INFORMATION FOR
Every month during the academic year, we will spotlight a different member of the WP faculty or staff who plays a powerful role in student success.
Name: Andy Gladfelter
Title: Associate Professor and Department Chair, Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work
Years at WP: 10
Tell us about yourself: I am a first-generation college graduate, born and raised in Pennsylvania. After graduating from Shippensburg University, based on lots of conversations with my faculty mentor, I decided I wanted to pursue graduate studies at Penn State. I started teaching at WP after graduation in 2016. I consider myself a helper at heart; in college, I was very active in Circle K (a student-led community service club) as a student leader, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, I 3-D printed hundreds of face shields for local hospitals and first responders. My wife Nicole and I have three children: Matthias (almost 10), Aster (deceased), and Amicia (less than a month old). We love going to soccer matches and spending time with friends.
Describe your role on campus: I am a criminal justice professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work. As chair, I help support our students, faculty, programs, and the day-to-day work of the department. I have also been and continue to be an active member of several groups across campus that help guide university policy on things like artificial intelligence, UCC courses, and more.
A defining moment at WP: My defining moment is a recurring one: celebrating student projects at the end of the semester. For example, in my comparative criminal justice course, students design poster presentations about the justice system of a country they researched over the semester. In my criminal courts course, we hold a mock criminal trial where students apply their knowledge to a fictional but realistic felony case. Students get very invested in these projects, and I get to see what they can do after just 15 weeks, something that is very rewarding for me.
Favorite part about your job: I love being in the classroom, interacting with our students, and watching them grow over their time here. We have a diverse campus community that brings a variety of opinions and life experiences to the table, and I feel that I learn just as much from our students as they learn from me. I have stayed in touch with several alumni and love hearing updates as they start their own careers and families.
Fun fact: I got my first tattoo in September 2025 as a memorial for my second son and have since expanded into a full sleeve and a few more!
Finish this sentence: "WP is a powerhouse of possibility." The mentoring and care students receive helps fuel their personal growth and pursuit of their dream careers.
