Press Kit

INTRODUCTION

• At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.
• Founded in 1924, HPU is a 95-year-old liberal arts institution located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina.
• “America’s Best Colleges” 2020 Edition, published in the U.S. News & World Report, ranks HPU #1 among all regional colleges in the South (the eighth consecutive year at #1). It also ranks HPU for the fifth consecutive year as the #1 Most Innovative Regional College in the South for innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. In addition, HPU is ranked #1 for Best Undergraduate Teaching.

UNIVERSITY GROWTH

	2005	2019	Growth
Undergraduate Enrollment (Traditional Students)	1,450	5,400	272%
Fulltime Faculty	108	349	223%
Campus Size (acres)	91	500	449%
Square Footage	650,000	4 million	515%
Buildings on Campus (new and acquired)	22	112	409%
Total Positions	385	1,900	394%
Economic Impact	$160.3 million	$765 million	377%
Operating and Capital Budget	$41 million	$300 million	632%
United Way Giving	$28,000	$251,700	800%
Study Abroad Programs	5	81	1,520%

• HPU was selected as a “Colleges of Distinction” for the ninth consecutive year. It was selected due to distinction in four major categories: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes. HPU also earned Fields of Study distinctions for Career Development, the Phillips School of Business and the Stout School of Education. These acknowledgements are available to schools with first-rate programs and recognized professional accreditations.
• High Point University has been named one of the nation’s top institutions for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review. HPU is recognized in “The Best 385 Colleges: 2020 Edition” for its academic programming, as well as positive survey responses and feedback from students, parents, and higher education leaders across the country.
• In addition to including HPU in the “The Best 385 Colleges,” the new Princeton Review rankings also name HPU as one of the top 20 universities in the nation for Best College Dorm Rooms (No. 5) and Most Beautiful Campuses (No. 18) and Best Food (No. 20).
• In addition to impressive academic and career development rankings, the HPU campus has also received many rankings. Niche.com ranks HPU’s residence halls as the No. 1 Best College Dorms in the nation, while Affordable Schools ranks HPU’s residence halls No. 1 in “30 Most Inviting Yet Affordable College Dorms in America” and No. 22 among the “30 Most Attractive Yet Affordable College Campuses.” College Consensus ranks HPU No. 15 in the nation for Best Campus Recreation Centers and No. 22 in the nation for Best College Dorms.
• HPU has 60 undergraduate majors, 64 undergraduate minors and 13 graduate degree programs.
• HPU has a total of 5,200 students – the largest total enrollment in HPU’s history. 96% of the traditional undergraduate students live on campus.
• Since 2005, HPU has grown from three academic schools to nine academic schools – the David Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences; the Phillips School of Business; the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication; the Stout School of Education; the School of Art and Design; the Wanek School of Natural Sciences; the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; the Congdon School of Health Sciences; and the Webb School of Engineering.
• Currently under construction on campus are the $10 million Caine Conservatory to support botanical research and the growth of HPU’s arboretum and gardens, as well as the $120 million Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel, which will be home to the men’s and women’s basketball programs, major events and support a proposed hospitality management program.
• In fall 2019, the $65 million, four-story, 128-000-square-foot Wanek School of Natural Sciences opened as the new home for students studying chemistry, biology, physics, neuroscience and biochemistry. This state-of-the-art facility houses a variety of innovative spaces including labs, collaborative areas, an insectary, cadaver lab, the Culp Planetarium and a maker space. The Wanek School of Natural Sciences is named in honor of Todd Wanek, the CEO of Ashley Furniture, and Karen Wanek, the president of Superior Fresh.
• Couch Hall, named in honor of David Couch, underwent a total renovation this summer to serve as the home of the Webb School of Engineering. The Webb School of Engineering is named in honor of HPU parents Mark (a 1983 HPU alumnus) and Jerri Webb of Charlotte. It houses HPU’s existing computer science major and newly established majors in computer engineering and electrical engineering. A concentration in cyber security is also available.
• The Mahler Promenade, located between Congdon Hall and Wanek School of Natural Sciences, has been extended to the Plato S. Wilson School of Commerce and the Caine Conservatory. The promenade will include a topiary garden, which will be part of the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. The Mahler Promenade is named in honor of Peter and Mary Mahler, and their daughter Janet Fisher and her husband Wayne, daughter Punkin Parker and her husband Alan, and their grandson Alan A. Parker.
• Since 2005, HPU has invested a total of $2.1 million in transforming the campus and culture. In addition to new technology and facilities, this includes dozens upon dozens of study abroad opportunities, service learning programs, academic development, student life and experiential learning and programs.
• HPU began its first-ever doctoral degree program in 2012 after receiving approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) for the Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) program. The first Ed.D. class graduated in 2016. The university has since launched doctoral programs in pharmacy and physical therapy and will award the first degrees to those graduates in 2020.
• HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy became the only pharmacy school in the Piedmont Triad Region in fall 2016 when the inaugural class of doctoral students were welcomed to campus.
• The Congdon School of Health Sciences launched a new physician assistant program in 2015 and a new physical therapy doctoral program in 2017. It also houses undergraduate and graduate programs in exercise science and athletic training.

