Ohio State Lima honors 2024 alumni award winners

Members of the Ohio State Lima community, both old and new, gathered to celebrate two esteemed alumni during Homecoming Week 2024. Congratulations to Alumni Hall of Fame inductee Barbara Hochstetler and Early Achievement Award winner Isaac Altenburger

Alumni Hall of Fame

Barbara Hochstetler

BS in Education, 1973

"Even today I still want to help others learn, help others achieve to become their best through the support encouragement and believing in them."

Throughout her life Barbara Hochstetler has strived to help others learn, improve and succeed. She attended Ohio State Lima and earned her BS in Education in 1973. She and her husband raised four children and she went on to earn her Masters of Arts in Education in 2001. For 37 years she worked for the Lima City Schools as a teacher, mentor, literacy leader and school improvement coach. She was a mentor trainer for the Northwest 9 mentoring program, lead numerous professional development meetings, was the 1998-1999 Allen County SESA Teacher-in-Residence, and received the Martha Holden Jennings Award.

After retiring she continued her community involvement as an Allen County Museum docent and a civic center usher. She worked with the Allen County Board of Elections, served as a field supervisor for future teachers and as a trainer/consultant with Project MORE (Mentoring in Ohio for Reading Excellence) through the Putnam County ESC.

Early Achievement Award

Isaac Altenburger

BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2017

"As I am deeply honored to receive the early achievement award, I am acutely aware of the fact that Ohio State alumni consistently display ongoing achievements throughout the course of their lifetimes. This includes all the esteemed colleagues that are right here in this room tonight. To you, I would like to say thank you for setting such a great example for future generations. We will try our hardest to emulate and expound upon your great achievement. As always, Go Bucks!"

Issac Altenburger started his Ohio State journey in 2013 at Ohio State Lima where he served as a telecounselor, university ambassador and as a student safety officer under Sgt. Tony Swygart. In 2015, he transitioned to Marion for one year where he worked as a security officer for the student living apartment complex and served as a student safety officer. In 2017, Isaac completed his education in Columbus where he graduated magna cum laude and worked as a safety officer. Upon graduation Isaac was hired at the Wexner Medical Center as a hospital security officer. After a year, he began working in law enforcement in central Ohio. Isaac has been a field training officer, an Officer in Charge in the absence of supervisor, instructor of CPR/AED/First Aid, FAA drone pilot, and a 2023 recipient of the Life Saver Award. Isaac is an active participant in community relations engaging in Shop with a Cop, National Night Out, and Cops and Bobbers.