Winthrop’s DiGiorgio honored by U.S. Senator, alumni and friends

[media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Winthrop University’s Richardson Ballroom was packed to the brim Thursday as hundreds turned out in support of outgoing university president Anthony DiGiorgio and his wife, Gale.

After 24 years leading the Rock Hill school, DiGiorgio will retire at the end of the next academic year. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham stopped addressed the crowd Thursday, saying tenures like that of DiGiorgio are very rare.

A check worth $201,000 was presented to the school Thursday from Winthrop’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. One of those alums, State Rep. Gary Simrill, said the evidence of DiGiorgio’s impact on the community is everywhere.

The DiGiorgios have previously said they will take a sabbatical starting next summer.

Meanwhile, the search for Winthrop’s tenth president is underway, with a national search firm set to deliver a list of finalists for the job early next year.