Interviewer
Abby B. Hieber
Files
Download Interview (28.2 MB)
Abstract
This interview was conducted by Abby B. Hieber with Dr. George Hynd, Interim President of Winthrop University (2020-22), as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Dr. Hynd discusses his experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic from an administrative and personal point of view, often shedding light on the University’s response to the public health crisis. Dr. Hynd details the technological and logistical challenges the University faced following the shift to virtual learning. He also analyzes the emotional toll of the pandemic on students and young adults facing increased stress and social isolation. Other notable topics of conversation include the introduction of health protocols (vaccines, masks, social distancing, etc.) as well as the greater institutional hurdles Winthrop and higher education faced amid the critical year 2020.
George W. Hynd, Ed.D., (b. 1947) is a distinguished university administrator, academic, and child clinical neuropsychologist who served as Interim President of Winthrop University from March 2020 to June 2022. He previously held administrative, academic, and research positions at several universities including Oakland University, College of Charleston, Purdue University, and the University of Georgia to name a few. He and his wife, Dr. Alison Hynd, who is also a child neuropsychologist, reside in Mount Pleasant, SC. In 2023, Dr. Hynd joined AGB Search, a higher education executive search firm, as an Executive Search Consultant.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.).”
Publication Date
10-14-2020
Unique Identifier
OH 740
Format
MP3
Length
0:59:24
Restrictions
This interview is open for use.
Keywords
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020, Education, Administrator, Virtual Learning, Higher Education, Winthrop University
Recommended Citation
George W. Hynd, Winthrop University, and COVID-19 Pandemic, "Interview with George W. Hynd" (2020). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 740.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/656
