High Point University, which has been growing by leaps and bounds in the past two decades, has been gaining a worldwide reputation as a very nice and extremely interesting place to go to school. It’s known for its exceptional campus amenities: The campus is designed to resemble a luxury resort, with attractions like waterfalls, outdoor pools and perfectly manicured gardens. Also, students enjoy concierge services, free transportation within a 20-mile radius and even complimentary ice cream from ice cream trucks that roam the campus.
In 2014, London’s Daily Mail newspaper published an article with the headline: “Is this the best university you’ve never heard of? The $700 million Disney-style campus complete with an ice cream truck, a movie theatre… and Skee ball!
While the university is known for all that as well as its increasingly competitive athletic programs, it turns out that there’s also quite a bit of learning going on at the very special university.
One solid piece of evidence for that is what just happened with High Point University’s Webb School of Engineering: The school received a 100 percent pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, which is perfect and is well above the national pass rate for first-time test takers.
According to University officials, engineering students usually take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam during their senior year of college. It’s required as a first step for a professional engineer to get licensed to practice. The test covers most of the undergraduate engineering curriculum – including math, probability and statistics, as well as ethics, with questions about proper professional practices.
High Point University’s Webb School of Engineering was established in 2018.
The most recent data from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying – which oversees the Fundamentals of Engineering exams – determined that the pass rate for electrical and computer engineers taking the test for the first time is 69 percent.
So, 100 percent is a lot better than that.
Dr. Claire McCullough, professor and chair of High Point University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was of course delighted.
“Any time a new program is started, there is always a question about the quality of the program and whether it meets the needs of the students for their future careers,” McCullough said after the impressive test results. “The flawless performance of our first electrical and computer engineering graduates on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam validates our curricula and shows that High Point University engineers have all the skills they need for the future and are able to compete on a national stage.”
“We are so proud of all our students,” McCullough added.
Not every engineering job requires an engineering license; however, the license is critical for any job involving public safety. Also, many companies pay licensed engineers higher salaries than unlicensed ones.
University officials cite one reason for the excellent academic showing: “Students in HPU’s engineering school have access to stellar facilities, including a state-of-the-art cybersecurity lab and a highly equipped maker space. These facilities enable students to build and test systems so they will be up to speed on the latest tools.”
They add, “Global leaders also mentor students in the field through HPU’s Access to Innovators program, including Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, HPU’s Innovator in Residence and member of the school’s advisory board, and Sean Suggs, president of Toyota Battery Manufacturing in North Carolina and HPU’s Technology Executive in Residence.”
The Webb School of Engineering is just the latest of the university’s schools to achieve a perfect pass rate on a post-graduate licensure exam.
In April, the university’s Stout School of Education earned a 100 percent pass rate as well on the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment – and when the school did so, it was for a third year in a row. The national average for the multi-part assessment, which is required for teacher licensure, is 72 percent.
Also, the first graduating class of the university’s Teresa B. Caine School of Nursing achieved a perfect pass rate on the “NCLEX,” which is the national licensing exam for registered nurses.
High Point University has very unique methods for educating its students, which no doubt is one reason for the stellar academic performances. It boasts a unique mentorship program that features industry leaders – like Shark Tank’s Daymond John, who provides entrepreneurial insights to students.
Also, faculty and staff are dedicated to cultivating one-on-one relationships with students, enhancing their academic and professional journeys.
The university also works into the curriculum a lot of “hands-on” learning opportunities, which it can do since it has built advanced facilities such as a stock trading room and a state-of-the-art television studio for communication majors.
The University also emphasizes internships, volunteer campaigns and global learning programs.
High Point University President Nido Qubein, known worldwide for his best-selling motivational books and his motivational speeches, has been the central driving force in transforming the school into what he describes as “The Premier Life Skills University.”
Years ago, High Point University hosted the annual retreat of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. It was by far the most luxurious and best-catered commissioner’s retreat held in this century.
I think High Point University President Nido Qubein should look at including
Former Red Lion Hotel in High Point into their campus. There was a story about a month ago that the new developer had backed out of their deal with the owners and now no one knows what to do.
If HPU were to take a hotel like this and either use it for dorms, or for a specially discounted place where parents, relatives, and speakers could stay while visiting students. I think they would benefit greatly. They could even do both, saving some rooms for guests, while others were used as dorms.
Just an idea. If you know him pass it along (I’ll waive my usual $25 consultation fee).
HPU guarantees that its students will learn in environments that seek to remove the traditional “lecture-style” learning format. This semester, my daughter’s class studied war game strategies with a cadet class at West Point! The class on Napoleon was one of her favorite’s and was unexpected as an elective. As an HPU parent (with another student at Georgia Tech), so far the learning experience has been just as fulfilling as the beautiful aesthetics!