Dr. Sandra Self
Sandra Self, professor of political science at
Hardin-Simmons University, serves as the director of the Legal Studies
Department and as director of the Forensic Studies Program.
Self is a licensed attorney and practiced law for
approximately 17 years prior to joining the HSU faculty. As an attorney, she
successfully litigated hundreds of trials, as well as numerous appellate cases.
For 10 years she served as an assistant criminal district attorney, working her
way up to the first assistant position.
Her cases at the DA’s office included capital and first
degree homicide, manslaughter, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery, and
numerous cases involving children who were victims of physical and sexual
assaults.
After leaving the DA’s office, she spent a few years in
private practice before taking a position as a special litigation attorney with
the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. In this position,
Self handled numerous cases across the state which involved the termination of
parental rights in child abuse and neglect cases.
Her husband of more than 20 years, Charlie, is also an
attorney and is a partner in the Whitten Law Firm. Their daughter Hayden is
completing her master’s degree in accounting at Texas Tech University, and
their son Hunter is a freshman at Hardin-Simmons.
Degrees Earned
- Bachelors, Journalism, University of Texas at Austin, 1983
- Doctor of Jurisprudence, Texas Tech School of Law, 1986