Widener University
Encyclopedia
Widener University is a private
, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania
.
Its main campus sits on 108 acres (.44 km²), just 14 miles (22.5 km) southwest of Philadelphia. The university has three other campuses: two in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg
and Exton
) and one in Wilmington, Delaware
.
About 3,300 undergraduates and 3,300 graduate students attend Widener in eight degree-granting schools. The university offers associate's
, baccalaureate
, master’s
, and doctoral
degrees in areas ranging from traditional liberal arts
to professional programs.
Widener was founded in 1821 and has undergone several name changes. It was known as Pennsylvania Military College after 1892, and adopted the Widener name in 1972.
The Carnegie Foundation
classifies Widener as a Doctoral/Research University and a Community Engagement Institution. Widener was ranked #181 in the National Universities category by US News & World Report for 2012.
, the institution now known as Widener University moved to Pennsylvania in 1862, and was granted collegiate powers and privileges via universal charter by the Pennsylvania legislature in April of that year. It was known from 1892 to 1972 as Pennsylvania Military College, though it had officially become PMC College in 1966 when a nonmilitary, coeducational component was added. In 1972, the name Widener College was adopted after the prominent Widener family
of Philadelphia, and the Corps of Cadets disbanded (an Army ROTC program still exists). Graduate programs were introduced in 1966 and the School of Law
acquired in 1975.
In recognition of its comprehensive offerings, Widener College became Widener University in 1979. Today, Widener is a four-campus university offering more than 80 programs of study.
, plus campuses in Wilmington, Delaware
; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
; and Exton, Pennsylvania
. Founded in 1866 after the school moved to Chester, the 108 acre (0.43706088 km²) Main Campus consists of 97 buildings and serves all undergraduate day students as well as University College students. It also contains all graduate programs (business, education, engineering, nursing, social work, physical therapy, and clinical psychology) except for the School of Law.
Opening in 1976, the Delaware Campus consists of 16 buildings across 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) and is 12 miles (19.3 km) from the Main Campus. It contains the School of Law (shared with the Harrisburg Campus) as well as the Legal Education Institute. Some classes for University College students and graduate business students are also held here. The 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) Harrisburg Campus, opening in 1989, contains the School of Law (shared with the Delaware Campus) and has graduate programs in nursing and social work. Starting in 2004, the Exton Campus is the newest Widener campus, located in a business park 25 miles (40.2 km) from the Main Campus. It primarily serves University College students and contains Widener's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) which provides continuing education programs for retired adults.
. Widener boasts an undergraduate student to faculty ratio of 12:1 with 90% of the full-time faculty having doctorates or the highest degree in their field. In addition, class sizes are kept small with 60% of all classes containing less than 20 students.
, scientific and humanistic research, and service, including ROTC and the Peace Corps.
The 2012 Best Colleges list from U. S. News and World Report ranked Widener 181st among national universities. It also ranks Widener's undergraduate engineering program 79th among all programs whose highest engineering degree is a bachelor's or master's. Out of the 262 national universities ranked, Widener is 55th in the category "Highest Proportion of Classes Under 20 Students". The U.S. News and World Report's 2008 Best Graduate Schools ranks several of Widener's graduate programs:
clinical psychology → #145,
health care management → #49,
nursing → #141,
physical therapy → #173,
and social work → #140.
The Carnegie Foundation
classifies Widener as a Doctoral/Research University whose undergraduate population is highly residential and selective. It also one of 76 institutions classified as a Community Engagement Institution; only 2 other schools in the Philadelphia region share this classification, University of Pennsylvania
and Bryn Mawr College
.
A co-op
program is available as an option for all undergraduate students within the School of Engineering and School of Business Administration as well as computer science majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. This allows a student to still earn their degree in 4 years while gaining 1-year of work experience.
All students in the School of Hospitality Management are required to enroll in a co-op for a single semester (16 weeks) during their junior or senior year. The co-op work is full-time and counts as course credit. The school also has its own restaurant, the Heintz Dining Room, which is open to the public and run by the students.
Undergraduate research
All undergraduate students in engineering and computer science are required to complete a year-long research and design project during their final year. The projects are usually done in teams with a faculty advisor and culminates in a final presentation and demonstration. Other science majors have the option to participate in research with faculty members. This research is often presented at local or national conferences as well as published in scientific journals.
Honors program
The Honors Program in General Education consists of approximately 200 undergraduate students and provides smaller, seminar courses that fulfill the university's general education requirements. Students in the program must take at least 5 honors courses and also attend certain cultural events held on campus or in Philadelphia. Students who complete the program are awarded a Certificate of Honors in General Education at graduation. Admission to the program is based on the student's SAT
scores, high school GPA and ranking.
ROTC
The Army ROTC program traces its origins back to when the university was originally a military college. Today, the Army ROTC program offers 2, 3 and 4-year scholarships as well as traditional instruction in military science
. The program also sponsors students from the following local area schools: Villanova University
, Penn State Abington
, West Chester University, Cheyney University, Penn State Brandywine
and Neumann College
. About 25% of students in the program are nursing majors. The university produced more Army Nurses than any other school in the 2006-2007 academic year.
Widener students can also participate in the Air Force ROTC program at Saint Joseph's University
.
