Regent University School of Law and School of Business and Leadership alum Rebekah Woods will step into the position of president at Columbia Basin College this fall.She is the first female president of Columbia Basin College.
Woods previously served as Lansing Community College’s dean of Student and Academic Support and Strategic Enrollment Management.
She then took up the position of provost for Jackson College. She was received into Aspen Institute’s 2017-2018 Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence.
She said those looking to lead — whether in organizations, businesses, or higher education — should not only stay humble, life-long learners, but to “find a place that is a good fit for you where you can make a difference and [where] your natural leadership style is going to be effective.”
“Remain true to yourself and who you are as a leader,” she said. “I don’t think anyone should ever feel that they have to change who they are in order to join an organization.”
Woods graduated from Regent’s School of Business and Leadership in 2004 with a doctorate in organizational leadership, and from Regent’s Law School in 1994 with a juris doctor.
She also worked for Regent’s School of Law as the director of Career and Alumni Services, and later, as assistant dean.
“I cannot say enough about my experience at Regent both as a student and as an employee,” she said. “My time there was transformational for me.”
She said she not only received vital legal training and critical-thinking skills at Regent, but observed effective leadership models as well as exemplary leaders.
Woods said she often looks back at various mentors and faculty she learned from and asks, “What would they have done?”
“The leadership learning in my doctoral program was fantastic,” she said. “I was incredibly blessed to learn from committed men and women who were so knowledgeable about their field … but who were also just passionate and committed to their faith and investing in their students. It was just such an incredible experience.”