Noteworthy

Dipendu Saha, associate professor and chair of chemical and materials engineering, was named the inaugural recipient of the Fred Akl Endowed Professorship in Engineering. Named in honor of former engineering dean and professor, the professorship was created to reward excellence and provide support to a talented Widener University faculty member in the School of Engineering who embodies the values of Widener as an outstanding academic citizen, teacher, and accomplished scholar. 

The endowed professor is selected based on a distinguished record of teaching, exemplary leadership and service to the school, the university, and the academic and professional communities, and scholarly accomplishment appropriate to their discipline and their primary responsibilities. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/dipendu-saha-receives-inaugural-fred-akl-endowed-professorship-engineering

Sara Kate Frye, assistant professor of occupational therapy, was elected chairperson of the Rehabilitation and Disability Special Interest Section within the American Occupational Therapy Association, or AOTA. Frye's clinical expertise includes in inpatient and home health rehabilitation with clinical specialties in spinal cord injury, brain injury, neurological disorders, oncology, and cardiopulmonary conditions. As an elected volunteer leader, Frye's extensive experience and passion will be instrumental in shaping the future of AOTA and advancing its mission.

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Rosara Torrisi, assistant professor of human sexuality studies, has been recognized as the 2025 Best Sex Therapist on Long Island for her work and dedication to advancing the field of clinical sexology. Torrisi’s research and teaching focuses on accessibility and sex, as well as clinical recommendations for sex therapists. She strives to create innovative, experiential programs that train the next generation of sex therapists.

In addition to her work at Widener, Torrisi leads the Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy which provides specialized patient care and training for clinicians. She also serves as co-host of the “Our Better Half” podcast. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/human-sexuality-faculty-member-recognized

Michelle Lyttle Storrod, assistant professor of criminal justice, has received over $54,000 from the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center for a two-year grant intended to study the role of women in community violence intervention. The unique comparative study will take place in Chester, Philadelphia, and Camden, New Jersey, and will include students working hands-on to collect and analyze data from social media, community focus groups, and more.

Lyttle Storrod has previously received additional funding from the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center for work in other areas of researching gun violence including a focus on measuring community attitudes towards gun violence in the Philadelphia region. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/criminal-justice-faculty-member-receives-funding-gun-violence-research
 

Vicki Brown, professor emerita of civil engineering, has been named the 2025 Engineer of the Year by the Delco Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers. The award is given each year to a candidate who resides or is employed in Delaware County or southern Chester County, and is evaluated against a rigorous criterion including professional achievement and contributions to community. This award is among the many accolades that Brown has earned throughout her career for her academic, scholarship, and community engagement work. 

Brown, who earned emerita status in December 2024 after serving more than 40 years in the civil engineering department, joins a roster of celebrated engineering professionals including many former Widener faculty and students. Former recipients include Chalmer Gatlin Kirkbride, Kirkbride Hall's namesake who was a member of the Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania Military College and was instrumental in the fundraising and design of the science and engineering laboratory building; Charles Bartholomew, former professor and chairman of civil engineering; and Fred Akl, former professor and dean of the School of Engineering. 

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Happy New Year and welcome to the beginning of the spring semester! Whether you are a returning student in Chester, Harrisburg or Delaware, or new to Widener, I am so excited you are here.

A new calendar year gives us the chance for a fresh start.  I absolutely love to use January as an opportunity to set goals. It turns out, change is easier when starting a new chapter! This year, I’m working to increase my daily meditation. I know that integrating new habits into an established routine is helpful, so I now meditate immediately following my daily stretching. I’ve also started tracking my meditation because creating a long streak is so motivating! I’m even giving myself rewards along the way, like more lunch desserts! I’ve already decided to allow room for small failures, so that obstacles won’t be an excuse for me to give up. 

I invite you to reflect on your goals for 2025. Whether it’s taking a daily nature walk, joining one new organization, or creating and sticking to a study schedule, please know that the Widener community is here to cheer for you every step of the way. You are right where you belong. And know that if you have a stumble, or had some stumbles last semester, it’s OK and this is the start of a new opportunity. We are a community that supports each other. 

As we move forward, let's embrace this opportunity to begin again with a renewed sense of community and collaboration. Remember, every small step forward brings us closer to success, and together we can achieve great things. Let's celebrate our victories, support each other, and make this semester truly remarkable. Here's to fresh starts and a successful year ahead!

With Warmth and Widener Pride,

Stacey

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The Philadelphia Business Journal has named Widener President Stacey Robertson to its list of 2024 Most Admired CEOs. 

Recipients are chosen based on the work they have undertaken in their current role in the context of their careers, how they give back to the community, and other ways they positively impact greater Philadelphia. Robertson is widely admired at Widener for her dedication to the university’s commitment to belonging, and to providing 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.” Under her leadership, the university has welcomed back-to-back, record-setting first-year undergraduate classes.

Robertson was among 25 honorees in the highly competitive program that recognizes executives in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. She and the other winners were recognized this week at a dinner at Vie in Philadelphia.

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Widener University is pleased to announce Heather L. Meier, a Philadelphia-area financial professional and licensed certified public accountant with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, will join the university’s leadership team as vice president for administration and finance and chief financial officer. Meier comes to Widener from Gwynedd Mercy University, where she has served in a similar financial leadership role since 2022. 

In her new position at Widener, Meier will oversee the finances, financial planning, budgeting, contracts, human resources and facilities for the university and its seven colleges and schools, located in Chester and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. She will work to ensure financial sustainability, optimize the university’s resources and their allocation, and drive strategic financial initiatives that support Widener’s mission and long-term goals. She will be part of the core leadership team that reports to Widener President Stacey Robertson. 

