We are excited to welcome you back to campus for Homecoming and Reunion in November!
The schedule of events offers in-person and virtual events. Please see event details
below for the date, time, location and registration information. E-mail alumni@winthrop.edu with questions. (R) denotes registration required, virtual events are noted and ($) denotes cost associated
with the event.
Winthrop Spirit Check Video (Virtual)
Do you have Winthrop Spirit? Check out the Winthrop Alumni Association Facebook page, Twitter (@winthropalumni) or Instagram (@winthropalumni) to learn the Winthrop
Spirit Check so you can join us as we show our Eagle Pride all week long.
"Just One More... Celebrating the Life and Work of Joel Nichols" Exhibit
Noon | Facebook Live
Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections will host a Facebook Live of the "Just One More... Celebrating the Life and Work of Joel Nichols" exhibit. Joel Nichols was a long time photographer for Winthrop. Joel's wife, Janice Williams Nichols '63, '75, will join Archives for the event to share special insights and stories on some of the photographs. If you would like to see the exhibit in person, please visit the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections on Friday, Nov. 11 from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Faculty and Staff Alumni Lunch (R)
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Richardson Ballroom, located in the DiGiorgio Campus Center
As a thank you for their service to the university, all 200+ Winthrop faculty and
staff who are also Winthrop alumni are invited to a Faculty and Staff Alumni Luncheon,
courtesy of the Winthrop Alumni Association. Please reserve your spot by Tuesday, Nov. 1. If you have any dietary restrictions, e-mail Brittany Neely, alumni engagement coordinator.
If you’ve attended the lunch in the past, please wear your “Proud to Work for my Alma
Mater” T-shirt that you received. If you do not have a T-shirt or are a new faculty
or staff alumnus, stop by the alumni office, 304 Tillman, between Nov. 1-4 to pick
one up. We will take a group photo at 12:30 p.m.
Campus Beautification Initiative: REVITALIZING WINTHROP (R)
2 p.m. | Margaret Nance Hall
With the start of the 2021-22 academic year, REVITALING WINTHROP launched a new website and announced the Winthrop Year of Service to spark community engagement and participation. Everyone has an opportunity to participate
in this community service activity by planting new shrubs at the front of Margaret Nance Hall.
Following our Campus Beautification Initiative join us for happy hour at Slow Play Brewing. Slow Play Brewing is owned by three Winthrop alumni, Ben Lee ’05, Matt Poston ’11
and Ron Fasick ’02. Registrants will receive more details ahead of Nov. 9.
Winthrop Wednesday with The Tipsy Doc (R) (Virtual)
7 p.m. | Zoom
Mark your calendars for a virtual cocktail social with The Tipsy Doc, Akilah Murray '15! The Tipsy Doc will walk us through the steps to make two Winthrop-inspired
beverages, the Winthrop College and the Winthrop University. The link to join along
with the beverage recipes will be e-mailed to registered alumni by Monday, Nov. 7.
Alumni Awards Dinner (R)
6 p.m. | Richardson Ballroom, located in the DiGiorgio Campus Center
The 2022 Alumni Award recipients will be honored at the Alumni Awards Dinner. This event is invitation
only.
"Just One More...Celebrating the Life and Work of Joel Nichols" Exhibit
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., | Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections
Stop by the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections to see an exhibit of the life and work of Joel "Nick" Nichols. Joel was Winthrop's photographer from 1963-2008. Joel was honored during the 2008 Alumni Reunion Celebration for his dedication to capturing and documenting university life for nearly 45 years. The Winthrop Alumni Association granted him honorary membership in the Alumni Association as a member of the Class of 1963, the same class as his wife, Janice Williams Nichols.
West Center Tours (R)
2 p.m. | Lois Rhame West Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center
The West Center provides educational and recreational opportunities for the campus
and is the home of the Office of Recreational Services and the Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Performance. Take a tour to see the four-court gymnasium, 1/8 mile indoor track, 36-foot climbing
wall, four racquetball courts, 8-lane 25-yard pool and more!
College of Arts and Sciences Encore Distinguished Lectures (R)
2 p.m. | Kinard Hall Auditorium
Join us to hear the culminating work and reflections of Winthrop's College of Arts and Sciences Emeriti Professors. Lecture times and topics are listed below. Light refreshments
will be served at 2 p.m. If you are unable to join in person, you can participate
via Zoom. E-mail Jill Lauber at lauberj@winthrop.edu to request the Zoom link. Please consider a gift to support the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Excellence Fund.
Lecture details:
People in Our National Parks: Changing Perspectives
Dr. Marsha Bollinger, Geology Professor Emerita
2:15–2:55 p.m.
According to the mission statement of the US National Park Service, the parks should
“preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources [of the parks]. . . for the
enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” But what has
the relationship of people been to our iconic national parks? Have all people been
welcomed and inspired? Examples of how our relationship with the parks has evolved
over time will be presented. Changes due to the COVID-19 global pandemic will be included.
