Toward shared goals

A multitude of experiences have shaped the path that led to Douglas W. Woods being named provost of Loyola University Chicago. He recalls the decades spent as a licensed clinical psychologist, faculty member, and university administrator–but looking back, perhaps the most formative moment came on a dark Ohio night just before he set off for graduate school.  

“We were driving back from my goodbye dinner,” says Woods, “and this flash rainstorm hit the area so hard. We drove past a lake where the rising waters had taken a car out from the dock and elderly folks were stranded out in the flood.” 

Without hesitation, Woods, his father, and another arriving passerby dove into the water to rescue the four floating motorists. “I remember thinking, someone’s got to help,” Woods reflects. “We can’t just wait for this problem to be fixed. We have to help.”  

Woods’ career in higher education has not been charged with the same life-and-death consequences as this particular moment in his personal life. But it’s an experience he says has shaped the way he sees the world. “When facing challenges, it’s important to take in as much useful information as possible.” Woods cites his social scientist training as another influence on this type of data-informed decision making. “But once we have clarity on our goals, and align on how to get there, we have to take action.” 

Service through scholarship 

Woods has spent nearly a quarter of a century in the clinical lab setting, devising non-pharmaceutical treatments for tic disorders, such as Tourette Syndrome and trichotillomania. After earning his BA in Psychology from Ohio University, MS in Clinical Psychology from North Dakota State University, and PhD in Psychology from Western Michigan University, he began a fourteen-year tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. There, Woods and colleagues published research in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) laying the foundation for Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT)–which has become the first line of recommended treatment for those diagnosed with some neurological disorders.  

“It’s been so gratifying to see that shift,” says Woods. “We’ve been able to develop something that helps people lead happier and more successful lives without certain downsides of pharmaceutical treatment. A lot of the work I’ve been involved with this past decade has been helping to make CBIT more known and accessible to providers. Whether that’s traveling nationally and internationally to train providers in the technique or developing innovative and affordable ways to scale and distribute these resources, my colleagues and I are passionate about amplifying our research wherever it can make the greatest impact.” 

Woods recently helped to launch TicHelper.com–an 8-week, family-based program that teaches children and parents effective skills to manage tics–with funding provided by the National Institute of Mental Health. He looks forward to continuing his scholarly work at Loyola and remaining active in research groups across the country while working to finish a forthcoming book on the subject. Perhaps more importantly, after settling into his role as provost, he looks forward to teaching psychology at the University. 

Reflecting on the beginning of his career at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Woods says it was his relationships with students in the classroom that inspired him to take on administrative and leadership roles. “As a faculty member, I cherished the impact made one on one with students. But in wanting to make their experiences better, my students really inspired me to work on improving programs. As a higher education administrator, I realized that I could help play a part in making a difference for a far greater number of students and members of the community throughout the entire institution.” 

Embracing Jesuit education 

Woods went on to become Head of Psychology at Texas A&M University, a program with several thousand students, and on a scale closer to that of a small college. But as a lifelong resident of the Midwest, he felt called to return. “I love this part of the country,” says Woods. “I love the people here. And for my wife and I, it just feels like home.” 

Woods had stayed in touch with the late Marquette University president Michael R. Lovell from their shared days in the University of Wisconsin system, and in discerning leadership opportunities in the Midwest, he eventually learned that a role as dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate and professional studies would be coming available at Marquette. 

“I’m Catholic,” says Woods, “but with no formal experience in Catholic education at that time, I found myself very interested in learning more about how that unique charism affects the educational endeavor.” 

Woods would eventually be selected for the role, and in returning home to the Midwest, he discovered that he had found a new professional home within Jesuit, Catholic education. “Jesuit universities stand out because they truly understand and live their mission. I really believe that the institutions which will thrive most over this next decade–one that’s expected to be challenging for the higher education landscape in general–are those that fully embrace their mission. At Marquette, I found something that was missing in my career before–and that was a commitment to educating students as whole people. Of course we want to enrich and enliven their minds. But if we haven’t inflamed their hearts and inspired a movement of their hands toward making a difference in the world, we will have ultimately failed them.” 

After nearly ten years at Marquette, Woods’ leadership saw enrollment in the Graduate School hit all-time highs—increasing 39 percent. While Graduate program revenue has grown dramatically, the number of graduate students from diverse backgrounds also increased by 200 percent, and graduate education has gained greater visibility on campus. 

“After a great run at Marquette, I began considering provost positions elsewhere, and I knew I wanted to be at a place that lives its mission through and through. I saw the work Loyola does on social and racial justice, I saw how the University serves the community through its educational programs, I saw the concern Loyola shows for the environment–and I knew this was the place for me.” 

Leading Loyola forward 

As the lifelong Midwest denizen transitions to Chicago, he won’t say whether he prefers Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s—but he is looking forward to the pizza. “My family and I are excited to explore the city more. We’ve loved coming down from Milwaukee to visit the Field Museum or catch an athletic event, but we’re really looking forward to being here permanently,” says Woods. He includes Rambler Athletics and University Fine and Performing Arts events in the city’s rich slate of offerings and plans to be a frequent attendant at both. 

“Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the world. Its cultural, academic, religious, and business significance cannot be overstated.”

Woods notes that Loyola’s Jesuit approach to education requires students and faculty to be active learners involved with, engaged in, and committed to service of the community. He points toward the University’s regional footprint as an opportunity to do what Jesuit institutions do best. “Our geographical distribution provides a distinct advantage in meeting people where they are by delivering educational programs at our different campuses or by basing our research in areas that are most relevant to our work.” 

“There’s something to do at Loyola in everyone’s back yard. We have an incredibly diverse array of high-quality programs that are delivered within a 500-year-old educational tradition that has proven time and again to transform the lives of those it touches.” Racial justice and the health sciences are just two of the key areas Woods identifies with room to grow and an opportunity to pursue in a distinctly Ignatian way. 

And just as the University advances racial justice through its research and integration with the city, Woods says he is passionate about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community. “Loyola has made great strides toward diversity, and we’re still devoted to furthering those efforts to make this a more inclusive experience for all students, faculty and staff. Greater diversity not only helps to more effectively educate our students, but it better prepares them to enter a multicultural world that our Catholic faith reminds us shows a deeper reflection of God.” 

Woods, who has run five kilometers a day for nearly 25 years, knows that his work as provost will be more of a marathon than a sprint. As he looks toward his first year at Loyola, Woods says that his academic and professional journey informs the way he plans to embrace the role. “Throughout my entire administrative career, I have stayed active as a professor and grant-funded researcher who publishes regularly. I can empathize with what faculty are experiencing, both the good and the challenging. I understand the systems, support, and processes we have when teaching our students, working on grants, or doing our scholarship. This allows me to understand issues that arise in these areas. As the chief academic officer at Loyola, I plan to be an active part of the academy and help us all move that needle toward our mission and our shared goals.”