Greg Woodward, dean of the Ithaca College School of Music and longtime faculty member of the college, will become Carthage College’s new president this summer, the college announced Tuesday.

Carthage College is a private liberal arts college located in Wisconsin with a total student enrollment of about 3,400.

Woodward has assumed multiple leadership roles at the college. He has served as dean of graduate and professional studies and in 2010-11 as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. Woodward joined the Department of Music Theory,
History and Composition as a composer in 1984 and has been a professor since 2000.

President Tom Rochon said the college is not only losing a great leader in the School of Music, but also a colleague in the planning of IC 20/20, the college’s strategic vision for the school.

“It’s always bittersweet when a talented leader leaves the college for another opportunity,” Rochon said. “It’s especially bittersweet here because we worked so closely together last year when he was interim provost, but this is an opportunity he
deserves, and I don’t know if I have ever met anyone as ready to be a successful president as he is.”

Woodward said he was not actively looking for a new job, but applied when an opportunity arose, just like many positions he has served in his 34 years at the college.

“It’s a bittersweet kind of feeling, but I’m so looking forward to working at this school,” he said. “It’s a great school, and the opportunity to be the president is something really special, and when that came along, there was really no way to not do it.”

 Brad Andrews, senior vice president for academic resources at Carthage
College, said a search for a new president has been under way since early autumn and more than 60 candidates applied for the position. Andrews said Woodward’s background and experience at Ithaca College made him stand out in the application process.

“Greg has tireless energy,” Andrews said. “He’s full of great ideas, and he has a personality and a style of engagement that really is a great fit for this college. Carthage has been growing in quality and reputation for a number of years, and as a college, we’re poised to really take off and somebody with the energy and enthusiasm and vision that Greg Woodward has is absolutely a perfect fit for this college.”

Woodward said his multifaceted experience at the college has prepared him for the presidency at Carthage.

“I think I’ve served on pretty much every committee that the college had at one point or another and worked closely with students, staff, faculty and administration,” Woodward said. “I’m going to call it a blessing — not in the spiritual way, but  sort of a blessing of my time at Ithaca — has been that I have been able to learn so much about the organization and try so many things that, without having really planned on this, it turned out to be really a great preparation for the presidency.”

 Woodward marks the third dean from the college who has gone on to a college presidency since 2009. Dianne Lynch, dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communications, left to become president of Stephens College, and Susan West Engelkemeyer, dean of the School of Business, was named president of Nichols
College.

Rochon said he will miss Woodward personally, but is happy he has the chance to advance in his career.

“He’s been a wonderful friend and colleague, but again that’s tempered with an absolute joy that he’s being given an opportunity to use his talent at Carthage College,” Rochon said.

Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will identify an interim dean to lead the School of Music next year while a search for a new dean takes place.

Woodward said he will always remain attached to the college, especially to the School of Music.

“I am going to miss all my friends, and I just feel so, so lucky to have spent so much of my professional and personal life with these people and in this place,” Woodward said. “I really couldn’t have asked for a better situation. I’m thankful and yet, like I say, looking forward and eager for the new challenge,” he said.

Assistant News Editor Erica Palumbo contributed to this report.