I’m pleased to share that the Board of Trustees voted yesterday evening to confirm my selection of Kevin Hughes as our new vice president for university advancement. He will be joining the Winthrop family on Jan. 17. As you will read in the press release below, I believe Kevin is the right person at the right time for Winthrop, and I look forward to welcoming him and his family — wife Katie and daughters Blake (11) and Tess (9) — to the Winthrop and Rock Hill communities.
I would like to thank the search committee, led by P.N. Saksena, for working with Myers McRae to bring three strong candidates to campus to interview. And I truly appreciate the service of Jack DeRochi, who was named as the interim vice president, and Greg Oakes, who served as Acting Dean of the Graduate School.
Please congratulate Kevin and thank Jack and Greg when you see them on campus next month.
Edward
Edward A. Serna
Kevin Hughes Named Winthrop Vice President for University Advancement
HIGHLIGHTS
Hughes brings to Winthrop more than 12 years of successful higher education fundraising experience, in addition to development expertise gained in the non-profit and political arenas.
Experience building teams and the capacity to effectively garner support, as well as a track record of strategic coordination of the areas of major giving, annual giving, planned giving, stewardship, alumni relations, database management and gift processing made Hughes the ideal candidate.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — Winthrop President Edward Serna announced today that Kevin Hughes, associate vice president of advancement with the New College Foundation, The Honors College of Florida, will be the new vice president for Winthrop’s University Advancement division, joining the university on Jan. 17.
“We found in Kevin the right mix of proven fundraising expertise, intimate knowledge of the advancement enterprise, and familiarity with garnering support for a medium-sized public institution where affordability and access are drivers of enrollment,” Serna said. “His experience building teams and effectively garnering support, as well as a track record of strategic coordination of the areas of major giving, annual giving, planned giving, stewardship, alumni relations, database management and gift processing, made Hughes the ideal candidate.”
Hughes currently serves as the associate vice president of advancement at the New College Foundation, having joined the team there in 2019. In this role, he oversees the major gifts, annual fund and alumni relations programs.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Winthrop community in the role of vice president for university advancement. During the interview process, I was struck by the depth of passion that everyone I met has for Winthrop. Clearly, Winthrop is a special place. Thus, I look forward to partnering with President Serna and all the members of the Winthrop community to work on behalf of the students and alumni,” Hughes said.
Hughes spent the first decade of his career working in politics, serving in a variety of roles in the Ohio Senate and also with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Given the fundraising experience he acquired in these roles, he transitioned to work in the non-profit sector in 2007.
Hughes has spent 12 years in higher education advancement roles, working at both Denison University and Stetson University College of Law prior to his current position with the New College Foundation.
A first-generation college graduate, he is passionate about providing educational opportunities to students of all backgrounds and experiences. Hughes received his bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, Penn., and currently serves as a member of the AFP Southwest Florida board.
The university conducted a national search for the vice president, choosing Hughes from a broad applicant pool that the search committee narrowed to three finalists. Each finalist interviewed on campus with board members, faculty, staff, students, and administrators from across the university.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or longshawj@winthrop.edu.
