fbpx
Wikipedia

Villanova University

Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania[5] and one of two Augustinian institutions in the United States (The other being Merrimack College).[6] It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".[7]

Villanova University
Latin: Universitas Villanovana
Former names
Saint Augustine's Academy (1811–) Augustinian College of Villanova (1842–1953)
MottoVeritas, Unitas, Caritas (Latin)
Motto in English
Truth, Unity, Love
TypePrivate research university
Established1842; 181 years ago (1842)
FounderOrder of Saint Augustine
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic (Augustinian)
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
Endowment$1.12 billion (2021)[1]
PresidentPeter M. Donohue
Academic staff
545
Administrative staff
2,000
Students10,943 (fall 2020)[2]
Undergraduates6,791
Postgraduates3,108
Location,
U.S.

40°02′16″N 75°20′15″W / 40.03771°N 75.33755°W / 40.03771; -75.33755Coordinates: 40°02′16″N 75°20′15″W / 40.03771°N 75.33755°W / 40.03771; -75.33755
CampusSuburban, 260 acres (110 ha)
ColorsBlue and white[3]
   
NicknameWildcats
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IBig East, Big 5, CAA
MascotWill D. Cat (current)
Count Villan (former)[4]
Websitewww.villanova.edu

The university traces its roots to the old Saint Augustine's Church, Philadelphia, which the Augustinian friars of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova founded in 1796, and to its parish school, Saint Augustine's Academy, which was established in 1811. The school's identity remains deeply rooted in its Augustinian Catholic foundation—the majority of students are Catholic,[8] the administration is led by priests, there is a cross on every building,[9] and all students are required to take the Augustine and Culture Seminar (ACS) course their freshman year.[10]

History

 
Villanova College in 1849

In October 1841, two Irish Augustinian friars from Saint Augustine's Church in Philadelphia purchased the 200-acre (81 ha) "Belle Air" estate in Radnor Township with the intention of starting a school. The school, which was called the "Augustinian College of Villanova", opened in 1842. However, the Philadelphia Nativist Riots of 1844 that burned Saint Augustine's Church in Philadelphia caused financial difficulties for the Augustinians, and the college was closed in February 1845. The college reopened in 1846 and graduated its first class in 1847. In March 1848, the governor of Pennsylvania incorporated the school and gave it the power to grant degrees. In 1859, the first master's degree was conferred on a student.[11] In 1857, the school closed again as the demand for priests in Philadelphia prevented adequate staffing, and the crisis of the Panic of 1857 strained the school financially. The school remained closed throughout the Civil War and reopened in September 1865; since then it has operated continuously.[12] Its prep department later moved to Malvern, a town along the Main Line, and is still run by the order.

 
Corr Hall from The Grotto

The School of Technology was established in 1905. In 1915, a two-year pre-medical program was established to help students meet medical schools' new requirements. This led to a four-year pre-medical program, the B.S. in biology, and the founding of the sciences division in 1926.[citation needed]

Villanova was all-male until 1918 when the college began evening classes to educate nuns to teach in parochial schools. In 1938, a laywoman received a Villanova degree for the first time. It was not until the nursing school opened in 1953 that women permanently began attending Villanova full-time. In 1958, the College of Engineering admitted its first female student; other colleges admitted women only as commuters. Villanova University became fully coeducational in 1968.[12]

During World War II, Villanova was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission.[13] It has since graduated 25 US Naval Admirals and Marine Corps Generals, which is more than any other college or university with the exception of the Naval Academy in Annapolis.[14]

After World War II, Villanova expanded, returning veterans swelling enrollments and the faculty growing fourfold. Additional facilities were built, and in 1953, the college of Nursing and the School of Law were established. Villanova achieved university status on November 18, 1953. Between 1954 and 1963, 10 new buildings were built or bought on land adjacent to the campus, including Bartley, Mendel, and Dougherty Halls.[15]

Campus

 
St. Thomas of Villanova Church, on the Villanova University campus

Villanova University sits on 254 acres (1.03 km2) of land, situated 12 miles (19 km) from Center City Philadelphia.[16] The campus has roughly 1,500 trees.[17] The campus was formerly known as Arboretum Villanova, but its status as an official arboretum was revoked after the university failed to meet rules and standards such as planting enough new trees and offering tours.[18]

There are three named areas on the campus:

  • Main Campus contains most of the educational buildings, administration buildings, Student Center, Library, Bookstore, the University Church of St. Thomas of Villanova, Corr Chapel, the main cafeteria and a variety of coffee shops and eateries, the Athletic Center, the Pavilion, Villanova Stadium, and many sophomore student residences.
  • West Campus contains the Law School, St. Mary's hall (a large building for single housing, a cafeteria, classrooms, indoor swimming pool, market, etc.) some administrative buildings, and housing for juniors and some sophomores. Also included are basketball and tennis courts, soccer fields, volleyball courts and barbecue grills. The SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale line's Villanova station is also located on West Campus. There is also the Law School parking garage in addition to apartment parking.
  • South Campus contains six freshman residence halls, Donohue Court (South Campus Cafeteria) and Donohue Market (South Campus Market). The Norristown High Speed Line has a stop right behind Stanford Hall. This part of campus also features a basketball court, sand volleyball court, and barbecue grills.

Main campus

 
A panoramic view of the Main Campus in early spring

The most prominent campus feature is St. Thomas of Villanova Church, whose dual spires are the university's tallest structure. The cornerstone was laid in 1883, and construction ended in 1887. Built in the Gothic Revival style, the church was renovated in 1943 and 1992.[19] The church lies at the head of the path crossing Lancaster Avenue into the parking lots and toward South Campus. It is a popular meeting place for students, and hosts regular Masses for the student body. The church is home to St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, whose Masses take place Sunday morning. The stained-glass windows of the church depict the life of St. Augustine of Hippo.

 
St. Thomas of Villanova Monastery

Behind the Church is Mendel Field, around which sit six major campus buildings:

  • Mendel Hall, named for pioneering geneticist and Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel, holds science labs, lecture halls, and other facilities. Its two large buildings are connected underground and by a second-floor indoor bridge that forms the gateway between West and Main Campus. In 1998, the college commissioned a 7-foot (2.1 m) bronze sculpture of Mendel by Philadelphia sculptor James Peniston, and installed it outside the hall's entrance.[20]
  • Tolentine Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus, houses classrooms, academic offices such as the Registrar's Office and the Office of the President, and computer labs, and is connected to Villanova's monastery, St. Thomas Hall. Tolentine Hall was formerly called Mendel Hall before the construction of the new Mendel Hall, as it was the former home of the various science departments, a fact which ultimately led to the building partially burning down more than once as a result of experiments gone wrong.
  • White Hall, consisting mainly of classrooms and laboratories, is connected to the Chemical Engineering Building, which was built in 1947. Ironically, White Hall has an almost entirely black exterior.
  • Falvey Hall, or "Old Falvey", is the annex of the Falvey Memorial Library, named for Rev. Daniel Falvey who served as librarian from 1940 until his death in 1962. It is home to some classrooms in the Art History and Education departments as well as some offices, along with the Augustinian Heritage Institute, and the Matthew J. Ryan Center. "Old Falvey" was home to the writing center and Math Learning Resource Center (MLRC) until both centers moved into Falvey Memorial Library's renovated second floor during the 2012–2013 academic year. "Old Falvey" is also home to a recently renovated reading room, which opened in the 2016–2017 academic year.
  • John Barry Hall, named for naval officer Commodore John Barry, houses the Navy ROTC Program.
  • To the west of the Church, the Center for Engineering Education and Research (CEER), which opened in 1998, holds engineering labs, engineering classrooms, an engineering computer lab, an auditorium hall for projections and slideshows, and a Holy Grounds, which is the name of Villanova's coffee shops.

Slightly east of Mendel Field sits the Campus Green, a landscaped haven between Falvey Library and two residence halls: Alumni Hall, home to the Service Learning Community; and Corr Hall, a building that consists of first-floor offices, student housing, and a semi-detached chapel which hosts daily Masses. Often home to outdoor masses and other large gatherings, the Campus Green used to include a statue depicting Our Lady of Good Counsel and plaques dedicated to the veterans of World War II and the Vietnam War, but these were moved to the Grotto, which is between St. Rita's Hall and Austin Hall, two residence halls across from Alumni Hall that also house the Campus Ministry Office and University Admissions Office, respectively. The Grotto also is the location of daily student-led praying of the Rosary.

