Jaime Woody has been appointed dean of students and director of residence life effective July 1. She replaces Mike Leese, who is stepping down as dean of students to return to his alma mater, Tarleton State University, as executive director of student life development. Leese previously worked at Tarleton from 1969 to 1989.

Woody has been a member of the Student Life staff at Southwestern since 1993 and currently serves as associate dean for student life. In 2008, she received Southwestern’s Joe S. Mundy Award for Exemplary Service and in 2010 she received the Robert D. Bradshaw Small Colleges Student Advocate Award from Region III of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the leading professional association in student life.  

“During her years at Southwestern University, Jaime has fully devoted herself to the development and welfare of our students,” said Jerry Brody, vice president for student life. “We all look forward to working with Jaime in her new role.”

Leese also joined Southwestern’s Student Life staff in 1993 and has served as dean of students since 2003.

“In the past 20 years, Dr. Leese has been the heart and spirit of student life at Southwestern,” Brody said. “To many students and alumni, Dr. Leese is Southwestern. He has nurtured them, mentored them, and not just changed lives but actually saved lives.”