November 1, 2019 (Jackson, Miss.) - The Network Journal has named Dr. Antwon D. Woods, Belhaven's Chair and Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Sport Management, a national honoree for its annual 40 Under Forty Achievement Awards. The Network Journal is New York's leading professional, small-business magazine and honored Woods and other prestigious candidates at the New York City Crowne Plaza Hotel on Friday, October 25.
“Dr. Woods is a living example of the Belhaven motto 'to serve, and not be served,'” said Belhaven School of Business Dean Dr. Chip Mason. “We are thrilled that he was recognized as one of the best young leaders in this country. He is a top-notch teacher who is preparing future business leaders at the Belhaven School of Business.”
This year's 40 candidates were selected from hundreds of nominations from the ranks of professionals and entrepreneurs. In its 22nd consecutive year, the 40 Under Forty Achievement Awards recognizes up-and-coming African-American men and women who show promise and commitment in their careers, and showcase their talents to a vast network of corporate affiliations.
Woods earned his Bachelor in Business Administration in Accounting from Jackson State University in 2011, and a Master of Science in Sport Management from Middle Tennessee State University in 2013. In 2015, he earned a Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University, where he was an Ayers Fellow in the Jake Ayers Institute for Urban Research. He completed his educational record with the Master of Business Administration degree from Louisiana State University in 2018.
At Belhaven, Wood oversees the departmental curriculum, support of faculty-and student-led initiatives for innovation in learning and teaching, and other academic priorities. He also is a co-author of Examining Student Retention and Engagement Strategies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (IGI Global, 2018). In addition to his book publication, he has published over 20 peer-reviewed scholarly articles in the areas of retention, student engagement, customer service, community outreach, and shared governance. To extend his research expertise, he served on the editorial review board for five different academic journals. In 2018, the Mississippi Business Journal awarded Woods as one of the Top 50 under 40 Business Leaders in Mississippi.
In addition to his work at Belhaven, Woods serves as the co-chair and president for the Antwon and Constance Woods Family Foundation, a non-profit that supports the educational well-being of children across Mississippi, founded by him and his wife. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Ambition Preparatory Charter School in Jackson, Miss., where he serves as Vice Chairman. Woods is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Woods is married to Dr. Constance Barnes-Woods, a pediatrician at Blair E. Batson Children Hospital in Jackson, Miss., and they are expecting their first daughter, Bella Elizabeth.