Dear Colleagues:
The fall semester is well underway, and I want to thank you for your part in helping
the university have such a smooth and successful start to the academic year. Your
participation in Convocation, Welcome Week and other events extended a warm Winthrop
welcome to our new students. I'm confident that same spirit of camaraderie will serve
our students well in the classroom and beyond this semester.
I wanted to take just a moment to update you on a couple of items. This month's key
takeaways include:
Accolades
We have once again been mentioned in U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges"
edition as well as in the Princeton Review's "2019 Best Colleges: Region By Region"
online resource. In U.S. News, Winthrop retained its spot among the South's top 10
public regional universities that convey bachelor's and master's degrees for 2018.
Ranking eighth among Southern publics, we remained in the top 25 of public and private
institutions in the region. The rankings cited our average first-year retention rate
of 75 percent and our faculty/student ratio of 14:1. The university also was included
in U.S. News' "Best Colleges for Veterans" list, another honor of which we are particularly
proud.
The Princeton Review included us in its annual list of top regional universities,
and Winthrop was praised for its diverse student body and beautiful campus. In addition,
Money Magazine named Winthrop to its "Best Colleges for Your Money 2018" rankings,
which reinforces our commitment to providing the high quality and accessible Winthrop
experience to all students.
As I always say, while we don't chase these rankings, we're pleased that our efforts
and student-focused Winthrop experience are consistently noted. Thanks to each of
you for your contributions to these recognitions.
State of the University Address Invitation
A more formal email invitation will be coming to you shortly, but I would like for
you to save the date of Tuesday, Oct. 16, for the university's third annual State
of the University address. During my 11:15 a.m. presentation in Richardson Ballroom,
I will update you on our Winthrop Plan progress and share additional information related
to our campus-wide strategic plan efforts.
As always, thank you for all that you do for Winthrop. I appreciate your support as
we work together on Winthrop's behalf.
