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.
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