Get active, make your mark at Winthrop

Alexis AustinBy Alexis Austin

Welcome to the school that has twice as many girls as guys, two sets of school colors and no football team. Welcome to the school that has its own god named DiGiorgio, a superhero/ hype-man named Eagle Man and a newspaper that tells the truth no matter how much trouble it causes—or better known to you as Winthrop University.

The culture of the university is unlike any typical university you may have visited. While all the new faces may look similar to one big blur at first, each one is different. Not everyone is American or Christian or loves pizza. Everone has different story. Each person’s story is waiting to be told to ears that will listen.

In one day you can meet three different people from three different countries, see a jazz band and learn zumba. It’s not every day you have the opportunity to experience these things in one place. And it’s not every day you will be a part of such a unique group of people. This is what makes Winthrop so wonderful.

There are more than 50 nationalities represented and even more ethnicities than one can begin to count. Every year this number increases and Winthrop continues to gain recognition for its diversity. Students come from abroad to study and to learn the American way of life. Winthrop is a sampler of the world, and you have the chance to taste it.

Every student and professor enhances the Winthrop culture in some way. There are more than 200 professors waiting to share their expertise and life experiences with you. Many of them are responsible for contributing to groundbreaking research and others have their names written in history books.

For each freshman or transfer student who attends Winthrop, that is one more way this school can be changed. This fall, that’s far more than 1,000 chances for something new to happen here.

What will you do? How will you continue to make Winthrop a place unlike any other college in the world? Will you start a new club? Petition for a new student government? Make a mission trip to Haiti? Teach Eagle Man how to fly? Or receive a revelation and write the Word of DiGiorgio?

No one can stop you. New friends and knowledgeable professors will provide you with the tools to make your mark on Winthrop. Use your tools carefully because they are rare.

Whatever you decide to do in your four-, five- or six-year tenure here, make it great,and memorable. Not only will you change Winthrop in some way, but you have the opportunity to change yourself. The bond you create with Winthrop, with your friends and with your professors will last a lifetime.

Now, as you embark on enhancing the culture here at Winthrop, this is my promise to you: I, Alexis Austin, do solemnly swear to keep you informed as your peers and professors continue to make a mark on the university, community and the world. As culture editor for the 2010-2011 academic year, I promise to report events that affect you, your family and the university in a timely manner. I will use primary sources when available and continue to bug those who take forever to give me the information I need. I will include a variety of stories and information in the culture section. And last but not least, I will continue to remind readers: You define the culture here at Winthrop. We just write about it.

Graphic by Courtney Niskala