James J. Hodge, Ph.D.

Dr. James Hodge is the Director of the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation (CORE) and an Assistant Research Professor at Penn State Behrend. He is a proud Penn State Behrend graduate, where he earned his undergraduate degree in psychology, and he received his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Vermont. Dr. Hodge was appointed Director of CORE in March 2019, after previously serving as Interim Director and Director of Evaluation.

As a social psychologist, his research focuses on the impact of stigma and the experience of being a target of prejudice and discrimination. At CORE, his work examines how risk and protective factors influence positive youth development, with an emphasis on understanding and promoting positive social change for youth. He brings extensive training in quantitative research methods to both his scholarship and applied work.

Dr. Hodge teaches a range of undergraduate and graduate-level courses, including Introduction to Social Psychology, Introduction to Personality Psychology, Advanced Social Psychology, and Applied Social Psychology. In addition to his appointment at Penn State Behrend, he serves as a faculty affiliate of the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) and the Prevention Research Center (PRC) at University Park.

He is actively engaged in his community, delivering trainings for students, educators, and community members on topics such as effective mentoring, trauma-informed perspectives, and positive youth development. He also conducts workshops for non-profit organizations focused on best practices in program evaluation.

Dr. Hodge is interested in collaborative research, teaching, and community partnerships that advance positive youth development and social change.