SUMMER 2020

VISIONARY PRESIDENT ANTHONY DIGIORGIO PASSES AWAY

Anthony J. DiGiorgio, who served as the ninth president of Winthrop for 24 years, passed away on May 20 in Tucson, Arizona, where he and his wife, Gale, had retired. He was 79.

Under the leadership of Anthony DiGiorgio, who was named president emeritus and distinguished professor in 2013, Winthrop achieved university status, then experienced a renaissance and period of unparalleled growth, becoming recognized nationally as one of the best public institutions of its type by several publications. For more than two decades, the university received accolades for academic excellence, student character development, commitment to racial diversity, student programming, sound fiscal management and environmental and athletics achievements.

DiGiorgio’s signature “Vision of Distinction” univer- sity-wide planning process produced a detailed an- nual work plan, aligned with the university’s shared values, that guided faculty, staff and students in each year of progress. During his tenure, academic programs were re-designed to include a series of “Touchstone” courses teaching 21st-century core competencies, the campus footprint was expanded by more than 15 acres, and Winthrop completed a series of new and re-purposed facilities valued at more than $100 million. He also built new relation- ships with Rock Hill by becoming a key leader in planning and launching the Knowledge Park re-development between Winthrop and downtown Rock Hill.

With his guidance the Winthrop Foundation launched its first capital campaign in 1997, surpass- ing its goal and raising $31.2 million, and its second in 2011, which continued under his successors.

During his years at Winthrop, DiGiorgio also served two terms on the board of directors of the National Collegiate Athletics Association, as a member of the board of the Charlotte division of the Federal Reserve Bank, and as the South Carolina represen- tative to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ State Leadership Council.

Locally, he was a member of the board of the Charlotte Regional Partnership for Economic

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ANTHONY DIGIORGIO PASSES AWAY

Development, the boards of York County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation, and numerous professional organizations until he left the presidency in 2013.

He retired from Winthrop in spring 2017, and en- joyed both traveling and creating digital art from photographs taken worldwide.

Donations may be made through the Winthrop Foundation to The Mary Grace and Antonino DiGi- orgio Endowed Scholarship, which was created by the DiGiorgios to honor the president’s late par- ents. Alternatively, donations may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

What People are Saying

“He inspired others around his vision not only for the campus, but also how the campus would integrate into the Rock Hill community. It was a privilege to know him. …We’re thankful that we had the opportunity to have him.” Glenn McCall, Chair, Winthrop Board of Trustees

“Dr. DiGiorgio was such a visionary and transformational leader that you did not work with him, for him, or serve under him during his presidency that you weren’t impacted. He led us through some of the toughest times. We’re drawing on that strength right now as our city, our community, our campus and our country are also going through a crisis today. Gale DiGiorgio was such an asset to him, to Winthrop, and the community. They, as a couple, were a wonderful role model for all of us.” Kathy Bigham ’73, Vice chair, Winthrop Board of Trustees

“Tony DiGiorgio had a vision for the greatness of Winthrop that was a part of the vision for the greatness of the city of Rock Hill. He is one of the reasons that the school, and the city, have achieved so much in the last quarter-century. He was a leader. You can look at what we have done and are working on -- Knowledge Park, other cooperative projects with Winthrop -- and Tony DiGiorgio was a part of the action to make those happen.” John Gettys, Mayor, City of Rock Hill

“Tony was truly a man of vision and had a huge impact on the development of the Big South Conference as a two-time Conference President and chair of our Membership Committee. He wasn’t a founding father of the Conference, but he might as well have been. That was the magnitude of his influence on the Big South.” Kyle Kallander, Commissioner, Big South Conference

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