Throughout the academic year, High Point University offers a wide variety of opportunities open to both visitors and locals, ranging from experiences that are open on a daily basis to special events. Once entering campus, you’ll be instantaneously in awe of the impeccable appearance of the environment. From the array of fountains to the endless flowers and plants surrounding the university, you’ll find it hard to leave!
The Gardens
The nature on campus is a beauty within itself! Allow yourself to get lost in the artistry of The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens – offering 28 gardens with 350 taxa of trees and 2,500 taxa of plants. Not only are they amazing sights to see, but they also promote experiential learning outside of the classroom. Outside of the Congdon School of Science you will find your not so everyday garden! This unique garden is designed to look like a DNA strand, allowing biology to be seen within the formation of a garden, rather than solely in the classroom. Using what God has provided, first lady, Mariana Qubein strives to create a spectacular landscape all around campus. In 2006, Qubein founded an Arboretum Committee to put in place gardens all around campus. Since then, the campus gardens have been in constant growth and have expanded throughout the entire university. High Point University has been a proud recipient of the Tree Campus USA award for the past decade. This award is given to college campuses that use nature to promote a livable and healthy environment for all. With all of the First Lady’s hard work, it’s no wonder High Point University has been recognized with this significant honor! To enhance your garden experience, sign up for a garden tour to learn more about the plants and how they were chosen. The tour consists of multiple gardens such as the Topiary Fusion Garden, the Mark and Julie Phillips Sculpture Garden, the Lakeside Gardens, and the Pat Plaxico Climbing Rose Garden. The gardens sure can’t be missed!
A Walk Through History
Take a walk through history by finding the significant figures from American and World history that are sprinkled throughout campus! Not only do these statues provide another element of education, but also a model of values. From civil rights crusaders and masters of gravity to peace makers and trailblazers, let yourself become overwhelmed with motivation while looking back on how people like Mohandas Gandhi, Amelia Earhart, George Washington and Maya Angelou inspired the world by living extraordinary lives of significance, modeling personal initiative, resilience, leadership and service. One that stands out for this city is the statue of John Coltrane, a jazz legend, who grew up in High Point. The late saxophonist is honored each year at the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival, held at Oak Hollow Festival Park, Labor Day Weekend. People come from all over to celebrate his life with a weekend full of live music, food and fun by the lake! Another statue on campus that stands out is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Every January, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is honored at the university. King is most well-known for his speech of “I Have a Dream” and for his overall involvement in the civil rights movement. To honor King, High Point University hosts an annual service, featuring guest speakers to honor the impact King has made. Because King dedicated his life to serving others, the university hosts an “MLK Day of Service”. At this event, various service projects occur on the university’s campus and at locations throughout the city that have partnered with HPU. If you happen to be in town during this event, all are welcome to join the college students serving in honor of MLK!
Veteran's Day
For eleven years now, High Point University has hosted a complimentary Veteran’s Day Breakfast, open to all veterans and community members, featuring special guest speakers and live entertainment. The community is welcome on High Point University’s beautiful campus to come enjoy patriotic festivities in honor of those who sacrificed their lives to make America what it is today. Every year, the university hosts guest speakers, typically individuals with a military background. These speakers provide opportunities to reflect on the journey we have been through as Americans and allow us to express appreciation to our nation. The High Point University students are also heavily involved in the event as well! Many students help to hand out goods and greet community members upon arrival. Seeing the warm friendly campus faces brightens the visitors day! The event also consists of live performances from the talented North Carolina Brass Band and the High Point University Chamber singers. These talented individuals show support to the veterans by performing in their honor. We cannot forget the grand finale, Clark the Eagle! Yes, that’s right you read correctly, a live bald eagle always makes a yearly appearance soaring over the crowd, leaving the audience in awe! To support veterans in the overall local community, High Point University makes a yearly donation around Veteran’s Day to schools, government buildings, and nonprofit organizations. As an immigrant himself, Dr. Nido Qubein shows mass appreciation for the United States and all that the U.S. veterans have done to make it what it is today.
HPU At Christmas
Christmas time at HPU is truly a magical experience that you don’t want to miss. HPU takes “Deck The Halls” very seriously and instead decorates the whole campus! As a way to give back to the community, a Christmas drive is hosted annually to spread the holiday cheer right from your car! After campus visiting hours, visitors are invited to see the vibrant decorations at night. These include 138 bigger than life nutcrackers, a nativity scene, and Christmas lights that brighten the night with holiday spirit.
