88.5 WFDD - Nido Qubein: Recent Episodes
Neal Charnoff
High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein announces a $400 million academic expansion. Image courtesy HPU.
High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein recently announced that three separate families have made donations totaling $100 million in the last 30 days.
The gifts will be integrated into an expansion plan slated to be completed in the 2024-25 academic year, coinciding with HPU’s centennial anniversary.
According to a news release, the university plans to open four new schools in total, including law, optometry, nursing, and entrepreneurship. All of the schools will be anchored in new facilities.
Construction projects also include a new building for the School of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, new student housing, and an $80 million four-story library.
Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Dr. Qubein said the most recent gifts reflect the school’s values and academic commitment.
"HPU has proven in the last 14 years that there is demand for what we offer academically, programs that are meeting the needs of America and the world, whether they are in health care, or they’re in sciences or they’re in business or communication," said Qubein.
This year High Point University saw its largest total enrollment of almost 6,000 students.
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High Point University President Nido Qubein presented his 10-year growth plan at the Hayworth Fine Arts Center in High Point, N.C., on Tuesday, September 17, 2019. Photo courtesy of High Point University
High Point University is planning a major expansion, and president Nido Qubein says he’ll stay to see it through.
The school says it will invest $1 billion over the next decade. The construction plans include a new library, admissions center, and athletic facilities.
The private university is also proposing a school of nursing and adding other academic programs.
Most of the money will be earmarked for a scholarship endowment. HPU President Nido Qubein says he wants to make attending the college more affordable for families and increase diversity on campus.
“We want to enhance the quality of all that we do at High Point University, including our focus on social justice and on providing for the community at large all of the services that we are capable of doing,” says Qubein.
The effort is part of a larger plan to spur more economic development in the city of High Point. The university says it will collaborate with city leaders to form a special committee that will explore potential growth opportunities. Qubein's been a driving force behind recent revitalization projects in the downtown area, which include a new baseball stadium.
Qubein recently signed a 10-year contract extension with the university. The campus has quadrupled in size under his leadership.
In 2005, undergraduate enrollment was a little over 1,400. Today, the school’s total enrollment is around 5,400 students.
Qubein says HPU will fund the $1 billion expansion in three ways: fundraising, operating revenues, and money generated from university investments in properties.
*Follow WFDD’s Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news
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High Point University President Nido Qubein (left) and the school's new men's basketball coach, Tubby Smith. BETHANY CHAFIN/WFDD
Tubby Smith is returning to his alma mater, High Point University, to coach the men's basketball team. The official announcement comes less than two weeks after Smith was fired from the University of Memphis.
High Point University President Nido Qubein shared the news amidst plenty of fanfare on Tuesday.
Smith played basketball as a student at High Point from 1969 to 1973. His coaching career includes more than a dozen trips to the NCAA tournament - among them, a 1998 championship win with the Kentucky Wildcats.
HPU freshman Rachel Prandoni says the news is good for the school.
“To have such a big name like Tubby Smith here coaching, it’s really exciting," she says. "As a cheerleader, we love watching the games, and I think he’ll definitely bring a lot - not only encouraging a great atmosphere but obviously improving our basketball program.”
Qubein also announced plans to move up construction on a new arena and conference center that will include a hotel - at a cost of $130 million. The facility will be on campus and ready for the 2020 basketball season.
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High Point University president Nido Qubein talks with WFDD's Keri Brown about several campus expansion projects that have occurred under his leadership. The campus has grown from around 91 acres to 450 acres . Today, the school employs more than 1,700 people. SEAN BUETER/WFDD
There is no one more influential in the city of High Point now than Nido Qubein. He’s the president of High Point University, which has been transformed over his tenure. It’s been a bright spot for the city, which has lost a lot from declining manufacturing.
The charismatic leader has also been an instrumental figure helping to revitalize downtown. City leaders tapped him to help jump-start a proposed baseball stadium and surrounding development.
Qubein is a personality and he credits his authentic style for helping the school prosper. The accomplished author and motivational speaker is also a former business consultant. He’s applied what he’s learned in the corporate world to the way he runs the university.
“When I arrived here in 2005 - quoting the words of a fine journalist - High Point University was 'a dusty old college,'" says Qubein. "I’ve spoken 7,000 times. I’ve had millions of people in my audiences and my seminars. I brought these notions to High Point and I said, 'You know what? Yes we can.' We believe in the art of the possible. There’s no such word as impossible. You put an apostrophe after the I and it becomes I am possible."
The campus at the once declining Methodist school is now nearly five times larger than when Qubein’s tenure began. There are state of the art sports facilities and residence halls. There are also several beautiful outdoor pools, fine dining, a movie theater on campus, and an arcade where students can play Skee-Ball to unwind.
HPU's School of Communication named after Nido Qubein. KERI BROWN/WFDD
High Point University is one of many colleges riding a trend to spend record amounts of money on facilities and amenities in the hope of boosting enrollment.