Our Befuddling English Language: Why Do We Say That? Who Made Up Those Rules?
Dr. Gloria Jones, English Professor Emerita
3–3:40 p.m.
This presentation will focus on the oddities in our English language – the peculiarities
that make us question, “What? Why?” Many of these questions came from students in
the 500-level “Theory and Practice Grammar” course over the last 25 years, students
who always made me re-examine the idiosyncrasies of our language and research many
of their origins.
Finding Your Voice: How To Tell Your Personal Story in the Professional Youniverse
Dr. Padmini Patwardhan, Mass Communication Professor Emerita
3:45–4:25 p.m.
Our ability to communicate effectively with others is vital for professional success.
But do we really reflect on what we are communicating and how we are doing it? This
brief presentation will highlight simple brand-building and storytelling strategies
from integrated marketing communication that can help shape how others see us in our
professional Youniverse. Used thoughtfully, these tools can be used to find and amplify
our voice and tell our own story regardless of where we are in our careers.
CANCELLED: Campus Tours with Student Ambassador (R)
3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. | Joynes Hall
Cancelled due to inclement weather forecasted for Friday, Nov. 12.
"Day by Day" 1919 Film Viewing (R)
3:30 p.m. | Dina’s Place
A special screening of the 1919 silent film of Winthrop, which was used as a recruitment video will be shown during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. Gina Price White ’83, director of Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, will narrate the movie.
Class Reunion Welcome Reception (R)
5-7 p.m. | Olde Stone House
If you are celebrating a milestone reunion, kick off your Homecoming and Reunion Weekend
at the Class Reunion Welcome Reception at the Olde Stone House. Enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with fellow alumni from the Class of 1942-2017
celebrating a milestone reunion.
Homecoming Happy Hour ($) (R)
5 p.m. | Slow Play Brewing
Raise a glass to your Winthrop friends with an alumni Happy Hour at Slow Play Brewing! Grab some delicious grub from the Cibi Cibi food truck. Cibi Cibi will be there from 4-9 p.m., and the brewery will be open until
11 p.m. Come early for an exclusive brewery tour at 4:40 or 4:45 p.m. Tours are limited
to 10 people per tour. E-mail alumni@winthrop.edu by Oct. 28 to reserve your spot for a brewery tour. Slow Play Brewing is owned by three Winthrop alumni, Ben Lee ’05, Matt Poston ’11 and Ron Fasick ’02.
Mention you are an alumnus to get 15% off your bar tab.
The following affinity groups will have tables on the patio from 5-7 p.m. so alumni
can connect: Black Alumni Council, Model United Nations; Philosophy and Religious Studies; Political Science; PRISM (formerly ZZZ/GLoBAL); Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology; Student Alumni Council; STEM (departments include - Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology and the Environment, Human Nutrition and Mathematics) and World Languages and Cultures. The Winthrop Bookstore will have a pop-up shop at Slow Play from 5-7 p.m.
Softball Alumnae Game (R)
5 p.m. | Terry Field
Winthrop softball alumnae, come out and play! Festivities will begin at 5 p.m. followed by the softball game, alumnae vs. current squad, at 6:30 p.m. at Terry Field. Register for the game with Coach Ansley at gilstrapl@winthrop.edu. Please include your T-shirt size with your RSVP.
Class of 1972 50-Year Reunion Wine and Cheese Reception and Class Dinner (R)
6 p.m. | Richardson Ballroom, located in the DiGiorgio Campus Center
The Class of 1972 will celebrate their 50-Year Reunion with a wine and cheese reception
followed by a class dinner in Richardson Ballroom located in the DiGiorgio Campus
Center.
Saturday, Nov. 12
Reunion Class Photos
9:30-10:30 a.m. | McBryde Hall
Each reunion class will take a commemorative photo that will be mailed as a keepsake. Each class photo time is noted in your class letter and below. Join all reunion classes in McBryde Hall for coffee, cocktails, games and a walk down memory lane with Winthrop Archives before the brunch buffet opens at 11 a.m. Pick up your nametag and reunion souvenir if you did not receive it on Friday.
Alumni Reunion Brunch (R)
10 a.m. | McBryde Hall
Celebrate your reunion and meet Winthrop’s first family as they celebrate their first reunion weekend at Winthrop! Reunion classes will be recognized by Winthrop's new president, Dr. Edward Serna ’02 (who is celebrating his 20-year Winthrop reunion!), and Alumni Executive Board president Byron Putman ’94. Enjoy coffee, cocktails, games and a walk down memory lane with Winthrop memorabilia from Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections before the brunch buffet opens at 11 a.m. followed by our program.
