DOVER — Dr. Marlene A. Saunders, a Delaware State University alumna and an almost 30-year faculty member at her alma mater, has expanded her legacy at Delaware State University by becoming a member of the institution’s Board of Trustees.

During the Board’s Nov. 30 retreat meeting on campus, Board Chair Leroy Tice officially administered the Trustees Oath to Dr. Saunders, who was appointed to a six-year term on the governance body by Gov. John Carney.

Dr. Saunders fills the Board seat previously held by former Trustee Lois Hobbs, who completed her two Board terms in January 2023

Dr. Saunders’ relationship with her alma mater began more than 50 years ago when she enrolled as an undergraduate at then-Delaware State College, where she earned a 1967 Bachelor of Arts Degree. She followed that up by earning a 1972 Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Work.

After working in the social work field for several years, Dr. Saunders began her Delaware State College teaching career in 1985 as a social work faculty member. She later completed a Doctor of Social Work in 2001. Her full-time faculty service continued at Delaware State University until her retirement in 2014; Dr. Saunders also taught as an adjunct between 2014 and 2020.

She has received the 2007 Service Provider Award from the Delaware Department of Corrections, the 2008 Social Worker of the Year Award from the Delaware Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and the Humanitarian Award from the Wilmington Chapter of the NAACP.

In 2021, the National Association of Social Workers recognized her as a Social Work Pioneer.

Dr. Saunders is a resident of Bridgeville where she has served as a Town Commissioner since 2020.