 
Alumni Hall, the oldest building on campus

Alumni Hall dates back to 1848 and stands as one of the oldest structures on campus. The school was closed in 1861 due to the Civil War and reopened in 1865. In that time this hall is believed to have been used as a military hospital and potential evidence of that use, such as a pulley located at the top of the main stairwell for moving bodies up and down, can still be seen. The building was used as a hospital again for influenza patients after World War I.[15]

St. Mary's Hall was built in 1962. Laid out with long corridors and over a thousand rooms, there is a large chapel and many partial floors, basements and sub-basements to feed the legends of blocked-off wings.[15] St. Mary's houses the Villanova Human Resource Development (HRD) program for graduate students as well as the main office for the university's "Tech Zone". The property on which Dundale Hall is located was originally purchased by an industrialist, Israel Morris II, in 1874, and was built as a mansion for his family. Purchased from his family in 1978, it has been used for a variety of meetings and is home to several offices.

Falvey Library, the campus's main research library, houses over 1 million books, thousands of periodicals, television production studios, and quiet places for solitary or group study, as well as the campus's writing center and Math Learning Resource Center, which moved from "Old Falvey" to the renovated second floor of the library during the 2012–2013 academic year.[21] Behind Falvey Library is the Saint Augustine Center for Liberal Arts, commonly called "SAC", which is home to many departments in the College of Liberal Arts, numerous offices, several seminar-type classrooms, and the Advising and Professional Development Program. In 2022, Falvey Library received a 20 million dollar donation to renovate and update the library.

East of Corr Hall sits Kennedy Hall, named for the late President John F. Kennedy and the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy (both of whom spoke at Villanova commencement ceremonies), which houses the University Shop, the campus bookstore, as well as the Office of Residence Life, the Bursar's Office, the Office of Financial Aid, and the Main Campus mailroom. Across a small courtyard is Dougherty Hall, the campus's main dining hall, referred to as "The Pit" because of its underground location, one of three all-you-can-eat facilities on campus. Dougherty also houses several smaller eateries and many Student Activity Offices. Next to Kennedy is Connelly Center with its radically different architecture resembling an alpine ski lodge, containing: the Belle Aire Terrace, which serves a variety of food; several meeting rooms; areas for group study; the Commuter Student Lounge on the upper level; another lounge on the lower level, the campus cinema (movie theater); a large conference room; a smoothie shop; and a Holy Grounds location.

Between the dining halls of Dougherty and the meeting halls of Connelly is a sculpture titled "The Awakenening" (unofficially referred to as "The Oreo"). A large white-and-black sculpture by Jay Dugan, some of the major campus celebrations have occurred in its circular shadow – including celebratory vandalism in the wake of the 1985 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, and again after the 2016 and 2018 Men's Basketball Championships.

Still further east, there is "The Quad" where there lies a square formation between two dormitories, Sheehan Hall and Sullivan Hall. These halls are considered main campus housing for students. Bartley Hall, home to the Villanova School of Business is the last building before Ithan Avenue, which is where main campus ends. Bartley is home to "The Exchange" food restaurant where students can find sandwiches named after the financial sector. Bartley is adjacent to another entrance to Main Campus, at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Ithan Avenue. Behind Bartley Hall are two new buildings: The Health Services Building, home to the Counseling and Medical Centers; and Driscoll Hall, home to the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing.

On the south side of Lancaster avenue sits south main campus. A new parking garage was opened in January 2017. A pedestrian bridge over Lancaster Avenue connecting south and main campus and senior housing known as The Commons were opened in the summer of 2019.[22]

The Commons

The Commons opened in August 2019 and serves as apartment-style housing for senior students. In addition to housing, the Commons also has a state-of-the-art gym, spin gym, gym studio space, a mailroom, a tech center, a Parliament Cafe and a full-service dining option called The Refectory Bar and Grill.

The Commons is home to the following six residence halls:

  • McGuinn Hall
  • Canon Hall
  • Dobbin Hall
  • Hovnanian Hall
  • Friar Hall
  • Trinity Hall

On the opposite side of Ithan Avenue is the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts which opened the weekend of April 24, 2020.

West Campus

Situated across the SEPTA tracks north and west of Mendel hall is West Campus: home to St. Mary's Hall, the West Campus Apartments, and the Law School. St. Mary's, a labyrinthine building of classrooms, residence rooms, a cafeteria, and large chapel, was originally built as a seminary, and was once home to the College of Nursing. St. Mary's also houses many of the undergraduate student performing arts groups. Behind St. Mary's sit the Apartments – eight buildings that house junior and senior resident students. A small Augustinian residence, Burns Hall, also sits on West Campus and is the home to the university president. Picotte Hall at Dundale, a historic mansion on the grounds of a former estate, lies just beyond Burns Hall at the far end of West Campus and is home to University Advancement, the school's phone-a-thon, and several other university offices.

In addition to the student dormitories in St. Mary's Hall, West Campus is home to the following residence halls:

  • Farley Hall
  • Galen Hall
  • Jackson Hall
  • Klekotka Hall
  • Moulden Hall
  • Rudolph Hall
  • St. Clare Hall
  • Welsh Hall

South Campus

Sitting diagonally across Lancaster Ave. and Ithan Ave. from Bartley Hall, South Campus is home to several residence halls – usually reserved for underclassmen – and Donahue Hall, home to "The Spit", short for "South Pit". Donahue hall also houses Donahue Market, commonly referred to by students as "The Sparket".

The South Campus residence halls are:

  • Stanford Hall
  • Good Counsel Hall
  • Katharine Hall
  • Caughlin Hall
  • St. Monica Hall
  • Mcguire Hall

Stanford Hall also houses the Office for Residence Life on the ground floor.

The second and third of three on-campus train stops, the Villanova stop and the Stadium stop on the Norristown High Speed Line provides access to the city of Philadelphia, about 30 minutes away.

Academics

According to the National Science Foundation, Villanova spent $20.7 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 267th in the nation.[23]

College/school founding
College/school
Year founded

Business
1922
Engineering
1905
Law
1953
Liberal Arts and Sciences
1842
Nursing
1953
Professional Studies
2014

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report ranks Villanova as tied for the 51st best National University in the U.S. for 2022,[29] 49th in 2022. For more than a decade, Villanova University had been ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report in the Best Masters Universities-category, Northern Region, a ranking for schools which offer undergraduate and masters programs but few doctoral programs. U.S. News & World Report in 2016 also ranked Villanova as second for "Best Value Schools" and fourth for "Best Undergraduate Teaching" in the Best Masters Universities-category, Northern Region, and ranked the engineering school No.11 among all national undergraduate engineering programs whose highest degree is a masters.[30]

The Villanova School of Business was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in Bloomberg Businessweek's 2016 rankings of undergraduate business schools, but this led to controversy and challenge. As a result Bloomberg no longer ranked undergraduate business schools after 2016.[31] In 2007 Villanova was No. 29 in the Financial Times' ranking of top executive MBA programs.[32] However, for the 2023 U.S. News & World Report Rankings of best business schools, Villanova was unranked.

Villanova University School of Law is currently ranked tied for 65th among all U.S. law schools by the 2019 edition of U.S. News & World Report's "Best Law Schools".[30] The School of Law had previously suffered a drop in ranking in 2011, after it was determined that law school admissions staff had engaged in inflating reported LSAT scores for admitted students. According to the ABA, these infractions were enough to justify a removal of the school's accreditation, however the quick response to the issue by the university resulted only in a censure of the school.[33]

In a deliberate move to classify itself as a "national university", Villanova pushed hard in early 2010s to expand its doctoral programs to reach the Carnegie threshold of 20 PhDs per year.[34] In September 2016, the university's Carnegie Classification was changed to classify Villanova among "R2:Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity".[34] U.S. News & World Report, which relies on this classification to define which schools should be called "national universities", included Villanova in its "National Universities" rankings for the first time in fall 2016.[35] Before this move, Villanova was ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s Regional Universities–North category.[36]

In July 2022, U.S. News & World Report removed Villanova from its list of “Best Value Colleges” due to incorrect data reported.