That “if we build it, they will come” phenomenon has hurt some schools who’ve banked their hopes on higher enrollments and other failed projections. But Qubein says High Point University isn’t one of them.
“Our growth has been very fast, I can’t argue against that. But it is very, very sustainable growth," says Qubein. "If you look at Princeton Review, it rates High Point one of the 382 best colleges in the nation, but also they put us in the top 20 best-run colleges. What does that mean? That’s sustainability. They’ve looked at our metrics, they’ve looked at our factors here and they’ve said, 'yeah, this school is very well run.'”
Qubein’s Midas touch comes with a hefty price tag: the cost of High Point’s makeover is $2 billion. And he’s well compensated. Qubein is one of the highest paid private college presidents in the country. The endowment there continues grow, but is still quite modest compared to other private universities. Qubein bristles at the notion that High Point isn't financially sound.
“Last year on this campus we invested $90 million in academic construction and every penny of it was from operating revenues or fundraising, not one penny of debt, so High Point University has not borrowed ten cents since 2011, and all of the growth has emerged in spite of the Great Recession," Qubein says. "So the assertion that High Point University is somehow encumbered with debt - with all due respect - is an ignorant assertion, ignorant of the facts as they stand, as they are audited, as they are published.”
RELATED: High Point Breaks Ground On Major Downtown Development, But Will It Work?
Now, Qubein’s attention has also turned to the city of High Point, where he’s been leading the effort to build a stadium with surrounding development downtown. He says he’s secured $100 million in gifts and private investment for the project.
Qubein says his love of High Point is personal, having lived in the city for almost 50 years. He adds that he feels a sense of responsibility in helping it turn around after significant job losses and continued blight.
But there are details around the baseball stadium project that still need to be ironed out. It’s a public-private partnership, meaning there’s taxpayer money on the line. It all begs the question: can an endeavor like this really revitalize a downtown? Qubein says the answer is a resounding yes.
“Baseball is just one piece of the jigsaw puzzle. It makes a lot of sense. You are talking to a human being that came to America with nothing. I don’t believe in such a thing as total failure. I agree that there are occasionally things that don’t work out according to plan but I also understand that there are intelligent people involved in such projects. So that part does not scare me. Can you imagine for a moment when I came to High Point University every time we built something I said 'Oh my God what if that fails? What if we start a school of pharmacy and it fails?' We would have never have done anything.”
Qubein says he’s built a great team around him, and despite his 69 years, he says he has no plans to retire. He says he has the energy and vision for many more projects ahead. For now, Qubein looks forward to waking up every day at 3 a.m., drinking his Turkish coffee, and preparing for what’s next.
Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news
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Officials set up a pitcher's mound and home plate on the future site of High Point's professional baseball stadium. Demolition officially began on the site Friday in anticipation of a 2019 opening day. SEAN BUETER/WFDD
Friday was a perfect day for baseball in Downtown High Point.
The weather was just right. There was music, giveaways, crowded bleachers, even a first pitch. Really, it was everything baseball except the actual baseball. But that didn’t much matter.
"I'm a second grade teacher at High Point Friends School," Amelia Catanoso said, surrounded by excited children. "We brought our second grade class and our kindergarteners out today to represent our school and support the community. This is an awesome project, and I know the kids are stoked."
"I guess it's just the anticipation of what's going on," Gwen Nettles said as she filmed the event with her tablet. "I'm just looking forward to 'greater.' You know, always looking for 'greater.'"
Catanoso and Nettles, along with hundreds of others, were on hand for the official first day of physical work on the High Point stadium project. They called it "Demo Day."
Come spring 2019, if all goes according to plan, the people who gathered Friday near the corner of Church and Pine in Downtown High Point may be sitting in a $30-million stadium watching baseball next to this outgoing Mayor Bill Bencini.
"We didn't really promote this event that much and we've got a very very big crowd here," Bencini said, shortly before throwing out the day's "first pitch." "I think there's a lot of enthusiasm today for what's getting ready to happen. I think there's a lot of enthusiasm for what High Point is becoming."
Bencini is one of the many people who pushed to make this economic development project happen.
The whole shebang – a stadium, children’s museum, hotel, event center – is a public-private partnership, which means there’s taxpayer money on the line and a question in the air: do projects like this really light a fire under downtown growth?
UNC Greensboro economist Keith Debbage says they do. Sometimes. And the best of those projects have committed partners behind them.
"The projects that do succeed, you have a flag bearer who leads the charge," he says. "In the case of High Point, you couldn't have a bolder, [more] high-charging flag bearer than Nido Qubein."
Qubein is the charismatic president of High Point University who raised tens of millions of dollars in private commitments for the downtown development. Debbage also points to BB&T and mega-developer Roy Carroll as vital parts of the equation.
But he also sees headwinds. After all, this is a first of its kind project in a city with a unique rhythm.
"It's a very peculiar, sort of twice-a-year downtown in the sense that it comes alive when the furniture market's there. But after that it's not quite the downtown it is during market time."
