Dear Campus Community,
I am writing today to share the news that a member of our leadership team is leaving Winthrop. Ken Halpin was named today as deputy athletics director and chief operating officer of the Purdue University athletics department. His last day at Winthrop will be August 6. This development is bittersweet as I share Ken’s excitement about his future but will miss his many contributions to not only athletics but to university leadership as well.
Joining the Boilermaker family is a fantastic opportunity. An Oregon native, Ken joined the Winthrop team in July 2016 after five years at Eastern Washington University where he served in multiple roles overseeing a wide range of athletics responsibilities.
At Winthrop, Ken has led during difficult fiscal times, but he always put the student athlete first, placing a priority on success in the classroom as well as athletes’ health and safety during the pandemic. His support for teams and individuals contributed to numerous athletics accomplishments, not the least of which was two back-to-back Big South Conference men’s basketball championships. Ken renewed a commitment to diversity among the staff and brought new ideas to promotions and marketing efforts for the Winthrop Eagles. His outreach and visibility in the community was impressive, and his passion for Winthrop was contagious. One of his most important undertakings in recent years was the development and implementation of a strategic vision for the athletics program: the Drive to 25 strategic plan.
You can read more about Ken’s new position here, but please join me in wishing him every success and happiness in this new phase of his professional life. As we plan for the future, I am pleased that Hank Harrawood, deputy athletic director for Intercollegiate Athletics, has agreed to serve as interim AD.
Again, please join me in wishing Ken, Amber and the kids the best as they start this exciting new chapter.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
