Hello Parents and Family Members!
The semester is coming to a close, but we've got plenty of important information in
this edition to keep you connected as students finish up the semester. Check out the
December Commencement Ceremony article for details on this semester's commencement
exercises. The Academic Success Center's article about final grades and academic support offers a great deal of information
about support services that are available to students as they prepare for final exams.
The Department of Residence Life has provided an article outlining all of the holiday break closing information for
our residence halls. If your student is looking for a way to get involved on campus,
check out the fraternity and sorority recruitment article for more information about
the Greek organizations on campus. With colder weather quickly approaching, Dining Services provides some tips for staying healthy during final exams. Finally, the Christmas
Tree Lighting Ceremony, one of Winthrop's treasured traditions, is just around the
corner! Take a look at the Student Alumni Council's article for more information about this year's ceremony. As always, the Office of
New Student and Family Programs is here to keep you connected and informed. Please
feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
The Office of New Student and Family Programs
248 DiGiorgio Campus Center
803/323-2387
familyprograms@winthrop.edu
www.winthrop.edu/familyprograms
Winthrop University's December 2016 Commencement Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum. All August 2016 and December 2016 graduates are invited to participate! The procession will begin promptly at 10:50 a.m.
Degree candidates should report to the check-in area, located just inside the north entrance of the Coliseum, in academic cap and gown by no later than 9:30 a.m. Please note that all students must be in proper graduation attire: black robes, black caps with garnet and gold tassel. (Ladies do not have to wear the white collar that may come with the gown.) Caps may not be decorated. Winthrop-issued honor cords as well as sorority/fraternity stoles may be worn over the gown during the ceremony. You may purchase your cap, gown and tassel at the Winthrop Bookstore.
Family and guests of the degree candidates are invited to enter the Coliseum through the upper concourse level and be seated by 10:40 a.m. Parking for the ceremony is available on university property only. Those who park off of university property may be towed. Guests are asked not to bring balloons into the coliseum. Balloons obstruct views and make it difficult to see the graduates.
The Commencement Ceremony will be video streamed on the web. There will be a link on the Winthrop University homepage on the day of Commencement with the link to the stream and instructions for optimal viewing. For more information regarding the December 2016 Commencement Ceremony please visit our website.
If you have any questions please contact:
Office of Records & Registration
126 Tillman Hall
Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA
803/323-2194
803/323-4600 (fax)
RecandReg@winthrop.edu
Final exams are on the horizon, which tends to mean one thing for students — a great
deal of stress and anxiety. Waves of nervousness leave many students apprehensive
and justifiably concerned about their academic well-being. Luckily, students are
not thrown into the depths of academia at Winthrop without support! Students have
a number of academic resources at their fingertips, including our office-the Academic Success Center. We highly encourage students to use all of the academic support services to their
advantage in the remaining weeks of the fall semester.
Prior to final exams, which begin on Wednesday, December 7 and end on Tuesday, December
13, students can utilize their professor's office hours or any the following services
for drop-in or one-time appointment tutoring:
Students should also mark Tuesday, December 6 (Study Day) from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. in
their calendars as drop-in tutoring will be offered for over 50 general education
courses. Course specific drop-in times will be made available on the ASC webpage.
Other ways for the student in your life to better prepare for finals include:
Please be aware that your student would benefit from your support during this time. Should you or your student like more information about any of the resources mentioned, please visit the links above, e-mail success@winthrop.edu, or contact our office at 803-323-3929. We are pleased to contribute to your student's journey toward success!
Residence halls will close for holiday break promptly at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December
14 for all students not graduating in December or involved with graduation. Halls
will close for graduating seniors and those involved with the ceremony Saturday, December
17 promptly at 6 p.m. Students will not be able to get into their residence hall room
after the 9 a.m. Wednesday closing. If a student must stay for graduation, special
permission may be granted by the Residential Learning Coordinator of your student's
residence hall.
After students depart, residence hall staff will check every room for general health
and safety. These inspections are plain view searches. Staff will check for prohibited
items, such as fire hazards (extension cords, candles, etc.) and will also check the
general cleanliness of the room. Residence hall contracts state that health and safety
inspections can occasionally occur. Students are expected to keep up general cleanliness
in their rooms and suite bathrooms. Suites that have an open bed space in them must
make every attempt to fully clean their bathroom in preparation for a new student.
Additionally, of the room must be clear for a new student at move in; this means
one bed, one dresser, one closet, one desk and one chair should be in a usable configuration.
Failure to do so may result in judicial action and/or fees applied to the student
account. All students will receive a break notice with more information.
The halls will re-open at 8 a.m. on Sunday, January 8. During a period when the residence
halls are closed, staff and campus resources are very limited or unavailable. Student
safety is of utmost importance to us, so it is very important that students adhere
to our opening/closing policies and not arrive to campus earlier than the posted residence
hall re-open date and time.
For your convenience, our residence hall opening/closing dates are posted on our website. Students can also call their Residential Learning Coordinator (RLC) or Residence Life at 803/323-2223 with further questions.