• In fall 2017, HPU opened the new Congdon Hall, a four-story, 224,000-square-foot complex to house the Congdon School of Health Sciences and the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. The facility offers advanced research facilities and lab space that rival the best in the nation, including a human biomechanics and physiology lab, biomedical research facilities, a gross anatomy lab, standardized client space, medical simulation labs and more. At $120 million, it is the university’s single largest investment in history.

• HPU has hired 219 new, full-time faculty members since 2005 and now has 327 faculty members total.
• Without a formal campaign, High Point University has raised more than $375 million since 2005.
• Parents of HPU students committed $22 million to finance the cost of Cottrell Hall, home of the Flanagan Center for Student Success, which opened in fall 2015. The two-story, 43,000-square-foot, LEED-certified building is a central hub of activity for students preparing for job interviews, seeking career and graduate school opportunities and looking for ways to diversify their career skills. The facility houses the Dwyer Office of Career and Professional Development, the Norelli Office of Global Education, the Harris Sales Center, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, the Success Coach Program and the Belk Entrepreneurship Center, all in one central location.
• HPU students, faculty and staff contribute 110,000 volunteer hours each year. Those hours translate into an impact of $2.4 million in the community, according to the United Way’s calculations.
• The university attracts 100,000 visitors to the city each year through prospective student tours, family and alumni weekends, athletic events, cultural enrichment productions in art, dance, theatre, music and presentations from world-renowned speakers.
• HPU is a member of NCAA Division I athletics and has 16 varsity sports – eight men’s and eight women’s.

• HPU has been designated as a Tree Campus USA by the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources for 10 consecutive years. The designation is given to college campuses for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship. HPU is one of 16 North Carolina colleges and universities to be recognized for 2018 and is one of four in the state to have been honored by the Arbor Day Foundation for 10 or more years.
• HPU’s 2017 United Way Commitment reached more than $247,500, a 784% increase since 2005. The university has received the Spirit of North Carolina award from the United Way for these efforts eight times. HPU remains one of the top five contributors to the annual UW campaign.

• Through HPU’s Access to Innovators Series, students discover the art of the possible by learning from global leaders. No longer is Steve Wozniak, who serves as HPU’s Innovator in Residence, the genius behind Apple Computer. He’s also a mentor and friend to students. No longer is Marc Randolph, who serves as HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, one of the masterminds behind Netflix. He also helps students who want to launch their own business. Students learn from these leaders and others that they, too, can accomplish great things. To see a full list of HPU’s In-Residence faculty, visit highpoint.edu/innovators
• Mentorship matters at High Point University. Students are paired with success coaches, career advisors and faculty mentors to collaborate on impactful research. They also learn from top industry leaders in their classrooms, such as Joe Michaels, who directed the TODAY show for 22 years before joining HPU’s faculty.