Community Prayer Breakfast
Come join a breakfast of prayer and meaning in honor of Jesus Christ. HPU hosts a Community Prayer Breakfast, in honor of the true meaning of Christmas. In addition to complementary food, participants will be able to reflect on the contributions of Christ and his legacy. The breakfast also includes music from various choirs composed of High Point University students who want to give back to the community by performing to them for the holidays. The spectacular sounds of the season can’t be missed! The university also participates in multiple charity functions throughout the season such as Angel Tree and “Stuff a Stocking Campaign” to give back to those in need. HPU students work throughout the year to organize these events, allowing children who would otherwise not receive presents to enjoy the holiday season! The community is also invited to attend the “Community Christmas” event! On this grand night attendees are magically taken into a Christmas wonderland filled with cheer and joy. The Christmas spirit fills the night as children partake in various Christmas events. From attending a Crafty Elf Workshoppe, learning skills that can only be learned from Santa’s elves themselves to bouncing the Christmas spirit around in the air on the bounce houses, petting animals in a live petting zoo, and of course meeting the one and only Santa Clause! This event is sure to leave a smile on your face and brighten up the night!
Cultural Experiences
High Point University is a school full of culture. You can see it around campus by looking at the international flags on the promenade or by actually attending a cultural event. Many of the events take place in the David R. Hayworth Fine Arts Center. Upon arrival, you are immediately taken into an elegant theatre atmosphere, with various balcony levels providing an array of seating locations for you to enjoy the performances. On top of that, there is a sparkling chandelier that sits in the center of the ceiling! Year-round, High Point University offers more than 150 cultural events, guaranteeing something for all to see. Art created by students in various artistic fields such as photography, ceramics, drawings and paintings, are often displayed, creating a gallery of talented work. Literature in the forms of poetry, novels and writing of all sorts is presented or even performed, allowing all to experience culture provided by the authors or performers. And of course the award-winning HPU choirs often perform live. There are orchestras, jazz bands, and other types of musical performances for those who prefer instrumental performances. Additionally, the school hosts guest speakers with various professionals and topics. Lastly, theatrical performances depict the emotions of student actors as they portray individuals in the spotlight. All of these events are open to the public. Visit their website to find the events that best interest you and reserve your tickets today!
Show Your Panther Pride!
Now let’s talk sports! High Point University is home to 16 different Division 1 sports, including basketball, soccer, and lacrosse! Guests are encouraged to attend and cheer on the HPU Panthers! It wouldn’t be frowned upon to wear purple either! You may even bump into Prowler the Panther! Some other fun experiences at HPU sports events include fireworks lighting up the sky as you root for the Panthers, eat delicious food while watching the games that’s sold at the concession stands or from the food trucks that often visit campus! The food trucks are provided by local vendors, allowing you to taste the true High Point experience while on campus! Tickets for all the athletic events are available online or call the ticket office 336-841-9276 to reserve your tickets today. If you are interested in attending many sports games throughout the year consider joining the Panther Club. The Panther Club seeks to raise money for the HPU Athletics teams. By joining, donors will receive priority tickets for all the sports games and more! HPU athletic events are great for children too! By joining Prowler’s Kids Club, children will receive free entry to baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, and soccer games throughout the year, as well as gifts and invites to member-only events. Please visit the High Point athletic website for more information or call 880-345-6993.
High Point University is an open campus and guests are welcome to visit anytime between 8:00am to 8:00pm. Upon entry at any of the campus gates, security will ask you to provide a drivers license to enter into a security system to track the time that guests have been on campus. This is to ensure the safety of the students, faculty, and guests on campus.
To be updated on all of the latest and greatest community events offered at HPU, fill out the form at https://www.highpoint.edu/community/engagement/ to join the Community Connection email. Additionally, to RSVP or contact the university with questions regarding any upcoming event, please call HPU’s Campus Concierge at 336-841-4636 Monday through Friday between 8:00am-7:00pm, Saturday between 8:00am-4:00pm, or on Sunday between 10:00am to 2:00pm or email concierge@highpoint.edu. High Point University welcomes you to make yourself at home and looks forward to seeing you at the future events!