My Winthrop Experience

Browse the following profiles to read more about the life-changing Winthrop experiences of our graduates, students, alumni, donors, faculty and staff:

Ali Pizza '22 - M.A. in Arts Administration

Tony Chau '21 - Master of Business Administration

Jean Paul Dushime '18 - Master of Business Administration in Finance

Daniel Stanton '09, '15 - M.S. in Biology

Sheri Lynch '13 - Master of Social Work

Lisa Knox '10, '12 - Master of Music

Vilissa K. Thompson '08, '12 - Master of Social Work

Heyward Murray '08, '10 - M.A.T. in Elementary Education

Chris Hathcock '05, '09 - M.A. in Teacher Education, Music K-12

Ernest Allen '03, '07 - M.S. in Biology

Pierre Wooten '02, '05 - Master of Business Administration

Derrick Alridge '88, '92 - M.Ed. in Secondary Education

Browse the following profiles to read the testimonies and stories from other students and alumni:

James C. (Jimmie) Williamson, Ph.D. '80, '85, '21 - M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling, Master of Social Work

Jordan Warren '15 - M.A. in Arts Administration

Erin Curran '07, '09 - M.S. in Athletic Administration

Dick McCoy '04 - Master of Business Administration

Steven M. Cansler '02 - M.A. in Spanish

ALUMNI PROFILE

Name: Steven M. Cansler '02
Degree: Master of Arts in Spanish
Occupation: Financial Crime Investigator (Retired)

ALUMNI TESTIMONIAL

"[After starting this program] I quickly talked a few of my fellow grad students into forming a study group for each course. Not only was it extremely helpful, but it also resulted in the formation of a bond between us that was comparable to the bonds that I formed with people who I served with in the military."

"My academic journey to Graduate School at Winthrop University was somewhat unique and anything but a straight line from college. Considering the fact that the military played such a surprising, but significant role in setting me on the path to Winthrop, I feel that a little bit of a back story is required.

My Vietnam War Era graduation from high school coincided with the reinstatement of the military draft lottery system, which was based on every young man's birthday, registered with the Selective Service System. Registration was required within 30 days of turning the age of eighteen. The lower your number, which could range anywhere between 1 and 365, the more likely you were to be drafted into the Army the coming year, which generally involved the numbers from 1 to about 240. If your number was above 240 or so, you had no obligation for military service and could plan your life accordingly. However, in my case, I received a draft lottery number of 76, which indicated that I had a definite obligation to serve in the military. Accordingly, instead of waiting to be drafted into the Army infantry, which guaranteed a tour of duty in Vietnam, I enlisted in the Air Force. It wasn't until after basic training, while I was going through the military law enforcement academy, that I learned that the Security Police were the infantry of the Air Force with a combat mission to protect the air base. So, I accepted the fact that I was on my way to Vietnam one way or the other.

In fact, a short time later, while working in nuclear weapon security at a base in Montana, no one was more surprised than me when I got orders to Europe. My fellow cops, who all had orders to Vietnam or South Korea, were convinced that I had an uncle or some family member who was a senator or congressman pulling strings for me. However, nothing could have been further from the truth. During what turned out to be a three-year tour of duty in Spain, I did police work not only on base, but also off base with Spanish military and civilian law enforcement agencies, conducting dual investigations regarding any criminal or civil issues involving American G.I.'s from the base. Although we were provided with interpreters, any Spanish that I could pick up really enhanced my ability to interact with the Spanish national authorities. Consequently, I made a real effort to get into the language and along the way, met my wife, and went through the entire courtship process in Spanish.

After completing four years of active duty, I went to college full-time on the G.I. Bill, while also working full-time at just about any job that would allow me to go to school. However, as time passed, while working on an Associates in Arts degree at Central Piedmont Community College, I was eventually able to parlay my military law enforcement experience and bilingual ability into better jobs.

When I eventually earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in Spanish from Limestone College, via their off-campus night school program in the early 1980's, I assumed that would be the end of my academic endeavors. However, 20 years later in the late 1990's, while working as a Criminal Investigator and Security Consultant for an energy company, I was sent on a short assignment to Argentina. Just like English accents and terminology can vary greatly from one country to another, the same is true with Spanish.
I definitely found that to be the case in Argentina, but was able to complete my mission without any major problems. However, I saw a real need to improve my Spanish.

It took a little salesmanship, but I was eventually able to convince company management, that perfecting my Spanish would directly enhance my ability to do my job while working in the Spanish speaking countries where the company had operations and facilities. Accordingly, management agreed to reimburse me for my tuition expenses in connection with my pursuit of a Master of Arts degree in Spanish at Winthrop University. So, at age 49, I found myself in Graduate School.

The skills that I had developed in the military to improvise, adapt, and overcome had served me well in the corporate world. So, I was hoping that skill set would also be a plus in Grad School. Aside from being the oldest student, the first thing that I noticed was that everyone of my classmates were Spanish teachers at either public or private schools ranging from middle schools to high schools. In fact, a couple were even native Spanish speakers. Although I was not a teacher, most of my jobs had required me to conduct a certain amount of training classes from time to time in the areas of fraud detection and white-collar crime prevention. So, I wasn't exactly a novus when it came to the concept of teaching.

The degree required the completion of 10 courses. The lecturing, textbooks, exams, and required presentations were all in Spanish. The students even spoke Spanish with each other during the short breaks that we received during our classes. Feeling that I was somewhat in over my head, I quickly talked a few of my fellow grad students into forming a study group for each course. Not only was it extremely helpful, but it also resulted in the formation of a bond between us that was comparable to the bonds that I formed with people who I served with in the military. Sharing intense stressful situations tends to do that.

Although I was working full time, a combination of taking night classes during the Fall and Spring semesters and using my vacation days to take multiple classes during the Summer semesters allowed me to complete the degree in a year and a half. I actually finished the last courses at Salamanca University in Salamanca, Spain, via Winthrop's study abroad program. That required a combination of vacation days and a short paid educational leave from my company.

After graduation I was offered the opportunity to teach undergraduate level Spanish courses at Winthrop a couple nights a week. I accepted the position and was a part-time faculty member for several years. Following some reorganization and management changes at the energy company, I began working as a bilingual Financial Crime Investigator with an international financial institution. It was an ironic twist of fate, which resulted in Winthrop University and an international bank becoming the primary beneficiaries of the knowledge and expertise that I acquired while pursuing my graduate degree, instead of the energy company that actually paid for it.

After almost a decade with the Bank, I was able to workout an early retirement. The early retirement afforded me the opportunity to give back to the community. I have done volunteer work for years with Family Court as a bilingual Child Custody Advocate and from time to time, I have taught English as a second language.

Sincerely,

Steven M. Cansler, Class of 2002"

Dr. Lincoln E. Sigwald '92, '98 - Master of Liberal Arts

Beatrice (Bea) Coté '80, '88 - M.Ed. in Counseling and Development

Mitrofanis Papathanasiou '82, '85 - M.S. in Biology

Cynthia Plair Roddey '67 - Master of Arts in Teaching