Dear Winthrop Parents:
On behalf of the Winthrop University family, I am happy to welcome you to one of the
most diverse and dynamic communities in higher education today. We are a high quality
university that embraces high impact practices and the rigorous reviews associated
with specialized academic accreditation. We are proud of our safe campus environment,
our integrated student services and our award winning student programming. We continue
to earn national recognition for the civic engagement activities of our students,
faculty and staff.
Through our residential life experiences and the hundreds of leadership development
opportunities that abound through Greek life, student organizations, student media
and the Council of Student Leaders, we have created a campus culture where students
learn that to be a person of success, they must first be a person of value. In doing
so, we know they will develop the integrity that makes them standout as leaders in
their communities and in their chosen professions.
Along with our acclaimed faculty and staff, I promise to do all I can to prepare your
sons and daughters for career success, to be engaged in our democratic society, to
be responsive to local and global concerns and to be grounded in values that will
give meaning to their lives.
We are honored that you have chosen us to educate your children. We will do our best
on your behalf and together we can help them navigate the amazing journey toward their
futures.
With Eagle pride,
Dr. Jayne Marie (Jamie) Comstock
President
Welcome to a new academic year at Winthrop! The faculty, staff and students are excited
to be starting the 2013-2014 academic year. As classes begin, I want to be sure to
introduce many resources available to students, parents and family members in our
University community. In this issue of the Eagle Family Connection, we will highlight
some of these resources that are available to maximize your student's experience at
Winthrop.
Parents and family members are vital to their students' academic and co-curricular
success during their college career. You are valued members of the Winthrop community.
We are devoted to creating a culture of care in our University community where everyone
is dedicated to the well-being, education and growth of your student. We look forward
to working with you through this academic year and keeping you connected to the University
and informed of opportunities for your student.
Our office is here to be your connection to the University and our resources. We
are happy to serve as a point of connection for you through answering your questions
or putting you in touch with those who can. Please do not hesitate to contact us
with any questions you may have by e-mailing us or calling 803/323-2387.
Go Eagles!
Carrie Brunt Whiteside
Program Director
New Student & Parent Programs
Winthrop University and the Office of New Student and Parent Programs are excited
to invite you to attend Family Day 2013 on October 5, 2013! This weekend provides
you the opportunity to visit with your student and take part in numerous activities
and events planned for your enjoyment.
The registration fee for Family Day 2013 is $30 per person (children 6 and under and
students are free). Your registration fee covers the Family Day Lunch with the Symphonic
Band, all other activities, a Family Day giveaway, a Family Day t-shirt and administrative
costs.
Family Day 2013 Registration is now available! To register for Family Day, please
visit the Family Day webpage. You will need to enter your student's last name and birthdate to access the system.
Once in the system, you will enter information for each family member you are registering.
Please note that the last day to register or cancel for a refund is Friday, September
27, 2013.
Family Day 2012 Preliminary Schedule of Events
Registration and Check-in
8:30 a.m. — 12 p.m.
Choose Your Own Activity, Galleries Exhibit, Behind-the-Scenes Tours
9:30 a.m. — 10 a.m.
10:15 a.m. — 10:45 am
11 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.
Family Picnic with Symphonic Band
11:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m.
RSA Block Party
1 p.m. — 4 p.m.
Family Olympics
1:30 p.m. — 3 p.m.
Disc Golf Tournament
3:30 p.m. — 5 p.m.
Choose Your Own Activity, Archives Exhibit, Drunk Driving Course
3:30 p.m. — 4 p.m.
4:15 p.m. — 4:45 p.m.
5 p.m. — 5:30 p.m.
Dinner on Your Own
5:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.
Evening Activities
8 p.m. — 10 p.m.
We hope you will join us on October 5! Please do not hesitate to contact our office
at any time if you have any questions at 803/323-2387 or via e-mail.
The beginning of the semester is an exciting time, and with all of the events, meetings and new friends, it might be difficult for students to see the big picture and think about why they are at Winthrop and what they need to do to be academically successful. The Winthrop University Academic Success Center (ASC) is here to help! Here is our advice to share with your student to help send him/her down the road to academic success.
The ASC is an office dedicated to student success at Winthrop through "helping underprepared students prepare, prepared students advance and advanced students excel" (NADE). Our office offers a wide variety of services and would be delighted to be a part of your student's success journey. Please visit our website for more information.
We are very excited in the Office of Student Engagement & Diversity to welcome students back for another year at Winthrop. Our office has the privilege of providing our students with numerous opportunities to build friendships, develop leadership potential and have lasting contributions in our community. By getting involved in our 160+ registered student organizations, we believe that our students will make connections, make a difference and make Winthrop their home.
Part of the college student experience is having the ability to get involved in what
truly matters to you. On August 19, more than 80 of our student organizations had
tables at the annual Convocation Picnic. This event was a great opportunity for our
incoming students to learn more about how they can get plugged in at Winthrop. The
Fall Involvement Fair, which will be held on September 5, is another excellent chance
for our students to meet our hundreds of student organizations and find opportunities
to become engaged. We know that students who get involved tend to make lasting connections
with one another and the university, leading them to have a more positive college
experience.
Another benefit of our student organizations is the chance for students to continue
learning outside of the classroom. Studies have shown that campus involvement has
a lasting impact on students' personal development. In working as part of a team,
we believe our students will improve their leadership abilities, learn how to set
and achieve goals and develop critical thinking skills.
We encourage our students and parents to visit the Student Organizations website, where they can find a listing and description of all of our organizations. Additionally,
if a student is looking for ways to get involved, he or she can find more information
by e-mailing the organization using the link on our website.
While not all of our organizations will interest a particular student, we encourage
everyone to pick one or two that look fun so they can get involved. Also, if a student
can't find an organization that appeals to their interests, we encourage them to start
their own. In 2012-2013 alone, we had 10 new student organizations become chartered!
For more information on getting an organization started, students can visit our website.
If you have any questions, the Office of Student Engagement & Diversity is always
here to assist you or your student. Please feel free to e-mail us or call 803/323-2248.
Meal Plans are available for everyone. Commuter Meal Plans offer a lower buy-in amount,
with fewer meals and more Cafe Cash. Commuters still have the option to choose one
of our traditional meal plans. To purchase, log on to your Winthrop Wingspan account
— this will be charged back to your student account (for a limited time only). If
you are a parent of a Commuter, please refer to our website for current meal plan
specials.
Caf Cash is a declining balance account on your Student ID card, same concept as a bank debit
card. Once you add Cafe Cash to your account, you can make purchases at any of the
Dining Services locations by presenting your ID card to the cashier at the time of
purchase. Cafe Cash can be used at all dining locations on campus, as well as Eagle
Express - our convenience store located in Thomson Hall. You can purchase Caf Cash
through Winthrop Wingspan (for a limited time only) or the Winthrop Dining Services
website (throughout the entire year).
Caf Cash Special: Any student that purchases $200 or more of Caf Cash will receive an additional 10%
of their Caf Cash purchase FREE! (Ex. Buy $200 Caf Cash Receive an additional $20
of Caf Cash free)
Bookstore Bucks are a declining balance account on your Student ID card as well, same concept as
the Caf Cash — however, Bookstore Bucks can only be used in the Bookstore. They cannot
be rolled over to Caf Cash or refunded. You can purchase this through Winthrop Wingspan
(for a limited time only) or the Winthrop Dining Services website (throughout the
entire year).
Please visit our dining website or become a fan on Facebook to learn more about the great services we offer! We are excited to have you join
the Winthrop Family! Hope to see you dining on campus sometime soon.
