The First Female Provost

It goes without saying that Dr. DeWoody has made a mark at Oklahoma Baptist University(OBU). She is the first female provost, the chief academic officer, worked as the Dean of theGraduate college and has shown care for the OBU community. She has a Doctorate of Education(EDD), 20 years of experience in higher education, and her time at OBU is coming to an end.“I was actually at a conference when Dr. Norman gave his news to Dr. Whitlock and so they called me at that conference. I'll never forget, when the President calls you, step out of whatever you're doing, and you take his call. And so the President Whitlock at the time called and I stepped out and he asked me if I would be the interim. I was surprised because I was not only the newest member of the Dean's Council, I was also the youngest, but I did have quite a bit of experience at that point and had been an academic vice president in North Carolina,” DeWoody said.

At this point, DeWoody shifted from her role in the Graduate College and began as the interim Vice President for Academic Affairs. She continued to rise in rank and became the first female Provost. DeWoody has used her position to inspire women as well as encourage them to work in higher education.“There are women who have laid some of the groundwork by being in the vice president chair in the academic area of campus. But being the first female Provost, you know, it's interesting in our denomination, there are varying views on what women are and are not able to do in the church and in the workplace. And I fully agree with our theology surrounding women in the church, butI disagree with some people and their thoughts on women in the workplace. I believe that we should have an equitable opportunity in the workplace specifically and so because OBU is not a church, I do believe a female can be provost,” DeWoody said.

DeWoody knows the impact of her position, and she is not blind to critiques.“I do believe it's important to embrace people for their abilities, rather than thinking about their gender, and so I don't have to preach a day of my job. And so therefore, I don't think I should be precluded from being considered for Provost and so I think the most difficult part about being a female provost is that knowing that in our constituency, there are people who believe I should not be able to hold this post...you know, there's an old saying about women breaking the glass ceiling. They specifically say breaking the stained glass ceiling in what we do. And I think that that's out there because there are many women faced with that today” DeWoody said. DeWoody has worked diligently to leave a meaningful mark at OBU, and now she decided to continue to help others in a new position.“When you are in vice presidential roles in higher education, you often receive contact from a lot of search firms, because they know you have a lot of contacts, they're looking for you to give

them, you know, resources and source them. People that could be good for the positions that they're recruiting for but there was something special about Carter Baldwin and I connected with a lady that worked for Carter Baldwin. Her name is Debbie white. And Debbie was just a special human who used to be a provost and had gone to work for them. And she was doing just really great meaningful work. Helping people find their next thing. And so I just thought that was a really, really great, unique role to be in...It has taken about a year of conversation with him and a lot of prayer and a lot of seeking the Lord because this is actually my 20th year serving in higher education. And I'm finishing my fifth year at OBU. And I have loved it here... I made the decision to go as I felt the Lord working on my heart for the last year to pivot and to do something different and use the giftings that he'd given me in a different way. And so I'm going to do executive search and so that's building you know, meaningful relationships with people and helping them to find their next opportunity and I definitely feel called to help women and minorities find their opportunity,” DeWoody said. DeWoody will finish out her time as Provost this May, but she will always be remembered not only as the first female Provost, but as aProvost who cared for the students and faculty of OBU.