Presidential Service Corps (PSC) / Bonner Leaders Program
Widener University is a member of the Bonner Foundation
and therefore devoted to civic engagement. PSC members are undergraduates who contribute their time to the Chester community through service and are examples of Widener's civic engagement strategies. Incoming members to the PSC are required to complete 300 hours of service each year and receive a $5,000 scholarship towards their tution. Members are chosen based on academic performance in high school and civic leadership. Only 15 members out of the incoming freshman class are selected to join the program.
teams (10 for men and 10 for women) participating in Division III within the Commonwealth and Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC). Formally known as the Pioneers, their nickname changed to the Pride in the Fall of 2006, based on a student poll. Widener sports teams include:
South Atlantic Bowl in 2005. Its greatest success has been winning the NCAA Division III National Championship
in 1977 and 1981 under long-time coach Bill Manlove
and reaching the semi-finals in 1979, 1980, and 2000. Additionally, Widener football has won 17 MAC championships, the most of any team in the conference. Billy "White Shoes" Johnson played for Widener in the early 70s. He went on to be an all-pro NFL player and was selected to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
as well as the College Football Hall of Fame
.
The men's basketball team has won 15 MAC titles and appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament
17 times, advancing to the "Sweet 16" in 1987 and 2006, the "Final 4" in 1985 and the championship game in 1978. The men's lacrosse team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 8 times since 2000 and has won 12 MAC titles since 1996. The men's swimming team has won 12 MAC titles since 1994.
, the Wellness Center provides fitness classes and a 24 feet (7.3 m) climbing wall
.
Opening in 1994, Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium seats over 4,000 people and has a turf playing field surrounded by an 8-lane track. The stadium houses the football, soccer, men's lacrosse, and outdoor track & field teams. In addition, Edith R. Dixon Field, opening in 2005, houses the women's field hockey and lacrosse teams. It sports an artificial turf, lighting and a scoreboard. The field is also used for the intramural teams.
The Philadelphia Eagles
held their summer training camp on Widener's campus between 1973 and 1979. The 2006 movie Invincible
depicts the campus during the Eagles' 1976 summer training camp. Since 2006, the Philadelphia Soul
have held practices at Widener as well.
WDNR
is the student-run campus radio station playing a variety of music including hip-hop, rock, metal and punk, along with a sports talk call-in show. It also broadcasts local football games. Other media outlets include the weekly newspaper, The Dome, a student literary journal and a television station.
, an organization promoting social responsibility and addressing civic apathy
among students. It is also one of only 76 institutions classified as a Community Engagement Institution by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
. Only two other schools in the Philadelphia region share this classification - University of Pennsylvania
and Bryn Mawr College
.
Widener has several initiatives aimed at benefiting the surrounding community. These include:
near the Main Campus in Chester to serve local residents from kindergarten
to grade 5. Named the Widener Partnership Charter School
, the school utilizes the university's programs in education, social work, nursing and clinical psychology. This collaboration involves the participation of Widener faculty and students to not only provide educational support but also provide additional assistance outside of school through counseling and health services.
Classes in the charter school started in September 2006 enrolling 50 students in both kindergarten and grade 1. The school plans on adding a new grade each year until grade 5 and an enrollment of 300 students is reached. However, there have been some complaints by the Chester Upland School District
that this and other charter schools take funds away from the local public school system. With this, the school district is contemplating placing a cap on their charter school enrollment with many parents being split on the issue.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
.
Its main campus sits on 108 acres (.44 km²), just 14 miles (22.5 km) southwest of Philadelphia. The university has three other campuses: two in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
and Exton
Exton, Pennsylvania
Exton is a census-designated place in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population was 4,842 at the 2010 census. The Exton Square Mall is located within Exton along with several other shopping centers, making Exton the major shopping district in Chester...
) and one in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
.
About 3,300 undergraduates and 3,300 graduate students attend Widener in eight degree-granting schools. The university offers associate's
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
, baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, master’s
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and doctoral
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
degrees in areas ranging from traditional liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
to professional programs.
Widener was founded in 1821 and has undergone several name changes. It was known as Pennsylvania Military College after 1892, and adopted the Widener name in 1972.
The Carnegie Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level...
classifies Widener as a Doctoral/Research University and a Community Engagement Institution. Widener was ranked #181 in the National Universities category by US News & World Report for 2012.
History
Founded in 1821 as a preparatory school for boys in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, the institution now known as Widener University moved to Pennsylvania in 1862, and was granted collegiate powers and privileges via universal charter by the Pennsylvania legislature in April of that year. It was known from 1892 to 1972 as Pennsylvania Military College, though it had officially become PMC College in 1966 when a nonmilitary, coeducational component was added. In 1972, the name Widener College was adopted after the prominent Widener family
Widener family
The American Widener family of Peter Arrell Brown Widener and his wife Hannah Josephine Dunton were from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and were one of the wealthiest families in the United States...
of Philadelphia, and the Corps of Cadets disbanded (an Army ROTC program still exists). Graduate programs were introduced in 1966 and the School of Law
Widener University School of Law
Widener University School of Law is the ABA accredited law school of Widener University. The school, founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School, operates on two of Widener's campuses, one in Wilmington, Delaware, and the other in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania....
acquired in 1975.
