Professor emeritus, 74, shaped and defined field of student affairs
Roger B. Winston Jr., professor emeritus in the College of Education’s department of counseling and human development services, who contributed over more than 20 years in the field of student affairs, died on November 4, 2017, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 74.
Winston’s extensive research on student affairs administration helped shape the field into a strong, theory- and research-based profession. Throughout his career, he authored or edited 13 books on student affairs and wrote more than 100 book chapters and journal articles.
“When I interviewed for a position here at Georgia in 1990, I met Roger,” said Brian Glaser, professor and head of the department of counseling and human development services. “Upon return to my home institution, I stepped into the classroom of a student affairs professor and asked if he had heard of Roger Winston. He smirked at me and held up the text he was using for the class.”
With a strong background in developing outcomes assessments, Winston and his colleagues at UGA created the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Assessment, a valuable tool closely based on human and student development theory for both practitioners and researchers.
Additionally, he was instrumental in creating UGA’s doctoral program in student affairs administration in 1990 and served as the program’s graduate coordinator until his retirement in 2002.
After spending most of his career as a professor at the University of Georgia, Winston was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American College Personnel Association in 2008. He also received the association’s Contribution to Knowledge Award in 1990, as well as the Outstanding Contribution to Literature and Research Award from the National Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education in 2003.
“It is difficult to overestimate the impact Roger Winston’s work had and continues to have on generations of student affairs educators,” said Merrily Dunn, an associate professor and graduate coordinator in the department of counseling and human development services. “Through his scholarship and writing, he taught us how to understand the psychosocial development of college students, how to be ethical administrators and to be supervisors who are educators first.”
Born and raised in Elba, Alabama, Winston graduated from Auburn University and received his Ph.D. in counseling and student personnel services from UGA in 1973. He was drafted by the Army during the Vietnam War and served two years in Korea.
He is survived by his wife, Pat, his two children, Nick and Tommy Graham, his miniature schnauzer, Buddy, as well as five grandchildren. The family will hold a private celebration of his life at a later date.
Gifts are accepted in Winston’s memory online through the Theodore K. Miller & Roger B. Winston Jr. Research Award.
Checks may be sent to:
**Gift Accounting, Office of Development** 394 South Milledge Ave, Suite 100 University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-5582A donation to St. Mary's Hospice, Box 6588, Athens, GA 30604, in Winston's memory would also be appreciated.