Lois Rhame
West Helps Dedicate New Physical Education and Wellness Center
Nov. 2, 2007
ROCK HILL, S.C. – With the building’s namesake in attendance,
Winthrop University dedicated its new Lois Rhame West Health,
Physical Education and Wellness Center on Friday.
The building, which houses academic space for Winthrop’s health,
physical education and sport management programs and wellness
facilities, opened in August for classes. Lois Rhame West,
member of the Class of `43 and former First Lady of South
Carolina, helped commemorate the completion of the largest
building on Winthrop’s main campus.
Winthrop President Anthony DiGiorgio praised West as a
pioneer for women’s rights, for helping pave the way for
Winthrop to become a coeducational institution and for helping
lead the university’s first capital campaign.
Friday was declared "Lois Rhame West Day" by Winthrop's
Board of Trustees.
“As a woman who came of age in the mid-20th century,
Lois blazed trails for generations of young women who came after
her by demonstrating early on the importance of living a life
that incorporated commitments to health and wellness, to
education and lifelong learning and to leadership and service to
the community,” DiGiorgio said before more than 170 people
gathered for lunch at the West Center.
During the ceremony, DiGiorgio helped unveil two portraits of
West to hang in the West Center – a portrait of West painted
when she was First Lady and a photograph of West playing
softball as a Winthrop college student.
The $27.4 million West Center covers 137,000 square feet and
offers the latest environmentally friendly features. The
center’s opening also marks the first bold step in creating a
new ambience for the western side of campus and the neighborhood
beyond. Its placement at the southwestern corner of the present
campus contributes to a city initiative that envisions
attracting private investment to help create a classic “college
town” atmosphere around Winthrop.
Lois Rhame West attended the ceremony
accompanied by her daughter, Shelton Bosley, and son, Jack West,
both pictured above with their mother.
