Alumni and Friends,
The countdown to Homecoming and Reunion is on! There will be something for everyone! Check out the 2026 schedule of events here. Registration is still open for many events, so it is not too late to make plans.
Tailgating spots are available for purchase through Sunday, Nov. 1. Tailgating will be available from 10:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, rain or shine. Purchase your tailgate spot here! Visit the FAQ page and tailgating policy for more information.
Follow the Alumni Association on Facebook, Instagram (@winthropalumni) and Winthrop Connect for updates on alumni events! Download one of the free digital Winthrop backgrounds for virtual alumni events or for your personal use! Wear your garnet and gold attire to show your Eagle pride for both in-person and virtual activities! Purchase Winthrop gear in the bookstore on campus or online here!
*All event times are Eastern unless otherwise noted.
Join the Virtual Alumni Book Club by signing up at www.pbc.guru/winthrop.
"The Correspondent" by Virginia Evans
Oct. 9-Dec. 11
The fifth book for the 2026 Virtual Alumni Book Club is "The Correspondent" by Virginia Evans.
In her letters to family and friends, we come to know the life of Sybil Van Antwerp - stubborn, cantankerous, opinionated, always steadfast in her belief in the power of the written word. But as the clock begins to tick for Sybil, the need for a few post-scripts to the life she's led becomes apparent. Fixing her difficult relationship with her children. Taking a final chance at romance. Atoning for an old legal case which has come back to haunt her. And finally, reckoning with a devastating loss that she has spent the last 30 years holding close to her chest.
Read a summary and reviews for it here.
9th Annual Winthrop Golf Classic
Monday, Nov. 2│10:30 a.m.
Rock Hill Country Club
The 9th Annual Winthrop Golf Classic will be held on Monday, Nov. 2, at Rock Hill Country Club. All proceeds from the golf tournament will support the Winthrop men's and women's golf programs. The day begins at 9 a.m. with check-in followed by a shotgun start at 10:30 a.m. Four-person teams can register for $800. Hole sponsorships are available for $100, which includes a hole sign with an individual or company name displayed. Mulligans will be available for purchase on-site and cash only. The day will also include a raffle and auction. Register here by Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m. For questions, e-mail Kevin Pendley '98, director of golf, at pendleyk@winthrop.edu, or Kasay Gambrell, women's head golf coach, at gambrellk@winthrop.edu.
Whitton Executive Series: Building What Doesn't Exist: Lessons in Technology, Entrepreneurship,
and Innovation
Thursday, Nov. 5 │ 11 a.m.-noon
Whitton Auditorium, located inside Vivian Moore Carroll Hall
The next Whitton Executive Series event will explore what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into meaningful innovation. In this talk, Zainab Ghadiyali '09 will share practical lessons from moving between engineering, product leadership, and entrepreneurship: how to learn faster than the problem changes, build with purpose, recover when plans break, and turn an unconventional path into an advantage. Students and business leaders will leave with a grounded way to approach new technology, career pivots, and the work of building something that does not exist yet.
Ghadiyali has built her career by stepping into problems before the path was clear - from conceptualizing Facebook's first public-health product, to leading Airbnb's re-architecture, to founding companies that break stereotypes and expand access to AI. She received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Winthrop and master's degrees in industrial engineering and computer science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. In 2017, she received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the Winthrop Alumni Association.
Admission to this event is free. Register here to reserve your spot!
Baseball Alumni Reunion Weekend
Nov. 6-8
Calling all baseball alumni! Make plans to attend the Baseball Alumni Reunion Weekend, Nov. 6-8.
Friday, Nov. 6, will include a golf tournament at Waterford Golf Club at noon. At 5 p.m., watch the Eagles play an intra-squad game from the Alumni Pavilion at Founders Field. On Saturday, Nov. 7, there will be a mentorship program meeting with current players and coaches, a family baseball game and family-friendly social at 19th at the Warehouses. On Sunday, Nov. 8, the last intra-squad game for the fall season will be played at noon at Founders Field.
A discounted room rate of $100/night is available at the Spark Hilton in Rock Hill, which is the team hotel for Winthrop baseball. Book your room by calling 803/368-1315 and ask for the Winthrop baseball rate.
Register here for the weekend! Go Eagles!
Homecoming and Reunion 2026
Nov. 13-14
Make plans to come home to Winthrop for Homecoming and Reunion 2026, Nov. 13-14! We look forward to welcoming alumni back to campus! If your class year ends in '6 or '1, you are celebrating a milestone reunion. Register now through Oct. 20.
2026 Official Ring Ceremony
Wednesday, Nov. 18 │6-7:30 p.m.
Richardson Ballroom, located in the DiGiorgio Campus Center
The Alumni Association and Student Alumni Council present the Official Ring Ceremony. Rings will be presented to students who purchased their Official Winthrop Ring in the Fall semester. Recipients are encouraged to invite family and friends to help celebrate this milestone. Purchase your official Winthrop ring as a lifelong reminder of your Winthrop experience by shopping the Jostens website, calling 800/854-7464, or attending Ring Days on campus.
91st Annual Tree Lighting
Friday, Dec. 4 │6-7 p.m.
Front Lawn of Tillman Hall
The Alumni Association and Student Alumni Council will host the 91st Annual Tree Lighting on Friday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. on the front lawn of Tillman Hall. The annual event will feature performances by the Winthrop RockHettes and the Winthrop Chorale and Collegiate Choir. The event ends with a countdown to the main attraction: the lighting of the flagpole at the fountain plaza. The Student Alumni Council will sell luminaries for $5 before the tree lighting to add to the holiday glow around Tillman. Proceeds from the luminaries will support the Winthrop Fund. If you can’t attend the tree lighting in person, tune in to the Alumni Association’s Facebook Live stream of the event!
December Champagne Toast
Wednesday, Dec. 16│3-5 p.m.
Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center at the Stewart House
December graduates are invited to the Stewart House on Wednesday, Dec. 16, from 3-5 p.m. to celebrate their graduation and toast to their accomplishments. Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, connect with Alumni Association staff, write a letter to your future self, and more. At 4 p.m., we’ll present the class gift and raise a toast to the Class of 2026.
Winthrop University Interdisciplinary Conference 2027
Thursday, Feb. 25-Saturday, Feb. 27
Winthrop University
Save the date for the 4th Annual Interdisciplinary Conference, which will be held on campus, Thursday, Feb. 25-Saturday, Feb. 27. The 2027 conference theme is “Migration in a Changing World: An Interdisciplinary Approach.” From the migration of cells to the migration of cultures, fundamental concepts are transformed through migration. How do we understand migration in this moment of profound global change? Interested in presenting at the conference? Proposals for oral, poster, and artistic presentations are being accepted through Sunday, Nov. 1. Learn more here!
Winthrop Ever Stand,
Lori Tuttle
Executive Director of Alumni Relations
