Dr. Ali Shazib
Dean of the Workman School of Dental Medicine
Education:
B.D.S. (Lahore, Pakistan), D.M.D. (Boston University), Dip. ABOM (Harvard University)
What he loves most about being dean:
- Serving our people, our community, our institution, and our society.
- Developing innovative partnerships to advance education and healthcare.
- Cultivating a culture of compassion, innovation, growth mindset, life-long learning, and integrity.
What sets Workman School of Dental Medicine apart:
Integrated and personalized curriculum called “CARE”, which stands for “Clinician-Advocate-Researcher-Entrepreneur”. We deliver CARE through a delicate blend of academic programs, experiential activities (immersive simulation, practice, and business skills) and commitment to life-long mentorship tailored to each learner’s endeavors.
- Learners are educated and mentored to self-assess and develop their knowledge, perspectives, and skills, through state-of-the-art simulation (one of the largest haptic dental centers in the world), authentic practice environments (HPU Health- Oral Health Network), integrated medical records (EPIC), and technology of the future (3d scanning, digital design, and 3d printing).
- Unique internship and mentorship opportunities with our partners such as Align Technologies (Invisalign), Envista (digital dentistry and implants), Revere Dental Partners, Overjet (artificial intelligence), SprintRay (3d printing), Neocis (Robotics), Bien Air (surgical equipment), Heartland Dental (DSO), Pacific Dental Services (DSO), Novant Healthcare, and Atrium Health/Wake Forest Baptist
- Unique tracks of combined and accelerate programs such as BS/DMD, DMD/MHA, and DMD/MBA .
- Access to in-house residents including but not limited to: Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple), John Maxwell (best-selling leadership author), and Dr. Rick Workman (founder of Heartland Dental)
Favorite Quote:
“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” – Allamah Iqbal
Dr. Nahed Elantawy
Dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication
Dr. Nahed Elantawy is the Dean and Professor of Journalism at the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication at High Point University in North Carolina. Dr. Elantawy joined HPU in 2008 and has played a significant role in the growth and expansion of the NQSC, including curriculum development, the creation of new courses, and student mentorship.
Her research interests encompass women and gender studies, media representation, social media activism, and critical and cultural studies. Dr. Elantawy’s scholarly work has been published in numerous books and peer-reviewed journals, such as Feminist Media Studies, International Journal of Communication, and Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. She is also the co-editor of The Palgrave Handbook of Gender, Media and Communication in the Middle East and North Africa(Palgrave-Macmillan).
Dr. Elantawy has received two Fulbright awards: a Fulbright Scholar Award in 2011-2012 and a Fulbright Specialist Award (2015-2020). Her Fulbright Specialist award allowed her to visit and lecture at the Izmir University of Economics in October 2019.
Dr. Elantawy was born and raised in Egypt and moved to the United States with her husband in 2000.
Education: Ph.D. Public Communication from Georgia State University, graduated 2007, field of research: Media representation and rhetorical studies; M.A. Development Studies from the American University in Cairo, graduated 2001; Studied Political Economy, Globalization and Developing Countries; International Relations from the American University in Cairo, graduated 1996.
What she loves most about being Interim Dean: As the Dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, I love working with our faculty, staff, and students to grow and improve our school. It is rewarding to see our programs expand and to support our students in finding fulfilling jobs in the field of communication.
What sets HPU’s School of Communication apart: What sets our school apart is our exceptional faculty, staff, and students. The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication (NQSC) is a blend of communication talent and expertise. Our dedicated faculty work closely with students to provide the most up-to-date communication skills. Additionally, all nine majors we offer focus on giving students hands-on experience and practical tools directly applicable in the workplace. Our students regularly engage with media equipment, the latest software, and technologies, and have access to a 4K studio with impressive capabilities. This comprehensive approach equips and prepares our students for successful careers in communication.
Favorite Quote:“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” By Rumi.