Admissions

Admission to Villanova has been deemed "most selective" by U.S. News & World Report.[37] The university offers three ways to apply: Early Decision (binding), Early Action and Regular Decision.[38]

For Fall 2022, Villanova received 23,813 freshmen applications; 5,477 were admitted (23%) for a class of 1700. The middle 50% GPA range: 4.17–4.56 on a weighted 4.00 scale. The middle 50% SAT scores of the recently admitted class: 1430-1520/1600, ACT: 32-35/36.[39]

In 2019, Villanova announced new recruiting partnerships with The Posse Foundation, Philadelphia Futures and the Guadalupe Center.[40]

Student life

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity[41] Total
White 72% 72
 
Hispanic 9% 9
 
Asian 6% 6
 
Black 5% 5
 
Other[a] 4% 4
 
Foreign national 2% 2
 
Economic diversity
Low-income[b] 10% 10
 
Affluent[c] 90% 90
 

Villanova's student organizations include standard club sports, cultural organizations, Greek-letter fraternities and sororities, and more.[42] Villanova students participate in charitable and philanthropic activities and organizations, including the largest student-run Special Olympics in the world.[43]

Charity and community service organizations

 
The Special Olympics Torch arrives at the Quad of Villanova University in November 2018.

Being a Roman Catholic Augustinian school, the university has an active Campus Ministry.

The annual Special Olympics Fall Festival at Villanova University is the largest and most successful student-run Special Olympics in the world.[44] It draws more than 1,000 athletes and 400 coaches from 44 Pennsylvania counties. Athletes may advance through the festival to regional and international competition. Students apply to be a part of the 82-volunteer planning committee, which works for more than nine months alongside Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA), which oversees more than 300 events statewide.[43] The event is put on with the aid of some 2,500 student volunteers and more than 1,000 other volunteers from the Villanova community.

Villanova University holds an annual NOVAdance year-long fundraising effort that culminates with a 12-hour dance marathon each Spring, raising money in support of the Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation. NOVAdance began in 2014, and has since then become a yearly event.[45]

The Villanova University community is noted for its participation in Habitat for Humanity In 2004, Villanova had more participants in the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge than any other U.S. university.[46]

Villanova's School of Engineering maintains a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a non-profit organization that focuses on helping to improve the living conditions of communities worldwide.[47] Villanova EWB is one of the fasting growing student organizations on campus, expanding from a mere handful of engineering students in the spring of 2006 to a current membership of approximately 75 students in multi-disciplinary programs.

The chapter's inaugural project was to design and build a playground for a grade school in New Orleans following the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina. Villanova EWB was the only student organization to win an award from the regional Project Management Institute, receiving an Honorable Mention from PMI for project of the year.[48] The most recent project involved designing and building a water treatment and distribution system which provided an orphanage and surrounding villages in northern Thailand with drinking water and irrigation for their crops.[49] There are also plans for a variety of projects in the Philadelphia area, including K-12 outreach programs, as well as many more international projects.[citation needed]

The Blue Key Society consists of around 200 volunteer campus tour guides who work with the Admissions Office to give three tours each weekday, various special tours as needed and selected weekend tours throughout the school year.[50]

Formerly known as Project Sunshine, The Office of Community Service, commonly called "Rays of Sunshine", is a student-led community service organization.[51]

Student Government Association

Founded in 1925, the Student Government Association (SGA) operates through its three branches (the Executive Branch, the Senate, and the Judicial Council). The Executive Branch is led by the President of the Student Body and Executive Vice President, and consists of the Chief of Staff and Directors of Athletics; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Finance; Programming; and Public Relations. The Senate is led by the Speaker of the Senate and consists of thirty-four Senators total, twenty-two elected representatives from the classes and schools and twelve appointed representatives from University offices and student organizations. The Judicial Council is led by the Chief Justice and consists of four Associate Justices and a Judicial Clerk.[52]

Greek life

Roughly 30% of Villanova students identify with one of eleven fraternities, twelve sororities, and one service fraternity.[53] There are no fraternity or sorority houses on-campus.

The first Greek organization at the school was established in 1902 as a social organization and circle of individuals interested in classical studies.[54] The oldest Greek organization still on campus is the Sigma Nu Fraternity, whose Kappa Zeta chapter grew out of the former local Zeta Rho fraternity, founded in 1969. Zeta Rho gave way to the Kappa Zeta Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity in 1983.

Service fraternity

The Sigma Eta chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, whose motto is "Leadership, Friendship, and Service", meets weekly on Villanova's campus to plan service projects on and off campus, including school cleanups through Philly Cares Day, working at soup kitchens and tutoring children in Math and Science at Philadelphia public schools.[55]

Villanova Emergency Medical Service

Villanova Emergency Medical Service (VEMS), is a student-run ambulance service licensed and dedicated to serving the campus community. VEMS membership consists of more than 40 undergraduate student volunteers; the majority of whom are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians, volunteering more than 25,000 hours annually. Villanova is one of only a handful of colleges to provide EMS services to their campus, and one of only 52 who provide emergency response and transport to at least the Basic Life Support (BLS) Level.[56] VEMS has been recognized on a national level multiple times by the National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF), specifically being named 2001 Campus Organization of the Year and receiving EMS website of the year in 2000, 2004, and 2006. Their skills competition team also placed in second at the 2011 Annual Physio-Control BLS Skills Competition. The team consisted of Capt. William Pandos, Lt. Christopher Cahill, Lt. John Skinner, Treasurer Philip Walker, EMT Erin Mack, and EMT Kyle Lewis. VEMS hosted the second annual NCEMSF Conference in 1995 as well as the twelfth annual conference in Philadelphia in 2005.[57]

Campus publications and media

The Villanovan has been an officially recognized and accredited student newspaper since its founding in 1916. The university's newspaper of record, the tabloid-sized weekly usually produces 12 issues per semester, at 6,500 copies per issue.[58]

The Belle Air Yearbook is the official yearbook of the university and has been a student made production since 1922. The book is published by the L.G. Balfour Company. The book has won numerous awards over the years including the prestigious Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Award in 1988[59] and 1989[60] and the Yearbook Award for their 2017 book and the National Yearbook Sample Award for their 2019 publication.[citation needed]

The Villanova Times, the independent bi-weekly student newspaper, won the Collegiate Network Award for Layout and Design in 2005–06, 2007–08 and 2008–09.[61]

WVTV is the student-run campus television station. Starting in 1999 as the Villanova TV Production Club, the station produces news, events, films and other programming for the Villanova community, and can be seen on the campus television network.[62]

WXVU, the FCC-licensed student-operated FM radio station, operates at 89.1 megahertz. With an output of 75 watts, WXVU can be heard for 8 miles (13 km) around the campus and globally via the internet. Since 1991, the station has offered a varied program of music, news, sports, public affairs, and specialty programming.[63] WXVU is the successor to WKVU/WWVU, the university-sponsored student-run carrier-current station organized in 1946 by a group of electrical engineering students who had served in World War II as radio operators.

POLIS Literary Magazine, a student publication printed once a semester by the Villanova University Honors Program, features writing and artwork by Villanova students and professors. Each issue features creative nonfiction, poetry, short fiction, and black-and-white photography focusing on a central theme.[64] Each issue also features articles on literature, entertainment, and dining.

Concept is an interdisciplinary journal of graduate studies sponsored by the Graduate Division of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.[65] The 2009 student film Price of Life received critical attention.[66]

NROTC

Villanova NROTC is part of the Philadelphia NROTC Consortium; consisting of Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania (including the cross town agreements with Drexel and Temple University). Located in Commodore John Barry Hall, the NROTC has been a part of the university since immediately after World War II. The battalion consists of more than 100 Navy and Marine Corps midshipmen under the advisement of a staff of Navy and Marine Corps officers and senior enlisted members.

