Skyline Transfer Opportunity Center

Phyllis Lucas-Woods is a native San Franciscan and is a first generation college student. She attended Lowell High School and planned to attend a historically black university after graduation. However, she graduated high school mid-year and her mother wanted her to “keep busy” for a semester, so took her to see the “new” college – Skyline – which had just opened. Phyllis enjoyed the small, comfortable environment Skyline College offered and decided to stay. She was part of Skyline’s first graduating class and even sang at Skyline’s first graduation ceremony!
In the early 1970’s, she also was a member of the “49er Nuggets”, a vocal singing group that was the cheerleading squad for the San Francisco 49ers football team.

After transferring to San Francisco State University and earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, she decided to come back and work at Skyline where she became an English instructor for the next 15 years. Phyllis eventually became the Director of the Learning Center, which she helped create! In 1992 Phyllis became the Dean of Language Arts and Learning Resources at Skyline. In 2000 she was invited to go to Cañada College where she became Dean of the innovative University Center and Academic Support Services. She currently holds the position of Interim Vice-President of Student Services at Cañada. She has worked for the San Mateo Community College District for over 30 years! In addition to her work at both colleges, Phyllis has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of California Community College Administrators and the Aim High Program in San Francisco, a non-profit educational program for middle school students. However, her greatest joy is being the proud mother of her son, Brian, and the wife of James Woods, a federal bank regulator for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.