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Shelia Higgs Burkhalter

@winthrop_vpsa

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Winthrop University
Vice President for Student Affairs
Higher Education

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Throwing it back to 1886! 📜 Winthrop Training School for Teachers received its charter on December 9, marking a special moment in our university’s history of developing wonderful educators. ❤️💛

#ThrowbackThursday #WinthropVPSA #WinthropHistory #StudentAffairs by @winthrop_vpsa

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3 days ago

On Tuesday, our Scholars had the great opportunity of meeting a fellow Alum, Ben Neiconi. Mr. Neiconi gave the scholars a presentation on credit, insurance, taxes, and personal finance. Our scholars gained knowledge and are grateful for Mr. Neiconi for taking his time out of his day to come visit. by @winthrop_vpsa

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4 days ago

Yesterday’s Common Time brought awareness, encouragement, and culture to campus! 💗 Students and staff joined Health Services in writing heartfelt messages for breast cancer patients, while Latines Unidos shared horchata and other cultural beverages. Winthrop Eats and Winthrop Catholics also joined the tabling!
Mark your calendars for the 49th Annual CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, November 1, at 3:00 p.m.! 🚶🏽‍♀️

#WinthropVPSA #CommonTime #BreastCancerAwareness #CROPHungerWalk #StudentAffairs by @winthrop_vpsa

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4 days ago

Eagles, you have a voice in what happens next. Use it! 🗳️🦅
Voting gives you a say in decisions that affect your education, your community, and your future. Take time to learn about the candidates and issues, make a voting plan, and exercise your right if you’re eligible.
Your voice matters—let it be heard!

#WinthropUniversity #EaglesVote #YourVoteMatters #UseYourVoice #StudentAffairs by @winthrop_vpsa

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5 days ago

Spotted our Presidential Ambassadors sharing the Winthrop experience! 🦅❤️ From campus tours to warm welcomes, they’re helping future Eagles picture a place they can call home. ✨

#WinthropUniversity #PresidentialAmbassadors #FutureEagles #EaglePride #StudentAffairs by @winthrop_vpsa

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6 days ago

When Silence Breaks launch party

We would like to congratulate our fellow program director, Mr. Miguel Caldwell for his accomplishment on releasing his fourth book. We are super proud, and we are very joyous of his journey. We are excited to see what the future holds for him.

We would also like to recognize the fellow Close Scholars who volunteered and helped with this big event. by @winthrop_vpsa

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7 days ago

Smiles, games, and Eagle pride! 🦅💛 Winthrop LIFE brought everyone together for their annual Field Day today on Campus Green. It was beautiful to see participants enjoying time with our students and student-athletes, making memories and sharing so much joy! ❤️

#WinthropLIFE #winthropvpsa #EaglePride #CampusCommunity #StudentAffairs by @winthrop_vpsa

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9 days ago

A familiar place with a different name! 🏛️🦅 This Throwback Thursday, we’re looking back at Margaret Nance, originally known as “North Dormitory.”
Did you know this piece of Winthrop history? Let us know below!

#ThrowbackThursday #WinthropUniversity #WinthropHistory #EaglePride #StudentAffairs by @winthrop_vpsa

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10 days ago

A look back we yesterday’s common time from 11-12:30! Continue to represent your organizations at the higher standard age be great Eagles!

#studentaffairs #winthropvpsa #winthropuniversity #winthropeagles #wucommontime by @winthrop_vpsa

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11 days ago

Family Day at Winthrop is always a special reminder that the college journey is about more than classes, programs, and buildings. It is about connection, growth, and belonging.

I reminded families to celebrate how far their students have come, appreciate their growth, let them show you their world, and ask how they can best support what comes next.

And if their student is struggling? Love on them. Encourage them. Remind them that every journey looks different—and that we are here to support them.

Grateful to our New Student and Family Programs team and the many faculty, staff, and offices who made Family Day such a meaningful experience.

#WinthropUniversity #FamilyDay #StudentAffairs #Belonging taken in Winthrop University by @winthrop_vpsa

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12 days ago

In my new poetic memoir, When Silence Breaks, I take a deep dive into my collegiate experience at Winthrop University—not just the accomplishments, but the journey it took to get there.

People saw the titles and accolades:

Student Body President.
Student Body Vice President.
Resident Assistant.
Call Me MiSTER.
Close Scholar.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award Recipient.

But very few people saw what it took to become that version of me.

They didn’t see the young man who came dangerously close to dropping out of college—the one who was one payment due date away from being dropped from school, trying to navigate leadership, purpose, finances, and life all at once.

But Shelia Higgs Burkhalter—Shiggs—saw me.

As Vice President for Student Affairs, she cared for me, challenged me, believed in me, and pushed me toward excellence. She once told me something that has stayed with me to this day:

“We overcame because we wanted to overcome.”

Years later, it feels incredibly full circle that the woman who witnessed so much of that journey is now the first voice you will hear in When Silence Breaks.

Shiggs wrote the foreword—not simply as a leader who knew me during my college years, but as someone who saw pieces of my story before I knew how to put them into words.

Thank you, Shiggs, for seeing me. For believing in me. For challenging me. And for reminding me that we overcome because we want to overcome.

When Silence Breaks is almost here. 🤎

#WhenSilenceBreaks #PoeticMemoir #BlackAuthors #BlackWriters #HigherEducation by @winthrop_vpsa

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14 days ago

You’re in. 🔒

We’re launching the #Winthrop Scholars Guarantee.

Here’s the deal: You’ve demonstrated that you’re one of South Carolina’s top students. We know you can be successful at Winthrop, we want you here, and we’re willing to invest in you. So here’s what we promise you:

✅ Guaranteed admission for high-achieving first-year students for the Fall 2027 semester!
✅ At least $5K in institutional scholarship funding

➡️ Link in bio for info taken in Winthrop University by @winthrop_vpsa

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17 days ago