Midshipmen in the Villanova NROTC program are required to take specific Navy and Marine Corps classes, wear their service's uniform on Tuesdays and Thursdays, attend daily physical training events, participate in extra-curricular programs that range from sports teams to rifle-shooting, and adhere to the basic premise that "a midshipman does not lie, cheat, or steal".[citation needed]

Since its inception in the summer of 1946, the NROTC unit on campus has produced 25 Admirals and Generals in the United States Navy and Marine Corps.[14] At one point, there had only been two four-star generals in the U.S. Marine Corps, one of them the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and they had both been graduates of Villanova NROTC. In 2004, the commanders of both U.S. Naval Forces Atlantic (Admiral William J. Fallon) and U.S. Naval Forces Pacific (Admiral Walter F. Doran) were Villanova NROTC graduates.[67][68] Admiral Fallon was later assigned as Commander, U.S. Central Command from March 2007 to March 2008. ADM Fallon was the first Navy officer to hold that position.[69]

Student performing arts

Villanova University is without a formal music department; therefore, the Office of Student Performing Arts is charged with the organization of the student performing arts groups on campus. Due to the lack of a music department, student musicians are from every school in the university.[70] Nearly 10% of the student body participates in various music related organizations.[71]

The Villanova Band is the largest and oldest musical group at Villanova with over 100 members. The Villanova Band has four divisions: the Concert Band, the Scramble Band, the Pep Band, and the Jazz Ensemble. The Concert Band plays one concert at the end of each semester. It also performs throughout the Villanova community and on its annual "Fall Tour". The Scramble Band performs for Villanova Football games between plays and at halftime on the field. The Villanova Pep Band performs at Villanova Men's and Women's Basketball games, including post-season games such as the Big East Tournament. The Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra have end-of-semester concerts and perform on campus and around the Philadelphia area several times a year. The band is made up of students of every school within Villanova.[72]

The second-largest musical group at Villanova, the Pastoral Musicians have about 60 voices and 35 instrumentalists, primarily undergraduates, up from 30 musicians in 1995. Their musical selection shows the diversity of style within the Roman Catholic tradition: contemporary praise music from different cultures, Bach, Palestrina, Mozart, Lauridsen, and others.

Villanova's men's chorus, the Villanova Singers, was founded in 1953 by Dean Harold Gill Reuschlein, then Dean of the Law School. The Singers were established for the stated purpose of singing various types of music and enriching the cultural life of the university.[73] Entirely student-run, the Singers are governed by a nine-member board of students and sing a wide range of musical styles and types, ranging from classical to contemporary. Within the Singers, there exists a smaller, student-directed a cappella group known as the Spires. Alumni of the Spires include Jim Croce, Tommy West and Manhattan Transfer member Tim Hauser.[73]

The Villanova Voices women's chorus is the oldest women's organization at the university. Originally called the Villanova Women's Glee Club, the group was founded by 20 women from the university's College of Nursing in 1960, shortly after Villanova became coeducational. Their attendant a cappella group, the Haveners, is student-directed.[74]

Athletics

 
Villanova Wildcats logo

Villanova University teams are known as the Wildcats. They compete as a member of the NCAA Division I level, primarily competing in the Big East Conference. The Wildcats previously competed in the Eastern 8 Conference from 1975 to 1976 to 1979–80. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball and water polo.[75] The football and rowing team[76] competes in the Colonial Athletic Association, while the women's lacrosse team competes in the Patriot League.

The Wildcats are also part of the Philadelphia Big 5, the traditional Philadelphia-area basketball rivalry. Their fiercest crosstown rivalry is with Saint Joseph's University ("St. Joe's"), the city's Jesuit university, and matches between them are called the "Holy War".

In the NCAA graduation report released on November 17, 2020, Villanova has a graduation-success rate (GSR) of 97 percent rate in the NCAA GSR method.[77] In the GSR release, Villanova had 12 of its athletic programs post a perfect 100 percent graduation success rate for the 2010-2013 cohort. This data measures the percentage of student-athletes who entered college on institutional aid (whether athletics-based aid or otherwise) between those years and graduated within six years. Villanova had seven women's programs and five men's programs earn a 100 percent GSR in the release.[78] The Villanova women's and men's basketball team are among the athletic program's 14 teams with a 100 percent graduation rate for 2010–13.[78]

The school's athletic teams have won numerous NCAA Division I national titles, most notably in Men's Basketball and Track & Field. In addition, the football team won the 2009 national title in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).

Men's basketball

 
Championship parade in Center City, Philadelphia on April 5, 2018

In 1985, under the direction of coach Rollie Massimino, the men's basketball team won the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in the first year of the 64-team field. The final game, against defending champion and ten-point-favorite Georgetown, is often cited among the greatest upsets in college basketball history.[79]

In 2005, under the direction of coach Jay Wright, Villanova's men's basketball team reached the NCAA tournament Sweet 16, losing to No. 1 seed and eventual champion North Carolina by one point on a traveling call on Allan Ray.[citation needed] In 2005–2006, the team began the year ranked No. 4 in the major polls from USA Today and the Associated Press. A 75–62 loss to eventual champion Florida ended the team's run for a second NCAA championship in the Regional Final. This team was led by a four guard set, a unique type of lineup designed by coach Jay Wright. In the 2006–2007 season, the Wildcats had a record of 22–11, and lost to Kentucky in the first round of the 2007 tournament. In the 2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, the team was eliminated by the top-seeded, eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16, after upsetting the fifth seeded Clemson Tigers in the first round and defeating the thirteenth seeded Siena Saints in the second round. In the 2009 tournament, the Wildcats upset the No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Panthers on a last second shot by guard Scottie Reynolds to win the East Region and advance to the Final Four. The team was then defeated by the eventual champion North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2009 Final Four game.

In 2016, the Wildcats won the 2016 NCAA Championship by defeating North Carolina 77–74. The game included the only buzzer-beater in NCAA Championship game history, when Kris Jenkins sank a three pointer to win the game.

In 2018, Villanova defeated the Michigan Wolverines 79–62 to win the 2018 NCAA Championship in San Antonio. The game was notable for featuring the highest scoring bench-player in NCAA Championship history in Donte Divincenzo, who scored 31 points and was awarded the Final Four MVP Award.

The home venues for the Wildcats include the on-campus 6,500 seat Finneran Pavilion for smaller attendance games, as well as the larger 20,478 seat Wells Fargo Center (known formerly under a variety of bank names) within the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The February 13, 2006 meeting between Villanova and the University of Connecticut set the record for the highest attendance at a college basketball game in Pennsylvania, with 20,859 attendees.[80]

Football

The Villanova men's football team competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) in the Colonial Athletic Association. On December 18, 2009, the team were CAA conference champions and defeated the Montana Grizzlies to be crowned the 2009 NCAA Division I-AA champions. The university continues to play in the Colonial Athletic Association for football as the new, restructured Big East Conference does not include football as a conference sport. The football team went on to win the CAA Conference once more in 2021, and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals

According to some sources, the 1906 Villanova team is credited with completing the first legal forward pass in football history.[81]

Men's lacrosse

The Villanova men's lacrosse team competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big East Conference. Through 2009, Villanova men's lacrosse was a member of the Colonial Athletic Association and in 2009, Villanova won the CAA tournament as the fourth seed (the lowest-seeded championship team in conference history)[82] for its first title.[83] The team also made its first NCAA tournament appearance that year.[84]

Women's cross country

In 2009 and 2010, the women's cross country team won the NCAA National Championships under Coach Gina Procaccio. The 2010 victory was led by individual national champion Sheila Reid of Villanova. The Wildcats also hold the NCAA record for the most Division 1 team and individual wins in women's cross country with nine team victories ('89, '90, '91, '92, '93, '94, '98, '09, '10) and eight individual champions, seven of which coincided.

