Academics

New director of academic affairs named at Penn State Lehigh Valley

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Douglas R. Hochstetler, interim director of academic affairs and professor of kinesiology, has been named director of academic affairs (DAA) at Penn State Lehigh Valley, effective Dec. 16. Hochstetler has been serving as the interim director of academic affairs since his appointment to the position in November 2017.

Douglas R. Hochstetler, interim director of academic affairs and professor of kinesiology, has been named director of academic affairs (DAA) at Penn State Lehigh Valley. Credit: Kate Morgan / Penn StateCreative Commons

“Dr. Hochstetler’s leadership in the role of interim DAA has resulted in a new level of strategic planning for Academic Affairs. I look forward to continuing our pursuit of academic excellence at Penn State Lehigh Valley with him at the helm,” said Tina Q. Richardson, chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley. “We are so fortunate to have had him as a professor at Penn State Lehigh Valley for the past 17 years. He has been an outstanding instructor and mentor for students as well as a great scholar and colleague to the campus community. Doug has accumulated significant accomplishments during his tenure at PSU-LV for which I am proud.”

The DAA is the campus chief academic officer and is responsible for all academic functions of the campus within its service area. The DAA is responsible to the chancellor for providing leadership for all academic and faculty matters, and acts on behalf of the chancellor in his or her absence, or as delegated by the chancellor.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve as director of academic affairs,” Hochstetler said. “Working in this interim administrative position over the past two years, I have developed a deep appreciation for our faculty, staff and students. I look forward to collaborating with our campus community to further enhance academic excellence in ways that benefit our students.”

In 2018, Hochstetler received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE). This is awarded to a person who has made significant contributions to kinesiology and physical education in higher education through scholarly pursuits within a multi-disciplinary perspective and has been a contributing member of NAKHE continuously for at least five years. He is the past editor-in-chief of Quest, the official journal of NAKHE. Hochstetler’s new book titled “Endurance Sport and the American Philosophical Tradition” will be released January 2020.

Hochstetler has been involved in many aspects of sport and physical activity throughout his academic preparation and professional life, including those of an interscholastic and intercollegiate sport athlete, long-distance runner and cyclist, coach, sport and higher education administrator, as well as an instructor of a variety of kinesiology and philosophy/ethics courses.

Hochstetler earned a doctorate of philosophy in kinesiology with an emphasis in sport philosophy from Penn State, as well as a master of science in physical education from West Chester University, and a bachelor of arts in physical education from Northwestern College in Iowa.

Hochstetler and his wife, Heidi, reside in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with their children. 

Last Updated December 12, 2019

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