Three Named to Widener University Board of Trustees
The Widener University Board of Trustees recently appointed three new members to its
ranks including a vice president at Boeing, the new president of the Widener University-Pennsylvania
Military College Alumni Association, and an undergraduate student leader.
Leanne Caret of Mullica Hill, N.J., vice president and general manager of Vertical
Lift, a division of Boeing Military Aircraft; Jeffrey T. Flynn of Voorhees, N.J.,
president of the Widener University-Pennsylvania Military College Alumni Association;
and Christina Delva of Chester, Pa., a junior political science and international
relations major, were elected at the May meeting of the Board of Trustees.
"Leanne, Jeff and Christina represent corporate, alumni and student leadership, a
combination that has been important to the strength and success of Widener's board
of trustees," said Widener President James T. Harris III. "They have outstanding skills
and experiences that will complement the board and they are dedicated to helping Widener
strengthen its position as a leading metropolitan university."
At Boeing, Caret is responsible for business growth and program execution on a portfolio
of cargo, tiltrotor and attack rotorcraft. Caret leads a team of 4,000 employees and
an international network of suppliers and partners that are focused on advancing rotorcraft
technology to meet the current and future needs of customers around the globe.
Caret joined Boeing in 1988 and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Kansas
State University and a master's degree in business administration from Wichita State
University. She has also earned certifications from Harvard University in the Program
for Leadership Development and the International Security Defense Program, as well
as completing the Integral Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame.
Flynn will serve on the board of trustees for two years as president of the alumni
association. A 2004 graduate of Widener with a bachelor's degree in business management,
he earned a master's degree in public administration from Widener in 2005. He served
as the first student member of the board of trustees as a senior in 2004.
Flynn serves as partnerships manager with Discovery Education, a division of Discovery
Communications. In this role, he is a thought leader with public schools and districts
as they continue to shift from a print-to-digital environment in their classrooms,
engaging students with rigorous and captivating content that inspires their curiosity
about the world around them.
Following in Flynn's footsteps, Delva will continue the legacy of student trustees
at the university, serving a one-year term on the board. She is a member of the Presidential
Service Corps/Bonner Leaders Program, contributing 300 hours of community service
per year. Through this program, she also attends training and development programs
to enhance her skills as a leader. She does her community service hours as a mentor
at the Widener Partnership Charter School.
In addition to her commitment to the Presidential Service Corps, Delva has served
as vice president of the NAACP Widener Chapter, was a member of the Student Government
Association, and serves as a resident assistant. She has also organized voter registration
drives in the city of Chester and at Widener, getting more than 150 Chester residents
and 250 Widener students to register to vote. A graduate of Chester High School, she
is the daughter of Jean and Marie Delva.
Widener University is a private, metropolitan university that connects curricula to
social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal
attention, leadership development, and experiential learning are key components of
the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener is
comprised of eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences and professional
and pre-professional curricula leading to associate's, baccalaureate, master's, and
doctoral degrees. The university's campuses in Chester, Exton, and Harrisburg, PA,
and Wilmington, DE, serve approximately 6,500 students. Visit the university's website,
www.widener.edu, for more information.
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