Although he’s revered today for being the founding father of his eponymous university, much of Charles Woodlock’s life remains shrouded in mystery.

Born in Limassol in 1829 to a French mother and a Cypriot father, Charles Woodlock grew up in the French capital at the heart of a humble family. Very little has ever been known about his teenage years. He first appears in official records from 1858, when he touched down in New York as a young man replete with dreams of the New World. Ambitious and eager to make a name for himself among influential Americans, he soon changed his surname to Woodlock. Not long after, he would make his fortune in the metal industry before going on to found the university that today bears his name. This was with the aim of educating the country’s future elite.

Beyond Woodlock’s steadfast philanthropy, it was his penchant for secrecy that continues to arouse such fervent interest in him today.  A puzzle enthusiast and an accomplished linguist, he was also a keen cryptographer, following in the footsteps of his ancestors – among whom was said to be the humanist Corneille Agrippa. Proud of his lineage, Woodlock led a rather philanthropic life, claiming to have “a natural disposition for bringing out the best in man by putting their most profound qualities at the service of mankind.”

On learning that he had contracted pneumonia, his last wish was to have a statue of himself erected at the heart of the university and have his portrait hung in every building on campus. He died two weeks later – but full of hope for the country’s future.

It was however these last wishes that ultimately gave rise to rumors of a secret society. Some believe this may have been created by Woodlock to educate politicians and diplomats in Washington. As a way of honoring his father’s native country -Cyprus-, Woodlock is said to have chosen copper as the society’s emblem, inspired by their shared Greek etymology: “cyprium”.

Naturally, many historians continue to debate the existence of the so-called Copper Circle, which is said to have counted several presidents, Supreme Court justices, and senators among its ranks. However, since Woodlock’s death, no fewer than 12 university deans have presided over the Da Vinci House, the university’s executive office, and all have refuted the existence of such a group.

Secret society or not, Woodlock’s name continues to be heard today within influential circles in the United States of America.

Woodlock University was founded to educate Washington’s decision-makers of the future. We achieve this through shrewd acumen and the highest quality of teaching.