2009 DesJardins Leadership Award goes to Jan Woodcock

The mission of the Oregon Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges is to inspire, champion and celebrate the talents within each of us.

The nominators describe this woman as “very smart, compassionate, funny, competent and a charismatic woman”, “She has been instrumental in and essential to the growth and leadership of the Oregon chapter for a number of years”, “ If stock in this woman became available, I would be first in the purchase line.” “Her legacy of nurturing women’s leadership makes a difference in Oregon’s community colleges.”

Cherie Maas-Anderson, in the English/World Languages Division of Portland Community College wrote in her nomination letter:

I have only known Jan for a little less than five years but have seen what a mentor and role model she is for other women. As a fellow board member, it has been a pleasure getting to know her. She is bright, articulate and can make the whole room laugh. During the time we have spent together, I have been impressed by her commitment to AAWCC and to women issues. I am humbled by her creativity, smarts, and energy she provides to the women in this organization.

Denise Swafford, in the President’s Office of Rogue Community College contributed to this nomination:

It has been my great privilege to work with Jan Woodcock for a few years on the Oregon-American Association of Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) Board and in organizing the Oregon Institute for Leadership Development training. She is a very smart, compassionate, funny, competent, and charismatic woman. Because of that she has been a tremendous leader and mentor and a treasured friend to me and hundreds of other women. She is truly deserving of this tremendous honor.

Jan has been a consistent, outstanding contributor to the Oregon-AAWCC for over 10 years. In addition to her full-time career as a Humanities Instructor at Umpqua Community College, she has committed to significant roles as president of the Association, lead coordinator of the Oregon Institute for Leadership Development and director of the Pacific Northwest Community College Teaching Seminars. In her career, she continually inspires and enables women to understand themselves better and encourages them to be their personal best.

Jan has a tendency to make people laugh and smile but she is also very serious-minded and can motivate others to really examine and appreciate who they are and who they want to be. Her vision includes a passion to teach. And her passion is manifested in the lives of women she touches every day. She is an excellent teacher, because she listens and she builds people up. She is an outstanding leader because she has a heart of service, yet she is able to identify and draw from the strengths of her students and her teams. She inspires and attracts people with her character and style. She listens, she is willing to learn and she is open to change. She is not devoted to AAWCC for personal gain but because she genuinely cares about the women the Association serves and she enjoys watching people learn and grow and being part of that amazing process.

From the Founding Mother, Mildred Bulpitt and Jane Merritt

Jan Woodcock has been an outstanding member of AAWCC Oregon. She has served on its board as president as well as various other positions. She has been instrumental in and essential to the growth and leadership of the Oregon chapter for a number of years. Furthermore, her involvement and directorship of the Oregon Institute of Leadership Development is a great achievement in itself. She is extremely deserving of this award.

From Lane Community College, President, Mary Spilde

Jan Woodcock epitomizes Carolyn Desjardins' commitment to developing women for leadership roles. For the past several years she has led the Oregon Institute for Leadership Development providing opportunities for women to come together to assess their skills and develop new ones. She is an excellent facilitator, empathetic supporter and cheerleader for women in Oregon's community colleges. One of the most important things Jan has done is to make sure that we remember and honor the women who paved the way for us in community college leadership by bringing Mildred Bulpitt and Jane Merritt to meet with OILD participants. Jan is a wonderful teacher and leader in her own right and deserves to be recognized with this award. Her legacy of nurturing women's leadership will make a difference in Oregon's community colleges.

From Pacific Northwest Great Teachers Seminar, Doug Dickston

Jan Woodcock has been the Director of the Pacific Northwest Great Teachers Seminar for 12 years. She inherited the position after demonstrating particularly strong facilitating skills as a long-time staff member within the same organization. As director, Jan is in the unenviable position of having to deal with three long-time curmudgeonly male staff, who, being middle-aged, balding, and bespectacled, are nearly identical. Not only is Jan able to distinguish each one, but, with the addition of a very capable woman two years ago, Jan's managed to whip the group into a hard-hitting team that puts on a quality conference year after year.

Jan's a "big picture" sort of woman, so when it became apparent she would have to handle the "small picture" tasks involved in advertising, recruiting, and registering participants for the seminar, she simply learned, with minimal griping, how to do it. And by enlisting the help of colleagues and friends, she is flourishing in her role as Director. Jan's greatest contribution to the organization, however, is the patience and empathy she extends to the seminar's participants. Each year, she endears herself to virtually all the "campers," female and male, so much so that many of them continue to stay in contact with her long after the seminar is over. She listens; she listens between the lines. Recognizing this quality, others seek Jan out for simple conversation as well as collegial therapy. The 2009 AAWCC award could not go to a better candidate. If stock in Jan Woodcock became available, I would be first in the purchase line. There's nothing speculative about her; she is a blue chip leader and person. I strongly recommend Jan Woodcock for this award.

Previous winners of the Carolyn DesJardins Leadership Award also include: Cherie Maas-Anderson, Angela McMahon, Carol Schaafsma, Terri Johanson, Brenda Brecke, Carolyn DesJardins, Nikki Harrington, Alice Jacobson, Marcia Keith, Rebecca Kenney, Dan Moriarity, Mary Spilde, Stephanie Sussman, Gretchen Schuette, and Nan Poppe.

AAWCC is an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
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