In recognition of its comprehensive offerings, Widener College became Widener University in 1979. Today, Widener is a four-campus university offering more than 80 programs of study.
Timeline
Throughout its long history, the university has undergone several name changes. The following table details the various names Widener has gone under as well as any significant organizational changes that occurred during each period.| 1821–1846 | The Bullock School for Boys, founded by John Bullock John Bullock John Bullock O.S.A. was an Augustinian canon and prelate active in the 15th century Kingdom of Scotland. While earning a university degree between 1409 and 1417, Bullock gained several benefices in Scotland, and claimed the headship of St Andrews Cathedral Priory before becoming Bishop of Ross in... in Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley... |
| 1846–1853 | The Alsop School for Boys |
| 1853–1859 | Hyatt's Select School for Boys
|
| 1859–1862 | Delaware Military Academy |
| 1862–1892 | Pennsylvania Military Academy
West Chester, Pennsylvania The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester... Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :... |
| 1892–1966 | Pennsylvania Military College (also known as PMC) |
| 1966–1972 | PMC Colleges (for Pennsylvania Military College and Penn Morton College, the civilian component)
|
| 1972–1979 | Widener College
|
| 1979- | Widener University
|
Campuses
Widener consists of four campuses, the main campus in Chester, PennsylvaniaChester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, plus campuses in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
; and Exton, Pennsylvania
Exton, Pennsylvania
Exton is a census-designated place in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population was 4,842 at the 2010 census. The Exton Square Mall is located within Exton along with several other shopping centers, making Exton the major shopping district in Chester...
. Founded in 1866 after the school moved to Chester, the 108 acre (0.43706088 km²) Main Campus consists of 97 buildings and serves all undergraduate day students as well as University College students. It also contains all graduate programs (business, education, engineering, nursing, social work, physical therapy, and clinical psychology) except for the School of Law.
Opening in 1976, the Delaware Campus consists of 16 buildings across 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) and is 12 miles (19.3 km) from the Main Campus. It contains the School of Law (shared with the Harrisburg Campus) as well as the Legal Education Institute. Some classes for University College students and graduate business students are also held here. The 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) Harrisburg Campus, opening in 1989, contains the School of Law (shared with the Delaware Campus) and has graduate programs in nursing and social work. Starting in 2004, the Exton Campus is the newest Widener campus, located in a business park 25 miles (40.2 km) from the Main Campus. It primarily serves University College students and contains Widener's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) which provides continuing education programs for retired adults.
Academics
Widener's comprehensive offerings range from liberal arts to professional programs and include over 50 undergraduate majors, 30 minors and more than 30 graduate programs of study. In particular, programs in engineering, computer science, business, nursing and hospitality management have generated the most praise from students according to a survey conducted by The Princeton ReviewThe Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company. The Princeton Review operates in 41 states and 22 countries across the globe. It offers test preparation for standardized aptitude tests such as the SAT and advice regarding college...
. Widener boasts an undergraduate student to faculty ratio of 12:1 with 90% of the full-time faculty having doctorates or the highest degree in their field. In addition, class sizes are kept small with 60% of all classes containing less than 20 students.
Organization
The university comprises the following schools:- College of Arts and Sciences: The largest undergraduate school at Widener provides 25 majors and 26 minors within its three divisions: Humanities, Science and Social Science. The college is also home to pre-professional programs in law and medicine. All undergraduates within the college fulfill general education requirements in all three divisions as well as take an interdisciplinary values seminar during their junior or senior year. The college mainly consists of undergraduate programs although a few master's programs do exist (including MPAMaster of Public AdministrationThe Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
and MALSMaster of Arts in Liberal StudiesThe Master of Arts in Liberal Studies is a graduate degree that aims to provide both depth and breadth of study in the liberal arts. It is by nature an interdisciplinary program, generally pulling together coursework from a number of the humanities and social sciences...
programs). The most popular undergraduate majors within the college are psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, criminal justiceCriminal justiceCriminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
, computer scienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, biologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, communication studiesCommunication studiesCommunication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
, government & politicsPolitical sciencePolitical Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and EnglishEnglish studiesEnglish studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. - School of Business Administration: The School of Business Administration, accredited by the AACSB, provides undergraduate programs in managementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, accounting, international businessInternational BusinessInternational business is a term used to collectively describe all commercial transactions that take place between two or more regions, countries and nations beyond their political boundary...
and economicsEconomicsEconomics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
as well as graduate programs in information systems, business administration, financial planning, and human resources. The school's MBA program offers dual programs in engineering (MEng/MBA with the School of Engineering), law (JD/MBA with the School of Law), clinical psychology (PsyD/MBA with the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology) and medicine (MD/MBA with Thomas Jefferson UniversityThomas Jefferson UniversityThomas Jefferson University is a private health sciences university in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. The university consists of six constituent colleges and schools, Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson School of Health...
). - School of Engineering: The school offers ABETAbetAbet may refer to:* Abet Guidaben , former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player* ABET, Inc., a non-profit organization that accredits higher education programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology....
-accredited undergraduate programs in chemicalChemical engineeringChemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, civilCivil engineeringCivil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, electricalElectrical engineeringElectrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, and mechanical engineeringMechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
as well as a major in Biomedical engineering (Fall 2011) and a minor in bio-engineeringBiomedical engineeringBiomedical Engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology. This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine: It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve...
