High Point University: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

High Point University (HPU) has a rich history of producing accomplished graduates who have made significant contributions in various fields. From business and politics to athletics and the arts, HPU alumni have consistently demonstrated excellence and leadership. This article explores some of the university's most notable alumni, highlighting their achievements and the impact they have made on their communities and beyond.

Celebrating Alumni Achievements: Homecoming Weekend 2024

High Point University recognized and celebrated outstanding alumni during the 2024 Homecoming Weekend from Nov. 1-3. One highlight of the weekend was HPU’s annual Alumni Awards, hosted by its Alumni Association.

Lifetime Achievement and Service

William D. “Bill” Goldston Jr. (Class of 1947)

William D. “Bill” Goldston Jr., Class of 1947, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Goldston graduated from Leaksville High School at 16. He served in the U.S. Air Force at the end of World War II before attending High Point College in 1945, where he studied Accounting.

After graduating, Goldston joined his father in the trucking business. He later joined Daniel Construction in 1972, remaining in charge as the company grew into a national firm with 26 terminals. Goldston was an active community leader in Eden and Rockingham County, serving as president of Morehead Memorial Hospital’s Board of Trustees and the local Rotary Club, and serving nine years on the local school board. Elected to the N.C. Senate in 1984, Goldston led efforts to reform the state budget process and enact the North Carolina Highway Trust Fund.

Goldston nurtured ties to HPU, serving on the Board of Visitors (now the Board of Ambassadors). In 1995, the Goldstons endowed a scholarship in memory of their deceased son, Richard.

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Linda T. Chafin (Class of 1976)

Linda T. Chafin, Class of 1976, received the Alumni Service Award in 2022. Born in High Point and raised in Asheboro, she began her studies at High Point College part-time in 1965. She started her professional career at High Point College as an adjunct accounting and auditing instructor in 1977. After several years, she joined the United Way of Greater High Point as finance director, where she initiated and implemented computerization of record while ensuring fiscal accountability and successful audits. As a certified public accountant, she joined the office of CPA Ronald R. Davis in 1984. She later became an independent accountant by opening her own firm in High Point where she specialized in small business accounting in addition to business and personal tax preparation.

Through the years, Chafin served on numerous boards in High Point and the greater Triad region. From 2003 to 2008, she also served as a Guardian Ad Litem, an advocate for abused and neglected children through the court system. She also served as a member of the HPU Board of Visitors and Panther Club. Last May, she completed a six-year term on the HPU Board of Directors, where she chaired the Scholarship Committee for three years. Through this role, the committee reviewed, selected and awarded approximately $100,000 to many deserving HPU students. In 2006, Chafin supported the Earl N. Phillips School of Business with a philanthropic investment. Chafin continues to support her alma mater through the Steel Magnolias, a group of HPU alumnae who advocate for the university.

Dr. James E. “Jim” Surratt (Class of 1965)

Dr. James E. “Jim” Surratt, Class of 1965, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. A native of Thomasville, North Carolina, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from High Point College, and went on to earn his Master of Education degree in education administration and history from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1968. During his notable career in public education, Surratt served 30 years as a superintendent for many North Carolina districts, including Goldsboro City Schools, Burlington City Schools and the Wake County Public School System. He also led Volusia County Schools in Daytona, Florida, and Plano and Klein Independent School Districts in Texas. Surratt met his wife, Elizabeth, while attending then High Point College, and they faced challenges of parenting a child with autism. The couple made a seven-figure philanthropic gift that established the Surratt Scholarship to help support a special education major from each academic class who intends to pursue a career path working with children who have autism or similar disabilities.

Alumni of the Year

Levan Z. Seperteladze (Class of 1995)

Levan Z. Seperteladze, Class of 1995, received the Alumnus of the Year Award in 2023. He grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia, in the former Soviet Union. After HPU, Seperteladze found consistent success in the automotive sales industry, having successfully managed dealerships over a 16-year career representing Volvo, Nissan, Toyota, GM and Honda. In 2021, he received the coveted Certificate of Achievement for finishing fourth place in the United States Investing Championship. Through each of these successes, Seperteladze has remained committed to the success of his alma mater. He married the former Elizabeth Anne Barger, who is also an HPU graduate from the Class of 1999.

