When Romaine Seguin ’82 became Acting President of William Woods University on December 13, 2024, she made history as the first graduate of The Woods to become president of the institution. Of course, her influence on WWU was already well-established long before taking the top leadership role on campus. Chair of the university’s board of trustees since 2019 and a member since 2011, Seguin forged a spectacular career in the corporate world after graduating from William Woods in 1982 with a degree in marketing management, including service as President of United Parcel Service (UPS) Global Freight Forwarding. She recently sat down with The Woods Today’s John Fougere for a discussion on her passion for William Woods, her career, and her priorities for the university going forward.
- As the first-ever William Woods graduate to serve as President of The Woods, what are your thoughts on serving your alma mater as both Chair of the Board of Trustees and now as Acting President?
Seguin: I am very honored. William Woods gave me so much, when I was here as a student, and it is really time for me to give back to the institution. I consider myself a servant-leader, and in my opinion, more institutions, more not-for-profits, could benefit from servant-leaders who are passionate about moving the entity forward. Here at William Woods, we have so many good things that are happening, and I am just so very honored to be sitting in the president’s chair for this institution.
- Describe the path that led you to select William Woods for your college education.
Seguin: It’s kind of a funny story. I was very close to signing an athletic scholarship to play softball at Mizzou (the University of Missouri, Columbia), but I thought ‘before I sign, I’m going to stop to check out another school’ while on my way home (to St. Louis). That school was what was then William Woods College. As soon as I got to campus here in Fulton, I instantly fell in love with it. Keep in mind, I went to a large high school (Hazelwood East High School), and I remember thinking – I’m not sure I want to be in a classroom again with 100 students. And that’s what ultimately made my decision, coming here and seeing this campus.
- How did your William Woods experience shape you, and how did it aid your professional career?
Seguin: I often talk to students about how, I came here originally as an athlete, but left as an academic person. Education is critical; yes, sports can get you here, but what you do in academics, regardless of your discipline or what degree you get, really builds your future. I will say that there were so many special professors here at The Woods who impacted me, and I tell the professors here now that, years from now, our graduates won’t look back and remember who the president was – they’ll remember the faculty, just as I do. Overall, it was just a great experience here at William Woods, the best four years of my life! If I could do it all over again and go back to school here, I would love to do it again.
- Your professional career has taken you all over the globe, and to leadership at one of the biggest brands in the world. What are you most proud of? What was most challenging?
Seguin: I was fortunate to be with UPS for 38 years, and also served as a CEO for a not-for-profit called Good 360, which taught me a lot, particularly how to work with a board. But what I was most proud of, and what was most challenging, was the same thing – going through COVID-19 while I was at UPS. You remember that, at the time, we didn’t know what we didn’t know, and the world didn’t either. My self and everybody in our business unit really felt like the goods we were moving around the world were literally keeping people alive. We were making it possible for people to be that frontline employer, that frontline doctor, because we were moving all of those critical PPE (personal protective equipment) goods around the world. We took our breath for a moment, and then we started moving the vaccines, doing it under the most challenging circumstances as some people were virtual, some were working in on-site operations. It was a global movement of PPE goods and vaccines, and being a part of it was my proudest moment.
I realized that earnings-per-share weren’t what was most important in that moment, but keeping people alive and keeping the world moving. It seems like so long ago, but it was only five years ago this month when it first hit. The world shut down, but as an essential business at UPS, we were right on the frontlines and being able to operate as we did is something I will never forget.
- What are your top priorities for your tenure as Acting President?
Seguin: Right now, my focus is on the short-term. And in that timeframe, I am prioritizing three key areas: One, securing the financing of our new residence hall, Hillside Hall, which will house 200 students and is scheduled to open this coming August. Number two, working to improve our overall assessment score with the Department of Education. And three, to develop a robust development (fund-raising) plan for the future, one that has staying power and truly engages our wonderful alumni. I am in particular looking forward to our upcoming Day Of Giving, which will take place from noon on April 22 through noon on April 23. I highly recommend that anybody near campus comes out on April 22, or watch the live-stream of events on the 22nd, because something highly unusual is going to happen on that live stream on the 22nd. Stay tuned!
