About the Director

 Dr. Stephen W. Thorpe joined Widener University as Director of Institutional Research in January of 2006. Prior to coming to Widener University, Dr. Thorpe served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Neumann College. For nearly two decades, Dr. Thorpe has held several responsible positions in higher education, having served as Assistant Provost of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment at Drexel University and Director of Institutional Research at LaSalle University. He was also the Executive Director of the Computer Center and Director of Institutional Research and Planning at Wesley College.

Dr. Thorpe has served on the Steering Committee of the North East Association for Institutional Research and currently serves as Past-President of the organization.   In 2009, Dr. Thorpe was selected to join the faculty of the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) Foundations of Institutional Research Institute.  Dr. Thorpe has also served on the Research Board of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania and as an accreditation evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  Dr. Thorpe's commitment to success is evident by his history of creating programs to effectively develop and maintain an institution's strategic and long range plans as well as performing institutional research studies to support effective planning and decision making.

Dr. Thorpe received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer & Information Sciences and doctoral degree in Education from the University of Delaware and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Delaware State University.