Ken Elston
Dean of the School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences
Ken Elston joined HPU’s faculty in 2019 as the associate dean of arts and sciences and director of performing arts. He is the previous director of the School of Theater at George Mason University and artistic director of the not-for-profit theater company, Footsteps In Time. Elston has also served as the resident theater artist at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. He has experience teaching acting, directing, writing and new work development, and specializes in movement for the stage. Elston is an actor himself and has performed for stage, television and film. His stage appearances include off-Broadway and regional credits from Theater of the First Amendment, Washington Shakespeare Company, the Bush Theater, Missouri Rep, ACT, Intiman and Bucks County Playhouse. He also has experience directing with credits from off-Broadway, university and regional theaters. Elston has directed fringe work in London and Dubrovnik, and two productions for Nanjing University in Nanjing, China. He has lectured across the United States and internationally. He is currently a member of SAG, AFTRA, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and the Association of Theatre Movement Educators. Elston is also a professional consultant in the area of presentation skills. As a playwright, Elston has had plays produced with universities and professional companies.
Education: B.A., Temple University; M.F.A., The Ohio State University.
What he loves most about being dean: “I love working with smart and creative people, and our faculty are brilliant, passionate and humane. Working with such a team is a consistent privilege.”
What sets HPU’s School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences apart: “Our graduates know both what they want to do and how they want to live. In HPU’s School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences, we believe that the best preparation for a brave new world is made by providing our students with broad general knowledge and discipline-based inquiry, coupled with the ability to collaborate and integrate knowledge, the ability to think critically, to communicate clearly and to solve complex and novel problems, all while exercising sound ethical judgment and practicing global cultural competency. Moreover, we work to empower our students to develop those cognitive and social skills that will lead not just to success but to significance.”
Favorite Quote: “Be good, and, if you can’t be good, be careful.” – Gerhard A. Elston, former executive director of Amnesty International, USA, and Elston’s dad
Also, “Thy life’s a miracle.” – William Shakespeare, from “King Lear”
Briana Fiser
Dean of the Wanek School of Natural Sciences
Briana Fiser joined HPU in 2011 as a faculty member in the Department of Physics to contribute to building an innovative physics major, which was initiated in 2010. She helped grow the department from three faculty to six and developed a curriculum that embeds project-based learning and computation throughout while also emphasizing communication and collaboration. In 2019, she became chair of the department.
Dr. Fiser’s research is in developing biology-inspired micro- and nanotechnologies for use in human health applications, more recently in the prevention of bacterial biofilm development on surfaces. She has received funding from the National Science Foundation and North Carolina Biotechnology Center. From her earlier work, Dr. Fiser has four patents related to the creation and use of an artificial cilia system to monitor properties of various biofluids, such as blood and mucus.
During her time at the University, Dr. Fiser has also been involved in educational research related to student identity in STEM fields and understanding how the Honors Scholar Program curriculum, which she helped develop in 2016, facilitates student growth in collaboration and communication skills, and critical thinking dispositions.
Education: B.S. in physics, B.S. in mathematics, University of Mississippi; M.S. and Ph.D. in physics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
What she loves most about being Dean: I love the opportunity to support the colleagues I work with every day in their teaching and research; they are deeply committed to helping our students grow and develop into the next generation of scientific thinkers and leaders.
What sets HPU’s School of Natural Sciences apart: The Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, and Physics in HPU’s Wanek School of Natural Sciences all provide extensive opportunities for experiential learning, through their laboratories and classes and through undergraduate research. We have state of the art interdisciplinary facilities and instrumentation that are regularly used in laboratory activities and available for students to use in research. Through these opportunities, students are learning what it means to do science by being scientists, they gain problem solving and critical thinking skills, and they grow in their creativity, independence, and confidence. Along their journey, students are mentored and guided by our outstanding and internationally recognized faculty, and upon graduation, they are prepared for a plethora of future paths, including professional programs like medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy, and master’s and Ph.D. graduate programs across the sciences.
Lou Anne Flanders-Stec
Dean of the David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship
Education: B.A. in Business Administration and Management, Ouachita Baptist University; M.B.A. in Finance, University of North Texas.
What she loves most about being dean: “I have watched the exponential growth of HPU from the sidelines with interest, and I am thrilled to be back supporting that growth. The majority of my previous positions have been new to an organization allowing me to build, create and grow something new. I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to have a deeper impact and develop outcomes. Students in these fields are eager to learn about every aspect of business and what it takes to succeed. This is what makes the role so exciting to me. But above all, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing students who have been supported by faculty like myself go on to succeed. Celebrating their achievements is truly the best part of the work we do. I also love the challenge that comes with a new role.”
