English and History Faculty Appointed for Endowed Professorships (05/06/24)

May 06, 2024

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ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Two faculty members in Winthrop University's College of Arts and Sciences were recently selected as recipients of endowed professorships.

Endowed professorship appointments are made based on faculty accomplishments and in recognition of the vital role that faculty members play in student success. The funds associated with these professorships provide support for a professor's teaching, research and professional stewardship.

The two are: English Professor Kelly Richardson '93, '95, will be recognized with Margaret M. Bryant Professorship, while History Professor Gregory Crider has been renewed with the Ellison Capers Palmer, Jr. Professorship.

"With thanks to the generous donors, I'm thrilled about the potential impact of these appointments on student learning and development at Winthrop. Both faculty continue to find ways to advance their disciplines and enhance their teaching," said Takita Sumter, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Learn more about the professors:

Kelly Richardson

Endowed by Margaret M. Bryant, the Bryant Professorship honors the legacy of a Winthrop alumna and nationally recognized scholar in language and linguistics while rewarding outstanding teaching, scholarship, and service at Winthrop. Members of the Bryant selection committee were charged to select a tenured associate or full professor in English who exemplifies conspicuous distinction as a teacher and scholar.

Richardson plans to use her Bryant tenure to expand an existing line of research on women writers and the sea. Specifically, she plans to put male and female writers in conversation with each other about the sea. She has also proposed to explore the role that writing played in local mill history.

Richardson received the 2022 James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching based on her "dedication to teaching, reputation on campus for teaching, and reputation among students."

She joined the Winthrop faculty in 2001 as an English instructor. The following year, Richardson was hired as an assistant professor of English. Promoted to an associate professor in 2007 and to professor in 2018, she is currently director of the General Education Program. She has previously worked for several years as director of composition.

Richardson received both her B.A. and M.A. from Winthrop before completing her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2001.

Gregory Crider

The Ellison Capers Palmer, Jr., Professorship was established by an estate gift from Ellison Capers Palmer, Jr., in memory of his mother, Keith Wells '20, and her sisters, Dovie '16, Lucile and Virginia Wells. The Palmer Professorship honors a tenured associate or full professor of history for his or her superior skill in teaching, scholarship, high standing among professional colleagues, and general service to the university community. This award recognizes excellence both on campus and within the academic community and provides support for the faculty member's teaching and research.

Crider's selection for the Palmer Professorship will continue to support his research and teaching in the history of Latin American social class and gender. He is an active teacher-scholar whose research not only informs his teaching but also explores the Cold War in the Americas and the intricate relationship between the United States and its southern neighbors.

One of his popular courses, the Mexican Revolution, draws directly from and is the subject of his current book project-a book that, when finished, will join an impressive body of publications in Latin American history. In addition to his research in various archives in a number of countries and languages and his work in the classroom, he has directed and expanded undergraduate and graduate programs in history. He also has mentored countless students, and served as president of the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies (SECOLAS) where he continues in an active leadership role and as co-editor of the organization's journal, The Latin Americanist.

Crider joined Winthrop's Department of History in 2009 and has taught at the university level for nearly 30 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in history and economics from Duke University, and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at [email protected] or at 803/323-2404.