Potential Winthrop presidential candidate and alumni Edward Serna visited campus last week to interact with community members for the first time and speak about why he chose to submit an application to work at Winthrop University. Serna noted that Winthrop is the only institution he applied to work at.
“For a decade, I had cycled in and out of higher education. I never felt like I belonged. …At the time I knew I needed to make a drastic change in my life, and I needed to find a campus where that could happen,” Serna said.
Serna said that while researching colleges, he encountered the New Start program at Winthrop, a service program aimed at helping students ranging from mid 20s to 80s by providing information and assistance to best take advantage of educational opportunities.
“It was a huge, huge decision. And what I found on campus was a commitment and a promise kept. I found a vibrant, diverse campus. I got to be in a classroom with engaging faculty. I felt supported and that sense of belonging that I had never felt before,” Serna said.
After graduating and receiving a bachelor of science in business administration from Winthrop, Serna went on to receive a master’s in management information systems from Auburn University as well as a master of science in industrial management from Clemson University. He then received a doctorate of education in higher education from the University of Alabama.
“I think I’ve learned a lot along the journey,” Serna said. “[E]specially in the last few years with COVID, we’ve all learned to be resilient. We’ve all learned, back in Arkansas, what we called ‘grit.’ Those traits have tremendous value. I think of all the different people I met along the journey, all the different experiences, all the different organizations I’ve worked with, how to approach people and build relationships that maybe come from different places. It might’ve taken me a little longer to get here, but I think I’m richer for it.”
Serna is currently serving as the 15th president of the University of Maine at Farmington, where he has worked since 2019. He described himself as an “introvert” at his public presentation, and his application for the Winthrop presidential position describes him as a “a transparent and collaborative leader with a commitment to shared governance.”
Serna, during his undergraduate time at Winthrop, was a non-traditional student and he called his time as a Winthrop student “life changing” in his presidential application.
“In closing, I want to again express my sincere gratitude for Winthrop University,” Serna said. “My time on campus changed the trajectory of my life and eventually led to my calling of providing generations of students with the same supportive, life-changing experience I had in Rock Hill. As an alumnus who cares deeply for this special place, I sincerely want you to pick the right leader to guide Winthrop to even greater success. While I believe I am that leader, I will warmly welcome and support the university’s selection. Regardless of the choice, I will always owe Winthrop a great debt.”
