Dear Friends:


There’s nothing quite like being on campus when the new academic year is right around the corner! Campus has been bustling with Orientation sessions, various camps, facilities projects, admissions tours and more. What positive energy these events inject into our busy days! We simply cannot wait to welcome our students next month.


Thanks to our Board of Trustees, cabinet members and the efforts of folks all across campus, we have officially closed out phase I of our strategic plan, Winthrop: United in Excellence. We launched the Honors College, introduced a new suite of academic programs, delivered course work through the innovative Winthrop Elevate, and more. Now, we are focusing on phase II initiatives, which I’ll share with


you soon. We’ve made much transformative progress, and there is more to come.


For now, I’d like to share with you the summer edition of the Winthrop Magazine. In it, you’ll read about our spring Commencement speaker, alumna and actress Shanola Hampton, who brought her joyful personality and inspiring words to our newest graduates. I was honored to present her with an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree (which she accepted with a perfectly executed high kick!). She was not shy about sharing her love and appreciation for Winthrop, and that reinforces, again, how this place positively shapes the lives of our students.


I encourage you to read other content in this edition as well, including:


• A story on the university’s more than 600-piece art collection, including the newest additions from supporters Charlie and Nancy Wofford ’67, ’84;


• A look back at April’s reopening of Byrnes Auditorium; • Our students’ collaborative work with Keystone Substance Abuse Services;


• Compelling features on former trustee Jane LaRoche ’69, ’70, who remains one of Winthrop’s biggest supporters and cheerleaders, and Jimmy Duncan ’10, ’12, who has spearheaded bringing girls’ flag football to York County middle schools; and


• The latest campus happenings, alumni news and university advancement updates.


Please enjoy this magazine edition. As always, thank you for your continued support. I hope you will join us for Convocation on Aug. 25 as we kick off another exciting academic year.


Winthrop Ever Stand,


WINTHROP MAGAZINE


WHAT’S INSIDE GLOW GET IT: SHANOLA HAMPTON PRESERVING LEGACIES THROUGH ART BYRNES: A GRAND REOPENING STUDENTS EXPERIENCE REAL-WORLD LEARNING WINTHROP’S CHEERLEADER: JANE LAROCHE ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN’S SPORTS: JIMMY DUNCAN


EDITORIAL STAFF


MONICA BENNETT, editor PETER AIRHEART, senior designer


contributing writers:


NICOLE CHISARI ’09, ’16 JUDY LONGSHAW


NOTES


Winthrop Magazine is published for alumni, faculty, staff, parents and friends of Winthrop University by University Communications and Marketing.


Winthrop University offers equal opportunity in its employment, admissions and educational activities.


All cities referenced in editorial content are located in South Carolina unless otherwise indicated.


About the cover: “Mascara Spill,” a piece by artist Ryan Sluggett, is one of the works recently donated by Charles and Nancy Wofford to the university’s art collection. Read more about the university’s art collection and the Woffords’ recent gift on pages 4-8.


WINTHROP UNIVERSITY


BOARD OF TRUSTEES


GLENN MCCALL Chair, Rock Hill


JOEL HAMILTON ’06 Vice Chair, Rock Hill


KATHY HUDSON BIGHAM ’73 Rock Hill


Edward A. Serna ’02 President


JOHN BRAZELL ’93 Columbia


ED DRIGGERS ’92 Greer


RANDY IMLER ’87, ’00 Tega Cay


RICHARD LEE ’82 Rock Hill


DAVID MCDONALD ’01 LEXINGTON


TIM SEASE ’87 Mt. Pleasant


JANET RICE SMALLEY ’72 Walhalla


SANDRA STROMAN ’73, ’76 Chester


ADAM GLOVER Faculty Liaison to the Board


AMANDA HACKNEY ’08 Staff Liaison to the Board


VICTORIA WILLIAMS Student Liaison to the Board


ISAIAH VENNING ’95, ’00 Rock Hill


ASHLYE WILKERSON ’05 Columbia


EDWARD A. SERNA ’02 President


JOSEPH MILLER


Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing


ELLEN WILDER-BYRD ’88, ’94 Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing


1


GARY WILLIAMS ’11 Rock Hill


02 04 09 10 12 14


CAMPUS NEWS 16 | ADVANCEMENT NEWS 18 | ALUMNI NEWS 20 | CLASS NOTES 22 | MILESTONES 24

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