High Point University
|
Roberts Hall, Administration Offices, circa 1924 |
High Point University is a private liberal arts
university in
High Point, North Carolina, affiliated with the
United Methodist Church. The University is dedicated to the traditional Judeo-Christian principles of inclusiveness and diversity.
The mission of High Point University is to "provide vital and distinguished undergraduate and graduate programs that enhance both traditional and non-traditional students' powers of inquiry, breadth of knowledge, command of written and spoken language and insight into ethical behavior."
The school was founded as High Point College in
1924, a joint venture between the
Methodist Protestant Church and the citizens of High Point. When the college opened, the campus consisted of three buildings, attended by nine faculty members, and a student enrollment of 122.
Presidents of High Point University| Robert M. Andrews | 1924-1930 |
| Gideon I. Humphreys | 1930-1949 |
| Dennis H. Cooke | 1949-1959 |
| Wendell M. Patton | 1959-1980 |
| Charles R. Lucht | 1981-1985 |
| Jacob C. Martinson, Jr. | 1985-2005 |
| Nido R. Qubein | 2005 â€" present |
The Methodist Protestant Church, which is now part of The United Methodist Church, first became active in educational pursuits in North Carolina in the middle of the 19th century. Of the various institutions which it sponsored, the most ambitious was
Yadkin College, which operated in neighboring Davidson County from 1856 to 1895, but failed because of its isolated rural location.
At the turn of the century, the vision of a church-related college was revived by The Reverend Joseph F. McCulloch of Greensboro, who sought for nearly a quarter-century to bring the dream to fruition. The statewide governong body of the Methodist Protestant Church finally voted to proceed in 1921. Shortly afterwards it accepted an offer from the citizens of High Point to contribute 60 acres of land and $100,000 to the project. The campus was designed by R. E. Mitchell of Washington, DC, assisted by Herbert Hunter of High Point, in the English Renaissance style. Though finishing touches were still being added to Roberts Hall, Women's Hall, and McCulloch Hall, classes began in September 1924.
The steadfast determination that characterized the birth of the College ended abruptly with the Great Depression. This period was difficult for the College in 1932-33, as faculty salaries were cut and expenses were sometimes bartered. Despite a $50,000 fund raising campaign, the College declared bankruptcy on June 15, 1934 and reorganization in an effort to reduce its indebtedness. Reorganization enabled the College to move forward with business and expansion. By the end of the decade, the M. J. Wrenn library and the H. Albion Millis athletic stadium was constructed. During World War II, the College hosted the 326th College Training Detachment of the U.S. Army Air Force. With the liquidation of debt, financial stability ultimately returned by 1945.
The postwar decades brought prospects for rapid growth and expansion. Under the influences of the G.I. Bill and the "baby boom" of the 1940s and 1950s, enrollment more than tripled, with a corresponding increase in staff. The College's programs received full accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1951. Additional facilities were added in response to this growth in size and professionalism: four residence halls between 1953 and 1968, two classroom buildings, a second gymnasium, an auditorium, a chapel, and a campus center. By 1959, the school's endowment topped $1 million. A major campaign in the 1960s, entitled "The Golden Decade", exceeded $5 million in donations, and increased the endowment to almost $3 million.
Physical expansion of the campus continued with Smith Library in the spring of 1984, featuring a capacity three times the size of the former facility. The original men's residence hall was replaced in 1987 with a 221-resident facility. The "Aspire" campaign sought to raise $20 million is assets for the College and set the tone for the institution into the 1990s. By 1991, the endowment had increased to $24 million, eighth among institutions of higher learning in North Carolina.
A 1990 report from a task force called "The National Commission on the Future of High Point College" outlined the blueprints for growth into the twenty first century. The report called for emphasis on teaching ethics in the curriculum, enhancing international relationships and exchanges, improving academic and dormitory spaces, and reconstituting college as a university.
