Scripps College President Nancy Y. Bekavac has announced the appointment of Debra Carlson Wood as dean of students after a nationwide search. Wood, dean of students and associate professor of political science at Illinois Wesleyan University, will begin her responsibilities at Scripps on July 15.
“Debra Wood is the right person at the right time for Scripps,” said Bekavac. “We welcome her to campus, and we look forward to working with her as we continue to build a vital campus community.” Scripps plans to increase student population from 700 to 750 by 2001, and this spring broke ground for the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Campus Commons.
At Illinois Wesleyan, Wood jointly oversaw the building of a student residence hall, helped start a Student Activities Department, reorganized staffing in the Multicultural Affairs Department, and reorganized and expanded the University Committee on Diversity. She also taught courses in constitutional law. Wood has an undergraduate degree in political science/international relations from Carleton College and a J.D. from Washington University School of Law.
Wood began her career after law school as an associate attorney in a St. Louis general legal practice firm before taking a position at Washington University School of Law as assistant dean for student affairs and lecturer in law. She was vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for five years before moving to Illinois Wesleyan.
Wood commented, “My most important personal and professional responsibility is serving as a mentor, role model, and advocate for women. I look forward to the opportunity to work at an institution consisting solely of young women as intellectually and personally talented and gifted as is the student body at Scripps.”