Track and field

Villanova University's track and field team has a long history of athletic success that has spanned from Big East Conference Championships to NCAA Championships.[85]

The men's team has produced 69 NCAA Championships, 36 Indoor and 33 Outdoor. The team has had eight NCAA team Championships (four Cross Country, three Indoor, one Outdoor). Villanova has produced 28 athletes who have made appearances in the Olympics, 10 of whom have medaled (seven gold medals, three silver medals). The men's team has also won 112 Penn Relay Championships, which stands as the most wins by any school. The men's current coaches include head coach Marcus O'Sullivan and assistant head coach Anthony Williams.[85]

The women's team has also had a multitude of success, producing 11 Big East team Championships and nine NCAA team Championships, most recently winning the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships. They have also produced nine Olympians including Ron Delany, Eamonn Coghlan, Vicki Huber, Sonia O'Sullivan, Kim Certain, Kate Fonshell, Jen Rhines, Carmen Douma, and Carrie Tollefson. The Women's team has won 28 Penn Relay Championships, which is the most wins by any women's team. The current women's coaches include head coach Gina Procaccio and assistant head coach Anthony Williams.[85]

At least one Villanovan athlete has competed in every Summer Olympics since 1948, winning a total of 13 medals (nine gold, four silver).[86]

Traditions

The University Seal

An adaptation of the seal of the Order of St. Augustine, the seal of Villanova University is one of the campus's most ubiquitous images, adorning everything from buildings to chairs to backpacks.[87] A ribbon carries the university motto: Veritas, Unitas, Caritas (Truth, Unity, and Charity), virtues to which every member of the Villanova community should aspire. A book symbolizes Augustine's dedication to education and the New Testament where he found Christianity. A cincture is part of the habit worn by members of the Order of Saint Augustine. Hovering above is the flaming heart, symbol of Augustine's search for God and his love of neighbors. Behind the book is the crosier – a staff traditionally held by a Bishop – commemorating Augustine's service as Bishop of Hippo. Above and behind the book are two crosses, symbolic of Augustine's conversion and the university's commitment to Catholicism. Framing the central portion of the seal is a laurel wreath exemplifying victory through the pursuit of knowledge, and 1842 is the year of the university's founding. Surrounding the seal is the incorporated fide of the university: Universitas Villanova In Statu Pennsylvaniae.

The Liberty Bell's "Sister Bell"

 
The old wing of the Falvey Library

Villanova University was home to the Liberty Bell's "Sister Bell", the replacement bell ordered from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry after the original bell cracked in 1753.[88] This new bell was installed at the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall), and attached to the State House clock. The Sister Bell rang the hours until the late 1820s, when the bell was removed during a renovation and loaned to the Olde St. Augustine Church in Philadelphia. In 1829, the bell was hung in a new cupola and tower designed by architect William Strickland. There it remained until May 8, 1844, when it was destroyed, along with the Olde St. Augustine Church, during the Philadelphia Nativist riots. The friars of the Order of Saint Augustine had the "Sister Bell" recast and transferred to Villanova University.[88] The bell was moved off campus in 2011.

At the university's centennial celebration, the bell was rung by Archbishop Dennis Joseph Dougherty to open the ceremonies. In 1954, the bell was displayed as part of an exhibit at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia that focused on the growth and development of the university.[89] The Sister Bell is currently enshrined in the Heritage Room on the basement floor of the St. Augustine Monastery on Villanova's campus.[88][89]

Alumni

Villanova University has produced many notable alumni:

Golden Globe-nominated actress Maria Bello, NBC News (WCAU) and Emmy Award-winning news anchor Keith Jones, actor Jon Polito, NFL Hall of Famer, longtime FOX commentator and actor Howie Long, founder of Manhattan Transfer Tim Hauser, singer-songwriters Jim Croce and Don McLean, Tony Award-winning playwright and screenwriter David Rabe, fashion model and entrepreneur Katherine Parr,[90] professional athletes Brian Westbrook, Matt Szczur, Kerry Kittles, Alvin Williams, Kevin Reilly, Kyle Lowry, professional wrestler Wheeler Yuta and Michael Bradley.

Villanova has produced several military and governmental officials, including former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, former New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte (Villanova Law), and former Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland.[91] Wife to the governor and federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Marjorie Rendell, is also a graduate. Numerous Marine generals and Naval Admirals are products of Villanova's Naval ROTC program, including William J. Fallon, Admiral in the United States Navy and Commander of United States Central Command; George B. Crist, Marine General and the first Marine to be designated Commander in Chief, Central Command; and Joe Clancy, former Director of the United States Secret Service. Another graduate, Paul X. Kelley, served as Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.

In business, alumni include Robert J. Darretta, Jr. – chief financial officer and vice chairman of Johnson & Johnson, John Drosdick – former CEO of Sunoco, and Thomas G. Labrecque – former chairman and CEO of Chase Manhattan Bank.

Other notable alumni include John Joseph O'Connor, Cardinal Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, John L. Hennessy, former president of Stanford University, Deirdre Imus, head of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology (and wife to radio host Don Imus), and Sean Carroll, a cosmologist and science popularizer.[citation needed]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.
  2. ^ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
  3. ^ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

  1. ^ As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Villanova at a Glance | Villanova University".
  3. ^ "Visual Identity Guidelines". Villanova University. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  4. ^ "Villanova University".
  5. ^ archive.org/web/20070218115621/http://www.villanova.edu/enroll/admission/university/profile.htm "University Profile". Villanova.edu. Archived from profile.htm the original on February 18, 2007. Retrieved March 10, 2007. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help); Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ "The Nation's Augustinian Catholic University | Villanova University".
  7. ^ "Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup". carnegieclassifications.iu.edu. Center for Postsecondary Education. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  8. ^ "As of fall 2009, 75 percent of Villanova undergraduates are Catholics" http://www. villanovan.com/university-preserves-catholic-tradition/article_c490a495-9593-5ea9-ae8a-c79aa36da0b7. html
  9. ^ “On every building on campus, there’s a cross,” Fr. Peter Donohue, university president, told the Inquirer. https://www. catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-colleges-new-bridge-too-catholic-neighbors-complain-90660
  10. ^ "Augustine and Culture Seminar Program (ACSP) | Villanova University".
  11. ^ Address by Dean of the Graduate School Gerald Long to incoming graduate students. August 24, 2008.
  12. ^ a b . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on July 8, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2007.
  13. ^ . Villanova, Pennsylvania: Villanova University. 2002. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  14. ^ a b "Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps - NROTC | Villanova University".
  15. ^ a b c . The Villanovan. Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  16. ^ . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  17. ^ Piro, Lauren. "VU: Not a national arboretum". Villanovan (Villanova University). Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  18. ^ "VU: Not a national arboretum". The Villanovan. Retrieved March 23, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ . Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
  20. ^ "James Peniston Sculpture". Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  21. ^ "Launch Villanova University Virtual Tour". Villanova.edu. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  22. ^ "Project Details – Design Concept for Lancaster Avenue". designconceptforlancasteravenue.com.
  23. ^ "Table 20. Higher education R&D expenditures, ranked by FY 2018 R&D expenditures: FYs 2009–18". ncsesdata.nsf.gov. National Science Foundation. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "Forbes America's Top Colleges List 2022". Forbes. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  25. ^ "Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022". The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  26. ^ "2022-2023 Best National Universities". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  27. ^ "2022 National University Rankings". Washington Monthly. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  28. ^ "2022 Best Global Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  29. ^ . U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  30. ^ a b . U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on April 16, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  31. ^ Levy, Francesca & Rodkin, Jonathan. "Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2016". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  32. ^ "The Financial Times Ranks the Villanova School of Business Executive MBA Program Among the Top 30 in the Nation in 2007" (PDF). Villanova.edu. Retrieved March 10, 2007.
  33. ^ "Villanova Law censured by ABA over admissions-data fraud, but retains accreditation". Philly.com. August 11, 2011.
  34. ^ a b "In new sorting of colleges, Dartmouth falls out of an exclusive group". Washington Post. February 4, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  35. ^ "Villanova University Receives New Carnegie Classification Change, Signaling the University's Forward Momentum & Academic Strength". Villanova, Pennsylvania. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  36. ^ "Villanova University Again Earns Top Spot in U.S. News & World Report's Regional–North Category". Villanova University (Press release). September 9, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  37. ^ "U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings: Villanova University". U.S. News & World Report. 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  38. ^ "Ways To Apply | Villanova University". www1.villanova.edu. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  39. ^ "Admission Profile | Villanova University". www1.villanova.edu. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  40. ^ "University Partners with The Posse Foundation and Philadelphia Futures". The Villanovan. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  41. ^ "College Scorecard: Villanova University". United States Department of Education. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  42. ^ "Campus organizations". Villanova.edu. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  43. ^ a b . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  44. ^ NBC10 News, November 7, 2008
  45. ^ "NOVAdance". NOVAdance. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  46. ^ . Blueprints. Archived from the original on August 29, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  47. ^ "Ewb-Usa". Ewb-Usa. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  48. ^ "Villanova Engineering Students Learn through Service". Villanova.edu. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  49. ^ . Students.villanova.edu. Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  50. ^ . Students.Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on November 5, 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  51. ^ . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on March 6, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  52. ^ "Home - Villanova Student Government Association". Villanova SGA.
  53. ^ . Villanovan.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2009. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
  54. ^ . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on July 7, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2008.
  55. ^ . villanova.edu. Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  56. ^ . Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  57. ^ . Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  58. ^ . villanovan.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  59. ^ "1988 - Awards for Student Work Crown Awards - Collegiate Recipients | Columbia Scholastic Press Association".
  60. ^ "1989 - Awards for Student Work Crown Awards - Collegiate Recipients | Columbia Scholastic Press Association".
  61. ^ "The Villanova Times". Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  62. ^ . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  63. ^ . WXVUFM.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  64. ^ "Polis Literary Magazine". Villanova.edu. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  65. ^ "Home page". concept.journals.villanova.edu. Villanova University. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  66. ^ "Villanova to screen students' documentary film - Philadelphia Inquire…". philly.com. August 21, 2009. Archived from the original on August 21, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  67. ^ . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  68. ^ "Former Commanders U.S. Pacific Fleet". Villanova.edu. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  69. ^ "With passing of flag, CentCom gets new leader". Villanova.edu. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  70. ^ Villanova.edu September 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  71. ^ Dunphy, John, Director of Music Activities. Lecture. April 5, 2008.
  72. ^ "Vuband.com". Vuband.com. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  73. ^ a b . Archived from the original on July 17, 2009.
  74. ^ Villanova.edu February 12, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  75. ^ . Villanova.cstv.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2006. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  76. ^ "Seven Teams Set to Compete for CAA Women's Rowing Championship Sunday". caasports.com. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  77. ^ "Graduation Success Rate". web3.ncaa.org. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  78. ^ a b "Villanova Athletics Records Highest NCAA Graduation Success Rate in Program History". Villanova University. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  79. ^ "ESPN.com: Page 2's List for top upset in sports history". Retrieved December 13, 2006.
  80. ^ "ESPN – Connecticut vs. Villanova – Box Score – February 13, 2006". ESPN. February 13, 2006. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  81. ^ "First Real Football Tests the New Rules: Spectators Divided as to the Success of Experimental Changes". The New York Times. 1906-09-27.
  82. ^ Villanova Secures First CAA Men's Lacrosse Title[permanent dead link], National Collegiate Athletic Association, May 3, 2009.
  83. ^ Villanova claims first CAA title with 10–9 win over Towson May 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Inside Lacrosse, May 2, 2009.
  84. ^ Virginia crushes Villanova, 18–6, faces Hopkins in next round, The Baltimore Sun, May 11, 2009.
  85. ^ a b c "Runnova". Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  86. ^ Villanova magazine, Summer 2008, "Villanovans have won 13 Olympic Medals"
  87. ^ . Villanova.edu. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  88. ^ a b c . Archived from the original on August 29, 2006. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  89. ^ a b . Archived from the original on September 15, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  90. ^ root. "Katherine Parr's Toolkit for Success". Villanova.edu. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  91. ^ root. "John G. Rowland".

