Wood, who was interviewed for this article surrounded by boxes during her first week on the job, said her first priority is to start the planning process that will help the office reach the University's goals of sending more students abroad, attracting more foreign students and bringing more of an international flair to campus. One of her first tasks will be to revamp the office's advertising pieces with a new series of brochures, videos and a new Web site so that students and parents will have a greater awareness of study abroad opportunities and their potential benefits. Study abroad affects the student's entire life. All students, no matter what their major, live in a global community. With the world becoming smaller through technology, it's important to know how to be a citizen of the world, to be engaged in international affairs.
Study abroad can benefit every person.
It's that strong belief in the benefits of study abroad that brought Wood to Wake Forest. Many schools will be going in this direction if they want to remain competitive. Associate Provost Samuel T. Gladding said Wood's wide travels abroad and her first-hand experience as a student and scholar in foreign lands made her perfect for the job. The other outstanding quality about Dr. Wood is the fact that she has exceptional interpersonal skills. She is easy to talk to and has a gift for making others feel at ease in her presence.