HUNTSVILLE, Texas — After earning his fourth masters’ degree. Thomas Wood cemented himself as being one of the oldest graduates in the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice’s history.
His path to educational success though has been far from easy.
After nine years, Wood retired as Dean of the Psychology Department at SHSU, but he couldn’t escape the education life.
Thomas became Dean of the College of Education and Applied Science at SHSU, three months, later things changed.
“I had a near-fatal bicycle accident and I wasn’t expected to live, but I fooled them [the doctors],” Wood said.
Wood was hospitalized for seven months, three of which were in intensive care on a ventilator.
When wood returned to SHSU, his life wasn’t the same.
“They demoted me to a faculty member,” Wood said.
Wood applied for dean positions all over the U.S. he said it felt like no one wanted to touch him.
“I guess they thought I was too fragile,” Wood said.
But, when one door closes, another door opens.
When word got around about Wood’s retirement, the Huntsville Center at Lee College called and changed Wood’s life again.
“He said would you consider teaching in a prison and I said well I’ve never really thought about it,” Wood said.
After one summer session Wood said he was hooked and over the next 6 years, he taught in 7 different units.
Not long after, he decided to learn, even more, that’s where Dr. Erin Orrick came into his life.
“I asked Dr. Orrick at the end of the class would you support me in applying for a master’s program and she said why not Ph.D. and I said well I already have one of those,” Wood said.
On July 31, Wood graduated with a master’s in criminal justice.
Dr. Orrick said Wood has a love of learning, a love for life and his story is fascinating.
“General curiosity about life and various interesting topics and so obviously it’s gotten him pretty far and he’s doing pretty well with that,” Dr. Orrick said.
Wood will turn 76 this September and said he plans to move to Florida and continue working in the criminal justice field.
