LaRaven Temoney ’18

As a senior at Sumter High School, LaRaven Temoney ’18 was diligently completing out-of-state college applications when her mother asked her why she was only applying to out-of-state colleges.

“You need to find a school that will be life-changing and best suited for your learning needs,” LaTasha Temoney counseled her daughter. In a few short months, LaRaven would encounter a number of individuals who would assist her on her path to a college degree.

LaRaven had enrolled at Winthrop planning to major in political science and criminal justice. However, during freshman orientation, she unknowingly attended a College of Business and Technology communication session and felt an immediate connection.

“By the end of orientation, I declared business as my major,” LaRaven recalled. “It was during my time in College of Business that I discovered my passion for economics. During my first semester, I took Introduction to Microeconomics with Professor Laura Ullrich and I was hooked. She was brilliant, engaging, challenging and inspiring. I did well in the course and frequently visited her during office hours; we developed a great advisor-mentee relationship that continues to this day."

During LaRaven’s sophomore year, she applied for and was accepted into the McNair Scholars Program.

In 2018, LaRaven was awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program grant. LaRaven is the first from Winthrop University’s College of Business and Technology to be awarded this type of grant and was only one of five students selected in the public policy area. 

“If I could give one bit of advice to current students, it would be to take every opportunity available at Winthrop. Connect to the campus and participate in service opportunities. Get to know your professors. Trust me, they will prove to be your best advocates. Even today, I can text my former Winthrop professors and they will respond,” LaRaven marvels. “I’m not certain I would have been able to complete my Winthrop degree had it not been for the commitment the faculty provided me.”

LaRaven is currently pursuing a doctorate in public policy and political science at the University of Florida in Gainsville, Florida. “My goal is to serve in a research position with a federal agency such as the Library of Congress or National Science Foundation or as a tenured faculty member in politics at a small, diverse college."

After working as a graduate research fellow and teaching assistant, LaRaven has a full understanding of the demanding role that a dedicated professor fulfills for a student.

“I firmly believe that Winthrop is the best institution of higher learning in South Carolina. The Winthrop community goes above and beyond the required minimum. I hope God continues to bless Winthrop,” she said.