The main campus of Widener University was shut down Friday night after a threat of violence against the campus. Students have been ordered to go home or stay in their rooms.

Widener University officials said it was a general threat of violence. It wasn't directed at one individual. The threat was written on a bathroom wall in Boettner residence hall and just a short time ago, the university decided to evacuated Boettner hall, a coed dorm.

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The university said in a press release that it sent out an "e2campus alert" to the entire main campus community.

Students at Widener University received a message on their cell phones or computers just after 1 p.m. Friday. The message alerted 3,000 students at the Chester campus about a threat of violence against the campus.

"I was in class and they made everybody leave. When I got back to my dorm they told us the campus was in lockdown," freshman Sean Sheffield said.

More than 1,500 students living in dorms as well as about a 1,000 employees were given a choice of staying until police swept Boettner and the area around the dorm. Or, they could head home.

NBC 10 found dozens of students packing up and leaving the campus.

"I didn't think it was anything that serious since they just said it was a violence threat and we had that all the time at my high school. But obviously it's more serious if they're evacuating people," freshman Molly Bendzyn said.

Those who needed rides, phoned home and they anxiously awaited parents outside.

Ayla Furnari, a sister of a student, said she got a call at 2 p.m. saying the school was evacuating and she arrived to pick her brother and his friend up.

"I hope everything turns out cool. If it does I want to come back tonight. It's a campus, you pay for school, and you want to be here. I hope everything gets sorted out," freshman Julian Furnari said.

Delaware County officials have joined Chester police and Widener University police in the investigation. Boettner hall has been swept and nothing was found but as a precaution, police evacuated the dorm.

All classes and activities were cancelled. Residents and commuter students have been asked to go home or stay in their rooms.

All non-essential employees were also told they should go home or stay in their offices.

Chester police are conducting an investigation that includes a sweep of campus.

Officials were asking that any suspicious activity be reported to campus safety at 610-499-1392.