. Master's (MEngMengMeng can refer to the following:* Master of Engineering , an academic or professional master's degree in the field of engineering, the symbol used for the labiodental nasal consonantal sound...
) programs exist in all of the same fields in addition to engineering managementEngineering managementEngineering Management or Management Engineering is a specialized form of management and engineering that is concerned with the application of engineering principles to business practice...
and daul specialization. A dual MEngMengMeng can refer to the following:* Master of Engineering , an academic or professional master's degree in the field of engineering, the symbol used for the labiodental nasal consonantal sound...
/MBA program also exists with the School of Business Administration. - School of Hospitality Management: One of the earliest schools dedicated to hospitality managementHospitality managementHospitality management is the academic study of the hospitality industry. A degree in Hospitality management is often conferred from either a university college dedicated to the studies of hospitality management or a business school with a department in hospitality management studies...
, the school provides undergraduate (B.S.Bachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
) and graduate (M.S.Master of ScienceA Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
) study in areas such as hotel and resort management, private club management, tourism, and casino and gaming operations. Its facilities include fully equipped production and demonstration kitchens as well as a restaurant, the Heintz Dining Room, open to the public. The Institute for Gaming and Racing, established in 2007, is the latest endeavor and offers research and educational programs for employees in the casino and racing industries. - School of Human Service Professions: This school is a collection of professional programs in educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, social workSocial workSocial Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, clinical psychologyClinical psychologyClinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
and physical therapyPhysical therapyPhysical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
. It comprises the following academic units:- Center for Education: The center provides bachelor's, master's and doctorate programs in education within a variety of areas including elementary education, special educationSpecial educationSpecial education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
, educational psychologyEducational psychologyEducational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
, human sexualityHuman sexualityHuman sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
and school administration. The center serves as the home of the only nationally accredited doctoral program in human sexuality, having acquired the program from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999. - Center for Social Work Education: The center provides bachelor's (BSW), master's (MSWMaster of Social WorkThe Master of Social Work is a master's degree in social workand especiality of sociology.- United States :In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education...
) and doctorate programs (PhDPHDPHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
) in social workSocial workSocial Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
. - Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology: Founded in 1970 by Hahnemann University's medical school, the program moved to Widener in 1989 and became the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology. The institute houses the second oldest PsyD program in the United States. The PsyD program is accredited by the APAAmerican Psychological AssociationThe American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
and allows a variety of concentrations including family therapyFamily therapyFamily therapy, also referred to as couple and family therapy, family systems therapy, and family counseling, is a branch of psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development. It tends to view change in terms of the systems of...
, forensic psychologyForensic psychologyForensic psychology is the intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. It involves understanding criminal law in the relevant jurisdictions in order to be able to interact appropriately with judges, attorneys and other legal professionals...
, and organizational psychology. The institute is also home to the Neuropsychology Assessment Center and the Biofeedback Clinic and Certification Center which provides services and treatment to the public. - Institute for Physical Therapy Education: The institute offers a full-time 3-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPTDoctor of Physical TherapyThe Doctor of Physical Therapy or Doctor of Physiotherapy is a post-baccalaureate three-year degree conferred upon successful completion of a professional clinical doctoral level professional or post-professional physical therapist education program for the licensed physical therapist...
) program. The program is available for entry-level students as well as transitional students who are already licensed physical therapists. A pre-physical therapy program exists for undergraduates who wish to pursue the DPT degree.
- Center for Education: The center provides bachelor's, master's and doctorate programs in education within a variety of areas including elementary education, special education
- School of LawWidener University School of LawWidener University School of Law is the ABA accredited law school of Widener University. The school, founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School, operates on two of Widener's campuses, one in Wilmington, Delaware, and the other in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania....
: The school is home to an ABAAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
accredited J.D.Juris DoctorJuris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
program and operates on two campuses, Wilmington, Delaware and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. - School of Nursing: Accredited by the NLNNational League for NursingThe National League for Nursing is a national organization for faculty nurses and leaders in nurse education. It offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to more than 25,000 individual and 1,200 education and...
, the school has bachelor's (BSNBachelor of Science in NursingThe Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an American four year academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by a tertiary education university or similarly accredited school...
), master's (MSNMaster of Science in NursingA Master of Science in Nursing is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader...
) and doctorate (PhD) programs in nursingNursingNursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
. A part-time, evening or weekend BSNBachelor of Science in NursingThe Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an American four year academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by a tertiary education university or similarly accredited school...
program and accelerated programs for RNsRegistered nurseA registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
are also available. - University College: The University College serves part-time adult undergraduate students and offers both associate's and bachelor's degrees. Classes are held during the evenings or weekends and focus mainly on professional areas such as nursing, business, education and information systems. The college also contains the Osher Lifelong Learning InstituteOsher Lifelong Learning InstitutesOsher Lifelong Learning Institutes offer noncredit courses with no assignments or grades to “seasoned” adults over age 50. Since 2001 philanthropist Bernard Osher has made grants from his foundation to launch OLLI programs at over 120 universities and colleges in 49 states and the District of...
which provides continuing education classes to retired adults.
