Noteworthy

Widener University has been named a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. This national honor recognizes Widener for all the intentional work we did this year to institutionalize nonpartisan democratic engagement and increase student voter turnout.

Widener was one of 471 colleges and universities recognized nationally by the nonprofit ALL IN, which works to improve civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on campuses around the country.

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Widener welcomed Mary Beth Norton for an author talk about her award-winning book “1774: The Long Year of Revolution” as part of America250PADelco’s Revolutionary Reads Community Read.

President Stacey Robertson accompanied Norton on stage to discuss the book, which examines the critical role that 1774 played in leading up to the American Revolution. Norton is a past president of the American Historical Society, as well as a Pulitzer Prize finalist. She is currently the Mary Donlon Alger Professor Emerita of American History at Cornell University.

Each year through 2026, the Revolutionary Reads committee will select a title examining the lead up to the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence. The Revolutionary Reads Community Read is presented by Widener University, Delaware County Libraries, and Radnor Historical Society in partnership with America250PADelco.

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Vicki Brown, professor of civil engineering, was honored by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) with the ACI Education Award at a reception in Philadelphia for her work and expertise on advancing the ACI CODE-440.11-22, which is the first comprehensive building code covering the use of nonmetallic reinforcing bars in structural concrete applications. Brown has raised awareness of this important code through the creation of a full-day seminar as well as a certificate program.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/vicki-brown-receives-education-award-american-concrete-institute

Linda Knauss, professor emerita in the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology, has been chosen to receive the 2024 Lifetime Award for Accomplishments in Ethics Education from the American Psychology Association, or APA. The prestigious award is presented annually by the APA’s ethics committee to an APA member whose career accomplishments made an indelible impact on ethics education in psychology in the areas of clinical, organizational, school, and applied science. 

The award recognizes Knauss’ outstanding and innovative contributions to ethics education during her more than four decades of teaching, mentoring, training, research, and education. Knauss joined Widener’s clinical psychology faculty in 1998. Before retiring in 2024, Knauss taught a wide variety of courses including ethics and professional issues, assessment techniques and report writing, family therapy, and transitioning to the professional role. 

Knauss will be honored at the ethics committee’s year-end virtual meeting in December.

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Widener University recently hosted the 2024 convening of Philadelphia-area higher education institutions that partner with The Jed Foundation (JED). Two administrators were among the presenters. 

The daylong conference held in the University Center included a breakout session led by Larissa Gillespie, associate athletic director and senior woman administrator with Widener Athletics, and Marina Barnett, assistant provost for civic engagement and associate professor in the Center for Social Work Education. Their presentation, “Campus Collaboration to Create a Multi-Dimensional Holistic Approach to Support the ‘Whole’ Student-Athlete,” centered on the unique needs of college student athletes, and Widener’s strategy for fostering a universal sense of care and support for them.

The JED Foundation was created in 2000 to protect emotional health and prevent suicide among teens and young adults. It has grown to be the nation’s leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health, and counts lowering suicide risk and substance misuse as central to its mission. Widener became affiliated with JED in 2023.

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Widener honored eight faculty members for their high distinction in areas of civic engagement, institutional leadership, research, as well as innovative and distinguished teaching at the university's annual faculty awards ceremony. The 2024 award winners are:

• The Distinguished University Professor Award honors faculty members of high distinction at the university who also demonstrate the institution is committed to recognizing excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service throughout faculty members’ careers. This year's recipients were School of Nursing Professor Donna Callaghan; College of Arts and Sciences Professor Katherine Goodrich; and School of Business Administration Professor Brian Larson. Larson is also interim associate dean for graduate business programs.
• College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Michael Cocchiarale was awarded with the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award. This award is given to a faculty member who has exemplified a history of teaching at the highest level of distinction. It is endowed by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, a Philadelphia-based foundation that provides grants to institutions of higher education for the promotion of excellence in teaching.
• The Faculty Award for Civic Engagement serves to recognize the outstanding contributions that faculty members have made in accordance with Widener’s civic engagement mission, as well as solidifying Widener students’ understanding of their social responsibilities, and the impact of their disciplinary learning. This year's recipient was Karen May, associate professor in the School of Nursing.
• Paul T. Baker, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded the Outstanding Researcher Award. This award gives recognition to a faculty member who has participated in research and scholarship nationally or internationally, and made a significant contribution through their research, while advancing their profession or discipline as well as the university’s mission and vision.
• The Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award highlights an individual who has designed, implemented, and assessed an innovative or experimental teaching and learning project. This award was presented to School of Engineering Associate Teaching Professor Ria Mazumder. Mazumder's innovative approach integrates collaborative project-based service-learning, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in sustainable engineering, bioinstrumentation, and community engagement, thereby addressing both educational and societal challenges
• The Faculty Institutional Leadership Award recognizes a record of leading initiatives that further the university’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives. This year’s award recipient was Lori Simons, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-celebrates-2024-faculty-award-winners
 

Marina Barnett, assistant provost for civic engagement and associate professor of social work, is the recipient of the Program Leadership award from the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) Higher Education Coalition for her outstanding commitment and engagement since joining the coalition.

