ALTOONA, Pa. — Nicholas Pyeatt has been named head of the Division of Business, Health, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Penn State Altoona, effective June 1.
“I am pleased to welcome Nick as Head of the Division of Business, Health, Humanities and Social Sciences, a role he has held on an interim basis since March 2025,” said Leigh Ann Haefner, vice chancellor for academic affairs at Penn State Altoona. “Nick is a thoughtful and compassionate leader who is deeply committed to supporting the needs of his division, while also serving as a strong advocate for both faculty and students. His positive attitude and collaborative spirit will help cultivate new initiatives and partnerships that advance academic growth and innovation within his division and across our college.”
As division head, Pyeatt provides leadership to faculty, students and the division's academic programs and disciplines. He is responsible for allocating resources to support academic priorities and for implementing the broad range of academic policies and procedures.
Pyeatt is a professor of political science at the college, where he has worked since 2010. He has served as the interim head of the Division of Business, Health, Humanities, and Social Sciences since early 2025. He holds a master of arts and a doctorate in political science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a bachelor of arts in political science and history from Austin College. His research interests include gender and elections, primary elections and political geography. His most recent research has been published in State Politics & Policy Quarterly, Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, The Social Science Journal, Politics and Religion and Representation. He is currently co-editing a book on electoral behavior for De Gruyter Brill.
“I am excited and honored to be named the Division Head for Business, Health, Humanities, and Social Sciences,” Pyeatt said. “The position is unquestionably a challenging one, especially in these uncertain times, but I am dedicated to supporting the college and its academic community.”