Spring/Summer 2006

David Hodge

Confirmed as Miami’s 21st president

On April 21, 2006, Miami University trustees voted unanimously to hire Dr. David C. Hodge as Miami’s 21st president. Hodge, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, professor of geography and adjunct professor of civil engineering at the University of Washington, will begin his role as Miami president July 1.

At the University of Washington, Hodge leads 40 departments and 37 centers and affiliated units serving more than 22,000 undergraduates and nearly 3,000 graduate students - a population larger than Miami’s Oxford campus - and over 900 teaching faculty in the college covering the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.

He met with numerous groups of Miami students, faculty and staff in Oxford, Hamilton and Middletown, emphasizing his commitment to public higher education and calling the Miami presidency “the best job in the country.” Hodge also will be professor of geography. Hodge’s wife, Valerie, also visited and promised she would work fulltime for Miami.

“Although it is difficult to contemplate leaving the University of Washington after 31 wonderful years, the opportunity to join the Miami University community and to embrace the challenge of advancing Miami’s deep traditions of excellence and commitment is extraordinary and very, very exciting. Valerie and I were drawn immediately to the warmth and high expectations of the people we met during the search process, and we look forward with much anticipation to meeting many others during the campus visit,” said Hodge prior to his visit to campus April 17-19.

“In the Hodges we’ve found an excellent fit for Miami University and our students, faculty and staff,” said board chair Fred Wall. “We’ve found the right fit for our traditions, culture and values. David and Valerie are Miami people, and we’re looking forward to making them a part of our community.”

Hodge has served as dean and acting dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington since July 1998. His research has focused on the study of the geography of city structure and transportation, most recently exploring the impact of changes in communication technology on the spatial organization of activities. He served as a program director at the National Science Foundation from 1993-94 and was editor of The Professional Geographer from 1994-97.

Hodge previously served as divisional dean for computing, research, and facilities, and chair of the geography department at Washington. He was honored with the University of Washington’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1990.

Hodge, a native of Minnesota, earned his bachelor of arts degree in geography at Macalester College, and his master’s and doctorate in geography from Pennsylvania State University. He has served as a trustee at Macalester College since 2000, and is a member of the Macalester College Athletic Hall of Fame. His wife, Valerie currently serves as the director of institutional research at Bellevue Community College. The Hodges have two children: Gene, who graduated from the University of Washington this spring; and Meriem, who is currently a sophmore at Syracuse University, and will transfer to Miami University this fall.

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