ALLENTOWN, PA — Dr. Denise T. (Alarid) Ogden, professor of marketing at Pennsylvania State University -Lehigh Valley Campus, was recently awarded the prestigious 2017 George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is named after Penn State’s seventh president. Less than one percent of faculty are nominated for the award. This is her third teaching award at Penn State, having previously been awarded two local Lehigh Valley Campus Teaching Excellence awards. She is also scheduled to be featured in the May/June issue of Lehigh Valley Magazine in a segment about the area’s top professors.

According to a former student who wrote a letter of support, “Dr. Ogden and I continue to stay in touch and she continues to be invested in my growth and development. I consider her a trusted advisor as I navigate my career, as do many of my fellow graduates. She truly creates a positive learning environment that is based on learning through experience. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor.” 

According to Ogden, “I strive to be the teacher that students remember as not only teaching them but also impacting their lives in a positive manner. One of the joys of teaching is to witness a student develop from a shy, insecure student to a confident, knowledgeable and mature graduate.” 

Ogden, a 1985 graduate of Monte Vista High School, received her doctorate from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA), an M.B.A from DeSales University of Pennsylvania (Center Valley), and both a BS degree in Business and a BA degree in psychology from Adams State University.  She occasionally teaches for the online MBA program for Adams State. In addition to writing in the areas of marketing and retailing she conducts diversity training for organizations through her consulting company.

Dr. Ogden is the daughter of Diego Alarid of Albuquerque, NM and Ninfa Alarid of Monte Vista. She has many relatives from the San Luis Valley. She currently resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania with her husband Dr. James R. (Doc) Ogden, an emeritus professor at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.