Whittier College has announced that veteran higher education leader Ken Woods ’84, who returned from retirement to serve his alma mater in an interim capacity for the 2023-24 academic year, has accepted a permanent position as Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management.
“I am delighted that Ken is continuing his important work on behalf of the College,” said President Kristine Dillon ’73. “He is a richly experienced enrollment executive and has already been a key figure in our efforts to reach and recruit a strong class of future Poets.”
Woods launched his career at Whittier in the late 1980s in the offices of admission, residential life, and summer activities. He later spent more than 25 years at the College Board fostering strategic relationships within the higher education enrollment sector, most recently as executive director of higher education services and strategic accounts.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Woods revamped the College Board’s higher education membership model to expand relationships, engaged with national conferences addressing higher education enrollment issues, and innovated new admissions strategies both regionally and nationally. Prior to joining the College Board, he served as director of regional admissions at the University of Denver and director of college counseling at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School.
"I am honored to be named Whittier’s Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management,” said Woods. “I have received such a warm welcome back to campus and have witnessed firsthand the passion and commitment of the Poet community. I am excited to build upon the progress we have made and look forward to furthering our efforts to attract and support a diverse and dynamic student body."
Woods earned his bachelor’s in social science and business administration from Whittier. He received the Key to the College in 1988 and served on the alumni board of directors from 2002 to 2005.
