Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina—just a few miles down the road from the big city of Charlotte, North Carolina—Winthrop University is one of many excellent educational options in the Queen City area, a school that has much to offer to anyone venturing to Charlotte to continue their education or professional development. Indeed, Winthrop is renowned throughout the country for its values and its high level of quality; this is a school that cherishes the communal nature of learning, and prides itself on having a student body selected based on high academic achievements, as well as a deep and well-rounded educational program and a commitment to diversity.

The school has a long and illustrious history that more than supports its modern-day prestige and drive toward excellence. Initially, the school wasn’t so close to the Queen City; it was founded in 1886 as a college for training teachers. Clearly, much has changed in that span of time. Winthrop University moved to its permanent Rock Hill location in 1895; it expanded from a one-room school into a full university setting, which now serves some 6,000 students; and it has moved beyond training teachers alone, now offering majors in a variety of arts, sciences, and professional disciplines.

Its origins as a teaching college, however, continue to inform much of what goes on at Winthrop, and provide it with a clear emphasis on great teaching. The faculty recruitment process is selective; all classes are taught by faculty members, with added enrichment provided by visiting lecturers, artists, and professionals. The student-teacher ration is 15:1, and the average class size is 22—meaning, students get plenty of personal attention, to say nothing of the camaraderie and tight-knit community experience that you typically only find at smaller schools.

Student life is vibrant, as well, including more than 180 student organizations and a wide array of sports and athletics. All of this is to say that, at Winthrop University, students really get the full university experience on every level, but also many of the perks of much smaller schools; it is, in some ways, the best of both worlds. Certainly, it is one of the finest educational institutions in the area, and, along with UNCC and Davidson College, represents one of several reasons why prospective university students might look long and hard at a move to Charlotte, North Carolina.