More than three decades before becoming dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D., received an unexpected letter from then-Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.
After writing to thank him for his public service as a Virginia Tech student in 1991, Gooden received a handwritten response that offered encouragement she would carry throughout her career.
“The perseverance and determination you have displayed thus far will serve you well in whatever field or occupation you choose to pursue,” Wilder wrote.
Thirty-five years later, that same perseverance and determination would come to define Gooden's distinguished career in public service and higher education.
As part of the Wilder School's ongoing Lunch and Learn Series, Gooden joined Stevan Dozier, senior director of development, for “Looking Back, Leading Forward: A Conversation with Dean Susan T. Gooden,” a discussion reflecting on her eight years as dean, the school's growth and the enduring importance of public service.
During the discussion, Dozier and Gooden reflected on her journey from Wilder School faculty member to becoming the longest-serving dean at Virginia Commonwealth University. Under her leadership, the school climbed more than 20 places in the national rankings, expanded its research enterprise, established the Research Institute for Social Equity and strengthened programs supporting graduate students across the commonwealth.
“It was the collective work of all of us, our faculty, our staff, our students, our alumni and our peers, who vote in the rankings as well,” Gooden said. “We were able to elevate, considerably, the visibility of our work through our communications efforts, such as the Commonwealth Poll, which became recognized by CNN, to amplify the great work that was done.”
Rather than focusing solely on institutional accomplishments, Gooden repeatedly returned to the people and experiences that shaped her leadership. She credited her family's encouragement, her father's advice to be firm, fair and friendly and the opportunities she found through higher education with helping shape her professional journey.
She also reflected on the importance of creating collaborative environments where scholarship can flourish and where people feel connected to one another. As the first African American recipient of the American Society for Public Administration's Dwight Waldo Award, Gooden credited much of her scholarly success to the colleagues and research communities that challenged, supported and inspired her throughout her career.
“Everybody is connected to folks who love them and care about them,” she said. “Trying to have a point of connection with your colleagues, your peers, I think that's really important.”
Gooden also spoke candidly about one of the greatest challenges facing higher education: college affordability. She emphasized the importance of ensuring public service remains accessible to students from every background, noting that lived experience strengthens public policymaking.
“We don't want college to become something that's only for the elite, especially in public service, because we need folks from all walks of life,” she said. “We can think about education policy, transportation policy, whatever policy, but if we haven't experienced those things firsthand, that manifests itself in policy.”
The conversation also explored the future of public service during a period of significant political and institutional change. While acknowledging the challenges facing higher education and government, Gooden expressed confidence that public service will continue to endure because of its essential role in society.
“When we think about public sector work, it's like oxygen,” she said. “You don't miss it until it's gone. Regardless of what's going on, public service is going to endure. It is essential, important and is here to stay.”
She encouraged the next generation of public servants to seize opportunities to lead and to ensure policymaking reflects the communities it serves.
“We need those voices in public policy, in leadership, in mid-level management, front-level entry level, all throughout the organization,” Gooden said. “I always tell people the word ‘public’ has the letter ‘U’ in it, so you're already a fit.”
As the conversation concluded, audience members from across the country and abroad shared messages of appreciation, reflecting on Gooden's impact as a scholar, mentor and leader. Gooden reflected on what she valued most about serving as dean, from learning about faculty research and supporting students to working alongside colleagues across the university.
Gooden stepped down as dean on June 30 and returned to the Wilder School faculty, where she continues her teaching, research and service.
“I couldn't be a bigger champion for the Wilder School, and I feel very fortunate to have served as a faculty member and to have had the honor to serve as dean for eight years,” she said. “I'm still on the team. I'm just going to be playing a different position.”
The Wilder School's Lunch and Learn Series brings together scholars, practitioners and public leaders to explore contemporary issues in public policy, administration and governance. Watch the complete June Lunch and Learn conversation on the Wilder School's YouTube channel.
