Carolyn Hardman

A decade of service to Manchester University was not enough for Indianapolis resident Carolyn Moldenhauer Hardman, who rejoins the Board of Trustees for another term Jan. 1.

“We are delighted to have Carolyn return to the board. She brings to the table great energy, probing questions and a strong desire to ensure Manchester is providing the best possible education to our students,” said D. Randall Brown, chair of the 31-member board. Brown is a managing partner with Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Fort Wayne.

A Huntington native, Hardman earned a bachelor’s degree in English education at Manchester in 1961, followed by a 1976 master’s degree in social work from the University of Connecticut. Her careers in education and social work included work with adolescents challenged by mental disabilities.

“We are grateful that Carolyn has agreed to return to the board,” said MU President Dave McFadden. “Our community will benefit from her unique perspective and devotion to Manchester.”

A gifted volunteer and fundraiser, she has already served on the MU Board of Trustees for nearly a decade, “retiring” in 2008, after serving as vice president. In addition to participating in MU committees and alumni events, she sat in on nearly 100 MU classes, experiencing again the breadth of a liberal arts education.

“I felt that the whole point of the University is teaching,” she said, adding that the best way for trustees to connect with the students and faculty is to understand what is going on in the classroom.

The Indianapolis philanthropist has served on the MU President’s Leadership Council and as fundraising chair for Wine Recital Hall. Most recently, she served on the leadership team for the Students First! campaign that raised almost $109 million for the University – $9 million over goal and 18 months ahead of schedule.

Over the years, Carolyn and her husband, Dr. Donald R. Hardman, a 1959 biology-chemistry graduate and retired neuroradiologist, have given generously to the University in a variety of ways. As members of the MU Otho Winger Society, they also have included MU in their estate plans. Carolyn Hardman received the school’s Alumni Honor Award in 2010.

Their three children, family and friends honored them on their 40th wedding anniversary by establishing the Dr. Donald R. and Mrs. Carolyn S. Hardman Scholarship Fund at Manchester.

“We really believe in the University and what it’s doing — its mission statement, the way the students are treated,” she said

Carolyn Hardman also has served on the boards of American Pianists Association and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, which named her Volunteer of the Year. A former Pike Township PTA president, she volunteered in special education, band and orchestra for Pike High School.

Source: Manchester University