HPU Receives $1 Million from BNC Bank
HIGH POINT, N.C., Jan. 10, 2017 – High Point University is receiving a generous $1 million gift from BNC Bank to support Congdon Hall, which will house the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy and the Congdon School of Health Sciences.
BNC is headquartered in High Point and was founded in 1991 by a group of dedicated local leaders. Today, BNC boasts $7.5 billion in assets, and is one of the most profitable and fastest-growing banks in the Southeast with branches in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Rick Callicutt, a 1980 HPU graduate and High Point native, is the president and CEO of both BNC and its parent company, BNC Bancorp. He received his business administration degree from HPU and began his banking career four days after he graduated.
“Dr. Nido Qubein has transformed High Point University unlike any success story of the last decade,” says Callicutt. “The financial investment in technology, talent and vast campus resources have gained both the community and the university recognition that has propelled the local economy and provided a tool for recruitment of further economic development in our region. We are proud to support this thriving institution.”
BNC’s gift supports a 370-seat tiered auditorium that will be located in the $120 million Congdon Hall, scheduled to open in late spring.
“The seeds of greatness we are planting here at High Point University are paying dividends in our alumni,” says Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president. “Rick is an example of that. We are grateful for his leadership and BNC’s leadership in our community.”
The focus on entrepreneurialism that HPU instills in its students has set the university – and its graduates – apart from its competition, Callicutt says.
“HPU encourages and focuses the curriculum on entrepreneurship and accountability: the qualities most needed to compete as a company and as an individual in today’s global economy,” he says. “The resources on campus, access to world class professionals, and the exemplary leadership have propelled HPU to ‘Best in Class.’”