Associate Professor Tonya M. Evans joins the law school’s senior leadership team as the Associate Dean of Inclusion and Equity.
Dean Evans’ new role includes overseeing the law school’s implementation of its strategic plan, practices, and policies related to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the classroom and legal profession.
Her goal is to inspire and sustain a law school community that champions a culture of respect, civility, professionalism, and inclusivity.
To that end, Dean Evans will oversee and implement the greater University’s strategic goals regarding diversity to:
- Continue to foster a campus climate that values multiple perspectives and experiences.
- Prepare all students for success in a diverse and global society.
- Expand and promote access, equity, and success for disadvantaged and underrepresented students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Create and sustain institutional structures and processes to support a culture of inclusivity.
- Promote scholarship related to diversity and inclusive excellence.
She will continue to teach in the areas of intellectual property, property, wills and trusts and entertainment law.
“We are preparing our students for success in a diverse and global society,” said Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian Johnson. “I know that Associate Dean Evans will work to create and sustain a campus environment that will promote access, equity and success for underrepresented students, faculty, staff and administration as well as the greater legal community.”
Insight into Diversity and Widener
Recently, Widener University was named, along with a select group of institutions nationwide, to receive an INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine‘s 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. Widener is one of only 83 institutions in the United States to receive the award this year, and the only one in the Philadelphia region.
“As a leading metropolitan university, Widener has made a concerted effort to create a campus community that is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, and I’m very pleased that we are being recognized with the HEED Award,” said Widener President Julie E. Wollman.
A Note About Diversity at Widener

Widener celebrates diversity and embraces multiculturalism as it strives to maintain an inclusive and welcoming campus community. Widener encourages all students, faculty, staff, and guests on campus to respect the dignity of every individual and honor the value of their contribution to its community.
Widener University leadership is also aware that incidents of bias and hate crimes have increased on college campuses around the country. It condemns such acts and encourages all members of our community to follow its bias protocol.
Like this:
Like Loading...