Rankings and classifications
In 2010, Washington Monthly magazine ranked Widener 56th out of all national universities in the country. These rankings are based on how well a university benefits the country including such factors as promoting social mobilitySocial mobility
Social mobility refers to the movement of people in a population from one social class or economic level to another. It typically refers to vertical mobility -- movement of individuals or groups up from one socio-economic level to another, often by changing jobs or marrying; but can also refer to...
, scientific and humanistic research, and service, including ROTC and the Peace Corps.
The 2012 Best Colleges list from U. S. News and World Report ranked Widener 181st among national universities. It also ranks Widener's undergraduate engineering program 79th among all programs whose highest engineering degree is a bachelor's or master's. Out of the 262 national universities ranked, Widener is 55th in the category "Highest Proportion of Classes Under 20 Students". The U.S. News and World Report's 2008 Best Graduate Schools ranks several of Widener's graduate programs:
clinical psychology → #145,
health care management → #49,
nursing → #141,
physical therapy → #173,
and social work → #140.
The Carnegie Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level...
classifies Widener as a Doctoral/Research University whose undergraduate population is highly residential and selective. It also one of 76 institutions classified as a Community Engagement Institution; only 2 other schools in the Philadelphia region share this classification, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
.
Notable programs
Cooperative educationA co-op
Cooperative education
Cooperative education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op", provides academic credit for structured job experience...
program is available as an option for all undergraduate students within the School of Engineering and School of Business Administration as well as computer science majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. This allows a student to still earn their degree in 4 years while gaining 1-year of work experience.
All students in the School of Hospitality Management are required to enroll in a co-op for a single semester (16 weeks) during their junior or senior year. The co-op work is full-time and counts as course credit. The school also has its own restaurant, the Heintz Dining Room, which is open to the public and run by the students.
Undergraduate research
All undergraduate students in engineering and computer science are required to complete a year-long research and design project during their final year. The projects are usually done in teams with a faculty advisor and culminates in a final presentation and demonstration. Other science majors have the option to participate in research with faculty members. This research is often presented at local or national conferences as well as published in scientific journals.
Honors program
The Honors Program in General Education consists of approximately 200 undergraduate students and provides smaller, seminar courses that fulfill the university's general education requirements. Students in the program must take at least 5 honors courses and also attend certain cultural events held on campus or in Philadelphia. Students who complete the program are awarded a Certificate of Honors in General Education at graduation. Admission to the program is based on the student's SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
scores, high school GPA and ranking.
ROTC
The Army ROTC program traces its origins back to when the university was originally a military college. Today, the Army ROTC program offers 2, 3 and 4-year scholarships as well as traditional instruction in military science
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
. The program also sponsors students from the following local area schools: Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, Penn State Abington
Penn State Abington
Penn State Abington is a commonwealth campus of the Pennsylvania State University. Located approximately north of Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States in the Abington section of Abington Township, it is set in wooded, which include a duck pond and stands of hardwood trees...
, West Chester University, Cheyney University, Penn State Brandywine
Penn State Brandywine
Penn State Brandywine, located in Media, Pennsylvania, is a teaching, learning and research institution for undergraduate education and for lifelong learning with a current enrollment of 1,700 students. The campus has been formerly known as Penn State Delaware County and Penn State Lima. The campus...
and Neumann College
Neumann College
Neumann University is a private Roman Catholic, coeducational college in the Franciscan tradition located in Aston, Pennsylvania, USA. Neumann was ranked in both the Best Regional Universities and Best Nursing Programs at the graduate level categories by US News & World Report for 2011...
. About 25% of students in the program are nursing majors. The university produced more Army Nurses than any other school in the 2006-2007 academic year.
Widener students can also participate in the Air Force ROTC program at Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
.
Presidential Service Corps (PSC) / Bonner Leaders Program
Widener University is a member of the Bonner Foundation
Bonner Foundation
In 1990 Corella and Bertram F. Bonner founded the Bonner Scholars Organization. The program provides financial support for those in high need at one of the member colleges in exchange for service. Currently the program supports some 1500 students at 27 campuses....
and therefore devoted to civic engagement. PSC members are undergraduates who contribute their time to the Chester community through service and are examples of Widener's civic engagement strategies. Incoming members to the PSC are required to complete 300 hours of service each year and receive a $5,000 scholarship towards their tution. Members are chosen based on academic performance in high school and civic leadership. Only 15 members out of the incoming freshman class are selected to join the program.
Athletics
Widener has 20 varsityVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
teams (10 for men and 10 for women) participating in Division III within the Commonwealth and Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC). Formally known as the Pioneers, their nickname changed to the Pride in the Fall of 2006, based on a student poll. Widener sports teams include:
- Men's and Women's varsity: basketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, soccerCollege soccerCollege soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
, swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field - Men's varsity: baseballCollege baseballCollege baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
, footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, and golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes.... - Women's varsity: field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, softballCollege softballCollege softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is normally played by men.As with other intercollegiate...
, and volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive... - Club sports: men's ice hockeyCollege hockeyCollege hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
, men's volleyball, men's rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, women's rugby and cheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
.
