School received donation of $2.5 million honor of alum, Virginia Bellune Collier
Dakota Gold
Staff Writer
Photo by Zoey Molina
Education bulletin board inside of Withers Building
The family of Winthrop alumna Virginia Bellune Collier has donated $2.5 million to Winthrop University in what is the largest all-cash gift in the college’s history.
The gift came just a week before the school’s donor campaign and day of giving, “Bleed Garnet Give Gold.”
The gift was given to create teacher education scholarships, especially within STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics] disciplines, and fund a professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Specifically, $2 million will go towards scholarships and $500,000 towards the professorship.
Collier graduated with honors in 1930 when Winthrop was known as Winthrop College: The South Carolina College for Women.
Her initial career interest was to be a doctor, but due to the social limitations of her era, Collier switched to teaching. She taught biology and chemistry at Andrews High School until retirement.
With her interest in biology, Collier served as president of the Forceps and Scalpel Club. She was also a member of Beta Beta Beta, the professional society for students of the biological sciences.
Aside from her academic interests at Winthrop, Collier stayed involved through many other clubs and organizations. She was a part of the YWCA [Young Women’s Christian Association], Girl Scouts, the International Relations Club and the Masquers and Journeyman clubs.
Her involvement in the community did not stop after graduation. Collier was a member of the S.C. Huguenot Society, a former member of the Rosemary Garden Club and was actively involved in her church community at Trinity United Methodist Church.
She was later a member of the Georgetown County Retired Teachers Association, the S.C. Retired Teachers Association and the National Retired Teachers Association.
With a respect and appreciation for teaching, the donation from the Collier family will support the next generation of educators at Winthrop University.
“We are deeply grateful for this historic gift and appreciate Ms. Collier’s family’s commitment to teacher education and learning at Winthrop. Their generosity shows how a Winthrop education reverberates throughout generations,” said university president, Edward Serna.
Serna said the scholarships will remove financial barriers for Winthrop students who will be prepared to engage and empower future generations of learners, the same as Collier.
The Division of University Advancement, along with faculty and students at Winthrop, would like to thank the Collier family for their generosity and the benefits they are providing for the university.