North Carolina A&T economist Scott Simkins agrees. He says when you’re adding new attractions to existing ones – say a restaurant opening near a performing arts center – you’re adding value. People will stay and spend money. But when you’re essentially building something new, the question of whether or not outsiders will see it as a destination is vital.
"The big benefit comes when there's spending that comes into the area from outside the area," he says. "If it's just redistributing spending that otherwise would have occurred somewhere else in the city, you're not going to have an overall big impact on incomes or jobs."
Which isn’t to say the High Point project can’t succeed. It can, and Simkins says even if this project doesn’t have economic benefits quite as big as advertised, it can still be important. After all, reducing crime in blighted areas, raising property values, and lifting morale are all arguably good for a region having a tough time.
"If a city doesn't do these sorts of things then they may continue a downward trend," Simkins says. "So doing these things still can be beneficial at stopping the downward trend."
Whatever the case, both economists says patience will be key in gauging the ultimate success of the final project.
Back at the stadium site, the demolition has begun, and all this econ talk doesn’t matter much, at least for now.
High Point resident Kimberly Patrick came with her friend to the groundbreaking. She’s excited for Downtown High Point now, even though she used to live in the city next door.
"I've been in Greensboro most of my life, and so of course I know about the Grasshoppers. And [I'm hearing] about the new baseball team that's going to be here," she says excitedly. "I'll be here! Every game. I hope they have fireworks."
If Friday’s turnout is any indication, many folks here are ready to see the fireworks too.
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High Point University officials are planning a community open house later this month for the Congdon School of Health Sciences and the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy building. Keri Brown/WFDD
High Point University is celebrating the grand opening of its newest building on campus. The school's president, Nido Qubein, says the multi-million dollar pharmacy and health sciences complex is the single largest investment in the school’s 93-year history.
A huge DNA double helix sculpture greets visitors at the Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. The building is full of state of the art technology.
Inside is a human anatomy lab. Cadavers are donated to the university for science. There’s also a labor and delivery room. It even has a mannequin that delivers a baby.
Dean of the new school, Daniel Erb, says the simulated medical labs provide experiential learning opportunities for students.
“We have the graying of America. As we age, we need more health care and providers," says Erb. "We still have an increase in chronic disease, which includes obesity, so to treat those individuals and to improve their quality of life we have more of a need for physician assistants, physical therapists and pharmacists most definitely."
The total cost of the project is around $120 million. High Point University is inviting the public to tour the new building during a community open house on October 26. Researchers will provide a variety of presentations. Students and faculty will also perform free basic health screenings during the event.
*Follow WFDD’s Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news
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Dr. Nido Qubein delivers the keynote address, titled “Onward with Faithful Courage: Our City. Our Future.” at Wednesday's annual meeting of the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau. Photo courtesy of Pam Haynes with High Point University
High Point University’s president will lead a city effort to build a baseball stadium and create more development near the site. A major fundraising campaign is in the works for several of the projects.
Nido Qubein’s announcement came at the annual meeting of the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau. He says he’ll raise $38 million from private donors to build projects that will help bring more foot traffic downtown. Some ideas include a children’s museum, events center, park and educational cinema.
He says the nonprofit group Forward High Point asked him to help with the ballpark project.
“High Point has been my chosen home for nearly 50 years,” Qubein said at Wednesday’s meeting. “I am happy here, and I love my city. So when Forward High Point unanimously passed a resolution asking me to lend my experience for the downtown project, I was compelled to say yes. My involvement is strictly as a volunteer. I have no financial interest or stake in this development project in any way. My sole interest is helping High Point thrive.”
The university says Qubein will lead the team’s acquisition and naming rights for the stadium.
Last month, city council approved a plan to buy property for the stadium near the intersection of English Road and North Elm Street.
High Point leaders say they hope it will be a catalyst for more development downtown.
*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news
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Enrollment has tripled over the past ten years at High Point University. Several new buildings are under construction to accommodate the growth. Photo credit: highpoint.edu -- High Point University
High Point University continues to grow, with another major expansion in the works.
This latest project will feature new dorms and a science building complete with a planetarium and conservatory. There’s also a planned 5,000-seat arena and conference center that will be used for the women's and men's basketball teams and community events.
The cost for the project is around $160-million dollars. HPU President Nido Qubein says the money will come from fundraising campaigns, donations and operating revenues.
“It’s ambitious, but we will fund it all with no debt whatsoever,” says Qubein. “The irony is that we are doing all of this at the heels of finishing up a $100-million new building for our health sciences school and pharmacy school.”
Qubein says that pending board approval, there may be more growth in the near future.
“If the board approves it in September, we will be building a small hotel with 30 to 40 rooms that will be beneficial for our proposed hospitality management program, and that will also be used for our parents and guests that come to our campus.”
Qubein says the investments are needed to support growing enrollment, which has tripled over the past decade. HPU will have around 4,700 undergraduate and graduate students this fall.
He says employment opportunities have also grown at the school. Ten years ago, there were around 380 full-time positions. Today, there are more than 1,500.
Construction on the new phase will begin in the next two weeks.
*You can follow WFDD’s Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news
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