Good morning, friends. Or good whatever time of day it may be as you read this.

If you have just a few minutes, let me ask you if you can identify the institution about which I am going to provide some information. It’s a place of higher learning here in our very own state.

Okay. Are you ready? Then here we go.

It was ranked the “No.1 Best Regional College in the South” for four consecutive years, and the “No. 1 Most Innovative Regional College in the South” by “U.S. News & World Report.”

Now, that’s impressive. Do you think you might be able to name this school?

If not, here is a bit more.

It has tripled its enrollment and total employee positions since 2005.

It has almost tripled the number of faculty in the last 10 years.

The size of the campus has quadrupled.

There are $150 million in enhancements underway.

In just the last 10 years it has gone from 22 buildings on campus to 112 ( new or acquired).

Freshman applications have risen from 2,185 to 10,909 in just 10 years.

Property, Plant and Equipment value has risen from $75.4 million to $675 million in the same period.

Twenty percent of its students come from North Carolina, the rest from all across the nation and numerous countries.

And the campus. Ah, the campus. It is probably the most aesthetically impressive, immaculately maintained — both buildings and grounds — one could ever hope to see. Now, that’s a powerful assertion, but hyperbole it is not.

Of course the school has all the extracurriculars, athletics, arts, etc. They take justifiable pride in this aspect of providing a strong liberal arts education.

So. Just how many students are enrolled in this hard-to-believe educational utopia about which I write? Around 4,500, with plans to cap enrollment at 5,000.

Dr. Don Scarborough, vice president for special projects, says, “We are a God, family and country school.”

Yes, this little education engine that could, that can, that does; that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church; that is one of, if not the most, beautiful campuses one will ever see, is High Point University.

If ever — if ever — you are in that part of our state, please take the time to visit this genuine jewel.

Stroll the campus, go into some of the buildings. Be amazed.

And … note the famous personages sitting peacefully about — in their bronze reincarnations — on the benches along the promenade.

You might even say “hello” to O. Henry, Gandhi, Thomas Wolfe, Amelia Earhart, et al.

I did.

And to think I may have never had such an experience had I not visited there with my prospective student grandson, Zach, and his dad.

A serendipitous occasion, for sure.