Daniel E. Hursh

Daniel E. Hursh was inducted into the inaugural College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. He was previously inducted into the College of Education and Human Services Hall of Fame in 2018.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Hursh was raised in Corvallis, Ore., and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Oregon, followed by a master’s degree in human development and a doctorate in developmental and child psychology from the University of Kansas.

Hursh began his academic career as an assistant professor of psychology at Western Michigan University and later served as a research psychologist and director of school programs at the Carolyn Center in North Carolina. In 1975, he joined the faculty at West Virginia University, where he spent the majority of his career. He advanced to professor and chair of the Department of Learning Sciences and Human Development and also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology.

Nationally recognized for his work in applied behavior analysis, Hursh focused on designing positive supports for challenging behaviors, developing academic knowledge and skills through direct instruction, and applying evidence-based practices in education. He co-developed and applied the Competent Learner Model with both typical and atypical learners. His research, teaching, and mentoring contributed to the preparation of educators who went on to leadership roles in education and related fields.

Hursh was the founding editor of the journal Education and Treatment of Children and contributed extensively through professional service and scholarship, with more than two dozen publications and three decades of leadership across academic committees and organizations. He played a central role in shaping WVU’s graduate program in applied behavior analysis and was known for his commitment to preparing competent educators and researchers.

Hursh retired in 2014 after nearly 40 years at WVU. He passed away in 2015.