 | Welcome to Woodberry Forest, a leading educator of boys for more than 100 years. We are a school of rich traditions, where young men have been coming for generations to take advantage of our rigorous academic program, extensive athletic offerings, and wide variety of social and cultural opportunities. Spend time with us, and you will find that these traditions continue to thrive.
The key to our outstanding academic program is our teachers. Each brings a wide range of educational and life experiences to the classroom and the community at large, using the latest technologies to prepare our students for some of the finest colleges and universities in the nation, and supporting them every step of the way.
Alumni frequently tell me that they had some of their most memorable Woodberry experiences on the dorm. As a former Woodberry parent, I believe that the school’s most distinguishing feature is its residential character. All of our students and the vast majority of our faculty members live on campus, where all benefit from living and working together. Students receive guidance from our teachers, many of whom serve as dorm masters, and from student leaders known as prefects.
When you first visit Woodberry, you may be surprised to find books, jackets, and scooters left around campus while their owners take care of other business. When the boys return, their items will still be there. That is because of our legendary honor system, which prohibits lying, cheating, and stealing. The honor system is not an empty pledge at Woodberry. It is a way of life and a means for educating students about what it means to be honorable men.
At Woodberry, we also make time for fun. Boys build forts on the banks of the Rapidan River, which borders our 1200-acre campus. They scale our climbing tower, compose music, or act in a play, taking advantage of our beautiful, well-equipped arts center as well as our athletic facilities, which rival those found at many small colleges. Every weekend they can choose from a number of athletic, cultural, and social activities occurring on or off campus. There is always plenty to do.
I hope by now you are beginning to understand what generations of Woodberry alumni already know: this truly is a wonderful place. Please take time to explore our Web site, and visit us on campus when you can. We look forward to welcoming you.
Dennis M. Campbell
Headmaster
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| | Biography
6/18/2007
Dennis M. Campbell has served as the seventh headmaster of Woodberry Forest School since 1997. He was dean of the Divinity School and professor of theology at Duke University from 1982 until 1997. Prior to his appointment as dean, he was a professor and university administrator.
Dr. Campbell is renowned for his work in ethics and moral formation. A noted lecturer, seminar leader, and scholar, he has written numerous journal articles and authored or edited eight books. He is a speaker popular among schools, colleges, and professional organizations. His leadership in American education has been recognized with numerous honors and awards.
Born in Texas, Dennis Campbell grew up in suburban Chicago. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University, where he earned A.B. and Ph.D. degrees. He is also a graduate of Yale University, where he earned the B.D. degree. Florida Southern honored him with a D.D. degree in 1986.
Active in many community, voluntary, and business organizations, Dr. Campbell is a member of the board of directors of Family Health International, a Research Triangle-based international non-profit biotechnology research corporation. In January 2004 he was elected a trustee of The Duke Endowment, one of the nation’s largest private philanthropic trusts, based in Charlotte, N.C., where he chairs the audit committee and serves as a member of the committees on educational institutions and child care. He is a member of the board of trustees of the International Coalition of Boys’ Schools, the Boys and Girls Club of Orange, Va., and the Association of Boarding Schools. He is the former board chairman of Commonwealth Public Broadcasting (WHTJ), a PBS station in Charlottesville, Va.
Dr. Campbell has led Woodberry in expansions of its faculty, programs, and facilities. A wide variety of new facilities have been added, ranging from the Walker Fine Arts Center, Terry House dormitory, and 11 new faculty residences, to numerous athletic facilities, including the Glover Fitness Center, Johnson Stadium (for football and lacrosse), squash pavilion, outdoor swimming pool, Outdoor Education Center, and the Class of 2006 Track and Field Compex. During his tenure, the school’s endowment has increased significantly.
Dr. Campbell is well-known for his strong commitment to the residential character of Woodberry, and to the school’s long tradition of moral formation in its students, including the more-than-century-old, student-run honor system.
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