William A. “Bill” Fidler (Class of 1969)

William A. “Bill” Fidler, Class of 1969, received the Alumnus of the Year Award in 2022. A native of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, he began his career in chemical distribution as a sales representative of Textile Chemical Company in Reading, Pennsylvania. After the company was bought by Brenntag of Mulheim, Germany, in 1981, Fidler rose in multiple positions at Brenntag North American and ultimately became president in 2006 and CEO in 2007.

Fidler established All-In Advisors, LLC, a chemical industry advisory firm in 2015. Fidler was named the 2013 Distributor of the Year by the National Association of Chemical Distributors.

The President’s Award

N.C. Rep.

North Carolina Rep. Lambeth has served in the North Carolina General Assembly since 2013. He currently chairs the House Health Committee and is senior chair of House Appropriations. Lambeth has been named Legislator of the Year by various organizations and has introduced legislative bills related to health care and education during his tenure in the North Carolina General Assembly. Lambeth retired from Wake Forest Baptist Health, where he served in a variety of leadership positions, including CEO of Baptist Hospital, Lexington Medical Center and Davie Medical Center. He is currently serving as CEO of 437 Logistics, a FedEx contractor in the Winston-Salem area.

Richard W. and Vickie L. Toye (Class of 1975)

President’s Award winners Richard W. Toye graduated from High Point College in 1975, with a major in Mathematics. In 1976, she joined the certified public accounting firm Dixon Hughes Goodman, which would eventually become Forvis, a Top 10 accounting firm in the country. Navy, is a 1972 graduate of Pfeiffer College in Misenheimer, North Carolina, and a 1999 graduate of Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his Master of Divinity. Since 1998 Toye and Richard have owned Quail Creek Farm, where they raise Angus cattle, donkeys, hens and have 16 honeybee hives.

Steve L. Scott (Class of 1998)

Steve L. Scott, Class of 1998, earned his Bachelor of Science degree through the evening degree program. Scott completed the Wachovia Executive Leadership Program with the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2004. In 1995, he joined Wachovia as its chief information security officer, and later became head of information security technologies and operations with Wells Fargo in 2009. He continued to lead corporate cybersecurity at Truist and was responsible for execution of the corporation’s information security programs and business objectives, ensuring information assets and technologies were protected. Scott has been recognized as both an Information Security Executive of the Year and Quality Leadership Executive of the Year nominee for the Southeastern United States.

Young Alumni Making an Impact

Each year, HPU honors 10 young alumni who graduated within the last 10 years. These individuals have quickly risen to prominence in their respective fields, demonstrating the value of an HPU education.

Read also: Eligibility for National Awards

Meredith Beck (Class of 2014)

Meredith Beck, Class of 2014, excelled as an electronic media and film major. Upon graduation, she started her career as a producer at WGHP Fox-8 in High Point, and currently works as an executive producer for Fox 8. Throughout her career, Beck has been awarded many achievements.

Brea Brown (Class of 2015)

Brea Brown, Class of 2015, earned her degree in biochemistry and won the Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher award while at HPU. Upon graduation, she attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received her Ph.D. in genetics and molecular biology. While at UNC, she contributed to the field of molecular genetics and immunology and founded the Society for Black Biomedical Scientists. She has also been awarded more than $500,000 in research funding from the National Institutes of Health and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Elizabeth “Lisa” Carlson (Class of 2016)

Elizabeth “Lisa” Carlson, Class of 2016, graduated with a double major in psychology and strategic communications and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, Carlson started her career in university recruiting and has spent more than six years at Gartner, a technological research and consulting firm. In her role, she has pioneered new strategic hiring initiatives and implemented process improvements that have contributed to her business unit’s successes on a global scale. She has won numerous awards highlighting her innovation, collaboration and contributions to the company on a global level. Additionally, Carlson is a member of the Junior League of Charlotte, where she volunteers in the community.

