VCU Honors Eva S. Hardy For Community Service

By Michael Ford
University News Services

The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University has named a senior vice president of Dominion as recipient of the 2005 Wilder School Public Service Award.

Eva S. Hardy, senior vice president for external affairs and corporate communications for Dominion, was honored Tuesday for outstanding service to Richmond and the surrounding area. She is responsible for corporate communications, state and federal government relations, advertising, media relations, community affairs and philanthropy.

Hardy was secretary of Health and Human Resources in the administration of Virginia Gov. Gerald L. Baliles from 1986 to 1990 and has served on various community boards and councils, including three study committees of the Virginia General Assembly.

Robert D. Holsworth, Ph.D., interim dean of VCU’s College of Humanities and Sciences and director of the Wilder School, described Hardy as a model of how an individual can perform public service in both government and in the private sector.

“As secretary of Health and Human Resources, she helped to modernize Virginia's social service system, paying particular attention to the provision of mental health services,” Holsworth said. “At Dominion Resources, she has been an integral part of a management team that has made the company a major contributor to the communities it serves.

“In addition, Ms. Hardy has herself continued to serve in any number of advisory capacities,” Holsworth said. “This has included service on the VCU board of visitors, on Governor Warner's transition team, and in a number of key roles in the Wilder transition in the city of Richmond.”

Hardy earned her master’s degree in government and public administration from American University and her bachelor’s degree in political science from Hood College in Frederick, Md.

Hardy has won numerous other awards, including the Flame Bearer of Education Award from the United Negro College Fund, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Urban League of Greater Richmond, a citation from the Hampton Roads Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and recognition as one of the YMCA’s Outstanding Women of Greater Richmond in Government and Politics.

The award from the Wilder School is in conjunction with Public Service Recognition Week, celebrated in May since 1985.

VCU’s Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs offers programs at the undergraduate and graduate level in the areas of public policy, administration and management, criminal justice, urban studies and geography and is now the first major research university in the country to offer a bachelor’s degree in homeland security.