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Everyone who works for Â鶹ÊÓƵ contributes to the success of its students, from the institution’s groundskeepers to those working in billing. Since joining YVC this spring as vice president for administrative services, Johnny C. Woods Jr. is focusing his attention on ensuring all of the college’s core administrative functions are enhancing the student experience and success.  

Woods brings experience both as a scholar and practitioner to his position. After starting a career in high education administration in 2008 at William V. S. Tubman University in Liberia, Woods immigrated to the United States in 2018 to pursue a Ph.D. in higher education at Virginia Tech. Along with earning his doctorate, Woods was involved in teaching, research and program administration at Virginia Tech until 2023, when he joined the executive team at Seattle Central College, overseeing various campus functional units and services to maximize operational excellence.  

In a Q&A with YVC Voice, Woods discussed his interest in combining scholarship with administrative leadership, what attracted him to YVC, how he’ll work to advance student success as vice president and more.  

You earned your bachelor's and master's degrees from universities in Africa and then worked in a variety of roles at Tubman University in Liberia. Why did you decide to take the next step in your education and career in the U.S.? 

My bachelor’s and master’s degrees were obtained from universities in Africa, but in two separate countries (Liberia and Uganda). Further, I attained other advanced certificates, including a certificate in internal quality assurance in higher education from a university in Germany. These academic achievements, coupled with the various roles held in higher education, ignited my quest for a terminal degree. I wasn’t fixated on the U.S., but it made perfect sense due to pre-existing relationships and activities, as well as the history of Liberia with the U.S.   

You’ve held positions as both an administrator and a faculty member. How do you feel you’ve benefited from doing both research and running day-to-day operations of an institution of higher education? 

It’s a unique positionality, serving all major spheres of higher education. It was an intentional effort in my career development given my interest in building a seasoned understanding of all aspects of higher education (i.e., learning, teaching, research and administration) as an empowerment to serve students better. Through research — especially my focus on improving the experiences and outcomes of students, with attention to underserved and underrepresented groups — I am enlightened about emerging trends, data, realities and best practices/approaches that are applicable in enhancing operational efficiencies to support the institution's mission, goals and students.  

What attracted you to YVC? 

Well, it is simple. YVC’s mission and student population attracted me based on similarities to my compounded identity, lived experience, and professional beliefs and interests. I self-identify as a person of color, immigrant, and first-generation college graduate, with a strong conviction in the correlation between education and socio-economic and societal transformations. 

How will you help advance student success in your role as vice president? 

I am responsible for ensuring that the core administrative functions of the college are efficient and effective in supporting its mission and strategic directions. As a system thinker, my priority is working with my colleagues on improving the student experience through process improvements, provision of essential campus support services, modernization of facilities/technologies/systems, and equitable allocation of resources to enhance student learning, well-being, and overall experience. 

YVC serves a large number of first-generation students and we have a very diverse student body. How will your previous experience benefit your work here? 

I have led improvements in processes and systems at other higher education institutions that are comparable to YVC’s student body. The plan is to keep our diverse student body in mind in program planning and resource allocation; that is, recognizing the differing needs and working towards customizing support services to the individual student groups through an equity and priority lens, while avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Story by Dustin Wunderlich, director of community relations. Photo by Matt Barton, graphic designer/multimedia content producer.