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LaWanda Ward

LaWanda Ward

Associate Professor of Higher Education, African Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Director, Center for the Study of Higher Education
Preferred Pronouns: She, her, hers
405F Rackley Building University Park, PA 16802
lzw297@psu.edu
814-863-3774
LWWardNovember2022 (002)

Office Hours

By appointment via Penn State email

Education

Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs with an Interdisciplinary Minor in Socio-Legal Perspectives on Race and Gender in Higher Education from Indiana University
J.D. from Indiana University McKinney School of Law
M.S. in Educational Administration from Old Dominion University
M.A. in Political Science from Illinois State University
B.A. in Political Science from Murray State University

Professional Bio

LaWanda Ward’s commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion in higher education is influenced by her family of educators. Her mother, a 1st-grade teacher for almost 30 years, marched during the Civil Rights Movement. LaWanda Ward’s research agenda critically analyzes higher education legal issues, including race-conscious admissions, free speech, and academic freedom. Her teaching, research, and praxis are guided and informed by Critical Race Theory, Black Feminist Thought, and Intersectionality.

For over 20 years before joining the professoriate, LaWanda Ward served as a student affairs educator in various roles. She was introduced to higher education administration as a residence life graduate assistant and later as a residence hall director at Illinois State University and Old Dominion University. As Director of Pro Bono and Public Interest at her alma mater, Indiana University McKinney School of Law, LaWanda Ward coached law students and alumni seeking traditional and non-traditional legal careers. Additionally, she established and maintained productive working relationships with community agencies to ensure law students received rewarding and challenging opportunities to gain pro bono experience.

Previously, LaWanda Ward was an assistant professor at Ohio University.