H*4253 Concurrent Resolution, By King, Delleney, Long, D.C. Moss, Norman, Pope, 
Simrill and Dillard
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION OF THE ONE HUNDRED
 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF WINTHROP UNIVERSITY, AND TO
 CONGRATULATE AND COMMEND PRESIDENT ANTHONY DIGIORGIO, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
 THE FACULTY AND STAFF, AND THE STUDENT BODY FOR A CENTURY AND A QUARTER OF
 PRODUCING EDUCATORS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

   05/24/11  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 5)
   05/24/11  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence
                     (Senate Journal-page 18)

TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION OF THE ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF WINTHROP UNIVERSITY, AND TO CONGRATULATE AND COMMEND PRESIDENT ANTHONY DIGIORGIO, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THE FACULTY AND STAFF, AND THE STUDENT BODY FOR A CENTURY AND A QUARTER OF PRODUCING EDUCATORS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly are pleased to learn that the Winthrop University has reached the milestone of its quasquicentennial anniversary; and

Whereas, in 1886, David Bancroft Johnson, superintendent of schools in Columbia, received an appropriation from the Peabody Education Board headed by Robert Charles Winthrop to establish a school for training young teachers for the public schools. Johnson would remain president of the college for forty-two years; and

Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly established the South Carolina Industrial and Winthrop Normal College in 1891 and took offers from towns aspiring to become home to the college; and

Whereas, now resting on the sure foundation of the foothills in the York County Piedmont, classes began in Rock Hill in 1895; the same year, a uniform dress code went into effect; a four-year curriculum was established; the Blue Line tradition began; and North Dormitory, now Margaret Nance, was built; and

Whereas, within thirty-three years of opening its doors in Columbia, enrollment grew to over one thousand, and in 1920 the institution was renamed Winthrop College, the South Carolina College for Women; and

Whereas, by 1925, Winthrop had become the second largest women's college in the United States, and in 1929, James P. Kinard was named its second president; and

Whereas, Winthrop's first African-American student enrolled as a graduate student in 1964; in 1974, the school became fully coeducational; and today enrollment averages six thousand; and

Whereas, under the leadership of the school's ninth president, Anthony DiGiorgio, Winthrop attained university status in 1992 and now boasts an educational reputation with one hundred percent national accreditation of eligible academic programs; and

Whereas, in 1993, the first one million-dollar endowment to the Winthrop Foundation and the first two endowed professorships were announced; in 1998, another one million-dollar contribution created the first endowed chair; in 2003, the first capital campaign raised thirty-one million dollars; in 2005, Winthrop secured a 3.8 million-dollar grant from IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence for molecular biomedical research; and in 2009, millions of dollars in federal funds were awarded to Winthrop; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly are grateful for the one hundred twenty-five-year history of Winthrop University and for the significant benefits it has brought to students and teachers alike in the Palmetto State. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, celebrate the occasion of the one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of Winthrop University, and congratulate and commend President Anthony DiGiorgio, the board of trustees, the faculty and staff, and the student body for a century and a quarter of producing educators in South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio, President of Winthrop University.