HPU Honor’s Scholars Program welcomes visitors
By Nick Bainbridge// NewsEditor
High Point University’s Honors Scholars Program hosted the North Carolina Honors Association Conference during the last weekend of September. The Conference, hosted annually by the honors programs of different colleges, brings together honor students from universities across the state to meet each other and learn about what their peers in different colleges have been learning in their own honors programs.
Dr. William Carpenter, HPU English professor and the director of HPU’s Honors Scholars Program, was one of the main organizers for the event. He and his team spent their time corresponding with students and faculty, both from within HPU and from elsewhere to ensure that the conference was a success.
When asked about the relevance of the conference and what value it may have to those enrolled in the Honor’s Scholars Program, Carpenter said, “It gives honors students from across the state a chance to share their work and network with each other allowing them to learn more than they otherwise could.”
During the conference, HPU welcomed several students from colleges with Honors Scholars programs of their own from throughout the state of North Carolina, including Western Carolina University, Robeson Community College, Appalachian State University, Catawba College and several other academic institutions of higher learning.
“I think it seems pretty nice here. Everyone’s friendly and it looks beautiful. I can understand why people would want to go here,” said Matthew Blizard, a student visiting from N.C. State for the conference with a group of his peers.
Beginning on Sept. 28, the guests from other honors programs first arrived on HPU’s campus. The conference started with an opening dinner in the Congdon School of Health and Sciences where guests dined on complimentary food provided by the campus catering service. Visitors then went to the Callicutt Auditorium where they were formally welcomed and viewed a keynote presentation by Dr. Kirstin Squint, an associate professor of English at HPU.
On Sept. 29, several different events were held. The conference featured presentations from over 50 different students, both from HPU as well as several who were visiting campus for the conference. They discussed complex and relevant topics such as diseases, animal biology and technology.
There was much more to do than the presentations themselves. The Wilson School of Commerce held buffets for the visitors for both breakfast and lunch. Furthermore, Blair W. Brown, the graduate recruiter for HPU, gave a lecture on applying to graduate school and offered his guidance to students considering the prospect of pursuing a graduate degree.
This was followed by the formal awards ceremony in the Wilson ballroom, where students were praised for the presentations they gave and the research they have done.
Students from several prestigious Honors Scholars programs across the state of North Carolina enjoying a dinner together in the Congdon School of Health and Sciences at the beginning of the conference. Photo by Nicholas Bainbridge