Athletic achievements
The football team has had recent success winning the MAC championship in 2007, the ECAC Southwest Bowl in 2006 and the ECACEastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
South Atlantic Bowl in 2005. Its greatest success has been winning the NCAA Division III National Championship
NCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
in 1977 and 1981 under long-time coach Bill Manlove
Bill Manlove
William B. Manlove Jr. was an American football coach who led Widener University to two NCAA Division III national titles and was a president of the American Football Coaches Association....
and reaching the semi-finals in 1979, 1980, and 2000. Additionally, Widener football has won 17 MAC championships, the most of any team in the conference. Billy "White Shoes" Johnson played for Widener in the early 70s. He went on to be an all-pro NFL player and was selected to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
The National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team was chosen by a selection committee of media and league personnel in 1994. Years served were in the NFL, unless otherwise stated.-Offense:Source:-Defense:Source:-Special teams:Source:...
as well as the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
The men's basketball team has won 15 MAC titles and appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament
NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship
The NCAA holds an annual tournament to determine the Division III Men's Basketball Championship.Since 1996, the Division III men's basketball championship has been held at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia. The event has been hosted by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the City of...
17 times, advancing to the "Sweet 16" in 1987 and 2006, the "Final 4" in 1985 and the championship game in 1978. The men's lacrosse team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 8 times since 2000 and has won 12 MAC titles since 1996. The men's swimming team has won 12 MAC titles since 1994.
Athletic facilities
The Schwartz Athletic Center is home to basketball, swimming, indoor track and volleyball. It houses a newly renovated 25 yards (22.9 m) by 25 meter 10-lane competition swimming pool, squash/racquetball courts and administrative offices for the athletic department. Schwartz is also home to the new Wellness Center, opened in April 2006 to provide the faculty, staff and students with additional recreational and fitness opportunities. In addition to exercise equipmentExercise equipment
An apparatus or device used in any given physical activity for shaping and forming muscle groups for specific areas of the body. A mechanism or machine that is intended to promote health and fitness by using motion with varying degrees of resistance either fixed or adjustable.-Exercise...
, the Wellness Center provides fitness classes and a 24 feet (7.3 m) climbing wall
Climbing wall
A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
.
Opening in 1994, Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium seats over 4,000 people and has a turf playing field surrounded by an 8-lane track. The stadium houses the football, soccer, men's lacrosse, and outdoor track & field teams. In addition, Edith R. Dixon Field, opening in 2005, houses the women's field hockey and lacrosse teams. It sports an artificial turf, lighting and a scoreboard. The field is also used for the intramural teams.
The Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
held their summer training camp on Widener's campus between 1973 and 1979. The 2006 movie Invincible
Invincible (2006 film)
Invincible is a 2006 family film directed by Ericson Core set in 1976. It is based on the true story of Vince Papale, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976–78. Mark Wahlberg portrays Papale and Greg Kinnear plays Papale's coach, Dick Vermeil...
depicts the campus during the Eagles' 1976 summer training camp. Since 2006, the Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
have held practices at Widener as well.
Enrollment
Widener enrolls approximately 6,600 total students including 3,300 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. Among full-time undergraduate students, the male/female ratio is nearly 1:1 (51% male, 49% female). 61% of undergraduates choose to live on the Main Campus while the remaining students commute. Approximately 54% of all full-time undergraduates are from Pennsylvania with 45% coming from the rest of the country (predominantly Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Virginia) and 1% originating from outside the U.S. The acceptance rate for undergraduate applicants in Fall 2007 was 66%.Student clubs and events
The university has over 100 student clubs including honor societies, religious organizations, media groups and special interest clubs. Greek Week, Spring Carnival and Homecoming are among the popular events on campus. Graduate students are currently not allowed to participate in club sports activities.WDNR
WDNR
WDNR, known as 89.5 Widener University, is a college radio station which broadcasts in the Philadelphia area via a transmitter that covers a 10-mile radius around Chester, PA. WDNR can also be listened to on the internet via an online stream. The station broadcasts a wide variety of music. WDNR...
is the student-run campus radio station playing a variety of music including hip-hop, rock, metal and punk, along with a sports talk call-in show. It also broadcasts local football games. Other media outlets include the weekly newspaper, The Dome, a student literary journal and a television station.
Greek life
Widener has six fraternities and four sororities. Approximately 12% of all undergraduates are members. Widener's Greek organizations include:- Fraternities: Alpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
, Kappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
, Phi Delta ThetaPhi Delta ThetaPhi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
, Pi Lambda PhiPi Lambda PhiPi Lambda Phi International Fraternity Inc. is a college social fraternity with 35 active chapters and four colonies in the United States and Canada....
, Tau Kappa EpsilonTau Kappa EpsilonTau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
, and Theta ChiTheta ChiTheta Chi Fraternity is an international college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856 as the Theta Chi Society, at Norwich University, Norwich, Vermont, U.S., and was the 21st of the 71 North-American Interfraternity Conference men's fraternities.-Founding and early years at Norwich:Theta... - Sororities: Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
, Zeta Phi BetaZeta Phi BetaZeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
, Delta Phi EpsilonDelta Phi Epsilon (social)Delta Phi Epsilon is an international sorority founded on March 17, 1917 at New York University Law School in New York City...
