Dear Colleagues,
Can you believe it's time to usher in another academic year? I hope during the summer
you enjoyed time with family and friends, and that you are rested, recharged and ready
to welcome our students who began arriving this morning. The first few weeks of the
semester are very busy, so I wanted to update you on a few items of interest below:
Faculty and Staff Welcome Reception
Thanks to those of you who attended Monday's President's Welcome. It was good to talk
with so many of you and to spend time catching up, as well as welcome new members
of the Winthrop community. If you weren't able to attend, I encourage you to watch the video that was shown that highlighted all of the good work that happened on campus over
the summer. Your work over the summer, and every day, is much appreciated.
Convocation and Welcome Week
We will officially kick off Winthrop's 133rd academic year with our Aug. 20 Convocation ceremony. This 3 p.m. event in Byrnes Auditorium serves as the official welcome into
the Winthrop family of learners to our freshman class. Melissa Gladden '99, the founder
and owner of Carolina Recruitment, will deliver the Convocation keynote speech. I
encourage you to attend as a show of support for our newest students. After Convocation,
Laura and I will lead the freshman class out of Byrnes and toward the campus front
lawn in the traditional Blue Line procession. The community picnic will follow on
the lawn in front of Margaret Nance Hall, and will be catered by our new dining partner,
Sodexo. Offices will be close at 2:45 so that everyone can attend.
As always, the DiGiorgio Student Union has lined up a variety of fun activities during
Welcome Week. Take a look at the schedule and plan to attend an event or two.
Center for Professional Excellence
Last October in my State of the University presentation, I mentioned the importance
of creating a space focused on the professional development of Winthrop employees.
We have identified the former office of the president emeritus for this purpose.
To be known as the Center for Professional Excellence (CPE), its mission will be to
coordinate, promote, and provide professional development and training for Winthrop's
faculty, staff, and administrators in order to enable the institution to meet and
exceed the goals of the Winthrop Plan. Dr. Meg Webber will serve as the Executive
Director for the CPE while continuing her work as Vice Provost for Academic Quality
and Innovation.
With a doctorate in educational leadership, Meg has been planning, developing, facilitating,
and evaluating educational programs since the late 1990s across varied settings and
for diverse audiences. Meg's broad experience includes having a leadership role with
UnitedHealth Group during its Medicare Part D rollout and successfully directing SACSCOC
Quality Enhancement Plans (QEPs) at both Centenary College of Louisiana and Winthrop
University. Within higher education, she also has served as faculty for both education
and history departments at community colleges, private liberal arts, and public comprehensives.
New Advancement Team Member
Vice President for University Advancement Evan Bohnen has added to Winthrop's fundraising
team R.J. Gimbl, who will serve as associate vice president. R.J., who comes to Winthrop
from Fairmont State University in West Virginia where he was vice president for advancement,
brings to Winthrop extensive fundraising, volunteer management and advancement leadership
experience, including work at Penn State University
Along with serving as a major gift officer, R.J. will work with the development team
to grow the Winthrop Fund and expand membership in the Winthrop Leadership Society.
New Duties for Academic Leaders
Dr. Takita F. Sumter will assume the new position of Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
As a member of the Provost's Office, Takita will coordinate recruitment, appointment,
tenure and promotion, retention, and sabbaticals, while continuing to teach in the
Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Geology and serve as a member Winthrop's INBRE
leadership team. Dr. Sumter's work in this new role will facilitate initiatives to
support faculty and administrators within the Division of Academic Affairs.
Continuing as Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Jack DeRochi also will serve as Associate
Vice President for Academic Outreach. His new responsibilities will include working
as the Academic Affairs liaison to University Advancement, providing support to college
deans in their work to establish and maintain relationships with organizations and
donors that directly impact programs and student success. Jack also will work with
local business and organizations to build continuing education opportunities to advance
the career aspirations of adult students in our community.
Faculty and Staff Conferences
The first Faculty Conference meeting of the academic year on Friday, Aug. 17, at 2
p.m. in Plowden Auditorium. The first Staff Conference of the academic year will take
place on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 2 p.m. in Dina's Place.
Newest Trustees
The Winthrop Board of Trustees welcomed two new members on July 1. The South Carolina
General Assembly appointed Robby Sisco '80 to the Congressional District 7 seat that
was filled by Karl Folkens '76. Winthrop alumni earlier this year chose Isaiah "Reggie"
Venning '95, '00, to fill one of the alumni representative seats on the board.
Robby, who resides in Florence and will serve a six-year term, was the senior vice
president of human resources for the Cabot Corporation, a global specialty chemicals
and performance materials company. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business
administration from Francis Marion University in 1978 and a Master of Science degree
in personnel and industrial relations from Winthrop in 1980.
Isaiah lives in Rock Hill and will serve a six-year term. A self-employed stock trader,
he has served on the Graduate School Advisory Board as a member of the Community Relations
Sub-Committee. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration
and his Master of Business Administration degree from Winthrop.
Please join me in welcoming Robby and Isaiah to the board when you see them on campus.
Scholars Walk Swings
You may have noticed the Scholars Walk swings are missing.
Recently, our facilities management staff identified significant wear and structural
damage to the swings and their supporting wooden structures.
On Monday I'll send a message to our students explaining that, because their safety,
and that of all who use the swings, is our highest priority, we've temporarily replaced
the swings with rocking chairs and benches.
I appreciate how popular the swings are, and I'll let the students know that replacing
them is a priority.
For their continued safety, I'll also ask that, during the repairs, they refrain from
hanging anything from the wooden structures, including hammocks.
As always, thank you for all that you do for Winthrop. I appreciate your support as
we work together on Winthrop's behalf.
Sincerely,
Dan Mahony