Wendell Epps (Class of 2023)

Wendell Epps, Class of 2023, graduated from HPU, magna cum laude, with a degree in sports media. He was a play-by-play announcer for HPU Athletics on ESPN+, calling more than 100 games over four years. Currently, Epps is the live radio play-by-play announcer of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. He recently had the opportunity to call a Lynx’s game in the 2024 WNBA Finals. He serves as the face of the Lynx’s digital content platforms, conducting player interviews and season updates.

Will Hedrick (Class of 2021)

Will Hedrick, Class of 2021, earned his degree in entrepreneurship. At age 18, he received his real estate license and was able to sell some of the most expensive homes in North Carolina. In 2022, Hedrick founded myCharity, a nonprofit organization on a mission to make donating easier, more informational and more transparent. Donors can choose from more than 40 causes, track their donation and then see its impact in the field with photos, videos and financial field reports, proving the exact impact their donation made.

Tiffany Selberg (Class of 2022)

Tiffany Selberg, Class of 2022, a first-generation student graduated with a degree in marketing and minors in sales and social media marketing. While on campus, she served as a university ambassador and social media marketing research assistant.

Rebecca Ulrich (Class of 2018)

Rebecca Ulrich, Class of 2018, graduated from HPU, summa cum laude, with a degree in biochemistry and a minor in physics. After graduation, Ulrich attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she completed her Ph.D. in chemistry. Most recently, she received the American Chemical Society’s Irving S. Sigal Postdoctoral Fellowship, which is awarded to one person every two years.

Tyler O. Heaggans (Class of 2013)

Tyler O. Heaggans, Class of 2013, earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting, completed his master’s degree in information technology at N.C. A&T State University and is currently pursuing his MBA at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Heaggans’ connection with HPU remains strong. He has served as president of the Young Alumni Council, mentored students within the Phillips School of Business and contributed to alumni panels for various events. Professionally, Heaggans has worked for notable industry leaders, such as Credit Suisse, Target and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Thomas G. Langford (Class of 2014)

Thomas G. Langford, Class of 2014, earned a degree in computer science with a minor in mathematics. While at HPU, Langford presented research at multiple conferences. These experiences led to his career as a software engineer for Gilbarco Veeder-Root, where he is the technical lead and oversees a team of nine engineers. He has won multiple company-wide innovation awards, and in 2023, was honored with the Gilbarco Veeder-Root award for outstanding contributions and customer impact to the company.

Tyler S. Blackshaw (Class of 2015)

Tyler S. Blackshaw, Class of 2015, became a B2B sales consultant for Staples, earning the rank of “Top First Year Seller.” Upon moving into a sales role the following year for The Charlotte Observer, he was named the 2016 Digital Sales Representative of the Year. Blackshaw now continues his sales success as a therapeutic specialist for Collegium Pharmaceuticals, where he has pioneered the launch of several new medications for various ailments and afflictions, impacting the medical field and improving lives.

Kenneth A. “Ken” Marshall (Class of 2015)

Kenneth A. “Ken” Marshall, Class of 2015, excelled as an electronic media production major and hosted a radio show, the American Dream Project, while at HPU. In addition to his work in the classroom, Marshall was a member of Elevation Church, where he served as a musician and worship leader. Marshall continues to share his musical gifts as a traveling member of the Aaron Pelsue band. He now lives in Southern California and works as a senior media producer for AT&T. Marshall is the founder of open, a nonprofit organization he established while at HPU focused on arts, education and exploration through community-based programming.

Molly Phalen O’Brien (Class of 2015)

Molly Phalen O’Brien, Class of 2015, majored in strategic communication. After leaving HPU, O’Brien began working in sales for Boston Scientific Corporation, where she has worked her way up to a role as a senior territory manager. She achieved in 2022 the prestigious Founder’s Award, recognizing the top territory manager based on performance and productivity. Molly married Nick O’Brien, HPU Class of 2015, in May, and they currently live in Dallas, Texas.

