Winthrop House Marks Name Change with Plaque Ceremony

Members of the Winthrop House community gathered Thursday, March 12, for a plaque ceremony at the entrance to Kaneb Courtyard marking the House’s name change from “John Winthrop House” to “Winthrop House.” The new plaque reflects the outcome of a multi-year process of reflection and community engagement around the House’s name and history.

Winthrop House Faculty Deans Stephen Chong and Kiran Gajwani welcomed students and community members to the ceremony, which included remarks from leaders of the dename request, Clyve Lawrence ’27 and Kiersten Hash ’25; Brenda Tindal, FAS Chief Campus Curator and a member of the Review Committee for the Dename Winthrop request; and Winthrop House students Ishan Tiwari ’26 and Matthew Tobin ’27, who spoke on behalf of a student group that also included Mikalah Hodge ’27 and Sydney Massey ’27, as well as a moment to reflect on the House’s evolving identity.

“This new plaque marks the change of our name from John Winthrop House to Winthrop House,” said Faculty Dean Chong in remarks to the House community. “It marks a step along a journey towards ensuring that everyone truly feels they belong here, truly feels at home.”

More about the House’s contextualization and placemaking efforts can be found on the Winthrop House website.