On October 9, 1991, by the action of the Board of Trustees, the name of High Point College was changed to High Point University to reflect post-graduate degree programs. The campus saw expansion of the Millis Athletic/Convocation Center in late 1992 to provide facilities for convocations, physical education, athletic, and health activities. Other notable additions to the campus include an addition to the Haworth Hall of Science and the Hayworth Fine Arts Center, a domed structure with a Tuscan portico designed in consultation with London-based architect Christopher Smallwood. The Fine Arts Center is Smallwood's only project in the United States outside the northeastern states. by 2004, the University's endowment has increased to $40 million.
In 2004, President Martinson became the university's first
chancellor, an office he still holds despite his retirement from High Point University's presidency on January 1, 2005. Martinson's presidential successor, Nido Qubein, announced a US$60 million building and campus expansion campaign. This campaign was increased to $100 million after Qubein raised $20 million in his first few months of leadership. In its increased capacity, High Point University has been instrumental in attracting high-profile speakers to campus, including
Rudolph Giuliani,
Robert Schuller, and
Queen Noor of Jordan.
High Point University offers day and evening undergraduate degree programs (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science) and evening graduate degree programs (Master of Science in Sports Studies, Master of Education in Elementary Education, Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Organization, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Science in Sports Studies). In addition, several study abroad programs are available to undergraduate students. High Point University in
England offers a Junior Year Abroad program in conjunction with the
University of Leeds for credit towards their degree. Also, through special arrangement, students can spend the fall semester of their junior year at
Westminster College, Oxford, England.
[[1]]Colleges and Schools
College of Arts & Science,Earl N. Phillips School of Business,Evening Degree Program,The School of Education,The Graduate School.
Academic Programs
[B.S.] Accounting[B.A.] Art Education[B.S.] Athletic Training[B.A.] Biology[B.S.] Biology[B.S.] Business Administration - Accounting[B.S.] Business Administration - Economics[B.S.] Business Administration - Finance[B.S.] Business Administration - International[B.S.] Business Administration - Management[B.S.] Business Administration - Management Information Systems[B.S.] Business Administration - Marketing[B.S.] Business Administration - No Concentration[B.A.] Chemistry[B.S.] Chemistry[B.S.] Chemistry/Business[B.S.] Computer Information Systems[B.A.] Computer Science[B.S.] Computer Science[B.A.] Criminal Justice[B.A.] Elementary Education[B.A.] English - Literature[B.A.] English - Media Studies[B.A.] English - Writing[B.S.] Exercise Science[B.A.] French[B.A.] History[B.S.] Home Furnishings Marketing[B.A.] Human Relations - Business Oriented[B.A.] Human Relations - Human Services[B.S.] Industrial Organizational Psychology[B.S.] Information Security & Privacy[B.S.] Interior Design[B.S.] International Business[B.A.] International Studies[B.S.] Management Information Systems[B.A.] Mathematics[B.S.] Mathematics[B.S.] Medical Technology[B.A.] Middle Grades Education[B.A.] Modern Language[B.A.] Philosophy[B.S.] Physical Education - Recreation[B.S.] Physical Education - Teacher Certification[B.A.] Political Science[B.A.] Pre-Law[B.S.] Psychology - General Studies[B.S.] Psychology - Mental Health[B.S.] Recreation Management[B.S.] Recreation Training & Fitness[B.A.] Religion[B.A.] Sociology - Community Development[B.A.] Sociology - Cultural Studies[B.A.] Sociology - General Studies[B.A.] Sociology - Social Work[B.A.] Spanish[B.A.] Special Education[B.S.] Sport Management[B.A.] Studio Art[B.A.] Theatre Arts[B.A.] Performance Theatre[B.A.] Technical Theatre
High Point University ranks among the top tier of comprehensive colleges in the United States according to
US News and World Report. The university houses a chapter of the
Alpha Chi honor society.
High Point's
athletic teams compete at the
NCAA Division I level, and play in the
Big South Conference.
McCaslin, Dr. Richard B., "Remembered Be Thy Blessings: High Point University The College Years, 1924-1991" High Point University, 1995.
*
High Point University official website
