Kenosha---Outgoing Carthage College President Gregory Woodward will be remembered for his deep intellect, strong sense of humor and steady leadership.
Woodward announced Tuesday that he’s accepted the top job at a private school in West Hartford, Connecticut in part to be closer to family.
Woodward became Carthage president four years ago, replacing Gregory Campbell, who had served in the position for a-quarter of a century. Greg Berg, WGTD Morning Show host and a full-time member of the Carthage music faculty, says Woodward quickly made his mark. "I think Dr. Woodward came in with a style all his own," Berg says. "And I think a lot of us were really taken by his wonderful, vivid personality and wonderful sense of humor, qualities that you don't always think of immediately with somebody like a college president."
Woodward, rooted in a music education background, was no intellectual light weight, either. "Some of my favorite memories of President Woodward are listening to him talk with professors from other departments in fields much different from music. And I was just astounded at how well read he was in all kinds of different fields."
Even though coming in with a style distinctly different from his predecessor, Woodward choose to build on the school’s numerous accomplishments rather than take the institution in a different direction. That's one of the main reasons for his success, Berg believes.
During his tenure, Carthage had the highest retention and graduation rates in school history, and chalked up its largest philanthropic gifts, according to a school news release. In addition, Woodward oversaw construction of a new $43 million science center and just recently secured a $15 million donation to fund a career and welcome center.
In the release, Woodward said: "The Carthage train is running swiftly down the track toward an even more promising future, and the next president will be as fortunate as I was to get on board."
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