What sets HPU’s David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship apart: “Our focus on life skills, experiential learning, and broad course offerings will provide a great foundation for our students. Although there are many entrepreneurship programs and majors, there are very few universities that have a dedicated academic school. This will set HPU’s School of Entrepreneurship apart. Our faculty has also determined that a key differentiation point will be connecting students in our programs, specifically entrepreneurship students, with mentors and additional sales and leadership skills, all while building a culture of innovation across the Congdon School of Entrepreneurship. Additionally, leveraging connections with our HPU’s In-Residence faculty, part of the Access to Innovators program, to share their expertise with the students in our school is an amazing opportunity as well.”
Favorite quote: “You can be anything you want; you just need to work at it.”
Kevin Ford
Dean of Congdon School of Health Sciences
Dr. Kevin Ford is a world-renowned expert and accomplished researcher in biomechanics and sports medicine with over 200 peer-reviewed articles. He has been at HPU since 2012 in the Department of Physical Therapy and brings over 30 years of experience in biomechanics, research and other health science-related fields. He previously spent 12 years at one of the top ranked pediatric hospitals in the nation, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where he was the co-director of research in sports medicine and assistant professor in pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, in addition to consistent industry and foundation support, totaling over $7 million in funding. Ford has received numerous research awards highlighting his contributions to the scientific literature including the HPU Ruth Ridenhour Scholarly and Professional Achievement Award in 2016. In 2010, he was awarded Fellow status (FACSM) within the American College of Sports Medicine. Ford received the 2012 Nicolas Andry Award from the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, for a body of work conducted and published over an extended period of time that deals with the musculoskeletal system and has significantly contributed to orthopaedic knowledge and practice. Additionally, his research has received the prestigious O’Donoghue Award in 2005 and in 2015 from the American Society for Sports Medicine, awarded to the best overall paper which deals with clinical-based research or human in-vivo research. He was recognized with the Clinical Research Award in 2016 from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF). From the American Physical Therapy Association, he has received the 2016 Excellence in Research Award and the 2015 George J. Davies – James A. Gould Excellence in Clinical Inquiry Award for the most outstanding clinical practice article that was published within the “Journal of Sports Physical Therapy” during the calendar year. In addition, Ford has been appointed as an ad-hoc scientific review member on numerous NIH study sections since 2013 including: Musculoskeletal Oral and Skin Sciences (MOSS); Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Clinical Trials Review Committee (AMSC); Neurological Aging and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology (NAME).
Education: B.A. in kinesiology; M.S. in biomechanics; Ph.D. in exercise science — biomechanics, University of Kentucky.
What he loves most about being dean: “Fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for our faculty, staff and students to impact our community in positive and meaningful ways.”
What sets HPU’s School of Health Sciences apart: “We prepare exceptional and compassionate students for rewarding and in-demand careers as healthcare professionals for the future as it is going to be. The faculty consists of internationally renowned leaders that share the vision of integrating and translating interdisciplinary knowledge and life skills through a collaborative and evidence-based approach.”
Favorite Quote: Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” section from his “Citizen in a Republic” speech: “It’s not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly . . . who at best knows the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”
Daniel Hall
Dean of the Earl N. Phillips School of Business
Dr. Daniel Hall joined HPU in 2010 and is passionate about experiential learning teaching through using experiments, debates, trips, bringing in practitioners as speakers, discussion walks and service-learning. He has received grants from the HPU Think Big Program and the Charles Koch Foundation supporting their project to create the iPad applications that help teach economic principles using market experiments. He has peer-reviewed articles that can be found in “Research in Experimental Economics,” “Games,” “Libertarian Papers” and the “Journal of Economics and Finance Education.” Hall has conducted research including the subjects: how trust varies under different property right entitlement settings; how the efficiency-equality trade-off can be modeled as a public goods problem; how government provision of public goods crowd out voluntary provision; and how economic analysis can help service organizations. Hall also incorporates his work with service clubs into his teaching of service-learning courses. He was honored as Service Learning Professor of the Year for the 2013-2014 academic year and was recently awarded the Spirit of High Point University Award in 2021.
