
Homecoming 2026 Honors Tradition and Makes New Memories
Dressed in their best blue and gold, alumni, students and friends gathered once again Homecoming. This year's weeklong celebration featured nearly 40 events.

Dressed in their best blue and gold, alumni, students and friends gathered once again Homecoming. This year's weeklong celebration featured nearly 40 events.

Widener once again teamed up with the Philadelphia Union to host a series of field trips for high schoolers to learn about the many career opportunities in professional sports. While many of this year’s attendees are just beginning to think about their college and career plans, some former work-in-sports field trip attendees are already putting future career plans into motion at Widener.

Widener’s commitment to student success goes far beyond grades. The Office of Career Design and Development hosts a number of on-campus career fairs throughout the academic year to directly connect students with employers looking to hire Widener graduates.

Widener football Head Coach Mike Barainyak likes to lead by example, always looking for ways to inspire his team and represent Widener with pride. Barainyak recently traveled to Florida to participate in the week-long 2026 Tampa Bay Buccaneers National Coaching Academy.
Eight alumni will be inducted into the Widener Athletics Hall of Fame at a ceremony this evening at the Springfield Country Club. Alumni honorees for 2026 are Phil Martelli '76, Devon "Tony" Brown '00, Joseph V. Carter Jr. '65, Kate Dellinger Doherty '13, Lou DeRogatis '83, Dave Duffy '89, Laura Harris Francisco '14 and Erica R. Szpynda '14.
PCN TV featured coverage of Commonwealth Law School's annual John Gedid Lecture. This year's event featured Professor Stephen I. Vladeck of Georgetown Law School. Vladeck, a nationally recognized expert on the U.S. Supreme Court, the federal courts, national security law and military justice, touched on current issues with the court.
This article spotlights two upcoming Widener Day open house events on the Chester campus. Widener Days give prospective and admitted students and families a chance to meet faculty and current students, get financial aid guidance, and enjoy a complimentary lunch as they learn more about the campus and the Widener experience.

Erika Dawkins specializes in community psychology, trauma, gun violence, microaggressions, and relationships. Her expertise includes couples therapy, body image, self-esteem, self-worth, and strategies for organization and productivity.

Ross Steinman specializes in industrial/organizational psychology, consumer behavior, and decision-making. He researches brand transgressions, implicit attitudes, cross-cultural differences, and automatic consumer choices.

Daniel Roozbahani is an expert in AI, robotics, and VR/AR simulations. He specializes in real-time process monitoring, human-machine interactions, 3D printing, and laser-based technologies, and also focuses on automated manufacturing and custom robot development.

Jeff Lolli is an expert in tourism and hospitality management, including food and beverage, lodging, casinos, events, and sports services. He specializes in service quality, customer satisfaction, experience management, and human resources, and is also knowledgeable in food and alcohol safety, sense of place in tourism, and service environments.
The Widener Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of University Relations for alumni, parents, friends of Widener, and the university community.
The Widener University communications team is available to help reporters and editors find the right faculty expert for breaking news, provide information about Widener University programs and initiatives, and serve as a resource for news and feature stories.