Their gifts support the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education.
Several High Point University families have recently contributed to HPU’s growth and the future success of HPU students.
Four families from across the country have made gifts to the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education, which assists in providing students with more than $75 million in scholarships each year. This fund provides students with the opportunity to position their primary focus on building their academic profile, developing life skills and securing internships.
“As a university, our mission is to support our students throughout their educational journey,” says HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein. “With support from our HPU alumni, friends and family, we are able to provide $75 million in annual scholarship funding for today’s students. We are blessed with the ability to present students with scholarships and pray for the continued support of families like these as we strive to increase annual and endowed scholarship funding.”
Each year, the HPU Fund is supported by thousands of alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends, who are dedicated to enhancing each student’s educational experience. The donors listed below made significant gifts to the betterment of HPU students’ education and in total donated over $500,000 in support of the HPU Fund.
The following families have contributed:
Maria and Domenico “Dom” Del Monaco:
HPU parents, Maria and Domenico “Dom” Del Monaco have given $100,000 towards the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education. The couple are the proud parents of Julia, Gabriella “Bella” and HPU sophomore and business administration major, Zachary “Zach” Del Monaco.
“Maria and I are so pleased with all that HPU and Dr. Qubein have accomplished over the years,” says Dom Del Monaco. “We take every opportunity we have to promote HPU to our friends, family and colleagues, and talk about the extraordinary life skills and values that are taught every day at the university. Every person who visits the university knows that HPU is an institution that will grow and flourish well beyond our lifetimes.”
Dom is the president and CEO of Red Rock Industries, a contracting company that specializes in the construction of car dealerships, recycling plants and parking garages. Red Rock Industries is a Long Island, New York-based company that has expertise in site work, structural steel, concrete and more. It was founded in 2001 when Dom found a need for a local construction company within his community. Maria is an experienced jewelry buyer who previously worked for one of the top jewelry companies in the nation. Now, she owns her own jewelry company, Amber Jade, and runs the business along with their two daughters.
Diane and Jay Geier:
Diane and Jay Geier of Atlanta, Georgia, recently made a gift of $150,000 to the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education. Jay Geier is the founder and CEO of the Scheduling Institute, a company of consultants and leadership developers who help health care providers to succeed and excel within their practices. Jay also travels as an expert, trusted advisor and coach who helps business owners to maximize their venture’s success and their own personal fulfillment through the spirit of philanthropy.
“In our family, philanthropy is a core value that we teach to our children and is a focus within my own business, the Scheduling Institute,” says Jay Geier. “We have always been active in supporting organizations where our children are involved. We believe in leading by example and guiding them on how to make a lasting impact on areas that are important to them. HPU’s mission is similar to the Scheduling Institute’s, and I believe that by supporting the school, my family can help to make a lasting impact on the future generations of students.”
Diane and Jay have three children, Flint, Jack and Annabelle. Jack graduated from HPU in December 2021 as a member of the Class of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in sport management. He is now working in Raleigh, North Carolina, in software sales.
Melissa “Missy” and Gary Glessner:
Friends of HPU, Gary and Melissa “Missy” Glessner, of Wheeling, West Virginia, made a generous gift to the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education.
“We admire many of the values and philosophies that HPU teaches and instills in its students,” says Gary Glessner. “As a businessman and someone who has been very involved in educational institutions, I wanted to help HPU to grow as a university and to help shape the lives of the extraordinary students who attend the institution.”
Gary is the founder and president of the Glessner Group, a multi-service firm and agency group. The Glessner Group began as a tax and accounting firm in 1998 and since then has expanded to include a property and casualty agency, a wealth management firm, and an advertising agency. Gary and Missy have two children, Kelsey and Sydney.
Elizabeth and David Lucchesi:
HPU parents, Elizabeth and David Lucchesi of Alexandria, Virginia, recently made a six-figure gift to the HPU Fund for Extraordinary Education.
“By supporting HPU, we want to help other students succeed in school and in life,” says Elizabeth Lucchesi. “It was not hard for our son to choose to attend HPU because of the extraordinary programs and opportunities available for experiential learning. To give other students that same opportunity to learn and experience a life skills institution is truly inspiring and gratifying to see.”
Elizabeth is the owner and lead realtor for the LizLuke Team of Long and Foster Real Estate. The LizLuke Team is a successful realtor group that is currently settling more than $65 million in annual sales volume each year. Elizabeth began her real estate career in 2003 before she founded the team in 2006. She currently manages a team of eight, all-female real estate professionals. David is a veteran of the United States Navy where he served in France as an exchange officer with the French Marines. During this time, David was a part of a number of incursions such as Operation Freedom. He currently works as a senior systems engineer at Perspecta, where he creates innovative solutions for defense, intelligence healthcare, and government markets. Elizabeth and David have two children, James “Jim” and Harper. Jim is freshman at HPU and is majoring in sales in the Earl N. Phillips School of Business.