ABOUT THE PROVOST

As Senior Vice President and Provost at Widener University, Dr. Jo Allen oversees the administrative and curricular work of planning, budgeting, goal-setting, and assessment for academic programming in eight schools/colleges — the College of Arts and Sciences; the Schools of Business Administration, Engineering, Hospitality Management, Human Service Professions, Law, Nursing; and the University College — on Widener’s four campuses:  Chester, Harrisburg, and Exton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware.  She also oversees special programming such as Honors, Cooperative Education, and Academic Support Programs, in addition to the Widener Partnership Charter School, an elementary K-2 (growing to K-5) run through the School of Human Service Professions and dedicated to promoting intellectual and behavioral growth for children.

In addition, Dr. Allen oversees the work of Student Affairs including Judicial Affairs, Residence Life, Multicultural and International Student Services, Student Life, Student Health Services, and the Interfaith Center.

A professor of English, she is the immediate past president of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW), the largest international scholarly organization for technical and professional communication scholars.  Dr. Allen has published and presented books, articles, and papers in over 100 scholarly venues, focusing on communication, assessment, and leadership in higher education. 

Prior to joining Widener in 2004, Dr. Allen was an administrator and faculty member at North Carolina State University (1999-2004) and at East Carolina University (1986-1999). She received her B.A. in English literature from Meredith College, her M.A. in English literature with an emphasis in technical and professional communication from East Carolina University, and her Ph.D. in English literature with an emphasis in technical and professional communication from Oklahoma State University. 

She served as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow at the University of Virginia and is a member of the inaugural class of ACE New Academic Officers.

Dr. Allen's Administrative Vitae

Office of the Provost
Widener University
One University Place
Chester, PA 19013
tel: 610-499-4106