Now more than ever, there is a great need for healthcare professionals.
Dr. Rivers Woodward, MD, MBA has devoted most of his professional life responding to that need by dedicating himself to service by traveling the world and volunteering at hospitals and clinics for more than a decade.
A 2007 graduate of Southwestern Community College, Woodward currently works as the lead physician at Blue Ridge Community Health Services in Lake Lure. At the same time, he serves as a physician champion for the North Carolina Medical Society Diabetes Prevention Program, a faculty member for the family medicine residency at the Mountain Area Health Education Center and as an adjunct faculty member at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine.
Along with various other awards and distinctions like serving on the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine Alumni Council, the WNC Medical Society Foundation Board of Directors, being selected as a Kenan Rural Primary Medical Scholar and being recognized as an Albert Schweitzer fellow, he can now add Southwestern’s fifth-annual Distinguished Alumni Award to his growing list of accolades, honors and achievements.
“Every year when I see the list of nominees for this award, it makes me so proud to see what our graduates have accomplished,” said Dr. Don Tomas, SCC’s President. “It’s so inspiring for our current – and even prospective – students to see that they can become a medical doctor or achieve whatever their dreams may be if they start here and work hard.”
Woodward was homeschooled while growing up in Franklin and earned his high school diploma the same year he completed his Associate in Arts degree at SCC.
He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree at UNC-Chapel Hill before pursuing his doctorate of medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine where he concurrently completed his master’s degree at UNC-Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Woodward credited SCC chemistry instructor Dee Oppermann and former math instructor Rudy Beharrysingh for providing him with hands-on work that allowed him to explore fields not available to him as a homeschooler.
“Southwestern’s mission to educate and train the next generation to serve Western North Carolina is an ethos that has stuck with me over the years,” said Woodward, who resides in Morganton. “Our workforce has such a need for bright, compassionate and driven individuals who wish to stay and give back to the community.”
Previous winners of the Distinguished Alumni Award have been EMS graduate Kyle Dowling (2019), Outdoor Leadership graduate Dustin Wilson (2020), National Park Service – Seasonal Law Enforcement Training graduate John Mattox (2021) and Director of Government Relations for Drake Software®, Jared Ballew (2022).
“This award always makes me think about the Dr. Seuss book: ‘The Places You’ll Go,’” said Brett Woods, Director of the SCC Foundation. “Our students and graduates have the potential to change the world. We are extremely proud of Dr. Woodward, what he’s accomplished and what he continues to do to make Western North Carolina a better place.”
Upon earning the award, winners receive a $250 prize provided by the SCC Foundation. Woodward, however, decided to return the prize to go towards the student scholarship fund.
“That generous act impressed all of us tremendously,” said Dr. Mark Ellison, SCC’s Dean of Students, who chairs the award selection committee. “We had one of our strongest group of nominees yet this time. Although it was not an easy choice, Dr. Woodward is clearly very deserving of this honor.”
Woodward added: “My hope is that this award will open avenues for me to connect with, support, and inspire other students and healthcare trainees who wish to serve our region.”
To learn more about the Distinguished Alumni Award, visit www.SouthwesternCC.edu/award.
For more information about Southwestern and the programs it offers, visit www.SouthwesternCC.edu, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.
