Widener University honored its top faculty in the areas of teaching innovation, research, civic engagement, and institutional leadership at its annual Faculty Awards banquet on Oct. 6.

Three of the honorees are Delaware County residents.

“It is a genuine honor to recognize these dedicated faculty members who were nominated by their colleagues for their scholarship and for the impact they make in our students’ lives” said Stephen C. Wilhite, senior vice president and provost.

“At Widener, we prize excellent teaching, scholarship, and leadership, as well as engaging students with the community. We think it is important to stop for a moment and publicly honor our very best and most dedicated faculty.”

Dr. Bretton Alvaré of Lansdowne, an associate professor of anthropology, received the Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award. The award is given to an individual who has designed, implemented, and assessed an innovative or experimental teaching and learning project.

Alvaré designed a sequence of anthropology courses in which each builds upon the previous. Two noteworthy examples are his courses examining the anthropology of Chester.

At the beginning of the 100-level cultural anthropology course, students choose from a list of activities designed to illuminate the culture and history of Chester. Before they begin the class, students write a “letter to self” that lists pre-conceived notions they hold about Chester, and then, at the conclusion, students read their letters and write a final reflection on how their field experiences altered or reinforced their initial perspectives.

In his 200-level urban anthropology course, each student conducts extensive fieldwork with a single community partner, and uses his or her data to create an organizational analysis. Students then share their findings with their respective organizations, offering recommendations on how to improve their program effectiveness.

Dr. Daniel Robinson of Wallingford, a professor of English, received the outstanding researcher award. This recognizes a faculty member who has exhibited distinction in scholarly work and has made a significant contribution through research to advancing the profession or discipline and the university’s mission.

Robinson’s research focuses on the literature of the Romantic period, particularly poetry by Wordsworth and Coleridge. His textual scholarship has enabled him to involve his students through their direct participation in the archival research that leads to the publication of new editions from the period.

Sharon Meagher, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Dr. Robinson’s students now share his passion for careful textual research. He trains them well and then trusts them to do original research on specific texts. The students take their responsibilities seriously and do exceptional work.

“Dr. Robinson has taken several students to the Wordsworth Trust in Grasmere, England, so that they have a chance to work with original manuscripts.”

Dr. Marina Barnett of Yeadon, an associate professor of social work, received the civic engagement award for sustained outstanding contributions to Widener’s civic engagement mission through the faculty member’s teaching or research.

Barnett uses a Community Based Participatory Research Model to empower communities, working with more than 40 organizations in Delaware and Philadelphia counties. Barnett involves students in this work through service learning that incorporates new technology, including global information systems.

She also actively engages students in establishing a new partnership to create sustainable change. To date, Dr. Barnett has garnered over $1.6 million in grants for non-profit organizations in Chester.

In partnership with those non-profits, she and her students have developed programs, engaged in planning processes to decrease crime, conducted community-based research, and engaged in service learning processes that documented housing conditions, food insecurity, and crime hot-spots.