ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University’s Commencement will consist of five in-person graduation ceremonies at the Winthrop Coliseum on May 6, 7 and 8.
Interim President George Hynd will oversee the conferring of degrees to nearly 990 students during four undergraduate Commencement ceremonies and one graduate Commencement ceremony. The university has planned additional ceremonies to help maintain social distancing and other pandemic-related protocols will be enforced.
All in attendance must have a ticket for entry and a mask or face covering must be worn.
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday, May 6
7 p.m. – Master’s or specialist degrees will be awarded to nearly 230 graduate degree candidates. Hynd will present the Jane LaRoche Graduate Faculty Award to Stephanie Lawson, an associate professor of marketing in the College of Business Administration.
Friday, May 7
10 a.m. – College of Arts and Sciences (B.S.W. and B.S., plus the B.A. in Math graduates) and College of Visual and Performing Arts undergraduate candidates
3 p.m. – College of Arts and Sciences – B.A. degree candidates
Saturday, May 8
10 a.m. – Richard W. Riley College of Education undergraduate candidates
3 p.m. – College of Business Administration undergraduate candidates
Hynd also will bestow the Distinguished Professor Award on Cliff Calloway, a professor of chemistry, and the Outstanding Junior Professor Award on Hye-Sung Kim, an assistant professor of political science, during the May 7 ceremonies. Padmini Patwardhan, professor of mass communication and IMC program coordinator, will be recognized as the 2020 Kinard Award recipient for excellence in teaching.
Rock Hill residents who are not attending the Commencement ceremonies may want to stay away from the Winthrop Coliseum area due to the heavy traffic anticipated during the three days. Signs will be posted near the coliseum encouraging those not attending to take a different route.
For those who cannot attend the May 6, 7 and 8 ceremonies, they will be available for viewing via live stream on YouTube. Please visit the university's homepage and click on the "Commencement Information" graphic to access the video 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.
