Matthew Woods

I began undergraduate in August mid to late 1990s as a business major with the intention of going into administration. After an internship with an advertising agency in Memphis, I questioned my choice, maybe more specifically, my passion regarding Business as a major. I made the switch from Business to Biology my junior year after a few semesters volunteering in the Emergency Department at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN and thoughtful consideration. Being in the hospital felt right! I knew I wanted to be a part of the healing process. I grew up in a single parent home in the inner city of Memphis and I have worked since age 15. To cover expenses, I worked as a FedEx courier in undergraduate which made the transition from business to biology more of a strain. Upon graduation I was fortunate enough to gain a couple of awesome employment opportunities. One opportunity was working with the Tennessee Valley Authority as an Analyst in the Performance and Engineering department at a Fossil Fuel Power Plant in Memphis, TN. When I started, I was informed that one of the analysts had been called to active military duty. All eyes were on me. Some wanted to see what I was made of. Learning how a power plant works was not easy. Then throw in the human elements of personality differences and past departmental conflicts, made for a character shaping experience. With some hard work, I picked up the technologies quickly. Skeptic’s minds were put at ease. I I left the TVA, began taking science courses at The University of Memphis and volunteered at St. Francis Bartlett Hospital at the nurse’s station on the 4th floor. Being on a student budget with no income, I sought employment and was hired into the Manager Training Program with a fortune 500 company. Being a manager was also another experience I am grateful for. And I had the opportunity to put into practice the Business and leadership principles from graduate school. As a manager I was reminded that everyone has been or is going through something. It was probably my most challenging, yet rewarding experiences.