Dear Colleagues:
When I first arrived at Winthrop, I learned quickly that Winthrop’s senior leadership team is comprised of an astute, competent and enthusiastic group of professionals. They have challenged and supported me as we have persevered together through this pandemic. In reality, I’ve probably spent more time talking with them over the last 10 months than I have with some of my closest friends.
Those circumstances make it difficult to announce that one of our leadership team is leaving the Winthrop family. Today the University of Mississippi named Vice President for Access and Enrollment Management Eduardo Prieto the inaugural vice chancellor for enrollment management to provide leadership to 70 professionals in admissions and financial aid beginning in March of this year.
Joining the Ole Miss team is a fabulous opportunity for Eduardo but a great loss for Winthrop. An Oklahoma native, Eduardo joined the Winthrop administration in 2014 after stints at four different public and private institutions, where he honed his experience working in recruitment, competitive admission efforts, budget management, territory management, and financial aid.
At Winthrop, Eduardo led a new division pairing admissions and financial aid. His team set new university records in fall 2020 and fall 2019 for number of freshman applications, recruited three of Winthrop’s nine largest classes (fall 2019, fall 2016, and fall 2015), established a new university record for highest average composite ACT score of 23 in fall 2018 (exceeded state of South Carolina overall average of 18.3), and achieved the highest Winthrop composite SAT average in the last 20 years in fall 2017 at 1084 (exceeded state of South Carolina overall average of 1064). In transfer, out-of-state and minority recruitment Eduardo’s division set records as well, and Winthrop is fortunate he has assembled a hard-working, creative staff who work together to not only get students in the university’s door but help them on the aid front to remain enrolled and achieve their degrees.
You can read more about Eduardo’s new position here, but please join me in wishing Eduardo every success and happiness in this new phase of his professional life. We will miss him and wife Traci and their dedication to the Winthrop community.
Before the next academic year, I plan to announce a national search for Eduardo’s replacement. In the meantime, he will continue in his role until sometime in February. Prior to Eduardo's departure, I will make an interim appointment to lead the access and enrollment management division on a temporary basis.
Again, please join me in wishing Eduardo the best in his new endeavors.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
