DEDICATING THE CENTER: Karen and Kathryn Holcombe, twin daughters of Betty and Milton Holcombe, whose gift made the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center possible, spoke at the June 2024 dedication. 

A HISTORIC BUILDING: Winthrop University's Stewart House was built in 1895 by Captain W.H. Stewart of Fort Mill, South Carolina, U.S., a prosperous farmer and member of the State House of Representatives. This photo shows the house in 1913, one year after the university purchased the home upon Stewart’s death. Over the years, it housed many different university offices. It's now the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center.

TELLING WINTHROP'S STORY: Bringing the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center to life with creativity and historical accuracy was a joint effort of the alumni and archives teams. Multiple interior walls of the house feature photos of and context for notable events, such as a chronology of the institution’s first year; the move to integration in 1964 and Winthrop’s subsequent Black history; and the 20-year journey to coeducation, achieved in 1974. 

Here, Design Envy LLC’s Sarah Mickney hangs photos at the center.

HONORING BETTY MORGAN HOLCOMBE: Betty Holcombe (Class of 1956) and her husband, Milton, are avid supporters of public higher education in South Carolina. The Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center displays photos of and stories about the Holcombes and artifacts from Winthrop's history.

HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS: The center features artifacts from Winthrop’s history, including the original Tillman Hall chimes console, which hundreds of students through the years played on the hour to signify the time to the campus community.

EXPLORING WINTHROP'S HISTORY: Inside the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center, visitors can see artifacts from the university's past, including this recreation of the 1886 Winthrop student uniform, crafted by faculty member and alumna Brenda Floyd. 

PEERING INTO THE PAST: In the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center, visitors can see the letter from the year 1886 outlining Winthrop's founding. David Bancroft Johnson announced in this letter that he had received approval to begin a teacher training school. He'd go on to serve as Winthrop's first president from 1886 until his death in 1928.

HISTORICAL MOMENTS: Visitors can tour the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center's exhibits on Black history, the school's uniforms, alumni authors, and more.