By Cody Heintz, Business Manager

In the 76 years Hofstra has been around, there have eight different people that have held the title of President. Each brought a different perspective and impact to Hofstra. Click here for Part One of Hofstra’s presidents.

Clifford Lee Lord:

Lord was Hofstra’s fourth president, serving from 1964 to 1972. Before coming to Hofstra, he taught American History at Columbia from 1935 to 1941. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Bureau of Aeronautics. After the war, he served as the Director of the Wisconsin Historical Society from 1946 to 1958. Then he was the Dean of Columbia University’s School of General Studies until his appointment as President at Hofstra in 1964. He was Hofstra’s president when Martin Luther King, Jr. received his honorary degree. He also oversaw the creation of the School of Business and the Law School during his tenure.

James H Marshall:

Marshall served as Hofstra’s fifth president from September 1972 through June 1973. He became President Emeritus in May 1975. He graduated from Hofstra with a B.A. in English. He was a member of the Board of Trustees in 1967 and served on the board until 1975. He served as a political advisor to Robert Kennedy during his 1964 run for the United States Senate. Marshall was an avid golf player: he was a member of Ballybunion in Ireland, Bonita Bay, Quail West, Lake Nona Clubs in Florida, Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, New York, and was the secretary of Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey.

Robert L Payton:

Payton was the University’s President from 1973 until his resignation in 1976. Prior to his tenure at Hofstra, he served as the President of Long Island University’s CW Post campus. He served as the United States Ambassador to West African Republic of Cameroon from 1967 to1969. After leaving Hofstra, he went on to become the president of the Exxon Education Foundation. He held the post from 1977 to 1987. Once he left Exxon, he became Indiana University’s first full-time professor of philanthropic studies and was the founding director for the school’s Center on Philanthropy. His received a master’s degree in history from the University of Chicago and has received honorary doctorates from schools that include Indiana University, Quinnipiac College and Adelphi University. He died on May 19, 2011 in Scottsdale, Arizona.