, Phi Sigma SigmaPhi Sigma SigmaPhi Sigma Sigma , colloquially known as "Phi Sig," was the first collegiate nonsectarian fraternity, welcoming women of all faiths and backgrounds...
, and Sigma Sigma SigmaSigma Sigma SigmaSigma Sigma Sigma , also known as Tri Sigma, is a national American women’s sorority with membership of more than 100,000 members. Sigma Sigma Sigma is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and hosts chapters on more than 110 college campuses and 89 alumnae chapters in communities all...
Community
Widener is one of only 22 colleges that is a member of Project PericlesProject Pericles
Project Pericles Inc. is a non-profit organization composed of liberal arts colleges and universities geared towards the ideas that social responsibility and participatory citizenship are essential parts of an undergraduate curriculum, in the classroom, on campus, and in the community.- Background...
, an organization promoting social responsibility and addressing civic apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
among students. It is also one of only 76 institutions classified as a Community Engagement Institution by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level...
. Only two other schools in the Philadelphia region share this classification - University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
.
Widener has several initiatives aimed at benefiting the surrounding community. These include:
- Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center — The school opened the center in 2006 to provide consulting and educational programs to local small businesses and entrepreneurs. It is one of only 18 in the state and one of 3 in the Philadelphia region (with Temple UniversityTemple UniversityTemple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and University of Pennsylvania). - Philadelphia Speakers Series — Since 2004, Widener has sponsored this series which has had such notable speakers as Henry KissingerHenry KissingerHeinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
, Walter CronkiteWalter CronkiteWalter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
and Dave BarryDave BarryDavid "Dave" Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comedic novels.-Biography:Barry was born in Armonk, New York,...
. - University Technology Park — A joint project started in 1999 between the university and Crozer-Keystone Health System to foster small business opportunities focusing on health care, science and technology. It currently consists of two buildings (with three more planned) on 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) and is located directly in between the Main Campus and Crozer-Keystone Medical Center.
- Widener University ObservatoryWidener University ObservatoryThe Widener University Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Widener University. It is located in Kirkbride Hall on Widener's main campus in Chester, Pennsylvania. The observatory is intended for student use and research within the physics and astronomy department...
— The observatoryObservatoryAn observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
has free public telescope viewings throughout the school year hosted by the physics and astronomy department.
Charter school
In 2006, the university established a new charter schoolCharter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
near the Main Campus in Chester to serve local residents from kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to grade 5. Named the Widener Partnership Charter School
Widener Partnership Charter School
The Widener Partnership Charter School provides Widener students with the opportunity to participate and get involved inside and outside the school to give their service to the community. It gives students that are majoring in education a chance venture inside the classroom and observe what they...
, the school utilizes the university's programs in education, social work, nursing and clinical psychology. This collaboration involves the participation of Widener faculty and students to not only provide educational support but also provide additional assistance outside of school through counseling and health services.
Classes in the charter school started in September 2006 enrolling 50 students in both kindergarten and grade 1. The school plans on adding a new grade each year until grade 5 and an enrollment of 300 students is reached. However, there have been some complaints by the Chester Upland School District
Chester Upland School District
The Chester Upland School District is a public school district serving the City of Chester, the Borough of Upland and Chester Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania...
that this and other charter schools take funds away from the local public school system. With this, the school district is contemplating placing a cap on their charter school enrollment with many parents being split on the issue.
Chester revitalization project
A $50 million revitalization project was started in 2007 that will add significant new opportunities and services to the university and surrounding area. The project, named University Crossings, will include a hotel, bookstore, coffee shop, restaurant and apartments. The project is expected to have an overall economic impact of $1 million to Chester as well as creating 60 new jobs. Its completion date is set for the fall of 2008.Notable alumni or attendees
As of 2011, there are 59,018 total living alumni.- David J. BrightbillDavid J. BrightbillDavid J. "Chip" Brightbill is a former member and Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania State Senate. He is a member of the Republican PartyHe was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania to Jonathan and Verda Brightbill and attended Pennsylvania Military College for two years before graduating from...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state senator from 1982 to 2006 - Irving J. CarrIrving J. CarrIrving J. Carr was a Major General in the United States Army.-Biography:Carr was born on May 29, 1875 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He would marry twice. First in 1912 to Margaret Lisle Halley, who died in 1932. Second in 1942 to Betty Guinn, who died in 1966. Carr died on June 12, 1963...
, U.S. Army Major General. - Mark B. CohenMark B. CohenMark B. Cohen is a Democratic politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Succeeding Eugene Gelfand, he has represented Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 202 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since June 10, 1974, making him the most senior member in the Pennsylvania...
, longest serving current member, Pennsylvania General AssemblyPennsylvania General AssemblyThe Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by... - Tom DeeryTom DeeryTom Deery is a former American football safety. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998....
, College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inductee (1998) - Cecil B. DeMilleCecil B. DeMilleCecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
, legendary Hollywood director - Joe FieldsJoe FieldsJoseph Charles Fields, Jr. is a former professional American football center and guard in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the New York Giants...
, New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
all-pro center - Robert FlorczakRobert FlorczakRobert Florczak is an American artist and illustrator.Growing up in Bound Brook, New Jersey and a student at Bound Brook High School, Florczak was influenced by art teacher Jerry Meatyard...
