major on the pre-medicine track, appreciated the opportunity to attend the world’s largest annual eye and vision conference and present research that he has conducted in the lab with Dr. Jeremy Whitson, assistant professor of biology. He said it was an exciting experience that reinforced his college plans and career goals.
His research focused on the developmental pattern of the crystalline lens (the curved lens inside the eye) as a model to study the effects of biological aging on the chemical changes of long-lived proteins.
“The research I have been doing under Dr. Whitson has been tremendous for my personal growth, as it has served as a practical outlet for many of the biological principles that I study in my discipline,” said Bantamoi, who is from Green Bay, Wisconsin. “Having the opportunity to present it, and present it alone at that, encouraged me to pursue a deeper understanding of the research questions we hope to develop and answer. I still have so much to learn, but my experiences over the last nine months have made me very excited for next semester.
“My participation in this research group has also opened doors in pursuing higher education. As I prepare to apply for medical school, my experience in an undergraduate lab focused on physiology and biochemistry has put me in a good position to be competitive for more research-intensive institutions — not to mention the experience I have gained in presenting data to peers and educators. Digesting information that may be beyond your usual scope and being able to reproduce it in an easily understandable manner is an excellent skill for anyone regardless of field.”
Whitson said the students benefited from getting to share their research at such a prestigious conference.
“Presenting at a conference like ARVO gives students an amazing opportunity to network with and receive feedback from the leading researchers in the field while also getting the word out about the work we are doing at High Point University,” Whitson said.
Physician Assistant Students Serve Patients in Belize
A team of Physician Assistant (PA) students traveled with faculty to Belize for nearly a month to gain experience practicing medicine in areas where residents have limited access to healthcare.
Three PA students were primarily stationed at Hillside Clinic just outside of Punta Gorda, Belize, from May 22 to June 20. Located in the small town of Eldridge, the clinic has four patient rooms and a small pharmacy. On the compound, there is also a department of public health and rehabilitation clinic.
The students also rotated through mobile clinics in remote, rural towns in Belize as well as participated in home healthcare, dental visits, optometry appointments, community education activities and public health projects. They worked alongside other students from a variety of disciplines, including dental, public health, physical therapy and pharmacy.
Nathalie Ortiz Pate, an associate PA professor, served as a volunteer medical director of the mobile clinic in Barranco, Belize.
“Students gain first-hand experience practicing medicine in under-resourced communities while developing clinical skills in tropical medicine, cross-cultural communication and resource-conscious medical decision-making” Ortiz Pate said. “Further, the students are becoming culturally competent in their care, learning and participating in several cultural experiences to better understand how to provide care to this patient population.”
Lauren Hyser, a second-year student, said serving in Belize alongside her HPU classmates and friends was one of her most meaningful clinical experiences of PA school.
“I was challenged daily to slow down and think more critically about how to provide the best care based not only on a patient’s medical condition, but also on the resources and barriers they faced,” said Hyser, who is from Belvidere, Illinois. “It reinforced how profoundly social determinants of health influence treatment decisions and outcomes. Building relationships with patients and seeing how thoughtful conversations and practical interventions could make a meaningful difference has stayed with me throughout my subsequent clinical rotations, leading to more intentional and compassionate patient interactions.”
This international health rotation was a life-changing experience for Clara Primus, a second-year PA student. She said it was amazing to be able to help those who don’t have regular access to healthcare or who must travel a great distance for it.
“The Belizean people were very welcoming and appreciative,” said Primus, who is from High Point. “The area we served in was approximately 50-60% indigenous Mayan people. It was cool to be able to experience the Mayan cultures and learn their traditional healing methods and beliefs. I was able to strengthen my communication skills since sometimes we had to use a third-party translator who spoke the Mayan language. Many of our patients had limited health literacy, so it was important that we were able to break down health concepts into simpler terms for them to understand. Being able to practice medicine in a resource-limited environment made me truly appreciate how blessed we are in America. It was very common for us not to have access to the typical treatments we would use in the U.S., so we had to become comfortable with using alternatives. This made me so much more adaptable. I’ve grown immensely as a provider and feel so much more prepared to enter the workforce.”
Hyser said the experience also built her self-confidence in adapting to unfamiliar clinical environments and making thoughtful decisions with limited resources.
“It truly highlighted the importance of cultural humility, effective communication and meeting patients where they are,” she said. “As I begin my career as a Navy physician assistant, those lessons will be invaluable, especially when caring for diverse populations in a variety of resource limited settings. The experience reminded me that great medicine isn’t defined by the technology available but by compassion, critical thinking and a commitment to serving others.”
HPU Hosts CampMed for High School Students
Local high school students interested in medical careers visited HPU’s campus on July 14 as part of the Northwest Area Health Education Center’s CampMed summer program. They learned more about dental, PA, physical therapy, pharmacy and optometry professions. Each department participated in an activity.
“CampMed is about more than introducing students to healthcare careers,” said Dr. Matthew Kesic, professor of physician assistant studies. “It’s about helping them see a future they may not have thought was possible. Watching local high school students gain confidence, ask thoughtful questions and imagine themselves as future healthcare providers is one of the most rewarding parts.”
The Catawba County High School students enjoyed hands-on laboratory activities and found the visit to be meaningful, said NAEC Health Careers and Workforce Development Coordinator Melanee W. Mills.
“The exposure to the variety of health-focused activities gave students a tangible representation of future careers of interest as well as careers which they may not have been aware, hopefully sparking academic and career interest for their futures,” she said. “To have faculty and students share their educational journey, knowledge and expertise with our students that would not otherwise have this opportunity is an invaluable experience of a lifetime. I always leave the students with the quote: ‘If you can see it, you can be it.’ High Point University’s team did just that.”
AI Business Started by Students Named Semifinalist in National Competition
An artificial intelligence venture formed by two HPU business students is among the 27 semifinalists in a new national business competition organized by Texas A&M. The inaugural AI Venture Velocity Challenge is intended to examine how AI is reshaping entrepreneurship.
HPU students Evan Taylor and Brianna Stinespring formed Parkevo, which uses AI vision to give drivers and parking administrators real-time information on parking availability.
Parkevo was selected as a semifinalist from among 531 student-led AI ventures from 160 colleges and universities nationwide.
Twelve finalists will be selected from the semifinalist pool to compete for $175,000, including a top prize of $100,000, at the AI Venture Velocity Challenge finals on Sept. 26 in College Station, Texas.
Taylor and Stinespring won first place and $12,000 in startup funds with their idea for Parkevo at the 16th annual HPU Business Plan Competition on April 8. Taylor, a finance major and entrepreneurship minor from Atlanta, Georgia, had an overall vision for Parkevo and leads its business strategy, investor relations and go-to market. Stinespring, a social media and digital communications major from Bel Air, Maryland, leads product development, outreach, growth, brand and digital efforts for Parkevo.
The two students also advanced to the semifinal round during e-Fest 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The three-day event brought together the top 25 teams from a national pool of online business plan submissions.
“We look forward to moving forward with Parkevo and having our pilot deployed this fall,” Taylor said.