The Heartbeat of Alumni Relations

During the last week of her nearly 40-year career at Exeter, Jan Woodford ’40, ’41, 44, ’49, ’51, 52, ’53, ’59, ’60, ’62, ’70, ’71, ’78 (Hon.), senior advisor of campus events, is doing what she does best: serving and connecting with alumni.

In between cleaning out her desk and saying goodbye to colleagues, Woodford, who retired in June, pens an obituary for Bissell Jenkins Middleton ’44, recalling “he was a delight to work with” on reunions. “You’d never know he was a high-powered lawyer,” she says. She pauses hours later as Beth Dutton ’79 ducks into her office and requests a selfie.

It’s all in a day’s work for Woodford, who managed logistics for 14 reunion classes as a key Alumni Relations team member. Now an honorary member of 13 of those classes — the most of any community member — Woodford worked closely with alumni volunteers and departments across campus to ensure events were flawlessly executed all while keeping calm under pressure. Nancy Smith Douglas ’79 likens Woodford to “a beautiful swan gliding effortlessly over the surface of the water while paddling madly beneath.”

For Woodford, relationships are at the heart of the alumni experience. She maintained personal connections with hundreds of alumni through handwritten notes and phone calls, always remembering the smallest details about their lives. “She has a genuine interest in alumni stories,” says Michelle Curtin, director of Alumni Relations and Woodford’s supervisor. “Jan always had alumni in her office. With her extensive knowledge of Exeter and her connections, there was a level of security that people working with her knew she’d get things done, find answers and make something work.”

An Air Force veteran, Woodford came to Exeter with her husband and young son, Billy (their daughter, Kati, was born later). “I wanted to work locally and a relative worked at Exeter and highly recommended working here,” she says. Woodford initially joined the annual giving office but soon moved to Alumni Relations, starting as the primary staff member supporting reunion classes. “We eventually grew,” Woodford says, “expanding into alumni events, building dedications and groundbreakings. I became involved with everything to do with bringing alumni back to campus.”

Woodford was the driving force behind Exeter Salutes, a program launched in 2019 to honor members of the Exeter alumni community who currently serve in the armed forces or are veterans. Through assembly and in-person programs that connect veterans and current students, Exeter Salutes is “a wonderful example of non sibi,” Woodford says. “It’s a joy to watch students get excited to meet the veterans and learn more about the military and its contributions.”

Many special reunion memories stand out for Woodford, including: working with the class of ’59 to help raise money for the renovation of the Academy Building; welcoming female members of the class of ’71, part of Exeter’s first co-ed class, back to campus; and planning the gala celebration for the opening of The David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Theater and Dance. “I couldn’t have done this for 38 years on my own,” Woodford says. “Staff in Institutional Advancement, facilities and dining all supported me throughout as I learned this job and grew into it.”

As she looks forward to spending more time exploring New Hampshire during retirement, Woodford recalls her Exeter memories fondly. “Seeing alumni connect with each other and the school warms my heart,” she says. “It’s a testimony to what a great place Exeter is and how important it is to people’s lives.

This article was first published in the summer 2025 edition of The Exeter Bulletin.