Winston Salem Times

High Point University issued the following announcement on August 21.

HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 21, 2021 – A sea of purple and cheering volunteers welcomed the Class of 2025 to High Point University on Friday and Saturday. The energy from the marching band and the warm smiles from everyone on campus, including HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein, kicked off an exciting Move-In Weekend.

“I feel like my daughter is going to be at home here,” says Marnie Brockamp, mom of new student Mandy from Colorado. “It just feels so good, and everybody is so welcoming with the band playing and the students cheering. HPU took all the stress off the whole move-in process.”

HPU welcomed its largest group of 1,550 new students this weekend, as well as its largest total enrollment of 5,850 students when classes begin Monday. New students chose HPU for a variety of reasons, from impressive academic programs to experiential learning opportunities and an inviting campus atmosphere.

“HPU has the most opportunities for me to grow in the field of biology and get the hands-on experience that I want,” said Lindsay Elliott, a new student from Orlando, Florida. “This is also a wonderful community that gives students opportunities on campus and outside of campus, which is important to me.”’

HPU Move In Day 2

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff volunteered to move new students’ belonging into their residence halls this weekend. Pictured from left to right are HPU student volunteers Jacob Dillman, Reed Dank, Kaitlyn Scanlan and Kassie Cook.

HPU’s Welcome Week crew included hundreds of upperclassmen, faculty and staff who volunteered to greet the Class of 2025 and their families and move their items into their residence halls.

Welcome Week continues Sunday with Opening Convocation at 9 a.m., when HPU President Qubein will lead the keynote address on Roberts Hall lawn.

With more students back on campus, the surrounding High Point community is also benefitting from the economic boost. Visit High Point president, Melody Burnett, says there’s more activity at restaurants, retail and area businesses.

“By welcoming new and returning students, High Point can instantly benefit from an added $1.56 million in revenue during Welcome Week,” says Burnett. “HPU is big business for High Point.”

The Class of 2025 hails from 39 states, as well as from Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The class also includes students from 32 countries.

“High Point University’s transformational growth continues as we welcome our largest number of new students to the HPU family,” says Qubein. “We are a values-based school with a focus on premier life skills, and parents and students appreciate that. That’s why students continue flocking to HPU, and that’s why many HPU parents have more than one student enrolled here.”

JiNan George echoes that sentiment. Her daughter, Rosa, is a new student at HPU, and her son, Guy, is a sophomore.

“There’s no place like HPU,” says George, of Durham, North Carolina. “Once we visited this university, there was no other school that compared. Plus, last year, everything was handled so well to have students in person and in class so they didn’t miss anything. This place is fabulous.”

“I like that HPU teaches and gets you ready for the real world – how to communicate and other skills more than just the knowledge,” says new student Brooke Berg from St. Louis, Missouri. “I’m looking forward to making life-long friendships.”

HPU Slideshow 4

The Orientation Crew, consisting of upperclassmen, faculty and staff, pitched in to help new students move into their dorms and welcome them to the HPU family.

HPU Slideshow 6

HPU Move In Day 3

HPU Slideshow 1

HPU Move In Day 4

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HPU Slideshow 3

HPU Slideshow 2

Overheard at HPU Move-In Day

Below is a snapshot of reactions from HPU freshmen and their parents.

“When I stepped on campus, I knew it was the place for me,” says Emma Lally, from Boston, Massachusetts. “I like how HPU is focused on life skills because I think that’s really important. This first year I just want to learn and focus on my major.”

“Everything is so organized, and everyone is so friendly,” says Bob Phillips, dad to new student Haley, from Baltimore, Maryland. “You can see the whole culture – everyone believes and follows it. She’s super excited and couldn’t be any happier. We want her to adapt and enjoy the entire experience at HPU.”

“I’m volunteering because last year this was so incredible, there was so much energy,” says Keaton Geist, sophomore and Welcome Week volunteer. “I just want to give back and to hang out with my friends. Go Panthers!”

Welcome Week includes many other activities throughout the week. The freshman class will sign the HPU Honor Code on Sunday at Millis Athletic and Convocation Center during a special tradition, titled “Academics and Honesty: The High Point University Honor Code Initiation.”

“We know students are well-taken care of here, and it is an extraordinary place to spend four years,” said Brooke Gelhaus, from Connecticut, whose son and daughter attend HPU. “There’s just no place that can provide what HPU provides for them.”

“Because my sister goes to HPU, I came and toured a few times,” says Huck Gelhaus. “I fell in love with the campus and knew that I wanted to come here. It’s an atmosphere that stands out to me. All the people are so nice and generous, and HPU gives an amazing vibe.”

Amigo Family

The Amigo family has three students at HPU.

“It all comes down to values. Dr. Qubein will tell you that HPU is a God, family and country school,” says David Amigo, who has three children at HPU. “HPU treats students like adults, models important behaviors for them and gives students an incredible opportunity to grow. And no matter how many differences all our children have, they all share those same values that are at the core of HPU.”

“I had family members who lived in High Point, and I visited HPU when I came to see them,” said new student Benjamin Niehaus, from Chattanooga, Tennessee. “My cousin, Sam, also went to HPU, and I saw how much he enjoyed being here and how much success he had. When I came here, everyone was happy to see you and to be on this campus. I knew this was a great place to be.”

“We heard Dr. Qubein speak during Open House about HPU’s values of God, family and country, and that’s the order of importance for our family,” says Elizabeth Lucchesi, who’s from New Alexandria, Virginia, and whose student, Jim, moved into the R.G. Wanek Center residence hall on Saturday. “We appreciated Dr. Qubein sharing that value system. During that visit, we also watched a staff member get out of his car and pick up trash on the side of the street. Staff here take ownership and pride in this campus. There’s enthusiasm here. Everyone appreciates what they have at HPU.”

“I heard about HPU first my freshman year in high school from my dentist who actually went here and graduated,” says Bayli Alley, an honors student from LaFollette, Tennessee. “I love the small class sizes, and you get to know your professors, which is different from a public university. I’m part of the honors program too, and I’ve heard it’s a big community. We take all the same classes together, we travel together and we are all like-minded individuals.”

Original source can be found here.