Alumni Spotlight: Deanne Woodard
March 28, 2024
Deane Woodard uses the life skills she learned as a Girl Scout in her current role as Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). Deanne grew up in Bartow Florida, where her mother was a teacher, and her father served as a school board administrator. Her older sister joined Girl Scouts, and Deanne soon followed in her footsteps joining Brownies. At the time, her troop, led by her mother, was one of only two troops in the area for African-American girls. The other troop was run across town by her godmother. “Mom was really big on our troop earning badges,” she remembers. Deanne had a personal goal to fill up her sash to the point she would need a new one. One of her favorite memories is proudly wearing her Girl Scout uniform and sash to school on troop meeting days.
Girl Scout camp was Deanne’s favorite place. Each year she was eager for cookie season. “I would sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, sell, so I could go to camp.” At camp she enjoyed camp songs and activities – and developed a life-long love for horses and equestrian activities. The summer before turning twelve she had the opportunity to go to her first horse camp. Camp was week-long and after a couple days of safety lessons and learning how to take care of the horses she was ready to ride. “I was so excited that I forgot everything they had just taught me.” Somehow Deanne spooked the horse, it reared up and came down hard on her leg. “I thought I was going to die,” she said. She decided on the spot that she was “done with horses.” While on kitchen duty that night, she snuck to the payphone to call her mom and asked to come home. “Normally you got sent home for breaking the rules like that, but this time the Camp Director listened and said, ‘you are going to get back on that horse tomorrow.’” She woke up the next morning and the Director was at her door. She brought Deanne back to the horse, held the reigns and guided them all morning. From then on Deanne had a passion for equestrian sports, including the rodeo.
Perseverance, never giving up, thinking big are all lessons she learned as a Girl Scout. She holds these lessons close to her heart today. “As a Girl Scout we were taught to make something from nothing,” she shares. As Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs she has dealt with everything from budget cuts to growing needs. “I’ve adopted this philosophy where I say—help me find my way to yes.” She uses the lesson of never giving up in her search towards yes every day. “I have to make a way out of no way, because saying we don’t have this is not acceptable.”
Deanne’s message to young girls today is to experience everything Girl Scouts has to offer - from earning badges for your sash to your Gold Award. “The lessons [you learn] are invaluable, the friendships are invaluable, the confidence you build is invaluable. Your future is bright. So stick with it, stay the course.”
