L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Spring 2023

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Why I give to the Wilder School

Eva S. Teig Hardy invests in the future of public service

BY RACHEL ZEEVE

A dedicated public servant, Eva S. Teig Hardy is committed to opening doors for students to take the leap into public administration. A desire to foster success in burgeoning leaders represents the founding principle behind the Eva S. Hardy Scholarship in Public Administration. Established in 2007, the scholarship is awarded to meritorious graduate students. “I wanted to make sure that there is a crop of young people in the future who want to pursue public service,” said Hardy. “I thought a scholarship would be helpful to get people to make that extra jump.”

Building career opportunities

Hardy’s extensive career consists of many senior positions in the public and private sectors. Some of these roles include commissioner of labor and industry and secretary of health and human resources for Virginia. In addition, she served as interim state director for Senator Mark Warner. She retired from her position at Dominion Resources as an executive vice president. The first woman in the company to hold that title, she remained as an adviser. Hailing from a family that emigrated from Egypt, Hardy has always prioritized education. “In our family, we talked about how our lives became better as a result of education, and because of that, I knew I wanted to help people who have faced disadvantages,” she said. Hardy is proud to fulfill that goal through the scholarship bearing her name. “I knew Governor Wilder his whole career,” she reflected. “I always thought he was an incredibly talented individual who broke the biggest barrier of all, becoming the first African American governor in the country. I greatly respected that and wanted to support the Wilder School.”

Governor L. Douglas Wilder and Eva S. Teig Hardy visit the Great Wall of China.

Investing in talented students

Hardy understands the importance of paying it forward. “I received financial assistance as a student, and it was crucial to have that help at a time when I really needed it,” she said. David Lansdell (M.P.A. ’22) was a fall 2022 scholarship recipient. “I completed my final semester while working full time,” Lansdell said. “This scholarship alleviated a significant portion of my financial concern. I feel more confident in approaching a human-centric career with the idea that people like Mrs. Hardy believe in me, my passions and my abilities.” Hardy encourages students to learn from every experience. “Even if you don’t get ‘the big job’ right away, start where you think you could learn the basics of public service,” she said. “This means interacting with the public to help citizens understand policies. The Wilder School is very good at teaching the practical side of public service. Meeting people, explaining public policy and being able to help transform communities is not theoretical — it’s about putting your feet on the ground to effect change.”