External links

  • Official website

villanova, university, confused, with, nova, southeastern, university, this, article, contains, content, that, written, like, advertisement, please, help, improve, removing, promotional, content, inappropriate, external, links, adding, encyclopedic, content, w. Not to be confused with Nova Southeastern University This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view February 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova Pennsylvania It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova The university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania 5 and one of two Augustinian institutions in the United States The other being Merrimack College 6 It is classified among R2 Doctoral Universities High research activity 7 Villanova UniversityLatin Universitas VillanovanaFormer namesSaint Augustine s Academy 1811 Augustinian College of Villanova 1842 1953 MottoVeritas Unitas Caritas Latin Motto in EnglishTruth Unity LoveTypePrivate research universityEstablished1842 181 years ago 1842 FounderOrder of Saint AugustineReligious affiliationRoman Catholic Augustinian Academic affiliationsACCU ASEA NAICU PCRC Space grantEndowment 1 12 billion 2021 1 PresidentPeter M DonohueAcademic staff545Administrative staff2 000Students10 943 fall 2020 2 Undergraduates6 791Postgraduates3 108LocationVillanova Pennsylvania U S 40 02 16 N 75 20 15 W 40 03771 N 75 33755 W 40 03771 75 33755 Coordinates 40 02 16 N 75 20 15 W 40 03771 N 75 33755 W 40 03771 75 33755CampusSuburban 260 acres 110 ha ColorsBlue and white 3 NicknameWildcatsSporting affiliationsNCAA Division I Big East Big 5 CAAMascotWill D Cat current Count Villan former 4 Websitewww wbr villanova wbr eduThe university traces its roots to the old Saint Augustine s Church Philadelphia which the Augustinian friars of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova founded in 1796 and to its parish school Saint Augustine s Academy which was established in 1811 The school s identity remains deeply rooted in its Augustinian Catholic foundation the majority of students are Catholic 8 the administration is led by priests there is a cross on every building 9 and all students are required to take the Augustine and Culture Seminar ACS course their freshman year 10 Contents 1 History 2 Campus 2 1 Main campus 2 2 The Commons 2 3 West Campus 2 4 South Campus 3 Academics 3 1 Rankings 3 2 Admissions 4 Student life 4 1 Charity and community service organizations 4 2 Student Government Association 4 3 Greek life 4 3 1 Sororities 4 3 2 Fraternities 4 3 3 Service fraternity 4 4 Villanova Emergency Medical Service 4 5 Campus publications and media 4 6 NROTC 4 7 Student performing arts 5 Athletics 5 1 Men s basketball 5 2 Football 5 3 Men s lacrosse 5 4 Women s cross country 5 5 Track and field 6 Traditions 6 1 The University Seal 6 2 The Liberty Bell s Sister Bell 7 Alumni 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External linksHistory Edit Villanova College in 1849 In October 1841 two Irish Augustinian friars from Saint Augustine s Church in Philadelphia purchased the 200 acre 81 ha Belle Air estate in Radnor Township with the intention of starting a school The school which was called the Augustinian College of Villanova opened in 1842 However the Philadelphia Nativist Riots of 1844 that burned Saint Augustine s Church in Philadelphia caused financial difficulties for the Augustinians and the college was closed in February 1845 The college reopened in 1846 and graduated its first class in 1847 In March 1848 the governor of Pennsylvania incorporated the school and gave it the power to grant degrees In 1859 the first master s degree was conferred on a student 11 In 1857 the school closed again as the demand for priests in Philadelphia prevented adequate staffing and the crisis of the Panic of 1857 strained the school financially The school remained closed throughout the Civil War and reopened in September 1865 since then it has operated continuously 12 Its prep department later moved to Malvern a town along the Main Line and is still run by the order Corr Hall from The Grotto The School of Technology was established in 1905 In 1915 a two year pre medical program was established to help students meet medical schools new requirements This led to a four year pre medical program the B S in biology and the founding of the sciences division in 1926 citation needed Villanova was all male until 1918 when the college began evening classes to educate nuns to teach in parochial schools In 1938 a laywoman received a Villanova degree for the first time It was not until the nursing school opened in 1953 that women permanently began attending Villanova full time In 1958 the College of Engineering admitted its first female student other colleges admitted women only as commuters Villanova University became fully coeducational in 1968 12 During World War II Villanova was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V 12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission 13 It has since graduated 25 US Naval Admirals and Marine Corps Generals which is more than any other college or university with the exception of the Naval Academy in Annapolis 14 After World War II Villanova expanded returning veterans swelling enrollments and the faculty growing fourfold Additional facilities were built and in 1953 the college of Nursing and the School of Law were established Villanova achieved university status on November 18 1953 Between 1954 and 1963 10 new buildings were built or bought on land adjacent to the campus including Bartley Mendel and Dougherty Halls 15 Campus Edit St Thomas of Villanova Church on the Villanova University campus Villanova University sits on 254 acres 1 03 km2 of land situated 12 miles 19 km from Center City Philadelphia 16 The campus has roughly 1 500 trees 17 The campus was formerly known as Arboretum Villanova but its status as an official arboretum was revoked after the university failed to meet rules and standards such as planting enough new trees and offering tours 18 There are three named areas on the campus Main Campus contains most of the educational buildings administration buildings Student Center Library Bookstore the University Church of St Thomas of Villanova Corr Chapel the main cafeteria and a variety of coffee shops and eateries the Athletic Center the Pavilion Villanova Stadium and many sophomore student residences West Campus contains the Law School St Mary s hall a large building for single housing a cafeteria classrooms indoor swimming pool market etc some administrative buildings and housing for juniors and some sophomores Also included are basketball and tennis courts soccer fields volleyball courts and barbecue grills The SEPTA Paoli Thorndale line s Villanova station is also located on West Campus There is also the Law School parking garage in addition to apartment parking South Campus contains six freshman residence halls Donohue Court South Campus Cafeteria and Donohue Market South Campus Market The Norristown High Speed Line has a stop right behind Stanford Hall This part of campus also features a basketball court sand volleyball court and barbecue grills Main campus Edit A panoramic view of the Main Campus in early spring The most prominent campus feature is St Thomas of Villanova Church whose dual spires are the university s tallest structure The cornerstone was laid in 1883 and construction ended in 1887 Built in the Gothic Revival style the church was renovated in 1943 and 1992 19 The church lies at the head of the path crossing Lancaster Avenue into the parking lots and toward South Campus It is a popular meeting place for students and hosts regular Masses for the student body The church is home to St Thomas of Villanova Parish whose Masses take place Sunday morning The stained glass windows of the church depict the life of St Augustine of Hippo St Thomas of Villanova Monastery Behind the Church is Mendel Field around which sit six major campus buildings Mendel Hall named for pioneering geneticist and Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel holds science labs lecture halls and other facilities Its two large buildings are connected underground and by a second floor indoor bridge that forms the gateway between West and Main Campus In 1998 the college commissioned a 7 foot 2 1 m bronze sculpture of Mendel by Philadelphia sculptor James Peniston and installed it outside the hall s entrance 20 Tolentine Hall one of the oldest buildings on campus houses classrooms academic offices such as the Registrar s Office and the Office of the President and computer labs and is connected to Villanova s monastery St Thomas Hall Tolentine Hall was formerly called Mendel Hall before the construction of the new Mendel Hall as it was the former home of the various science departments a fact which ultimately led to the building partially burning down more than once as a result of experiments gone