Barnett is recognized for her commitment to designing and implementing meaningful civic engagement services for students at Widener, and implementation of programs which aim to help both students, and the community, to thrive. The award was announced at the coalition’s 2024 summit and was presented by the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education.

The NPSS Higher Education Coalition is a group of colleges and universities working to support their communities by placing more college students in high-impact jobs or volunteer positions. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/faculty-recognized-npss-outstanding-program-leadership
 

Kay Chronister, adjunct faculty member of English, has published a new fantasy novel titled “The Bog Wife.”

Described as a “propulsive read for fans of Shirley Jackson, Karen Russell, and Matt Bell that speaks to what is knowable and unknowable within a family history and how to know when it is time to move forward,” the book is one of several novels published by Chronister. 

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Intelligent.com, a respected source for higher education rankings and research, has recognized multiple programs at Widener in its 2025 rankings. The recognition across multiple disciplines, reinforces the university’s status as a leader in higher education.

The honors included:

Best online master of social work programs of 2025 – ranked 13 nationally.

Best accredited online paralegal certificate programs of 2025 – ranked 18 nationally for the program at Delaware Law School.

Best master of social work programs of 2025 – ranked 45 nationally.

The outlet uses data-driven methodology to evaluate programs across a broad range of criteria, including academic quality, graduation rates, cost and return on investment and student resources.

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Widener’s Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA) program offers undergraduate students hands-on, faculty-mentored research experience over the summer. The work culminates in the annual SURCA Symposium where students present their work and are scored by a panel of faculty and staff judges. 

The 2024 SURCA Symposium winners are:

Biochemistry:
"Evaluating the cytotoxicity of novel phosphaplatins in breast cancer cells"
Emily McHenry (Advisors: Dr. Robert Mishur, Dr. Michael Toneff)

Biology/Environmental Science:
"DNA barcoding of fungi using genomic ribosomal RNA sequences"
Cameron Simmons (Advisors: Dr. Bruce Grant, Dr. Hemlata Mistry)

Chemistry/Chemical Engineering:
"Development of a greener method for bromination of chalcones"
Ryan Schlosser (Advisor: Dr. Loyd Bastin)

Engineering/Computer Science A:
"Control of dual stage actuators for 3D printing"
Noah West (Advisor: Dr. William Nagel)

Engineering/Computer Science B:
"Analysis of annealed PEEK powder using atomic force microscopy"
Ella Sprankle (Advisor: Dr. Babak Eslami)

Engineering/Computer Science/Physics:
"Experimental investigation on the effect of humidity on 3D-printing polymers using multi-frequency AFM​ techniques: ABS and PLA"
Lillian Rejrat (Advisor: Dr. Babak Eslami)

Humanities:
"Infected knowledge: The ethics of using illicit research from Unit 731"
Elizabeth Martin (Advisor: Dr. Thomas Wilk)

Social Science/Social Work A:
"Do the crime, do the time: Understanding youth court and impact of juvenile incarceration"
Christie Bernier, Wendy Dorsainvil (Advisor: Dr. Nancy Blank)

Social Science/Social Work B:
"Assessing the economic impact of street vendor removal policies in Kathmandu: Implications for entrepreneurship, local economy and societal well-being"
Indwija Bhatta (Advisor: Dr. Maria Pinho)

Social Science/Social Work C:
"Identifying the Ignored Demographic – Analyzing Aspects of Anti-Semitism in Social Work Literature Across Various Spectrum"
Sarah Coupland (Advisor: Dr. Robin Goldberg-Glen)

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/2024-surca-symposium-winners-announced

Widener’s Wolfgram Memorial Library has received a Bronze Star in the PA Forward Star Program from the Pennsylvania Library Association.

This program "highlights libraries’ role in moving Pennsylvania forward. Libraries are key to powering progress, elevating the quality of life by fueling the types of knowledge essential to its success: Basic Literacy, Information Literacy, Civic and Social Literacy, Health Literacy, and Financial Literacy."  

