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Perhaps the most consequential undertaking of my first year as president is beginning to develop the next strategic initiatives for Winthrop University.

Looking back on the institution’s history, we must admit that each time period shaped the Winthrop experience. While our spirit and values may have remained constant, what we look like, the product we offer, and who we serve changed with the times. Clearly, we are not the same institution from 50, 30, even 10 years ago. Our students, with their varied life experiences, reflect today’s realities. They bring different perspectives and they expect—even demand—a lot from higher education, which requires us to be nimble and responsive in new ways. 

As we undertake our strategic planning process with our partners at Berkeley Research Group, I challenge you to be open to shaping the Winthrop we want to become: a place where all prospective students can see themselves belonging and thriving and being transformed for success today and beyond. Strategic planning will help us get to that place. We will take into account the thoughts, concerns and recommendations, analyses, and perspectives of as many people as possible, both on campus and off. And while we will work to be as inclusive as possible, our goal should not be a plan to which no one could possibly object, but rather one that represents the best of our thinking and charts a clear path forward. I want us to do better than survive in the competitive landscape of higher education; I want us to thrive.  

Please use this website to track progress on this initiative. The steps outlined below and the links above will keep you informed as we build our roadmap, a series of goals and objectives, with clear outcomes intended for the years ahead. Thank you for your interest in strategic planning at Winthrop!

Edward

Edward A. Serna
President