Founders’ Day, John and Elizabeth Phillips awards announced

Alumni Association President, Trustee and Awards Committee Chair Sam Brown ’92 has announced the selection of Jan Woodford ’40, ’41, 44, ’49, ’51, 52, ’53, ’59, ’60, ’62, ’70, ’71, ’78 (Hon.) to receive the 2026 Founders’ Day Award, and Samuel P. “Terry” Goddard III ’65 to receive this year’s John and Elizabeth Phillips Award.

Established by the Trustees in 1976, the Founders’ Day Award is given annually in recognition of longtime service to the Academy.

Jan Woodford retired in 2025 as senior adviser of campus events in Exeter’s Alumni Relations office, having served the Academy and its alumni for nearly four decades. She began her career in the fundraising office but later moved to Alumni Relations, where she eventually managed reunion events for 14 reunion classes. During her tenure, she received honorary membership in 13 classes — more than any other community member — and attended or managed more than 750 events (including reunions, memorials, building dedications, graduations and many more).

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Woodford also spearheaded Exeter Salutes, an annual programming initiative launched in 2019 that honors members of the Exeter alumni community who currently serve in the armed forces or are veterans and connects them with current students.

Woodford will receive the award and speak during assembly on May 15.

The John and Elizabeth Phillips Award is given annually to an Exonian who has contributed significantly to the welfare of community, country or humanity.

This year’s recipient, Terry Goddard ’65, has dedicated his life to public service, working to increase transparency in government, enhance consumer protections and encourage citizens’ participation in the political process.

After beginning his legal career prosecuting fraud in the Arizona’s attorney general’s office, Goddard served four terms as mayor of Phoenix, Arizona and went on to become Arizona state director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2002, Goddard won election to the first of two terms as Arizona’s attorney general. In that role, he focused on promoting consumer and civil rights, fighting drug cartels and pursuing cases against predatory mortgage lenders.

Following the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC (2010), which opened the doors to unlimited election spending by wealthy individuals and groups, Goddard waged a determined fight to remove “dark money” from the state’s political system. In 2022, 72% of Arizona’s voters overwhelmingly passed Prop. 211, an initiative establishing the nation’s most comprehensive election spending transparency law, after Goddard succeeded in his fourth attempt to get it on the ballot.

Outside of the political realm, Goddard has taught graduate level courses on urban affairs and other topics at Arizona State University and served as president of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, which administers the canal system bringing water from the Colorado River to central Arizona. He has also championed historical preservation efforts, working for some 40 years to revitalize and return to public use the historic Phoenix First Baptist Church, renamed the Monroe Abbey.

Goddard will receive the John and Elizabeth Phillips Award and speak during assembly on Oct. 30.