�ʼһ���

Woo, who grew up in Raleigh, immediately sought ways to get involved in campus life. She ran for freshman class representative, winning the election despite her name being accidentally included in the runoff election. There were many student names on the initial ballot, and she wasn’t supposed to be among the ones in the runoff; it proved a happy accident, in the end. 

In the years that followed, she would serve as sophomore class representative and the SGA vice president, until finally becoming �ʼһ���’s first woman and first Asian American SGA president–a “complex, yet rewarding” experience.

During Woo’s college years, women also held leadership roles on the Honor Council, the Patterson Court Leadership Council, The �ʼһ���ian and Quips and Cranks. Although they made up a fraction of the student body, �ʼһ��� women demonstrated drive and racked up accomplishments. 

Woo’s time at �ʼһ��� immersed her in a culture of stewardship and integrity, which she said shaped her into the person she is today. She continues to use the college’s Honor Code as a moral framework.

“The Honor Code is something that I still internalize,” said Woo. “It really sharpened my own integrity, my sense of respect for others and my ability to interact with others in ways that show our shared humanity.”

Throughout the years, she’s remained heavily involved in supporting �ʼһ���’s growth, serving as a member of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Visitors and the Alumni Association Board, helping launch an affinity group for Asian alums and serving as a career mentor to current students. 

While there are many parts of �ʼһ���, like the Honor Code, that remain the same, much has changed since her student government days. The number of Asian students and women students on campus is much higher now, and the �ʼһ��� community has grown into a comparatively more inclusive place, in large part thanks to those who blazed trails of equity and inclusivity. 

Much like her work to combat economic inequalities, Woo knows the work of bringing positive change to �ʼһ��� can never be finished–it requires constant investment. 

“�ʼһ��� has come a long way since I was a student, but as an institution, we’ll never be done evolving to reflect the world as it is now,” she said. “I think it’s important for students to speak up about their passions and the issues that matter to them so that the college can be responsive. It’s a special community of mutual respect and trust that isn’t so common in the rest of the world.”