Alcorn State University announces the appointment of Dr. Antwon Woods as its next dean of the School of Business.
He has over ten years of experience in higher education, having held positions at liberal arts and research universities.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Dr. Woods to Alcorn,” said Dr. Ontario Wooden, interim president of Alcorn State University. “Working in public and private higher education institutions in Mississippi has given him a keen aptitude and understanding of the higher education landscape of our state. His experience with the accreditation process positions the university well for our upcoming accreditation visit. He is a highly accomplished administrator and researcher, and I look forward to the innovative ideas he will implement in the School of Business to elevate the learning experience for our students.”
In his new role, he will be responsible for developing current and future programs, increasing undergraduate and graduate student enrollment, cultivating strong alumni and external relationships, and increasing the fundraising capacity of the School.
“Being selected as the dean of business at Alcorn State University and joining this community with my wife, Dr. Constance, and daughter, Bella Elizabeth, makes me feel fortunate and humbled,” said Woods. “Alcorn is truly an outstanding institution where students develop their character while preparing for their careers, all in conjunction with exceptional faculty and staff who are leaders in their respective fields. People I’ve met rave about how welcoming and family-oriented the Alcorn community is, and I want to continue to make that experience available within the School of Business and the university for many years to come.”
Woods is described as an academic entrepreneur who enjoys generating new ideas and orchestrating positive change to solve problems and achieve goals.
Previously, he served as the assistant to the president for Special Initiatives, associate dean of the School of Business, and associate professor of Business and Sports Management at Belhaven University. He also led the Southern Region Assembly of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) as its president.
Woods holds a Doctor of Philosophy in urban higher education and a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Jackson State University, a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University, and a Master of Science in sport management from Middle Tennessee State University. He completed studies at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, where he received a post-doctorate certificate in Executive Leadership.
In addition, he is a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Business Honor Society, the Sigma Iota Epsilon Management Fraternity, the Sigma Alpha Pi Honor Society, the Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement Honor Society, and the Golden Key International Honour Society.
He was named one of Mississippi’s Top 50 Under 40 Business Leaders in 2018 by the Mississippi Business Journal, Top 40 Under Forty Young African American Business Professionals by the Network Journal in New York, and an Emerging Leader Fellow by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities.
Woods is one of the co-authors of “Examining Student Retention and Engagement Strategies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” an acclaimed study investigating new innovations to better prepare the next generation of students for success in the competitive educational industry. In addition to his book, he has published over 30 peer-reviewed scholarly articles on retention, student engagement, customer service, community outreach, and shared governance. To expand his research experience, he served on the editorial review boards of five academic journals and as a guest reviewer for countless other journals.
He is married to his college sweetheart, Dr. Constance Barnes-Woods, CEO of Beanstalk Pediatrics; both are founders of Woods Management Group. They have a daughter, Bella Elizabeth.
