Latest news with #HighPoint
Associated Press
12 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
HPU President Nido Qubein Becomes N.C.'s Longest-Serving Active College President
HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- High Point University President Nido Qubein begins the 2025-2026 academic year with a new distinction – he is now North Carolina's longest-serving active college president, having led the university with vision and dedication for nearly 21 years. While the average tenure for a college president is only 5.9 years, Qubein began serving as HPU's seventh president in January of 2005. He has led the university through an extraordinary transformation during his two decades and counting in office. HPU's undergraduate and graduate enrollment has increased from 1,500 in 2005 to a record 6,335 students last fall under Qubein's leadership, and the number of faculty members has jumped from 108 to 502. The university is expected to welcome record enrollment again this fall. HPU's campus has also grown significantly during that time with the construction of 128 new or renovated buildings on campus and a total investment of more than $3 billion. Qubein has added 12 academic schools as president, including the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, the Webb School of Engineering and three of the university's newest schools — the David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship, the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law and the Workman School of Dental Medicine. Qubein will reach another milestone later this year when he surpasses Wendell Patton as the longest-serving president in HPU history. Patton served as HPU's fourth president from 1959-1980, spanning 20 years, 9 months. In November, Qubein will hit 20 years, 10 months in office. HPU Presidents Over the Years: Graduate outcomes have soared to new heights under Qubein's leadership. Numerous graduating classes in recent years, including the Class of 2024, have achieved a 99% career or graduate school placement rate within 180 days. HPU's percentage of 2024 graduates who were employed or furthering their education within 180 days of graduation is 14 points higher than the national average reported by NACE. HPU rankings have jumped from #17 in 2005 to #1. The university has maintained the #1 Regional College in the South for 13 consecutive years in 'America's Best Colleges' by U.S. News & World Report and #1 Most Innovative for 10 consecutive years. In addition, U.S. News has recognized HPU for a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching, internship opportunities, first-year experiences and best value. The Princeton Review has selected HPU for their 'Best Colleges' since 2018, and named HPU as the #1 'Best-Run College in the Nation' in 2025. About HPU President Nido Qubein Qubein has been honored with numerous awards from local, national and international organizations throughout his lifetime. He was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association for Distinguished Americans, along with Oprah Winfrey and Colin Powell. He is also the recipient of the DAR Americanism Award and, along with four U.S. presidents, the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Qubein has also been recognized as both the Citizen of the Year and Philanthropist of the Year in his home city of High Point. He was named the Honorary Chairman for the internationally recognized PGA Wyndham Championship. Prior to his role as HPU president, Qubein rose in prominence as an internationally known author and consultant. He has served on the corporate boards of several Fortune 500 companies, including Truist, the sixth-largest bank in the nation, La-Z-Boy and Savista. He also served as executive chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company. Business North Carolina has recognized him as one of North Carolina's most influential leaders in its annual Power List. Qubein grew up in the Middle East to a single mother after his father died when he was only 6 years old. In search for the opportunity to thrive, he came to the U.S. as a teenager with limited knowledge of English and little money. He supported himself through numerous entrepreneurial endeavors while attending Mount Olive College, then HPU to receive his bachelor's degree and UNC Greensboro for graduate studies. All three of his alma maters bestowed upon him honorary doctorates. In October 2013, The Biography Channel aired 'Nido Qubein: A Life of Success and Significance.' While the documentary celebrates his accomplishments as a professional speaker and business consultant, much of the film recognizes his extraordinary efforts to lead HPU through unprecedented growth and accomplishments in the heart of the Great Recession. Attachments Alex Abrams High Point University 3369517926 [email protected]
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local minister will run for Senate
HIGH POINT — Local minister Orrick Quick has announced that he will run for the U.S. Senate in next year's elections. Quick, who previously has run for seats on the High Point City Council, will seek the Democratic Party nomination. He announced his Senate campaign in a Facebook post late Wednesday afternoon. 'It's time for change,' Quick says in his post. 'It's time to have more godly men in Washington.' The 2026 U.S. Senate race will be for an open seat since Republican Sen. Thom Tillis announced earlier this year that he won't seek another term. Political analysts say that the Democratic front-runner is former governor Roy Cooper. Party primaries will take place this March to narrow races for the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. Quick said he is running because he is disturbed by what is transpiring under the current set of leaders at the Capitol and the fallout from the 'big, beautiful bill.' 'We don't need to be reckless with someone else's lives,' he said. On his campaign website, the Quick campaign bills him as 'a Democrat guided by faith, fighting for working families, protecting life and bringing principled leadership to Washington.' Quick serves as pastor at New Covenant Church and said he has acted on his faith by volunteering for 13 years teaching Bible study at a local nursing home. His campaign platform includes supporting legislation to protect and aid older adults, defending the Constitution and due process rights and supporting programs that defend and help people in need. Quick graduated from T. Wingate Andrews High School and earned a degree at North Carolina State University, where he played linebacker on the football team.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Congress campaign already grows heated
