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Alexa B. Silver Ph.D.

Silver

Professor

Campus Address: ETV 206

Email: asilver [at] desu.edu

Education

  • B.A., History, Kenyon College, 1983 

  • M. Litt., British History, Edinburgh University, 1987

  • M.S., Education, Johns Hopkins University, 1992

  • Ph.D., American History, American University, 2004

Research Interests

My research focuses primarily on the colonial history of the Chesapeake region, particularly labor issues such as indentured servitude and slavery. I am currently working on family research into the International Settlement in Shanghai, China in the 1930s and the Japanese Internment during WWII experience of ex-patriots.

Bio

Dr. Silver has been a faculty member at Delaware State University since 2005. Her specialties include colonial American history, focused specifically on the Chesapeake region as well as the history of indentured servitude and slavery. She works with local history organizations, researching and writing their histories, expanding their programming and developing curriculum materials for visiting groups. She has also worked with countless history and social studies teachers through the Teaching American History (TAH) grant program. She served as Chair of the Chestertown Historic District Commission, which seeks to protect the history, culture, archaeology and architecture of downtown Chestertown, Maryland.

Industry/Consulting Experience

  • Member, Board of Trustees, Friends of John Dickinson Plantation, Dover, DE. 2023 - Present; Chair Education Sub-Committee.

  • Member, Advisory Council, Friends of Mt. Harmon, Earleville, MD. 2009 - Present.

  • Chair, Chestertown Historic District Commission, Chestertown, MD. July 2015 - July 2020.

Selected publications

  • Erin Perchiniak, Joseph Fees, and Alexa Silver, “Promoting Student Success and DE&I in Experiential Education at an HBCU: STEM Lab Internship Programs,” Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Journal, November 2023.

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Self Study “Delaware State University Reimagined and Transformed,” Submitted January 31, 2022, Re-Affirmation June 2022.

  • Joseph Fees, Alexa Silver, and Tina Petrovic, “Planning Community-Based Faculty Trainings and Professional Development at Your Own Institution.” Academic Leader, February 2021.

  • Op. Ed. “The virus of 100 years ago offers lessons in how to fight COVID-19” Delaware Online, April 2, 2020.

Grants

  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence Grant, Program Director, $1,050,000; 2016 - 2022