Widener University announced that Professor Brent Satterly of the Center for Social Work Education has been honored with the 2025 Julie E. Wollman Endowed Award for Inclusion and Belonging.
The award was announced May 5 at a university town hall meeting for faculty and staff by Micki Davis, vice president of Inclusion and Belonging.
The award was made possible as part of a $100,000 gift to the university by Julie E. Wollman, the immediate past president of Widener, and her husband, Dan L. King.
It annually recognizes an employee who engages in advocacy and efforts in support of inclusion and belonging, demonstrates an exceptionally high level of commitment to those principles, and works to enhance the success of underrepresented groups at the university.
Satterly joined the Widener faculty as a senior lecturer in the Center for Social Work Education in 2003, after serving six years on the adjunct faculty.
He has risen to a full professor in that discipline and also teaches in the Center for Human Sexuality Studies as a member of its adjunct faculty.
Satterly also serves as faculty advisor to all students pursuing a dual degree between the Master of Social Work and the Master of Human Sexuality, as well as the doctoral degree.
Known for exuding a profound commitment to inclusion and belonging in everything he does, Satterly is a role model of how to live into those principles as a social worker, faculty member, mentor, and overall leader in the university community.
He supports and advocates for campus inclusion and belonging efforts, including through his creation of an online learning experience open to all in the Widener community.
“Dr. Brent’s Queer History Mystery: The Disability Edition” brought faculty, students, and staff together in teams with lively and engaging contests (known as “haunts”) that promoted historical knowledge in the context of contemporary societal acceptance of people in queer and disabled communities.
In addition, during the most recent academic year, Satterly helped facilitate a “Care Fair” to provide information about resources and services available to all at the university, to cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
“Dr. Brent A. Satterly embodies the core values of the Wollman Award through his tireless advocacy, transformative leadership, and scholarly contributions,” Davis said.
Satterly holds a doctorate of philosophy in education from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s of social service from Bryn Mawr College, and a bachelor’s in psychology from Eastern College.
He resides in Haddon Township, New Jersey with his husband of 32 years, Don Dyson, PhD, and their three cats, Leo, Phoebe and Piper.
Widener University is a private institution in Chester where students develop the leadership qualities employers seek.
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Industry-shaping faculty provide close, personal mentorship and share powerful connections that help students build professional networks.
Recognized as one of the Philadelphia region’s leading universities, Widener offers programs and experiences that empower our community of learners to discover and create better futures as scholars, leaders and globally engaged citizens.
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