ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Finance Professor Philip Gibson has a time honored message for graduates as the keynote speaker during Winthrop University’s Dec. 14 Commencement exercises. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum.
Gibson, who was recognized in May as the university’s Distinguished Professor, will share his views on perseverance, lifelong learning and making the world a better place. He speaks as an experienced faculty member who is director of the financial planning program, the Charles Schwab Professional Development program and is newly named as associate dean for graduate programs and accreditation for the College of Business and Technology.
Presiding over Commencement will be President Edward Serna ’02 who will confer degrees for around 235 undergraduates and 125 graduate students. Also invited to participate are the 50 graduate and undergraduate students who finished their degrees in August.
In addition to the conferring of degrees, a highlight will be the faculty teaching award given to Crystal Glover ’97, ’99, an associate professor in the Richard W. Riley College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences. She is this year’s recipient of the James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching. Since returning to Winthrop a decade ago, Glover has made a significant impact on early childhood education due to her dedication to teaching, her recognition on campus for teaching, her mentorship of new faculty members and her reputation with students.
A second ceremony highlight is the President’s Award given to undergraduates with the highest GPAs.
Traffic Expected Around Coliseum
Rock Hill residents who are not attending the Commencement ceremony may want to stay away from the Winthrop Coliseum area due to the heavy traffic anticipated during the event. Signs will be posted near the coliseum encouraging those not attending to take a different route.
For those who cannot attend the Dec. 14 ceremony, they may view the live stream on YouTube.
Please visit the university’s homepage and click on the “Commencement Information” graphic to access the live stream and other important information regarding Commencement.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or longshawj@winthrop.edu.
