Spotlight on Staff - Theodore Alter
Theodore “Ted” Alter says his faculty work has always had three components: teaching, research and extension.
“I see my work as a seamless, integrated whole,” says Alter, Professor of Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Economics and Co-Director, Center for Economic and Community Development. “It as my responsibility as a faculty member and professional to do all of those things and to have them build on and complement each other.”
Alter began his career at Penn State in 1976 as an extension specialist in rural economic development and community affairs after completing his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Alter also earned his master’s from Michigan State, and completed his bachelor’s degree at University of Rochester.
He has served Penn State in numerous positions and is currently a faculty member with numerous ongoing research projects and teaching responsibilities. He served as assistant and associate professor of agricultural economics, regional director of Penn State Cooperative Extension in the Southeast, department head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, interim dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, associate dean in the College and Director of Penn State Cooperative Extension, and associate vice president for Penn State Outreach.
“I see it as my responsibility to be engaged in teaching, research, and extension and to have them build on and complement each other, including the administrative leadership work,” Alter says of his career. “For me, each dimension has an impact on, and is impacted by, the others.”
He says another thing he fervently believes is that his faculty and administrative work and his Extension work address more than the immediate and seemingly apparent issues. “Fundamentally, the work is about fostering respect for each other as human beings, and about building sustainable communities, socially, politically, economically and ecologically.”
“It is also about democracy, perhaps most fundamentally,” Alter says. “I think of myself as a civic professional.”
Drawing on the wisdom and inspiration of William Sullivan, Alter says he believes in striving to work on critical public issues in ways that are “civic regarding,” particularly in respecting and appreciating the experience, wisdom, insight, and culture and customs of others. He says he always tries to perform his work with and for people in ways that are inclusive and model democracy.
“Everybody I interact with is an expert,” he says, betraying neither humility nor pride. “Everybody has valuable insight to offer, including about the things that I am a supposed technical expert on.” His fields of work include government finance, tax policy, economic and community development, and collective decision making and public policy relating to rural and agricultural issues and economics
After decades of learning and teaching and Extension work, Alter ponders a bit before committing to a favorite type of day, then says, “A good day is being able to interact with and learn from other people … having discussions and creating new insights … making plans and moving those ideas into action, in collaboration with others.”
He’s been dealing with the same types of issues since 1976, and even before then as a student, Alter says. But it never gets old.
“It’s a great job,” he says. “I love it; I love coming to work, interacting with the people here at the university and in communities across Pennsylvania and in the Legislature and Executive Branch offices in Harrisburg.”