Before Winthrop moved to its Rock Hill home in 1894, the Rock Hill community played an important role in helping shape Winthrop's future. Rock Hill residents rallied for the state school to be located here, and Rock Hill competed successfully against other towns across South Carolina. In the years since Winthrop moved to Rock Hill, the partnership between the two has grown stronger.
Today "town and gown" relationships are cultivated through many university divisions with coordination through the Office of the President. Some of the most significant current projects in which Winthrop has a role are Knowledge Park/University Center, Miracle Park, the My Ride free electric bus system, and overall downtown redevelopment due to the campus' close proximity to the urban core.
