CAMPUS PROFILE

(Chester, Pennsylvania)

At Widener University, academic excellence, career preparation and civic engagement are foundations for student success. Those values are incorporated into more than 60 degree options university-wide, including top-ranked programs in nursing, engineering, social work, and the arts & sciences.  Widener meets students where they are in their education journeys, with associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degrees.

Widener is located in Chester, Pennsylvania, a city of 34,102 people in Delaware County, south of Philadelphia along the I-95 corridor.  The university strives to be an active contributor to the local community as it prepares students for career success through civic engagement leadership opportunities.  Seventy-nine percent of Widener students participate in organized service activities.  Whether they serve once annually or ten hours per week, local and global communities are important co-educators for each student. These are the key components to the Widener University civic engagement structure:

Academic Service Learning- The Academic Service-Learning Faculty Development Program was established in the fall of 2004 to assist faculty with the development and implementation of academic service-learning courses. One-hundred and sixteen faculty members, representing all colleges on the main campus have completed the program. These faculty have taught approximately 102 different service-learning courses since the spring 2005 semester, with 20 to 25 courses offered each semester. More than 5,000 students have completed a service-learning course. In addition, approximately 60 community partners have collaborated with faculty fellows in creating meaningful experiences for our students.

Civic Engagement - The Office of Civic Engagement fosters co-curricular opportunities to educate, empower, and equip Widener students as they become personally and socially responsible leaders. Widener builds collaborative campus and community partnerships to further the university’s civic mission through the Bonner Leaders (Pride Service Corps), Maguire Foundation Endowed Scholarships, and the Pride Service Site Leadership programs.

Global Engagement - GE builds pathways for civic and global engagement, including serving as a support system for our international students. GE creates opportunities to educate, empower, and equip Widener students to become engaged citizens. Widener students learn how to become socially responsible leaders and make a global impact.

Political Engagement- Our campus-wide Political Engagement Committee includes faculty, students, and staff.  In partnership with Project Pericles, the committee ensures that students have access to exclusive educational opportunities that help them develop civic engagement and advocacy skills. The committee also organizes participation in Student Legislative Educational Advocacy Days in Harrisburg and hosts political debate watches and panel discussions on timely issues.

Community Based Research- Widener faculty have created sustainable partnerships in Chester and surrounding communities, producing opportunities for both residents and students. Coordinated through our office of Undergraduate Research, Widener offers funding support for faculty and students to develop community-based research projects that address issues of local concern.  Projects have included investigating local water quality, mapping housing quality, and assessing campus-community relationships. 

Pro Bono Student Clinics- Since 2000, there have been more than 2,500 uninsured and underinsured people from Chester and nearby communities who have received a variety of services. The clinics offer case management, mental health counseling, nursing, physical therapy, child therapy, neuropsychology assessment, occupational and speech therapy, biofeedback, and legal aid. Services are offered pro bono by volunteer physical therapists, social workers, psychologists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and lawyers. Most volunteers are Widener alumni, faculty, and students. In 2020, the Widener Community Nursing Clinic earned a Gold rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) for its delivery of high-quality health care to underinsured and uninsured members of the community.