Ontario Wooden, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Alcorn State University, has been featured in a new interview with Thrive Global.

LORMAN, MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ontario Wooden has been featured in an exclusive online interview. Thrive Global helps the world’s leading enterprises and their people build healthy habits through inspirational storytelling and actionable microsteps.

The wide-ranging interview explored Ontario Wooden’s background and experience, including what he finds most inspiring and engaging about his leadership role at Alcorn State University, what keeps him motivated and how he strives to motivate others, and who he counts among his role models — including the late, legendary American statesman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in July, 2020

“When you think about a young man in his 20s who could have lost his life being beat for marching for the right to vote in Alabama and [later] being able to have a 30-plus year career in the Congress, it’s just amazing,” said Wooden, who previously served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Academic Outreach at North Carolina Central University. “John Lewis’ story really shows us the greatness of our country…he inspired me.”

In addition, Wooden shared how he maintains work-life balance, and the hardest obstacle that he has overcome. With respect to the former, he credits his wife, Kim, and one-year old son for helping him keep things in perspective. With respect to the latter, he points to the fact that he was 26 years old when he first met his father – a truly life-changing experience.

“That is a shared experience, a difficulty that low income and first-generation college students can relate to,” said Wooden, who obtained his bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Albany State University, and went on to earn his master’s degree and doctorate degree at Indiana University. “The fact that I would be able to use this as a way to share and connect with students, to encourage and motivate them, that has reaped benefits not only for students, but it’s also helped me. You start to realize that in every person’s life there are things that we all have to work though and overcome.”

Ontario Wooden wrapped up the interview by focusing on the industry trend that excites him the most: the ability to create virtual study abroad experiences; an innovation that is especially relevant and practical in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put an indeterminant pause on traditional study abroad programs.


About Ontario Wooden

Ontario Wooden currently serves as the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Alcorn State University, and previously served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success and Academic Outreach at North Carolina Central University.

Ontario Wooden
Alcorn State University
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