Summer L. Tonsfeldt (Class of 2015)

Summer L. Tonsfeldt, Class of 2015, began building her skills in media and public relations through her major in strategic communication and minor in human relations at HPU. Tonsfeldt is now a manager for Partner and Distribution Marketing for NBC Entertainment and its streaming service, Peacock, in Universal City, California, where she has worked since 2018. There, she helps lead marketing campaigns and has managed key relationships with media partners like Apple, Amazon, Roku and VIZIO. Before coming to NBC, Tonsfeldt worked in the PR field for Disney and Rogers and Cowan PMK in Los Angeles, where she was able to help provide support during notable events, such as VidCon, South by Southwest, Lollapalooza, the SAG Awards and the Primetime Emmy Awards. In addition, Tonsfeldt has her realtor license, and has freelanced as a movie producer and actress.

Michele E. Burns (Class of 2016)

Michele E. government. While at HPU, Burns served on the Board of Stewards at the David Hayworth Chapel, was a member of Phi MU and developed a love of travel through mission trips to New Jersey, Guatemala and a Maymester trip to New Zealand. Burns is on the HPU Young Alumni Council and has served on the board of directors for the Junior League of Annapolis.

Shayla S. Fletcher (Class of 2016)

Shayla S. Fletcher, Class of 2016, graduated with a degree in strategic communication, specializing in advertising and public relations, with a minor in marketing. She currently serves as an event and entertainment manager for the D.C. United soccer club in her hometown of Washington D.C.

Michaela B. Mucha (Class of 2018)

Michaela B. Mucha, Class of 2018, served as class president and graduated with a degree in graphic design and digital imaging. Mucha is currently on the Disney+ Global Brand and Creative Marketing team, where she leads design and upholds design standards globally for the world’s leading streaming service, Disney Plus, along with developing award-winning, disrupting creative marketing campaigns for Disney Plus and the Disney Bundle. Army, and the Food Recovery Network at HPU, where Mucha was president of the chapter for two terms.

Gabrielle E. Wanek (Class of 2019)

Gabrielle E. Wanek, Class of 2019, majored in communication, with a minor in creative writing. In the winter of 2018, Wanek became a team lead at Ashley Furniture, honing her skills in working with others to accomplish their goals. She moved to Florida and began taking courses to become a life coach. Since that time, Wanek has published a book, “Embrace the Black Sheep,” finished her courses and is now a certified life coach, continuing her dedication to helping and serving others.

Emily C. Promise (Class of 2020)

Emily C. Promise, Class of 2020, is a partner at Blakely Financial in High Point, North Carolina.

Notable Alumni in Athletics

High Point University has a strong athletic tradition, and many of its alumni have gone on to achieve success in professional sports.

Tubby Smith

Orlando Henry "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach who last coached the men's basketball team at High Point University, his alma mater. Smith previously served in the same role at the University of Tulsa, the University of Georgia, the University of Kentucky, the University of Minnesota, Texas Tech University, and the University of Memphis. With Kentucky, he coached the Wildcats to the 1998 NCAA championship.

Arizona Reid

Arizona "AZ" Reid III is an American professional basketball player. He was the 2006-07 Big South Conference Player of the Year, 2007-08 Preseason Player of the Year, and the 2007-08 Big South Conference Player of the Year.

Gene Littles

Eugene Scape Littles was an American basketball player and coach. He played six seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the Carolina Cougars and Kentucky Colonels between 1969 and 1975. Littles won an ABA championship with the Colonels in 1975. He later coached in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, and Denver Nuggets.

Austin Dillon

Austin Reed Dillon is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing.

Other Accomplished Alumni

Nido Qubein

Nido Qubein is a Lebanese American businessman. He has been the president of High Point University since 2005.

Donna Fargo

Donna Fargo is an American country singer-songwriter known for a series of Top 10 country hits in the 1970s.

Mike Causey

John Michael Causey is an American politician who has served as the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance since 2017.

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