It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Paula Wood passed away on Monday, May 18, 2020 from complications resulting from COVID-19. Paula was the interim dean of the College of Education at Wayne State University from 1991 to 1993 and was dean from 1993 to her retirement in 2010.

During Paula's tenure as dean she provided outstanding leadership, scholarship, community service. Paula's many contributions to the field of education and teacher preparation had been demonstrated by her selection as the chair of the Michigan Deans' Council (2004-05); appointment to the Michigan State Board of Education Ensuring Excellent Educators Task Force (2002); Chairmanship of the Merrill-Palmer Institute Advisory Group; appointment as co-chair of the Wayne State University Academic Achievement Task Force that produced a White Paper on "Academic Achievement of the Youth of the City of Detroit" (2003); appointment as Interim Provost of Wayne State University (April-June 2003); recipient of the WSU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching (1987); and Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year (1998).

Paula Wood was a powerful positive force at the university for many years. Her outstanding leadership to the college, university and community are greatly appreciated and respected by all.

She will be missed by family and so many people whose lives she touched, both indirectly as dean of the college, and directly as a friend.

For those interested, you may make a memorial gift to the Dean Paula Wood Annual Scholarship Fund via our website at: https://giving.wayne.edu/donate/education. Please type in the name of the scholarship in the "Other designations and notes about the gift."

Ways to Give

Michael Gute, Philanthropy Officer
313-577-1671
MichaelNorman@wayne.edu