HIGH POINT — It didn't take long for the 6th Congressional District race to heat up as the campaign for Republican Rep. Addison McDowell said that Democratic challenger and High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson has a better chance of winning the lottery than the congressional seat, prompting Jefferson's campaign to respond forcefully. Jefferson made his bid official during an event Tuesday in High Point. Following the formal announcement by Jefferson, the McDowell campaign referred to the long odds of winning the game of chance in describing Jefferson's chances. 'Cyril has a better chance of winning the lottery than convincing the 6th District to vote for a woke, far left politician who raised taxes on middle-class families,' McDowell said in a one-sentence response to Jefferson making his bid official. The comparison led the Jefferson campaign to issue a page-length response. 'McDowell wants to talk about odds? Here's one: zero,' the Jefferson campaign said. 'That's how many times he's voted to put our communities first.' Jefferson cited congressional cuts in essential spending for a cross-section of Americans as the policies he said McDowell supports. 'He voted against our seniors, working families and veterans — the very people who rely on these services to survive,' Jefferson said. 'I'll bet against that record every time.' The 6th District, which includes most of High Point and all of Davidson County, is considered by political analysts as a race leaning heavily Republican, though during his announcement Tuesday Jefferson said it's a winnable contest for a well-organized and well-funded Democratic challenger. No Democrat ran in the 6th District in 2024 when McDowell, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, won the seat in his first bid for the office. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026, with primaries this March.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jefferson makes Congress bid official
Platform Democratic 6th Congressional District challenger Cyril Jefferson released his platform priorities in announcing his campaign Tuesday. They include: Bolstering economic development and infrastructure by modernizing transportation systems, supporting small businesses and expanding housing. Addressing housing affordability and supply by streamlining construction to expand housing options. Promoting public safety through modern policing, expanded mental health resources and developing youth intervention programs. Supporting education and workforce development by raising teacher pay and making child care more affordable. Protect Medicare and Medicaid, lower prescription drug costs and address food insecurity. Promote national security by strengthening borders, fixing the legal immigration system and providing support to military personnel and veterans. {related_content_uuid}f483e25e-3180-4f4e-b109-fcf93a3000e2{/related_content_uuid} HIGH POINT — At times battling back emotions, High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson told an enthusiastic group of supporters Tuesday that he will promote a message of what unites people, not divides them, as he seeks to become a congressman for the first time at the age of 33. Jefferson made his 6th Congressional District bid official during an event at Congdon Yards in High Point's core city. The High Point Enterprise reported two weeks ago that Jefferson had filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to run for Congress. Jefferson, who's about halfway through his first term as mayor, said he would bring his collaborative approach at City Hall, where leaders put aside divisions to achieve results, to the hall of Congress. 'North Carolinians are tired of the noise and the gridlock,' he said. 'They want leaders who listen, who solve problems and who deliver results. That's exactly what I'm committed to doing. That's why I'm running.' Jefferson was joined by his wife Raven and two children, Cyril II and Royce, as well as members of his immediate and extended family. Recognizing the support of his family was one of the moments in which Jefferson welled up with emotion. The 6th District seat is held by freshman Republican representative Addison McDowell, who has ties to Davidson County. McDowell won the seat after receiving the endorsement of President Donald Trump in the March 2024 GOP primary. No Democrat filed in 2024 for the 6th District contest. Former Democratic representative Kathy Manning declined to seek reelection, saying that the district was so gerrymandered after it was redrawn by Republican state legislators that a Democrat couldn't win the seat. At his announcement event, Jefferson acknowledged that the redrawn 6th District makes it harder for a Democrat. But Jefferson said that a well-organized, grassroots campaign could succeed. Jefferson didn't provide a figure for how much his campaign wants to raise, but he said his fundraising will be competitive. This year three Democrats so far have said they will run in the 6th District primary that voters will settle March 3, and one of the other challengers has ties to High Point. Keith Davenport, who lives in Welcome in Davidson County, is basing his campaign out of High Point, 'which is also the central hub for our campaign operations,' Davenport told The Enterprise. The other Democratic hopeful is Beau Blair of Salisbury, who has a background as a bartender and liquor brands distiller. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026. The 6th District includes all of High Point and Davidson County, as well as parts of western Greensboro, eastern and southern Forsyth County, all of Rowan and Davie counties and the western tip of Cabarrus County. Political analysts consider the district leaning strong Republican. Jefferson was elected mayor in November 2023 after serving a four-year term as a High Point councilman. His current term expires in December 2027, and he could remain mayor if he loses his congressional bid. If he were elected to Congress, Jefferson would have to resign as mayor since elected officials can't serve in more than one office at the same time. The High Point City Council would appoint his replacement as mayor. If he wins the general election, Jefferson would become the first Black leader to hold what's evolved into the modern 6th District post and the first High Pointer to take the seat. Jefferson said that he and his supporters 'don't take it likely that we would make history.' Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
01-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC basketball adds another piece to roster from transfer portal
North Carolina gets a key big man for the 2025-26 season The North Carolina Tar Heels basketball program used the transfer portal to re-tool their roster for the upcoming season. With some key additions to the roster from the portal as well as the 2025 recruiting class which was ranked in the top 10. But they weren't done adding, and on Thursday, they received another commitment. North Carolina landed High Point transfer Ivan Matlekovic out of the transfer portal as he became the 10th new player to join the Tar Heels roster. Matlekovic is a native of Croatia, played sparingly for High Point last seaso,n appearing in just five games as a freshman. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, averaging 6.2 minutes an outing. The 6-foot-11 center will provide some more depth for the Tar Heels in the frontcourt. They also added former Arizona center Henri Veesaar this offseason and will welcome back James Brown for another year. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
