Ed Patrick, MSA, CPA

Washington College has named Ed Patrick to the position of Vice President for Finance and Administration. Patrick, a successful finance executive with strong higher education experience comes to Washington College from St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC where he has served as VP of Finance & Operations since 2018.

In this role, Patrick will be a close partner to President Sosulski in advancing Washington College's strategic priorities and objectives, working in unison with other College officers, and reflecting and extending the collaborative and supportive spirit of the entire College. The President and senior staff will look to him provide the leadership, vision and entrepreneurial financial thinking for prudent resource management and allocation in support of institutional planning and resource growth.

Serving as the chief business officer for Washington College, Patrick will provide strategic and operational leadership for the institution’s financial, information, and physical resources. He will be responsible for an institutional budget of approximately $55 million and will direct the College’s capital renewal program and land development opportunities, provide coordination and oversight of the management of the College’s endowment and its property and liability insurance and risk management portfolio, and provide functional oversight of non-financial business operations (information technology) and auxiliary enterprises (dining services, bookstore, and summer conferences).

Patrick’s accomplishments within the higher education space include leading strategic initiatives to retain SACSCOC (Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges) accreditation for two separate universities; investing nearly $2 million in technology infrastructure improvements by utilizing CARES Act funding; and collaborating with Academic and Student Affairs teams to develop and implement student retention initiatives  that included investments in advising, tutors, technology, training and facilities that resulted in a 40% improvement in the retention rate.

Before joining St. Augustine’s University, Patrick spent five years as a SACSCOC Financial Consultant for Silver & Associates Universities & Colleges. Over the course of his career, he also held leadership roles in Finance & Management with South Carolina State University, Paine College, Clark Atlanta University and the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

Patrick earned his Bachelor’s of Science in General Studies from Northwestern University, and went on to receive an MS in Accounting from DePaul University in Chicago. He also completed Chemical Officer Basic Course & Military Police Advance Training while with the Department of the Army out of Fort McClellan.