2025 Recipient
Dr. William C. Diehl teaches and advises graduate students and coordinates the Lifelong Learning and Adult Education MEd program. He is associate editor for The American Journal of Distance Education, academic advisor for the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Penn State Fellowship program, and director of The American Center for the Study of Distance Education at Penn State.
Dr. Diehl has authored numerous academic publications and co-edited the Handbook of Distance Education (4th Edition). His research includes the history and evolution of distance education, online teaching competencies, and intercultural communication in virtual environments. Diehl has taught in K-12 schools, consulted and designed courses, developed web sites, and created web applications in corporate, healthcare, non-profit, and governmental sectors including the National Institute for Literacy, U.S. Department of Labor, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Studiesenteret.no., and Quality Matters.
Diehl is also an award-winning songwriter and artist and has contributed to film projects in various roles, including the PBS-aired and film festival award winning documentary Arapaho Truths.
Dr. Diehl holds a Ph.D. in Adult Education from Penn State, where he also earned his undergraduate degree in elementary education and was a member of the 1980 NIT men’s basketball team.