Education: B.S. in economics, Georgia State College and State University; M.A. and Ph.D. in economics, Georgia State University.
What he loves most about being dean: “I love helping students, staff and faculty flourish in achieving their goals. I love the variety of meetings and challenges that occur each day. The pace of the position matches my energy and passion for High Point University.”
What sets HPU’s School of Business apart: “Our extraordinary students! We are focused on accelerating students’ career readiness through the relationships we build, the co-curricular activities and our career-aligned curriculum. The sooner they find their career path the sooner they turn their focus to acquiring the skills that will help them stand out. When they stand out, it sets the business school apart!”
Favorite Quote: “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston S. Churchill
Dr. Catherine Heyman
Founding Dean of the School of Optometry
Catherine Heyman, O.D., received her Doctor of Optometry degree in 1993 from the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University after earning her BS degree in Biology from San Diego State University. She then completed a residency in Pediatric Optometry and Vision Therapy at the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University in 1994.
She is a fellow and a Diplomate in the Binocular Vision and Vision Perception Section of the American Academy of Optometry as well as a fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Her research interests include studying accommodative response in children with visual impairment. She is also an investigator and committee member for the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group.
What she loves most about being dean: “I love working with a team of dedicated professionals all working together to build an exceptional professional program the allows our graduates to make their impact.”
What sets HPU’s School of Optometry apart: “Our curriculum design is what makes us unique and sets us apart from any other optometry school in the country. We are going to teach in block or module styles similar to PA and medical school. This will allow our students to focus on one subject at a time. We believe that model this will enhance retention of the material and allow for better outcomes.
Our culture will be high touch, student-centered that will focus on our student’s overall wellbeing as they are transformed into optometric professionals.
We truly believe that we are building the most innovative, student-centered optometry program in the country!!“
Favorite Quote: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.” – Helen Keller
Amy Holcombe
Dean of the Stout School of Education
Dr. Amy Holcombe joined HPU’s faculty in 2018. She most recently served as executive director for strategic planning and development and executive director of talent development for Guilford County Schools. During her tenure with Guilford County Schools, Holcombe launched North Carolina’s first in-district licensure program for teachers. Since its inception in 2008, this program has licensed over 600 teachers, won four national awards and has been featured in Education Week. As executive director of talent development, Holcombe led Mission Possible, which is the longest running comprehensive compensation program in North Carolina. Mission Possible has been featured on the front page of “The New York Times,” and in “ASCD’s Educational Leadership,” “Education Week,” The School Administrator” and “Principal Leadership.” Over the course of her professional career, Dr. Holcombe has written and won more than $95 million in competitive grants. She has been named Technology Teacher of the Year for the state of North Carolina twice and has received numerous national awards for her work in the area of human capital management. She has published and presented nationally on the topics of teacher effectiveness, performance-based compensation, human capital management, alternative certification and education leadership.
Education: B.A. in English journalism, Sonoma State University; M.Ed. in English, University of North Carolina Greensboro; M.S.A., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Ph.D. in curriculum and teaching, University of North Carolina Greensboro.
What she loves most about being dean: “As a dean, I most value having the opportunity to work one-on-one with students, mentoring them and guiding them along their professional pathways. In education, we are in the business of training our replacements so there is strong motivation to invest 100% of ourselves into our students who will be tomorrow’s teachers. My calling has always been to educate our future generations so I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to engage in this work every day.”
What sets HPU’s School of Education apart: “The Stout School of Education provides our students an education in authentic settings. This means that students are placed in local K-12 school settings every single year of their college career, not just in their senior, as is done in other schools. While learning on campus, students receive instruction in three different learning labs — The Shelton Innovation Lab (STEM), the Sheehy Specialized Curriculum Lab (Special Education) and the Literacy Learning Lab. Each classroom simulates an actual K-12 setting complete with learning technologies, textbooks, furniture and learning walls. Our graduates walk into their first jobs so well prepared, other teachers often do not know that they are beginning teachers!”