Homecoming Tailgate ($)
10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Coliseum
Celebrate Homecoming by setting up a tailgate with alumni, family and friends before
the men's basketball Homecoming game at 4 p.m. The Winthrop Bookstore will have a pop-up shop beside the Alumni Association Tent from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Maki Taco will be open from 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., and Roam Local sorbet will be open from 12 - 3:30 p.m. to purchase food. Visit the Homecoming Tailgate website for more information and Winthrop Athletics to purchase your tailgate spot.
West Center Tours (R)
12:30 p.m. | Lois Rhame West Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center
The West Center provides educational and recreational opportunities for the campus and is the home of the Office of Recreational Services and the Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Performance. Take a tour to see the four-court gymnasium, 1/8 mile indoor track, 36-foot climbing wall, four racquetball courts, 8-lane 25-yard pool and more!
Winthrop Alumni Choir Homecoming Concert
2 p.m. | Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church
421 Oakland Ave.
Rock Hill, SC 29730
The Winthrop Alumni Choir and the Winthrop University Chorale will present a Homecoming concert at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. The concert is free, open to the public and will include pieces sung by the Winthrop Alumni Choir and Winthrop Chorale. Follow Winthrop University Choirs on Facebook for more updates.
E-mail Jeremy Mims, director of choral activities, at mimsj@winthrop.edu by Saturday, Oct. 15 to reserve your spot in the choir.
Men's Basketball Game vs. Middle Tennessee State University ($)
4 p.m. | Coliseum
The men's basketball team will host the Homecoming game against Middle Tennessee State
University at the Coliseum. Tickets are available for purchase beginning Nov. 1 at
winthropeagles.com
Women's Basketball Game vs. Coppin State University ($)
2 p.m. | Coliseum
The women's basketball team will host the Coppin State Eagles for a Homecoming game. Tickets are available for purchase beginning Nov. 1 at winthropeagles.com.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts will have three gallery exhibitions and the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections will have an exhibition for the fall semester which will be open for alumni to visit during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend.
Mutually Assured Seduction (MAS)
Tamara LaValla
Sept. 12 - Dec. 9 | Rutledge Gallery
Mutually Assured Seduction (MAS) is a One-Woman Group Show, led by artist Tamara LaValla,
exploring a real and persistent preoccupation with desire, order, progress and work.
MAS resists the evanescent embrace of our ethereal, virtual world through the rigors
of making. The resulting collaborative artifacts and ephemera — edible, malleable,
consumable, sonic — are, at once, both timely and timeless.
Tamara LaValla earned her B.F.A. in Illustration from Syracuse University. She worked
as an award-winning illustrator for the Herald newspaper in Rock Hill and co-founded
Social Design House. She is currently a faculty member in the Department of Design
at Winthrop and is a self-described OCD artist, and sometimes chocolate maker.
Southern Fiction
Tema Stauffer
Sept. 12 - Dec. 9 | Elizabeth Dunlap Patrick Gallery
Tema Stauffer’s Southern Fiction traces the literary landscape of the American South
investigating sites that were formative to canonical fiction writers of the region
such as William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Harper Lee, Truman Capote, Alice Walker and
Flannery O'Conner, among others. Large-format color photographs depict the domestic
settings, vernacular architecture, and rural landscapes significant to the history
of these iconic writers. Through this series, Stauffer explores the beauty, mystery
and complexity of the South. She is currently an Associate Professor of Photography
at East Tennessee State University. Her work has been exhibited at Sasha Wolf, Daniel
Cooney Fine Art, and Jen Bekman galleries in New York, as well as galleries and institutions
internationally.
"Just One More...Celebrating the Life and Work of Joel Nichols" Exhibit
Sept. 16 - Dec. 16 | Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections
Stop by the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections to see an exhibit of the life and work of Joel "Nick" Nichols. Joel was Winthrop's photographer from 1963-2008. Joel was honored during the 2008 Alumni Reunion Celebration for his dedication to capturing and documenting university life for nearly 45 years. The Winthrop Alumni Association granted him honorary membership in the Alumni Association as a member of the Class of 1963, the same class as his wife, Janice Williams Nichols.
Art Education Exhibition
Nov. 1-14 | Lewandowski Student Gallery
In this exhibition, art education students display a collection of interdisciplinary/community-based artworks created by K-12 students during their internship experience. This is a legacy art education exhibition that is connected to their capstone exhibition.
The Winthrop University Bookstore is located inside the DiGiorgio Campus Center on the first floor and will be open during the following times. For additional information, call 803/323-3800.
Monday-Friday | 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday | 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
Mention you are a Winthrop alumnus at these local businesses to enjoy discounts during the 2022 Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. From cold beer to coffee, to an immersive shopping experience, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Celebrate your milestone reunion with 15% off a beverage at Rock Hill’s full coffee immersion coffee shop.
Celebrate your milestone reunion with 15% off your tab. Slow Play Brewing is owned by three Winthrop alumni, Ben Lee ’05, Matt Poston ’11 and Ron Fasick ’02.
Take 10% off your purchase at Rock Hill’s immersive & unique shopping establishment.