About
Pat Sawyer is a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the Department of Communication Studies. He is co-editor of the peer-reviewed education journal, Philosophy, Theory, and Foundations in Education and is a member of Heterodox Academy. Pat’s published works range from books, peer-reviewed and refereed journals, academic book chapters, and popular magazines and outlets including, The American Conservative, The Federalist, Christianity Today, Merion West, American Reformer, byFaith Magazine, The Gospel Coalition, and Ratio Christi, among others.
Pat is an active speaker in the academy. His scholarship has been profiled at a number of conferences in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Before joining the academy, Pat worked in the financial services (insurance and securities) and banking (retail and commercial) sectors for 17 years where he was a multiple award winner in sales production and business development at the individual, manager, and senior manager levels. He worked with TravelersGroup, Smith Barney, First Union Bank, and Fidelity Bank with his last role being a Senior Vice President and Regional Manager with Fidelity Bank. In addition, Pat has owned franchises in the smoothie and casual dining sectors experiencing both success and failure. Given his financial services and banking experience combined with his entrepreneurial experience (good and bad), Pat is routinely asked for business advice and direction which he gives on a case-by-case basis at no cost. Pat is strongly concerned about service to his local community and internationally. He is involved in justice and relief efforts in his local community. Internationally, he has been involved in infrastructure recovery, education and business development, and orphan care and agency in parts of South America and Africa.
Pat has a B.A. in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. in communication studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (with honors), and a Ph.D. in educational studies and cultural studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (with honors). He has concentrations in critical philosophy and liberal studies.
Pat is an intentional Christian and a longtime member of the Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. His theological commitments are largely Reformed.