Attorney Patricia Lofton Hardaway

Attorney Patricia Lofton Hardaway earned a B.A. in sociology at Wilberforce University; she holds a master’s degree in public works from the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public And International Affairs and a J.D. degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Hardaway, a respected attorney and experienced university administrator, consults with higher education institutions, health centers and businesses on governance, strategic planning, and organizational change and policy matters. She led Wilberforce University as its 19th president, only the second woman to do so in the university’s 158 year history. She returned to the university in Fall 2007 as university provost and, immediately thereafter, was named vice president of Academic Affairs.

The Board of Trustees elected Hardaway to interim president in July 2008 and to the presidency in March 2009. Prior to joining the university administration, she served as a University Trustee, becoming the first woman elected to chair the Wilberforce University Board.

Hardaway’s academic career assuring college access and success for students spanned twenty five years at well-respected research universities and liberal arts colleges including the University Of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public And International Affairs; Rutgers University, the New Brunswick Provost’s Office; Fairleigh Dickinson University; and, Chatham College.

In addition to her outstanding academic career, Hardaway built a vibrant private legal practice representing corporate clients in traditional labor matters and complex employment discrimination litigation before the federal and state courts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.  She also guided and conducted regulatory related internal investigations for a major pharmaceutical corporation, providing legal and business operation advice to senior leaders in multiple manufacturing, research, sales and corporate business divisions in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Hardaway’s consulting engagements included Mills College, Hebrew Union College, Trinity College (Hartford), Palmer College of Chiropractic, and health clinics in New York City.