February 01, 2013
A New Yorker through and through, Brian Woods’ outstanding
career in development has led him to St. John’s School of Law – and
it hasn’t taken him long to realize why the University is so
special.
“There’s a real sense of community here at St. John’s,” said Woods,
who joined the School of Law in November 2012 as the Executive
Director of Alumni and Development. “The people who work here care
about the quality of their work, they treat others with respect and
they like to partner together to solve problems. That all adds up
to a pretty tremendous atmosphere.”
Woods is excited about helping St. John’s further engage its Law
alumni and raising funds to support the School.
“We have a great opportunity here and a very dedicated alumni
body,” he noted. “I’m particularly glad that the Dean of the School
of Law, Michael A. Simons, has a very clear vision in mind. He’s an
active and visible dean, so the challenge for us is to keep up with
him.”
There are a wealth of ways in which alumni can give back to the
School of Law, from supporting student scholarships to enhancing
the School’s renowned programs and centers, such as the Center for
Bankruptcy Studies and the Center for Labor and Employment Law.
These programs, Woods explained, provide students with hands-on
opportunities to gain practical skills, relevant experience and
professional connections.
“There are a myriad of ways for alumni and friends to give, and a
lot of worthwhile things to support,” he continued. “Directed
giving has become popular – alumni like to know exactly where their
money is going – but there are also many donors who simply give to
the School’s ‘most needed priorities,’ and I think that speaks to
the trust they have in our Dean. We have a well-run School, and
they know our Dean will use those funds for what’s best. It’s great
to have that flexibility.”
Before joining St. John’s, Woods worked at Columbia University –
primarily in its Law School – and later served at Stony Brook
University in a senior capacity, managing fundraising for its main
campus. Woods decided to transition to St. John’s after engaging in
a number of informal conversations with University administrators,
and he’s been impressed by St. John’s enormous potential and strong
Vincentian mission.
“Right when I started,” Woods said, “I was struck by how much our
alumni went out of their way to support the Hurricane Sandy relief
efforts. In fact, I was struck by the very fact that St. John’s
asked its alumni for support for this purpose.”
In the future, Woods hopes to expand the Law School’s reach through
social media, increased communications, a focus on intimate events
with faculty and further engaging alumni all across the nation.
And, of course, he is looking to continue energizing the Law
School’s New York-based graduates.
“Taking a page from our great coaches,” Woods noted, “we have to
win on our home turf.”
He added, “I’d like to thank all of our current Law School donors
who give back to the University. I’m excited to be here, and I look
forward to meeting many more of our alumni and friends down the
line as we work together to support this terrific Law School and
University.”
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