Here at Winthrop, we take pride in the numerous opportunities available to get involved that will enhance your student's college experience. There are more than 170 student organizations to choose from and joining a fraternity or sorority is one that truly stands out. As a fraternity and sorority community of over 650 members and 18 national Greek-letter organizations to choose from your student will certainly find a home away from home while building relationships that last a lifetime.
There are a wealth of opportunities and benefits when a student decides to get involved in a fraternity or sorority. These 18 organizations are committed to cultivating personal and professional growth while serving the campus and community. Greeks at Winthrop are very involved with community service, philanthropies, and various aspects of student life. Fraternity and Sorority Life offers an opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills while learning a greater appreciation for a true fraternal experience. Participation in Fraternity and Sorority Life offers students a well-rounded academic experience as well as an opportunity to enhance communication skills and build character while promoting high academic standards. We hope that your student will explore the possibilities of joining a fraternity or sorority. The opportunities, friendships, and support network once can gain when joining a fraternity/sorority here can help them grow and succeed throughout their college career and beyond.
Fraternities and sororities select their members through processes that are designed to introduce potential members to the organization and its current members. Some host formal recruitment, some "rush" and others conduct intake. Recruitment/intake is the mutual selection process by which the prospective member (the student) and the fraternities or sororities determine the best fit for membership. It is a mutual process where the students have the opportunity to decide which chapter would be a good fit for them and where each chapter determines who they would like to invite to be a member. While all chapters strive to create better men and women, each chapter is different and unique. We encourage students to be open-minded and interact with members of multiple chapters in order to determine if Fraternity & Sorority Life is for them and which chapter is the best fit. Some other suggestions are to attend different chapters' programs and events, review chapters' websites, and attend any of the events and informational sessions put on by the governing councils.
While some specific organizations may have higher standards, the minimum standard requirement to participate in recruitment/intake is:
Register with the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs on our webpage. Becoming a member varies among the three councils and may have additional requirements. We encourage you and your student to visit our website to learn more about each council's member selection process.
It's getting colder here in the South! Wintertime is generally regarded as the time of year when you are destined to feel under the weather. We want to make sure your student continues to stay healthy during these winter months. Fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and protein give us the necessary fuel to feel well and energetic. It is vital your student also understands the importance of washing his or her hands. We have anti-bacterial stations at all dining locations on campus — please stress to your student the importance of using these stations before and after eating!
It is also important that your student stays healthy for finals! Don't forget the brain food. Make sure your student eats properly during finals week! A $100 Caf Cash reload should get him or her through! Caf Cash can be used at any dining services location on campus (including the Eagle Express convenience store). You can add Caf Cash immediately to his or her account by going to the dining website. Remember, Caf Cash DOES roll over to spring semester, so if your student has some left over it will be waiting on his or her account for spring. All Caf Cash expires on June 30.
We have lots of new and exciting things happening on campus, and we strive to stay connected with you to make sure you don't miss out on any of it! Please make sure you check out our Dining Services website, Twitter and Instagram to see all the exciting things we are doing in the dining locations. You can find us on social media by searching for Winthrop Dining Services (@winthropdining). Our theme meals have been a hit and we are excited to offer more — you never know; you might just see your student in our pictures! Have a safe and wonderful holiday!
The Christmas tree tradition started back in the late 1800s. Students, faculty and staff members would gather to decorate a traditional Christmas tree inside the main lobby of Tillman (formally Main Building). In 1935 they began to decorate the large southern magnolia tree located on Tillman lawn. The southern magnolia was selected as the Heritage Tree in 2010. This is an award which honors trees that evoke great community spirit!
Slowly the tradition evolved into a ceremony that began in 1971. The Christmas tree lighting became an official Winthrop event. For many years, the ceremony was part of a large campus celebration, that was known as the Festival of Carols.
Today, we are thrilled that our tree lighting ceremony is celebrated as a part of Rock Hill's annual ChristmasVille festival. ChristmasVille is a weekend celebration of the holiday season. The Christmas parade starts after the Christmas tree lighting, right in front of Tillman Hall. The parade starts on Oakland Avenue and runs through downtown Rock Hill. This year President Mahony and his family will light the Christmas Tree and make an appearance in the Christmas Parade.
The southern magnolia tree is special to Winthrop students, alumni and faculty in many ways. Those of us who have been around awhile remember it as a perfectly shaped old tree that withstood the winds of hurricane Hugo in 1989. Although the tree has been a little lopsided since then, our Christmas tree still stands as a symbol of hope and tradition on our beautiful campus.
In 2014 the southern magnolia tree retired the Christmas lights that have been used for more than 50 years. LED lights are now used in the Christmas tree lighting. These lights make the tree shine brighter than in years past.
The Student Alumni Council (SAC) hosts the annual Christmas tree lighting. Our students offer warm smiles and holiday cheer during this exciting event.
Friday, December 2
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6 p.m.
Monday, December 5
Last Day of Classes
Tuesday, December 6
Study Day
Wednesday, December 7 - Tuesday, December 13
Final Exams
Saturday, December 17
December Commencement Ceremonies
Wednesday, December 14 - Sunday, January 8:
Holiday Break (offices are closed December 24 - January 2)