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.
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