“I am honored and thrilled to accept this position and join the Widener community,” Meier said.  "Widener University has a remarkable legacy in the Philadelphia region, with a distinguished history of evolving to meet the needs of generations of students. Its commitment to providing an exceptional education that prepares students for successful lives and careers is truly inspiring. I am privileged to contribute to the university’s continued success and be part of shaping its next chapter."

“We are so excited to welcome Heather Meier to Widener,” Robertson said. “Her impressive financial background – with so much of it steeped in higher education – coupled with her warm personality and keen support for our culture of belonging made her a fantastic choice for this critical position. Heather has a very collaborative spirit which makes her well-suited for the many partnerships she’ll be developing as her work touches every corner of Widener’s operations.”

Prior to her time at Gwynedd Mercy University, Meier served as controller and acting vice president for finance at Montgomery County Community College for more than six years. She also has held finance leadership roles at other local universities including La Salle, Jefferson and Villanova universities. She began her career in public accounting auditing for nonprofits and social service organizations. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Villanova University, two bachelors of arts degrees in business administration and economics, with a minor in accounting, from McDaniel College. 

She will begin her position at Widener on Jan. 14, 2025. 

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Widener University is proud to announce two notable developments that will help strengthen mental health services available to students on the Chester campus.

The Steve Fund Equity in Mental Health on Campus initiative has offered Widener placement in an 18-month cohort that focuses on how well the university is doing at providing services to students of color. The Steve Fund is an organization dedicated to supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color.

Through this new initiative, Widener will undergo an assessment process that yields evidence-based recommendations and strategies to better inform, support and strengthen the mental health of our students. The entire effort speaks to Widener’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and supportive campus environment.

The university has also received a $300,000 Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant, awarded through the federal Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. The grant, which will be spread out over three years, includes funding to:

•    Provide outreach and public education for students with mental health, suicide and alcohol use disorders.
•    Provide training for students, faculty and staff on identifying and making referrals for students with mental health and substance use problems, and paying special attention for first-year and first-generation students through monthly programming.
•    Develop a program of undergraduate student mental health ambassadors, and opportunities for graduate students to provide psychoeducational programming and mental health screenings. These efforts will further institutionalize student engagement in mental health and substance abuse education.
•    Enhance partnerships with local mental health care providers who treat Widener students with more serious and long-term needs than the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services office can accommodate on an ongoing basis.
•    Fund the hiring of a project coordinator to facilitate these efforts.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/node/32220
 

Robin Dole was elected as vice speaker of the House of Delegates and member of the board of directors for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The APTA Board provides strategic direction for the organization and advocates on behalf of physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, students of physical therapy, and patients nationwide to advance the profession of physical therapy and improve the health of society.

Dole joins fellow Widener physical therapy faculty member Colleen Chancler on the APTA board. Chancler, an assistant professor in the Institute for Physical Therapy Education, was elected to the board in 2023.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/health-and-human-services-dean-elected-american-physical-therapy-association-board

Robin Dole, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, was named the 2024 recipient of the Carlin-Michaels Achievement Award from the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). One of the highest awards given by the Pennsylvania APTA, this recognition celebrates Dole's influence and impact in the physical therapy profession, physical therapy education, and the broader community. Dole is a celebrated educator and scholar who specializes pediatric physical therapy. As dean, Dole has led the College of Health and Human Services through strategic growth. Dole's leadership has guided significant changes such as the transformation of the college's on-campus learning and research facilities and the addition of new health science programs. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/robin-dole-receives-distinguished-award-apta-pennsylvania

Rose Rossi, associate dean of undergraduate nursing and professor, has been named to the board of directors of Nurses & Neighbors Collaborative Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2022 with the mission to improve health and wellness within local neighborhoods through nurse-led programs. Nurses & Neighbors has used its members’ collective nursing experience to work with the homeless, volunteer in vaccination clinics, present health information to community groups, and serve as volunteer nurses in partnership with community-based organizations.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/nursing-faculty-joins-local-nursing-nonprofit-board

Widener men’s rugby won the Challenge Cup (Regional South) on Nov. 23.

The Pride 15s beat Hofstra University at home by a score of 19-12 to win the cup, also known as the Steel Belt Bowl Championship.

The win marked head Coach Andrew "Fireball" Burkhardt’s 46th win since taking over the club team in 2014. Burkhardt is a 2012 Widener alumnus.
 
Rugby player Jeremiah Thompson '27 was selected as the Player of the Game.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-mens-rugby-wins-championship

Widener University was recently named to a national list of best colleges and universities for international students.

The list published by Colleges of Distinction included 200 schools from 40 states, with just 15 from Pennsylvania.
The outlet considered five key conditions that create supportive environments for students trying to acclimate themselves to life on a U.S. campus. They included: 

•    Programs that support recruitment and retention, including efforts that help students transition and access to tutoring.
•    Guidance on living and studying in the United States, such as providing students information on everything from U.S. culture to how to open a bank account.
•    Academic acclimation and support, such as providing English language support, alumni networking and virtual office hours with professors.
•    Fostering a sense of belonging on campus, through things like peer mentoring, international student groups and cultural festivals or events.
•    Career development and immigration support, on matters like visas, immigration and tax guidance. 
 

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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.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-hosts-author-mary-beth-norton-third-annual-revolutionary-reads-event

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. 

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