COMING FULL CIRCLE


Jessica Koumas ’95 counts herself among a small group of people who has seen every square foot of Winthrop’s beautiful campus. She’s toured each building, classroom, office, common area, food venue and outdoor space: she literally saw it all as part of her work on the university’s recent Campus Master Plan.


As an interior designer with Quackenbush Architects + Planners, the contracted firm charged with creating a physical campus blueprint for Winthrop’s future, Koumas served on a team that worked for more than a year to deliver a prioritized, phased master facility plan for the main campus and the athletics, recreation and research complex.


“It was such an honor to be a part of this important process for my alma mater,” said Koumas, of Lugoff, who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design. “One of the first tasks we accomplished was conducting a complete campus tour. We went through every single building on campus and it took about three days. It brought back so many wonderful memories of my time as a student.”


During her tour, Koumas noted the campus’ improved walkability, and how that change led to many positive aspects, including more green spaces and an enhanced heart of campus that now includes the DiGiorgio Campus Center, the West Center, Hardin Garden and more.


Looking Long Term Early in the process, Koumas and her team took photographs of each space, combed through each building’s history and evaluated each space’s existing conditions in order to make recommendations on what could be possible long term.


“We essentially created our roadmap and then went into scenario planning based on current and future needs,” said Koumas, who has spent her career designing projects for higher education institutions, healthcare facilities, K-12 school systems and more.


“What I love about the process is that I am involved from beginning to end. I’m there from the initial focus group interviews to the final presentations, and it’s a rewarding journey,” said Koumas, whose middle son, Jarrett, studies exercise science at Winthrop.


Koumas noted that faculty, staff, student and alumni survey and focus group feedback yielded valuable information that guided the group throughout the process. “We learned that people love the look of Winthrop and its historic feel, and as an alumna and designer, I wholeheartedly agree. We obviously kept that in mind the entire time,” said Koumas.


It was such an honor to be a part of this important process for my alma mater. - Jessica Koumas


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Planning for the Future Koumas and her team noted that Winthrop boasts great campus assets. “Many of the existing facilities just need some renovation to help them live up to their potential,” she said.


Koumas also shared some key takeaways from the soon-to-be-finalized proposal: “One area of focus should definitely be a residence hall plan, which will in turn be a huge recruitment tool. Our proposal includes improving upon existing assets with renovations, addressing residence halls and then looking at constructing new academic


facilities long term when enrollment numbers determine that is the next step,” shared Koumas, who was a resident advisor in Phelps Hall during her time as a student.


Throughout the year-long project, Koumas credits Winthrop’s facilities team with making the process as smooth as possible. “The entire facilities team is passionate about Winthrop. They are constantly thinking about the campus and what improvements can be made. During my time with them, they were eager to implement high-impact and low-cost suggestions, like the installation of swings and hammock frames, to make an immediate impact on the campus,” she said.


Next Steps With the planning stage of the project nearing completion, Koumas’ team continues to add final touches to the report and create detailed 3D renderings. The finalized report will then be shared with Board of Trustees’ members and the university’s leadership team.


“This proposal is a roadmap for next steps. It provides a good plan of action for short- and long-term solutions,” said Koumas. “I’m excited to know how Winthrop’s future could look!”


Koumas noted that while the campus has undergone changes since her undergraduate days, one aspect hasn’t changed. “Winthrop is just a fantastic place. I had a truly wonderful Winthrop experience as a student, and I have truly enjoyed my time working on this Campus Master Plan. Winthrop’s physical campus may change over time, but it’s core values and student-focused vision will always remain unchanged.”


Learn more about the Campus Master Plan process.


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