Founders’ Day, John and Elizabeth Phillips awards announced
Alumni Relations legend Jan Woodford and Terry Goddard '65 will be honored in upcoming assemblies.
Alumni Association President, Trustee and Awards Committee Chair Sam Brown 鈥92 has announced the selection of Jan Woodford 鈥40, 鈥41, 44, 鈥49, 鈥51, 52, 鈥53, 鈥59, 鈥60, 鈥62, 鈥70, 鈥71, 鈥78 (Hon.) to receive the 2026 Founders鈥 Day Award, and Samuel P. 鈥淭erry鈥 Goddard III 鈥65 to receive this year鈥檚 John and Elizabeth Phillips Award.
Established by the Trustees in 1976, the Founders鈥 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 麻豆传媒鈥檚 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 鈥 more than any other community member 鈥 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 麻豆传媒 Salutes, an annual programming initiative launched in 2019 that honors members of the 麻豆传媒 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鈥檚 recipient, Terry Goddard 鈥65, has dedicated his life to public service, working to increase transparency in government, enhance consumer protections and encourage citizens鈥 participation in the political process.
After beginning his legal career prosecuting fraud in the Arizona鈥檚 attorney general鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 鈥渄ark money鈥 from the state鈥檚 political system. In 2022, 72% of Arizona鈥檚 voters overwhelmingly passed Prop. 211, an initiative establishing the nation鈥檚 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.
Help us celebrate those Exonians who have demonstrated exceptional service by nominating fellow alumni for the Founders' Day Award or the John and Elizabeth Phillips Award.