Favorite Quote: “I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” – Robert Frost
Dr. Mary Jayne Kennedy
Dean of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy
Kennedy’s experience includes other unique opportunities. For example, she was the first pharmacist accepted into a two-year fellowship in pediatric clinical pharmacology at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, the only pediatric training program accredited by the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology. She trained alongside physicians and scientists to gain hands-on experience in areas such as pharmacogenetics and drug metabolism. Kennedy later accepted a faculty position in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky, where she was associate director of the Kosair Charities Pediatric Clinical Research Unit and program director of the Pediatric Pharmacology Research Unit until December 2008. During her tenure in Louisville, Kennedy also began developing her own academic research program and was involved in teaching and mentoring medical students, pediatric residents, and fellows. In 2009, she joined the Virginia Commonwealth School of Pharmacy faculty. At VCU, Kennedy served as vice chair of research in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science, taught pharmacy and graduate students and built a National Institutes of Health-funded research program focused on drug-induced renal injury in newborns.
Erb says Dr. Kennedy has a solid understanding of what is needed to prepare pharmacists for the world as it is going to be and to lead the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, the Piedmont Triad’s only pharmacy school.
“As the previous chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences, she has been a key part of the school’s success in obtaining continued accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the accrediting body for all pharmacy programs in the Unites States,” Erb says. “She is a leader, innovator, strategic thinker and mentor who listens well and inspires individuals to do their best.”
What she loves most about being dean: “There are very few people who can say they have had the opportunity to build a department – and a school – and I am grateful to have been one of them,” Kennedy says. “In creating the department, my primary goals were to recruit talented pharmacist faculty to train and mentor our students and to develop strong relationships with the High Point community that would provide opportunities for our students and faculty to use their unique knowledge and skills to give back to the community.”
Kennedy joined the HPU faculty in 2015 as the founding chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences. She described working with the founding dean of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and other administrators to develop the pharmacy program as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Chief Justice Mark Martin
Dean of the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law
Hon. Mark Martin is the Founding Dean and Professor of Law at the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law at High Point University. He is a respected voice in both judicial and academic circles, an accomplished attorney, jurist and professor, as well as an advocate for access to justice, legal reform, and innovation in legal education.
During his judicial career, Martin served at every level of the state court system and ultimately as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina from 2014- 2019. At the time of his respective installations, Martin was the youngest member in history of the Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Martin successfully advocated for juvenile justice reform through a program called “Raise the Age.” In addition, he established the NC Pro Bono Resource Center to improve access to justice. Martin has served on the Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction of the United States Judicial Conference. He also served on the Board of Directors and as chair of the Professionalism and Competence of the Bar Committee of the Conference of Chief Justices, an organization with a direct influence on the development of codes of ethics and legal best practices nationwide.
Martin has served as the dean at two U.S. law schools. He currently serves as the founding dean of High Point Law and formerly served as dean at Regent University School of Law. He has taught law students at five law schools—Duke, High Point, NC Central, Regent, and UNC. Martin has expertise in multiple areas of the law. He co-taught a course on the various modes of constitutional interpretation with Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States. He has also taught law courses in appellate advocacy, election law, professional identity formation, professional responsibility, and trial practice.
Martin previously served as chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Judicial Division and Appellate Judges Conference. He has also chaired the Appellate Judges Education Institute (AJEI) Board of Directors. He is a member of the American Law Institute, where he assisted with the Third Restatement, Conflict of Laws, and served on the Region 15 Advisory Committee. He chairs the Thomson Reuters Judicial Advisory Council. He also served as a founding board member of the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School. At the state level, Martin serves as a member of the Judicial Independence Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association and previously served as chair of the NC Professionalism Commission and the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission. He chaired the Commission on the Future of the North Carolina Business Court and led the effort to expand the business court.
Dean Martin’s advocacy for the rule of law has extended beyond the United States. He served on the Commission for the World Justice Project and was a two-time delegate to the World Justice Forum, the first-ever global convening to promote the multidisciplinary importance of the rule of law. Martin has served as an expert witness in the Queen’s Bench, Commercial Division in London, England.
