HPU President Nido Qubein will interview Henry Kravis during a special event, which supports closing achievement gaps for low-income high school students.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University is proud to present “An Evening with Henry Kravis” to support the shift_ed SEO Scholars program. Hosted by Bobby Long and Louise Brady, co-chairs of the shift_ed Fundraising Advisory Committee and partners in Piedmont Capital Partners, this “fireside chat” between Kravis and HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein will highlight the economy-driving power of businesses partnering with educational organizations. With more than four decades of experience financing, analyzing and investing in public and private companies, Kravis has seen firsthand how investments in education can transform communities.

As co-founder and co-executive chairman of leading global investment firm KKR and chairman of the board of directors for SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity), Kravis knows that student success and community success are indivisible. His support was integral in expanding the SEO Scholars program into Guilford County through a partnership with shift_ed in 2022, where the first class of 40 high school freshmen are beginning an eight-year journey to and through college. The addition of SEO Scholars to shift_ed’s continuum of educational support services is part of a growing effort to better connect with and meet the needs of the local and regional business communities. 

“An Evening with Henry Kravis,” a conversation on the link between America’s economic future and its investment in education will be Tuesday, May 2 at 4:30 p.m. at High Point University's Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center (1050 Panther Drive, High Point, NC). The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited, so registration is required. Learn more and register at shift-ed.org/henrykravis/

Schedule:

Tuesday, May 2, 2023:

High Point University's Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center

4:30-5:00 p.m. Registration and cocktails

5-6:15 p.m. Conversation with Dr. Nido Qubein and Henry Kravis

6:15-6:30 p.m. Media interviews with leadership from shift_ed and  SEO

6:30 p.m. Private dinner

About Henry Kravis:

Henry Kravis co-founded KKR in 1976 and still serves as its Co-Executive Chairman. Prior to his current position, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer until 2021. He is actively involved in managing the Firm and serves on each of the regional Private Equity Investment Committees. Mr. Kravis currently serves on the boards of Axel Springer and ICONIQ Capital, LLC. He also serves as a director, chairman emeritus, or trustee of several other cultural, professional, and educational institutions, including The Business Council (former chairman), Claremont McKenna College, Columbia Business School (co-chairman), Mount Sinai Hospital, the Partnership for New York City (former chairman), the Partnership Fund for New York City (founder), Rockefeller University (vice chairman), Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (chairman), and the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management in China.

He earned a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College in 1967 and an M.B.A. from the Columbia Business School in 1969. Mr. Kravis has more than four decades of experience financing, analyzing, and investing in public and private companies, as well as serving on the boards of a number of KKR portfolio companies.

About SEO Scholars

SEO Scholars’ national expansion begins in Guilford County through a partnership with shift_ed. This pilot hybrid program will create a pipeline for Guilford County Schools students to attend top colleges and build careers that will drive familial prosperity and community-wide economic development. Through established partnerships with local educators, other nonprofit organizations and the regional business community, shift_ed is positioned to set the standard for how the SEO Scholars program can work in mid-sized cities. This partnership will create a pipeline of educated, motivated young adults to fill critical roles in Guilford County’s workforce.

For more than 50 years, SEO has been transforming public high school students into college graduates in New York and San Francisco. This free, eight-year academic program has eliminated the achievement gap on standardized tests for students and boasts a 90 percent college graduation rate.

About shift_ed

The mission of shift_ed  is to boldly accelerate student potential. With programs impacting elementary through high school shift_ed partners with GCS to provide thousands of hours of tutoring, aptitude assessments, college prep and financial aid workshops and career counseling to students. Thanks to generous community support, shift_ed has awarded more than $12.6 million to GCS graduates since 2016. Scholarship registration is open through July 1, 2023. shift_ed is dedicated to providing diverse educational and workforce pathways to GCS students.