Written By Dayshaun Powe
Arts & Culture
Dr. Jo Koster joined the Winthrop family in 1993. Although the move was originally meant to be a temporary job, she ended up falling in love with the campus and its people, and would eventually become a core part of the Eagle family in the following decades.
After previously working at Rutgers University, Koster already had experience in the college field, but after joining Winthrop, she could immediately tell this was different than any other college. She started her time at Winthrop as an adjunct professor, but over the years, she would go on to fill almost every position within her department, even being named Chair of the English department.
“From the very beginning here, I liked the vibe of the place,” Koster said. “At Rutgers, everybody was trying to get guggenheims, and they’re trying to go somewhere else you know, and they didn’t want to deal with the students. And here, people seem to want to deal with the students. And the students were so good that I just thought this is the kind of place I need to be.”
When asked about her experience on campus over the years, Koster praised the students and how much self-realization she sees within them, no matter their age. In her time here, she loved getting to help students grow and mature, and she loves how Winthrop aims to enforce this experience. Similarly, she also has high praises when speaking on collaboration between all aspects of the university whether it be the academic colleges, athletics or other student run organizations. She spoke on Winthrop’s creativity and connectivity being the highlight of her decades long career. She stated a wish for a better spot for students of all ages and majors to mix more but said the college seems to be seeking to fix the issue.
“People sit in their own groups you know, there’s not as many places for people here to stand kind of shoulder to shoulder, other than the line at Starbucks, and I wish we physically had a place to do that,” Koster said. “And maybe the new dorm they’re going to build will provide that. That would be really nice.”
When asked if her original intentions were to stay with the school, she plainly said no. Not that there were any specific issues with the campus, but she just felt it rather temporary at first. After reflecting on how the campus truly impacted her, she decided she could not imagine leaving. On the matter of Winthrop’s effects, she states, “When I came here, I thought of myself as a scholar and a researcher who taught, and one thing I have learned is I am a teacher who does research and publishes scholarship.” She referenced the multiple classes she has taught over the years and how the mere matter of being in class with her students is all the fulfillment she needs.
When asked if she wanted to leave the campus with any final messages, she started by leaving a message to her specific college. The message was to remember how much words matter and that words hold more power than anyone can imagine. With training they’ve received in their department, the students have the power to use them for good. Along with this, her final message to Winthrop as a whole is “make good chaos.” She feels it is important for all Winthrop students, no matter the major, to try and leave the best imprint you can in the world. Koster said that if she can instill that value in her students, her work is done.
Koster officially retires in July 2026, and although she admits some tears may fall, she wants it to be known that Winthrop has changed her in ways she did not know were possible. She wishes nothing but the best for the college itself, and especially all of its students.
As she steps into the next stage of her life post-professorship, she wants students to remember one important thing.
“There’s so much pressure on you, not to rock the boat […] there’s so much riding on you. You know your parents are putting pressure on you. You need to get a job, the world is falling apart, everybody’s in debt; everything else like that. It’s so hard to have the courage to make trouble, but making good trouble is important,” Koster said.