wrong White Hall consisting mainly of classrooms and laboratories is connected to the Chemical Engineering Building which was built in 1947 Ironically White Hall has an almost entirely black exterior Falvey Hall or Old Falvey is the annex of the Falvey Memorial Library named for Rev Daniel Falvey who served as librarian from 1940 until his death in 1962 It is home to some classrooms in the Art History and Education departments as well as some offices along with the Augustinian Heritage Institute and the Matthew J Ryan Center Old Falvey was home to the writing center and Math Learning Resource Center MLRC until both centers moved into Falvey Memorial Library s renovated second floor during the 2012 2013 academic year Old Falvey is also home to a recently renovated reading room which opened in the 2016 2017 academic year John Barry Hall named for naval officer Commodore John Barry houses the Navy ROTC Program To the west of the Church the Center for Engineering Education and Research CEER which opened in 1998 holds engineering labs engineering classrooms an engineering computer lab an auditorium hall for projections and slideshows and a Holy Grounds which is the name of Villanova s coffee shops Slightly east of Mendel Field sits the Campus Green a landscaped haven between Falvey Library and two residence halls Alumni Hall home to the Service Learning Community and Corr Hall a building that consists of first floor offices student housing and a semi detached chapel which hosts daily Masses Often home to outdoor masses and other large gatherings the Campus Green used to include a statue depicting Our Lady of Good Counsel and plaques dedicated to the veterans of World War II and the Vietnam War but these were moved to the Grotto which is between St Rita s Hall and Austin Hall two residence halls across from Alumni Hall that also house the Campus Ministry Office and University Admissions Office respectively The Grotto also is the location of daily student led praying of the Rosary Alumni Hall the oldest building on campus Alumni Hall dates back to 1848 and stands as one of the oldest structures on campus The school was closed in 1861 due to the Civil War and reopened in 1865 In that time this hall is believed to have been used as a military hospital and potential evidence of that use such as a pulley located at the top of the main stairwell for moving bodies up and down can still be seen The building was used as a hospital again for influenza patients after World War I 15 St Mary s Hall was built in 1962 Laid out with long corridors and over a thousand rooms there is a large chapel and many partial floors basements and sub basements to feed the legends of blocked off wings 15 St Mary s houses the Villanova Human Resource Development HRD program for graduate students as well as the main office for the university s Tech Zone The property on which Dundale Hall is located was originally purchased by an industrialist Israel Morris II in 1874 and was built as a mansion for his family Purchased from his family in 1978 it has been used for a variety of meetings and is home to several offices Falvey Library the campus s main research library houses over 1 million books thousands of periodicals television production studios and quiet places for solitary or group study as well as the campus s writing center and Math Learning Resource Center which moved from Old Falvey to the renovated second floor of the library during the 2012 2013 academic year 21 Behind Falvey Library is the Saint Augustine Center for Liberal Arts commonly called SAC which is home to many departments in the College of Liberal Arts numerous offices several seminar type classrooms and the Advising and Professional Development Program In 2022 Falvey Library received a 20 million dollar donation to renovate and update the library East of Corr Hall sits Kennedy Hall named for the late President John F Kennedy and the late Senator Robert F Kennedy both of whom spoke at Villanova commencement ceremonies which houses the University Shop the campus bookstore as well as the Office of Residence Life the Bursar s Office the Office of Financial Aid and the Main Campus mailroom Across a small courtyard is Dougherty Hall the campus s main dining hall referred to as The Pit because of its underground location one of three all you can eat facilities on campus Dougherty also houses several smaller eateries and many Student Activity Offices Next to Kennedy is Connelly Center with its radically different architecture resembling an alpine ski lodge containing the Belle Aire Terrace which serves a variety of food several meeting rooms areas for group study the Commuter Student Lounge on the upper level another lounge on the lower level the campus cinema movie theater a large conference room a smoothie shop and a Holy Grounds location Between the dining halls of Dougherty and the meeting halls of Connelly is a sculpture titled The Awakenening unofficially referred to as The Oreo A large white and black sculpture by Jay Dugan some of the major campus celebrations have occurred in its circular shadow including celebratory vandalism in the wake of the 1985 NCAA Men s Basketball Championship and again after the 2016 and 2018 Men s Basketball Championships Still further east there is The Quad where there lies a square formation between two dormitories Sheehan Hall and Sullivan Hall These halls are considered main campus housing for students Bartley Hall home to the Villanova School of Business is the last building before Ithan Avenue which is where main campus ends Bartley is home to The Exchange food restaurant where students can find sandwiches named after the financial sector Bartley is adjacent to another entrance to Main Campus at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Ithan Avenue Behind Bartley Hall are two new buildings The Health Services Building home to the Counseling and Medical Centers and Driscoll Hall home to the M Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing On the south side of Lancaster avenue sits south main campus A new parking garage was opened in January 2017 A pedestrian bridge over Lancaster Avenue connecting south and main campus and senior housing known as The Commons were opened in the summer of 2019 22 The Commons Edit The Commons opened in August 2019 and serves as apartment style housing for senior students In addition to housing the Commons also has a state of the art gym spin gym gym studio space a mailroom a tech center a Parliament Cafe and a full service dining option called The Refectory Bar and Grill The Commons is home to the following six residence halls McGuinn Hall Canon Hall Dobbin Hall Hovnanian Hall Friar Hall Trinity HallOn the opposite side of Ithan Avenue is the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts which opened the weekend of April 24 2020 West Campus Edit Situated across the SEPTA tracks north and west of Mendel hall is West Campus home to St Mary s Hall the West Campus Apartments and the Law School St Mary s a labyrinthine building of classrooms residence rooms a cafeteria and large chapel was originally built as a seminary and was once home to the College of Nursing St Mary s also houses many of the undergraduate student performing arts groups Behind St Mary s sit the Apartments eight buildings that house junior and senior resident students A small Augustinian residence Burns Hall also sits on West Campus and is the home to the university president Picotte Hall at Dundale a historic mansion on the grounds of a former estate lies just beyond Burns Hall at the far end of West Campus and is home to University Advancement the school s phone a thon and several other university offices In addition to the student dormitories in St Mary s Hall West Campus is home to the following residence halls Farley Hall Galen Hall Jackson Hall Klekotka Hall Moulden Hall Rudolph Hall St Clare Hall Welsh HallSouth Campus Edit Sitting diagonally across Lancaster Ave and Ithan Ave from Bartley Hall South Campus is home to several residence halls usually reserved for underclassmen and Donahue Hall home to The Spit short for South Pit Donahue hall also houses Donahue Market commonly referred to by students as The Sparket The South Campus residence halls are Stanford Hall Good Counsel Hall Katharine Hall Caughlin Hall St Monica Hall Mcguire HallStanford Hall also houses the Office for Residence Life on the ground floor The second and third of three on campus train stops the Villanova stop and the Stadium stop on the Norristown High Speed Line provides access to the city of Philadelphia about 30 minutes away Academics EditAccording to the National Science Foundation Villanova spent 20 7 million on research and development in 2018 ranking it 267th in the nation 23 College school foundingCollege school Year foundedBusiness 1922Engineering 1905Law 1953Liberal Arts and Sciences 1842Nursing 1953Professional Studies 2014Academic rankingsNationalForbes 