Convocation will officially usher in Winthrop's 133rd year as a higher education
institution. The ceremony serves as an official welcome to new freshmen and transfer
students and their induction into the Winthrop community of learners. Incoming students and the campus community will be in attendance at the 3 p.m. ceremony
in Byrnes Auditorium. University offices are closed during this time.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — Melissa Gladden '99, the founder and owner of Carolina Recruitment, will deliver Winthrop University's Aug. 20 Convocation keynote speech on her experiences
as a successful business woman.
Convocation will officially usher in Winthrop's 133rd year as a higher education institution.
The ceremony serves as an official welcome to new freshmen and transfer students and
their induction into the Winthrop community of learners.
Incoming students and the campus community will be in attendance at the 3 p.m. ceremony
in Byrnes Auditorium. University offices are closed during this time.
During Winthrop's Convocation ceremony, students will be welcomed to Rock Hill by
Glenn McCall, chair of the Board of Trustees; Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys; Ximena Perez, chair of the Council of Student Leaders; Michael Lipscomb, chair of Faculty Conference; and Nicole Chisari `09 `16, chair of Staff Conference.
Immediately following Convocation, President Dan Mahony and First Lady Laura Mahony will lead students out of Byrnes and toward the campus front lawn in the traditional
Blue Line procession. The community picnic will follow on the lawn in front of Margaret
Nance Hall. The rain location for the picnic is the West Center.
Born and raised in Rock Hill, Gladden is a fourth generation family member to attend Winthrop. She created Carolina Recruitment in 2001 in a spare bedroom in
her parents' home and serves as the company's president. Now 17 years later, Carolina Recruitment has employed more than 11,000 people, with 60,000+ applications submitted for job
opportunities. The company is an employment agency that creates a talent pipeline,
qualifying applicants to place and employ at their client companies.
Gladden's entrepreneurial spirit has earned her national and regional recognition.
The U.S. Small Business Association selected her as the 2015 South Carolina Small Business Person of the Year. In 2016, she was honored by the Charlotte Business Journal as one of the Top 25 Women in Business.
For more information about Convocation, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or e-mail her at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
