Home

Prospective Students

Current Students

Alumni

Parents

Faculty & Staff

Athletics

Visitors

Legislative Affairs

Paula C. Thompson. Legislative and Community Liaison

Ms. Thompson serves as the Legislative and Community Liaison in the Office of the President. Her responsibilities include developing and maintaining effective relationships as the principal contact for government and community related activities that result in positive measurable outcomes for the University and its constituencies. Other duties include developing, coordinating and publicizing the University’s legislative agenda, strategic initiatives and/or views to the Commonwealth of Virginia state legislature, local city councils and governments, other federal, state and local governmental agencies, local civic leagues, various boards that include University representation and to the general public.

Ms. Thompson has been employed with the Commonwealth of Virginia for eighteen years. Prior to her appointment in December 2007 in the President’s Office, Ms. Thompson was employed in NSU’s University Counsel’s Office. Her state government work also includes employment at Old Dominion University and the Office of the Attorney General. Ms. Thompson holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hampton University and a master’s degree in education from Old Dominion University.

Dr. William E. Ward, Legislative Liaison

  Dr. William E. Ward currently serves as the Legislative Liaison for Norfolk State University. His responsibilities include developing and maintaining effective relationships for government and community related activities. As a respected leader on the local, state and national level, he brings a wealth of knowledge and societal expertise to the Office of Legislative Affairs.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

As the former mayor of Chesapeake, Dr. Ward served continuously on the Chesapeake City Council since first winning election in 1978. He was elected Vice Mayor for the term July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1986, and again from June 30, 1988 to October 4, 1990. He was appointed to fill the un-expired term of Mayor on October 4, 1990 and served until June 30, 1992, when he won election as Mayor. Thereafter, he was re-elected in 1996 and again in 2000. His latest term expired on June 30, 2004, when he retired from public service after 26 years, with 14 years as Mayor. Mayor Ward was the longest serving Council Member and Mayor in Chesapeake’s history.

Dr. Ward has resided in Chesapeake since the City was incorporated in 1963, and has served in numerous civic, fraternal and regional capacities. He served as an Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Partnership, the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, and the Southeastern Public Service Authority. In 2003, Governor Mark Warner appointed Mayor Ward to the Board of Visitors at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia.

Dr. Ward is Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the History Department at Norfolk State University, where he taught from 1973 to July 1, 2000, when he retired from teaching. Dr. Ward received his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in History from Virginia State University in 1957 and 1960 respectively, and was awarded a MA Degree in American and African History from Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1972, and doctorate in 1977.