A Bronze Star recognizes that a library as adopted core literacy terminology in its communication plan, makes the public aware of programming and services, and is taking part in training from PA Forward free resources. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/wolfgram-memorial-library-recognized-pennsylvania-library-association

The Chronicle of Higher Education has again named Widener University a Great College to Work For.

The university was one of only two Pennsylvania institutions to make the list and one of just 35 four-year colleges in the country recognized in four categories. The university has been honored through the program seven times, including in five of the last seven years. The 2024 categories included:

•    Faculty & Staff Well-Being, honoring institutions that provide the opportunity to do meaningful work, support for work/life balance, and the experience of a safe working environment. 
•    Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, honoring institutions that are demonstrating commitment to diversity, as reported by faculty and staff based on their individual experiences and the impact of institutional policies and procedures. 
•    Faculty Experience, honoring institutions where faculty report positive employment experiences including support for service and research, balance of teaching, and advancement and promotion opportunities.  
•    Shared Governance, honoring workplaces where faculty members are appropriately involved in decisions related to academic programs.  

The Chronicle’s survey results were based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies, and an anonymous survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. Employee feedback was the primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition. Widener had a strong employee response rate to the survey that exceeded the national response rate. 

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the most comprehensive workplace studies in higher education. The Chronicle worked with ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm to administer the survey and analyze the results.

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A new article authored by Katia Ciampa, associate professor and director of reading programs, Zora Wolfe, associate professor and associate dean of the College of Health & Human Services, and Jessica Storey, director of teaching and learning with technology, has been published in the Journal of Research on Technology in Education.

The article, titled “Faculty perceptions of the impact of professional development on online teaching practices,” examines the success of the trio’s one-year cohort in the Online Teaching Fellows Program at Widener.

The 14-week program included graduate and undergraduate faculty from across the university for professional development activities and discussions focused on creating authentic and equitable learning opportunities for students.  

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Widener University has been awarded a gold seal for nonpartisan democratic engagement efforts that fostered high levels of student voting in the 2022 mid-term elections. ALL IN links our student voting rate of 40-49 percent to these engagement efforts being a defining feature of campus life.

ALL IN works with colleges and universities to achieve excellence like this through civic engagement, voter participation, and political education on campuses nationwide. Widener has received several other prominent accolades from the organization which can all be found on Widener’s ALL IN webpage.  

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-earns-gold-seal-all-campus-democracy-challenge

The Philadelphia Business Journal has named Widener President Stacey Robertson to its list of Most Admired CEOs. 

Recipients are chosen based on the work they’ve undertaken in their current role in the context of their careers, how they give back to the community and other ways they’ve positively impacted greater Philadelphia. Robertson is widely admired at Widener for her dedication to the university’s commitment to belonging, and to being a welcoming place for all. She lives into that promise each day with her warm, engaging manner and her relentless commitment to the ethos of “We’re All Widener.”

Robertson and the rest of the winners will be honored at a December event in Philadelphia. 

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Widener is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Trustees. The appointments took effect in the spring semester and their first board meeting will take place next month in October. 

The new members include alumna Marcia Zaruba O’Connor ’90, CEO and founder of The O’Connor Group, a top-ranked human resources consulting and talent solutions firm located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and the Honorable Scott W. Reid ’02, an alumnus of Widener Delaware Law School and a United States Magistrate Judge serving on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. O'Connor and Reid will both serve a three-year term.

“I am delighted to welcome Marcia O’Connor and Judge Scott Reid to the Widener University Board of Trustees,” Widener President Stacey Robertson said. “Both of them have demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing Widener and its mission. As proud Widener alumni, they have each remained deeply embedded in the Widener community, generously providing guidance, mentorship, and opportunities for our students over the years. I look forward to the expertise and inspired ideas they will bring to our university leadership.”

O’Connor earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Widener University’s School of Business Administration in 1990. As a dedicated alumna, she has remained actively engaged with the Widener community, frequently connecting with both students and fellow alumni. She currently serves on the Accounting and Information Management Advisory Board and has previously contributed to other university groups. O’Connor’s outstanding professional accomplishments and commitment to the Widener community were recognized with the Beta Alpha Psi Distinguished Accounting Alumnus Award in 2019 and the Widener Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2023.

