On Thursday, June 27, we will dedicate both the new fountain and the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center at the Stewart House for A Day of Dedications. The fountain dedication will take place at 2 p.m. in Tillman Hall Auditorium before heading out to the fountain for a champagne toast. The Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center at the Stewart House dedication will be held at 3:30 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially dedicate the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center’s new location. We are very grateful to our generous fountain donors and Betty Morgan Holcombe ’56 for making these projects a reality.
Registration for A Day of Dedications closed on Friday, June 14.
If you are not able to join us in person, tune in to the fountain dedication and ribbon cutting at the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center live feed via the Alumni Association's Facebook page.
Thanks to the generosity of Winthrop alumni, community members and friends, the fountain
has come to life again and will continue to be a significant asset to the beauty of
the Winthrop campus. The Classes of 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 selected the Fountain
Restoration Project as their 50-year reunion fundraising projects. Other significant
gifts have been donated by community groups such as the Herbert and Anna Lutz Foundation
in Chester County, which awarded Winthrop a $25,000 grant in 2021.
Construction of the fountain was completed in November 2023. The new fountain design and size pays homage to the iconic former fountain. Accessibility at the site has been improved with new paved surfaces, modifications of existing parking and replacing the sidewalk. An arrangement of brick and concrete pavement surrounding the fountain, along with eight benches, invites visitors to sit and enjoy the beautiful front campus.
On June 27, we will celebrate the donors who made the Fountain Restoration Project possible and the iconic symbol that will be enjoyed by the campus and Rock Hill communities.
Remarks from President Edward Serna ’02 will take place at 2 p.m. in Tillman Auditorium
followed by a champagne toast at the fountain. Golf carts will be available to take
guests from the fountain to the Stewart House.
Betty Morgan Holcombe, Class of 1956, had a vision for an alumni center on Winthrop’s
campus. During Homecoming and Reunion Weekend in 2011, it was announced that the Holcombes
had made a leadership gift to support the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center and its programming
in a commitment to Distinction: The Campaign for
Winthrop. The Winthrop press release stated that, “Until such time as the new Morgan-Holcombe
Alumni Center is built, Winthrop University will dedicate its current Office of Alumni
Relations as ‘The Milton W. and Betty Morgan Holcombe Alumni Center.’” The dedication
of the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center in Tillman Hall commemorated Mrs. Holcombe’s
55-year reunion. In 2023, the Alumni Association and Winthrop University Foundation
office moved its operations to the Stewart House, which brought to life the realization
of Mrs. Holcombe’s leadership gift and wish for an alumni center at Winthrop.
The Stewart House was constructed in 1895 by W. H. Stewart, a prosperous farmer from Fort Mill and member of the State House of Representatives from 1886-1890, and served as his second home. Stewart occupied the house until his death in 1912, when the acre lot and house were sold to Winthrop for $10,000. Winthrop converted the Stewart House into Winthrop’s new practice home, where seniors would live to gain experience living independently and managing a “typical rural Southern home.” Routines included housecleaning, outdoor laundering, poultry raising, beekeeping, cooking and gardening. The Stewart House served as the practice home from 1912-1939 and was then used for Home Economics students until 1972. Since 1972, the Stewart House has served as home for many university offices, including Admissions and the International Center.
On June 27, we will celebrate the generosity of Mrs. Holcombe as we dedicate the Morgan-Holcombe
Alumni Center at the Stewart House. The dedication will begin at 3:30 p.m. with remarks
and a ribbon cutting. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be served.
Specific moments of Winthrop's history are highlighted in the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center. Click here to view the map of historical moments.