, artist~in~residence, 1972~73 - John Lance "Jack" GeogheganJohn GeogheganJohn Lance "Jack" Geoghegan, was an infantry lieutenant in the U.S. Army, who was killed during the Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War.-Early Life:...
, 1963, Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
hero, recipient of the Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the... - Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, 1974, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time TeamNFL 75th Anniversary All-Time TeamThe National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team was chosen by a selection committee of media and league personnel in 1994. Years served were in the NFL, unless otherwise stated.-Offense:Source:-Defense:Source:-Special teams:Source:...
, College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inductee (1996) - Brendan KehoeBrendan KehoeBrendan Patrick Kehoe was an Irish-born software developer and author. Born in Dublin, he was raised in China, Maine in the United States. In his early teens, he was first exposed to computing when he was given a Commodore 64 computer and he used this machine to teach himself about computing and...
, author of Zen and the Art of the Internet: A Beginner's Guide and software developerSoftware developerA software developer is a person concerned with facets of the software development process. Their work includes researching, designing, developing, and testing software. A software developer may take part in design, computer programming, or software project management... - Benjamin Ralph KimlauBenjamin Ralph KimlauBenjamin Ralph Kimlau was a Chinese American aviator and United States Air Force bomber pilot.Kimlau was born on April 10, 1918 in Concord, MA and moved to New York City with his parents in 1932. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School. After his visit to China, he studied at Pennsylvania Military...
, Chinese AmericanChinese AmericanChinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
World War II hero (1938–1942) - Phil MartelliPhil MartelliPhil Martelli is an American college basketball coach and current coach of the Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team. He maintains an impressive resume, having led Saint Joseph's to five NCAA Tournaments and four NITs. He has averaged 20 wins per season in his thirteen years with the...
, St. Joseph's University head basketball coach - Matthew McGroryMatthew McGroryMatthew McGrory was an American actor, known for his great height.-Early life:McGrory was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. McGrory studied pre-law at Widener University, where he resided in campus housing on the first floor of Howell Hall. Studied Criminal Justice at West Chester University....
, world's tallest actor - Sylvanus MorleySylvanus MorleySylvanus Griswold Morley was an American archaeologist, epigrapher, and Mayanist scholar who made significant contributions toward the study of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in the early twentieth century....
, archaeologist - Patrick J. MurphyPatrick Murphy (politician)Patrick Joseph Murphy is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania - Burt MustinBurt MustinBurton Hill "Burt" Mustin was an American character actor.-Early life:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to W. I. and Sadie Mustin, Mustin was a 1903 graduate of the Pennsylvania Military College , earning his degree in civil engineering...
, actor, Gus the Fireman on Leave it to BeaverLeave It to BeaverLeave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood... - D. Lane PowersD. Lane PowersDavid Lane Powers was an American Republican Party politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1933 to 1945....
1915, represented in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1933 to 1945. - Leslie C. Quick Jr.Leslie C. Quick Jr.Leslie C. Quick Jr. was co-founder of Quick & Reilly. He graduated from Widener University and, in 1974, co-founded Quick & Reilly, the first New York Stock Exchange member firm to offer discounted commissions to individuals and one of the nation's leading brokerage firms, expanding the business...
, founder Quick & Reilly Inc. - Pat QuinnPat Quinn (ice hockey)John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
, former NHL Coach and General Manager - Brent StaplesBrent StaplesBrent Staples is an author and editorial writer for the New York Times. His books include An American Love Story and Parallel Time: Growing up In Black and White, which won the Anisfield Wolf Book Award...
, 1973, New York Times editorial writer and author of Parallel Time - Bill SternBill SternBill Stern was a U.S. actor and sportscaster who announced the nation's first remote sports broadcast and the first telecast of a Major League Baseball game. In 1984, Stern was part of the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame’s inaugural class which included sportscasting legends Red...
, newsreel and sports commentator - Brian TierneyBrian TierneyBrian P. Tierney is an American a former advertising and public relations executive and publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Born in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, Tierney created Tierney Communications, one of the largest and most successful public relations and advertising firms in...
, publisher of The Philadelphia InquirerThe Philadelphia InquirerThe Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
and the Philadelphia Daily NewsPhiladelphia Daily NewsThe Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under... - John H. Tilelli, Jr.John H. Tilelli, Jr.John Harold Tilelli, Jr. is a retired United States Army four star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1994 to 1995; Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command from 1995 to 1996; and Commander in Chief, United Nations Command/Commander in Chief,...
, 1963, United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
four star general - William John WolfgramWilliam John WolfgramWilliam John Wolfgram was a United States Army Lieutenant during World War II. He served in the army from 1942 until his death in combat in 1945. Wolfgram attended Northwestern Military and Naval Academy in Wisconsin. After graduating, he attended Harvard University for two years until he enlisted...
, 1943, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero, recipient of the Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the... - Dan YeminDan YeminDaniel Yemin, Ph.D is a vocalist and musician in the melodic hardcore punk scene.-Music and career:He played guitar in the early 1990s with the band Lifetime, and in the late 1990s with Kid Dynamite. Yemin also played in Ressurection...
, musician
External links
- Widener University
- Widener University Athletics
- Widener University School of Law
- WDNR 89.5 FM - student run radio station
- PMC Museum