As the CEO and founder of The O’Connor Group, she has transformed her business into a nationally recognized leader in human resources and talent acquisition outsourcing. Under her leadership, the company has earned accolades from prestigious institutions such as Inc. 5000, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Philadelphia Business Journal. Additionally, O’Connor is the founder of ShadowHer.org, a certified nonprofit organization that empowers women entrepreneurs of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities by providing them with a strong foundation in internal operations.

Judge Reid earned a juris doctor from the Delaware Law School in 2002. While in school, Judge Reid served as the president of the Black Law Students Association, senior staff on the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, and received the Outstanding Student Service Award. 

Judge Reid is a dedicated public servant who was appointed as a federal magistrate judge in 2021. Prior to his appointment, Judge Reid served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Judge Reid also served as chair of the Summer Internship Committee, Black Affairs Program Lead, co-chair of the Youth Court program, and as a member of the Diversity Committee and Hiring Committee. Judge Reid was also a partner in Cozen O'Connor's Commercial Litigation Department where his practice was concentrated in gas/utility litigation, construction litigation, pharmaceutical litigation, contractual disputes and business torts. In addition to his practice, Judge Reid also served as chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee and as a member of the Hiring Committee.

Judge Reid is a celebrated attorney who has earned regional and national acclaim for his professional achievements and service to the legal community. Honors include the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia's J. Austin Norris and Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, National Bar Association Women's Law Division's President's Award, and the National Bar Association's 40 Under 40 Award. 

In addition, Judge Reid has served as an advisory board member and past president for the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, member of the Widener University School of Law Board of Overseers, fellow for the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity, member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates and Minority Bar Committee, chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Diversity in the Profession Committee and member of the Board of Governors, member of the American Bar Association TIPS Leadership Academy, and member of the National Bar Association.

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Andrew Bobal, instructional designer and adjunct professor in the School of Nursing, published a textbook that illustrates the importance of integrating technology into the nursing classroom. 

"Teaching Tomorrow’s Nurses: A Technology-Enhanced Approach," which Bobal co-authored, is a resource for nurse educators to understand the diverse learning technology options designed to obtain targeted learning outcomes. Packed with expert perspectives from across the nursing education spectrum, this comprehensive toolkit walks through the why and how of using technology to engage and evaluate learners and empowers readers to make confident, informed choices.

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Widener's School of Nursing was one of 13 institutions named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing. The prestigious honor recognizes nursing's evidence-based and innovative efforts to enhance student learning and professional development. This is nursing's second Center of Excellence honor in the student learning and professional development category from the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education.

In addition to being named a Center of Excellence for student learning and professional development in 2020 and 2024, Widener’s nursing program earned a designation for its work to advance the science of nursing education in 2013, 2018, and 2023. Widener nursing is just one of seven schools nationwide to hold that designation, which runs through 2027. To date, only 95 institutions hold the Center of Excellence in Nursing Education designation.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/nursing-named-2024-center-excellence-nursing-education

Dennis Whitaker, adjunct professor of law at Commonwealth Law School, has been appointed to serve on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's (PBA) Amicus Curiae Brief Committee. Committee membership is by special invitation only extended by the sitting PBA President. Whitaker was appointed by current PBA President Nancy Conrad. The committee is a specialized committee charged with identifying legal issues that have relevance to the bar in general and that are appropriate subjects for amicus curiae briefs. Committee members prepare and argue the positions advanced on behalf of the Association in those briefs.

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Welcome to Fall!

The start of classes is always an exciting and inspiring time! It’s wonderful to see our campuses re-energized after a restorative summer. The arrival and return of students over the last two weeks, and now seeing everyone come together for classes, make this one of the best times of year!

As I told our first-year students at convocation on Friday, you are exactly where you’re meant to be, because you belong here. My hope for all of you – students, faculty, staff – is a year of personal growth where you seize some of the many opportunities at Widener to do amazing things – on campus, in our Chester, Harrisburg and Wilmington communities, and beyond.

I know that you will all support and encourage one another along the way. Widener is a community that is universally committed to student success. New and returning students, we are here for you! Meet new people, try new things! If you struggle, ask for help. There are so many offices, programs and individuals who are ready to assist and reassure you, so you can conquer fears, overcome setbacks, and soar with the confidence that comes from our inclusive community, where you are never alone.

I will see you all out there this semester – at musical and arts events, athletic competitions, at club and organization programs and so much more. Together, our contributions will make Widener an even more welcoming and vibrant place than it already is!

With Warmth and Widener Pride,
Stacey

Stacey Robertson PhD
President of Widener University
 

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