ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Local businessman Watts Huckabee ’89 will share an inspirational message of hope with graduates as the keynote speaker during Winthrop University’s Dec. 20 Commencement exercises. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum.
The founder of A. Watts Huckabee & Company, Inc. (Carolinas Insurance & Investment Group—CIIG), Huckabee has spent 35 years building businesses in the region, including partnerships and investments in local ventures.
Presiding over the Dec. 20 Commencement ceremony will be President Edward Serna ’02 who will confer degrees for nearly 220 undergraduates and 75 graduate students. Also invited to participate are the nearly 100 graduate and undergraduate students who finished their degrees in August.
In addition to the conferring of degrees, a ceremony highlight will be a faculty teaching award presented to Janet Wojcik, professor and program director of exercise science who is this year’s recipient of the James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her colleagues said Wojcik is a teacher who places students at the center of her work, whose reputation on campus and in her discipline is one of excellence and integrity, and who is a leader whose contributions have shaped Winthrop academic programs with lasting impact.
Another highlight will be the President’s Award given to undergraduates with the highest GPAs. In addition, the university will confer an honorary degree upon the late Glenn McCall, the Winthrop Board of Trustees board chair who passed away this summer.
About Watts Huckabee
A Rock Hill native, Huckabee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Winthrop.
Deeply committed to service, he has served on the York County Council representing District 6 since January 2023. He also has held leadership roles on numerous civic, nonprofit, and professional boards, including eight years on the Winthrop University Board of Trustees, and past presidencies of state and regional insurance professional associations. His community impact has been recognized with honors such as Winthrop’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award and the Rock Hill Chamber’s Small Business awards.
Huckabee is a proud father to Olivia H. Stufflebean and Ansel W. Huckabee Jr., both commercial insurance underwriters. Married to retired award-winning WBTW Channel 13 anchor Nicole “Nickie” Huckabee ’88, he is a devoted stepfather to her two children, Mac and Livie Boone, and a proud grandfather to Simms and Willow.
Traffic Expected Around Coliseum
Rock Hill residents who are not attending the Commencement ceremony may want to stay away from the Winthrop Coliseum area due to the heavy traffic anticipated during the event. Signs will be posted near the coliseum encouraging those not attending to take a different route.
For those who cannot attend the Dec. 20 ceremony, they may view the live stream on YouTube.
Please visit the university’s homepage and click on the “Commencement Information” graphic to access the live stream and other important information regarding Commencement.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or longshawj@winthrop.edu.
