High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein was recently selected as the 2023 recipient of the Lambert Engaged Leader Award by the North Carolina Campus Engagement executive board during the annual PACE Conference and Presidents Forum. HPU hosted the annual conference in the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center. 

Dr. Leo Lambert, friend, colleague and the namesake of this award, shared a few words on Qubein’s leadership and how he is a worthy recipient of the award. 

“Nido is a transformational leader,” said Lambert, president emeritus of Elon University. “I deeply admire how he has made civic responsibility a pillar of what it means to be educated at High Point University. President Qubein brings the qualities of leadership to whatever role he is serving in, including generosity of spirit, empathy and most importantly kindness. Nido, thank you for being such a gift to all of us.” 

The award recognizes presidents and chancellors on how they have led efforts at their university to serve and improve the local community. Award recipients also demonstrate the characteristics of leadership, entrepreneurship, risk-taking and bold forward thinking in the support of community engagement. 

“We are High Point’s university, a city that has been hit hard over the years, and we have a civic responsibility at this university to reach beyond our boundaries to help those in our community who need it,” said Qubein. “I honor our faculty and staff for believing wholeheartedly that this is a part of our mission. I’m grateful for this award, and I’m doubly grateful for the wonderful expression of my friend Dr. Leo Lambert.” 

President Qubein has been honored with numerous awards from local, national and international organizations throughout his lifetime. He is a member of the Piedmont Triad Partnership executive committee, which focuses on industry recruitment and job creation. He has previously chaired the Economic Development Corporation in High Point and the High Point Chamber of Commerce. 

He was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association for Distinguished Americans, along with Oprah Winfrey and Colin Powell. He is the recipient of the DAR Americanism Award and, along with four U.S. presidents, the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Qubein has also been recognized as both the Citizen of the Year and Philanthropist of the Year in his home city of High Point. He was named the Honorary Chairman for the internationally recognized PGA Wyndham Championship. 

Since he became leader of his alma mater in 2005, enrollment has grown to 6,000 total undergraduate and graduate students from 1,673 students. The campus size also increased from 91 acres to 520 acres and the number of facilities rose from 28 to 288. The number of academic schools is continuing to expand with announcements of the Workman School of Dental Medicine along with schools of law, nursing, optometry and entrepreneurship to provide more graduate-level degrees. The university recently announced the founding deans for the schools of nursing and optometry. The addition of these schools will bring HPU to 14 academic schools, up from just three in 2005. 

Prior to his role as HPU president, Qubein rose in prominence as an internationally known author and consultant. He has served on the corporate boards of several Fortune 500 companies including Truist, the sixth largest bank in the nation, La-Z-Boy and Savista. He also served as executive chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company. Business North Carolina recently recognized Qubein as one of North Carolina’s most influential leaders in its 2022 Power List. He was also awarded the Wade H. Hargrove Community Leadership Award by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters in September 2022. The magazine noted Qubein led a $3 billion mega transformation at HPU. In addition to the new academic schools, the current $400 million investment in construction projects includes the Charman Library; Panther Commons with suites for undergraduate and graduate students; more than 30 new student homes and an enclosed parking garage with 1,200 spaces.