Dean Martin’s lifetime of public service and devotion to the rule of law has been widely recognized. Martin has been inducted into the Warren Burger Society of the National Center for State Courts. He is a recipient of the Patriotic Employer Award of the United States Department of Defense. Martin received the ABA Robert Yegge Award for Outstanding Contribution in Judicial Administration, the Liberty Bell Award of the North Carolina Bar Association, and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (the highest award given to a civilian in North Carolina). He is an honorary member of the American Counsel Association.
Martin has been married to Kym Martin for over 30 years, and together they have raised five children.
Michael Oudshoorn
Dean of the Webb School of Engineering
Dr. Michael Oudshoorn joined HPU’s faculty in 2018 as founding dean of the Webb School of Engineering. Oudshoorn has more than 30 years of experience as an educator. His career began at the University of Adelaide, Australia where he worked for 20 years teaching computer science. He also served as the associate dean (international) for the faculty of engineering, mathematical and computer sciences where he was responsible for international student recruitment and management of the faculty’s articulation and off-shore programs in Singapore and Malaysia. He relocated to the U.S. in 2003 and has held positions in several institutions as a dean or department chair. Since 2004, he has served as an ABET program evaluator, being involved in the development of accreditation criteria for computer science programs. He is currently serving his second six-year term as an ABET commissioner and was elected to the Executive Committee in 2018. He has experience in designing and developing new degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Most recently he led the development of a cybersecurity degree at a Midwestern University. Since arriving at HPU, he has created a computer engineering and an electrical engineering degree.
Education: B.Sc. in computer science and applied mathematics; B.Sc. (Hons) in computer science; Ph.D. in computer science, University of Adelaide, Australia.
What he loves most about being dean: “No two days are alike! The job has a lot of different facets from dealing with student issues, advocating for faculty, working on budgets, building relationships with external partners, student recruitment to showcasing our incredible facilities. I am certainly not bored! But the best part is the people I get to work with every day to make it all happen.”
What sets HPU’s School of Engineering apart: “Most engineering schools are not in a liberal arts environment. We produce professionals in engineering, computer science and mathematics which have the critical thinking, analytical skills, problem solving abilities and communication skills necessary for success in their chosen career. Small classes with great interaction between faculty and students is a hallmark of HPU’s education.”
Favorite Quote: “We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” – Lee Iacocca, American engineer and automobile executive
John Turpin
Dean of the David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design
Dr. John Turpin is the founding dean of the School of Arts and Design and professor of interior design. Prior to joining HPU in 2011, he served as chair for the Department of Interior Design at Washington State University where he participated in a number of interdisciplinary courses and activities at the Interdisciplinary Design Institute in Spokane, Washington. He is a member of the Interior Design Educators Council’s College of Fellows, a founding editor of “Interiors: Design, Architecture, Culture” and the past editor-in-chief of the “Journal of Interior Design.” Honors he has received include: DesignIntelligence’s Most Admired Educators of 2011, WSU University College Assessment Leadership Award, three-time Student Choice Award for Academic Excellence in Teaching, IDEC Presidential Award, and IDEC Awards of Excellence for Research and Service. He has been on the Board of Visitors for the Council of Interior Design Accreditation since 1999. Turpin continues to develop and enhance new, relevant, high-quality programs that will allow his graduates an opportunity to become future change agents.
Education: B.S. in interior design, Florida State University; M.S. in architecture, University of Cincinnati; Ph.D. in design history, theory and criticism, Arizona State University.
What he loves most about being dean: “It really isn’t about being dean. I enjoy thoroughly working with my team of faculty and staff to bring the arts to life at HPU. Much of that is very much centered on helping our students evolve into thoughtful, creative, intentional artists, designers, technicians and performers who will continue this mission well into the future.”
What sets HPU’s School of Arts and Design apart: “At HPU, students will certainly learn their art form, opening many doors for their professional careers, but we are also invested in developing the individual to be a well-rounded, productive, empathetic citizen of our global community. We model these values and expect them from our students as they depart our campus as change agents.”
Favorite Quote: “They seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if they had surprised a butterfly in the woods.” – Edith Wharton (excerpted from “Ethan Frome”)
Dr. Racquel Ingram
Dean of the Teresa Caine School of Nursing