24 72THE WSJ 25 129U S News amp World Report 26 49Washington Monthly 27 87GlobalU S News amp World Report 28 1011Rankings Edit U S News amp World Report ranks Villanova as tied for the 51st best National University in the U S for 2022 29 49th in 2022 For more than a decade Villanova University had been ranked No 1 by U S News amp World Report in the Best Masters Universities category Northern Region a ranking for schools which offer undergraduate and masters programs but few doctoral programs U S News amp World Report in 2016 also ranked Villanova as second for Best Value Schools and fourth for Best Undergraduate Teaching in the Best Masters Universities category Northern Region and ranked the engineering school No 11 among all national undergraduate engineering programs whose highest degree is a masters 30 The Villanova School of Business was ranked No 1 in the U S in Bloomberg Businessweek s 2016 rankings of undergraduate business schools but this led to controversy and challenge As a result Bloomberg no longer ranked undergraduate business schools after 2016 31 In 2007 Villanova was No 29 in the Financial Times ranking of top executive MBA programs 32 However for the 2023 U S News amp World Report Rankings of best business schools Villanova was unranked Villanova University School of Law is currently ranked tied for 65th among all U S law schools by the 2019 edition of U S News amp World Report s Best Law Schools 30 The School of Law had previously suffered a drop in ranking in 2011 after it was determined that law school admissions staff had engaged in inflating reported LSAT scores for admitted students According to the ABA these infractions were enough to justify a removal of the school s accreditation however the quick response to the issue by the university resulted only in a censure of the school 33 In a deliberate move to classify itself as a national university Villanova pushed hard in early 2010s to expand its doctoral programs to reach the Carnegie threshold of 20 PhDs per year 34 In September 2016 the university s Carnegie Classification was changed to classify Villanova among R2 Doctoral Universities High Research Activity 34 U S News amp World Report which relies on this classification to define which schools should be called national universities included Villanova in its National Universities rankings for the first time in fall 2016 35 Before this move Villanova was ranked in U S News amp World Report s Regional Universities North category 36 In July 2022 U S News amp World Report removed Villanova from its list of Best Value Colleges due to incorrect data reported Admissions Edit Admission to Villanova has been deemed most selective by U S News amp World Report 37 The university offers three ways to apply Early Decision binding Early Action and Regular Decision 38 For Fall 2022 Villanova received 23 813 freshmen applications 5 477 were admitted 23 for a class of 1700 The middle 50 GPA range 4 17 4 56 on a weighted 4 00 scale The middle 50 SAT scores of the recently admitted class 1430 1520 1600 ACT 32 35 36 39 In 2019 Villanova announced new recruiting partnerships with The Posse Foundation Philadelphia Futures and the Guadalupe Center 40 Student life EditStudent body composition as of May 2 2022 Race and ethnicity 41 TotalWhite 72 72 Hispanic 9 9 Asian 6 6 Black 5 5 Other a 4 4 Foreign national 2 2 Economic diversityLow income b 10 10 Affluent c 90 90 Villanova s student organizations include standard club sports cultural organizations Greek letter fraternities and sororities and more 42 Villanova students participate in charitable and philanthropic activities and organizations including the largest student run Special Olympics in the world 43 Charity and community service organizations Edit The Special Olympics Torch arrives at the Quad of Villanova University in November 2018 Being a Roman Catholic Augustinian school the university has an active Campus Ministry The annual Special Olympics Fall Festival at Villanova University is the largest and most successful student run Special Olympics in the world 44 It draws more than 1 000 athletes and 400 coaches from 44 Pennsylvania counties Athletes may advance through the festival to regional and international competition Students apply to be a part of the 82 volunteer planning committee which works for more than nine months alongside Special Olympics Pennsylvania SOPA which oversees more than 300 events statewide 43 The event is put on with the aid of some 2 500 student volunteers and more than 1 000 other volunteers from the Villanova community Villanova University holds an annual NOVAdance year long fundraising effort that culminates with a 12 hour dance marathon each Spring raising money in support of the Andrew McDonough B Be Positive Foundation NOVAdance began in 2014 and has since then become a yearly event 45 The Villanova University community is noted for its participation in Habitat for Humanity In 2004 Villanova had more participants in the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge than any other U S university 46 Villanova s School of Engineering maintains a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders a non profit organization that focuses on helping to improve the living conditions of communities worldwide 47 Villanova EWB is one of the fasting growing student organizations on campus expanding from a mere handful of engineering students in the spring of 2006 to a current membership of approximately 75 students in multi disciplinary programs The chapter s inaugural project was to design and build a playground for a grade school in New Orleans following the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina Villanova EWB was the only student organization to win an award from the regional Project Management Institute receiving an Honorable Mention from PMI for project of the year 48 The most recent project involved designing and building a water treatment and distribution system which provided an orphanage and surrounding villages in northern Thailand with drinking water and irrigation for their crops 49 There are also plans for a variety of projects in the Philadelphia area including K 12 outreach programs as well as many more international projects citation needed The Blue Key Society consists of around 200 volunteer campus tour guides who work with the Admissions Office to give three tours each weekday various special tours as needed and selected weekend tours throughout the school year 50 Formerly known as Project Sunshine The Office of Community Service commonly called Rays of Sunshine is a student led community service organization 51 Student Government Association Edit Founded in 1925 the Student Government Association SGA operates through its three branches the Executive Branch the Senate and the Judicial Council The Executive Branch is led by the President of the Student Body and Executive Vice President and consists of the Chief of Staff and Directors of Athletics Diversity Equity and Inclusion Finance Programming and Public Relations The Senate is led by the Speaker of the Senate and consists of thirty four Senators total twenty two elected representatives from the classes and schools and twelve appointed representatives from University offices and student organizations The Judicial Council is led by the Chief Justice and consists of four Associate Justices and a Judicial Clerk 52 Greek life Edit Roughly 30 of Villanova students identify with one of eleven fraternities twelve sororities and one service fraternity 53 There are no fraternity or sorority houses on campus The first Greek organization at the school was established in 1902 as a social organization and circle of individuals interested in classical studies 54 The oldest Greek organization still on campus is the Sigma Nu Fraternity whose Kappa Zeta chapter grew out of the former local Zeta Rho fraternity founded in 1969 Zeta Rho gave way to the Kappa Zeta Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity in 1983 Sororities Edit National Panhellenic Conference sororities Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Phi Delta Delta Delta Delta Gamma Kappa Delta Kappa Kappa Gamma Pi Beta Phi Chi OmegaNational Pan Hellenic Council sororities Alpha Kappa Alpha Delta Sigma ThetaNational Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations sorority Lambda Theta AlphaNational APIDA Panhellenic Association sorority Sigma Psi Zeta Fraternities Edit North American Interfraternity Conference Fraternities Beta Theta Pi Delta Tau Delta Lambda Chi Alpha Pi Kappa Phi Phi Sigma Kappa Sigma Chi Sigma Nu Sigma Phi EpsilonNational Pan Hellenic Council Fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Omega Psi PhiNational Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations fraternity Phi Iota Alpha La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda Service fraternity Edit The Sigma Eta chapter of Alpha Phi Omega whose motto is Leadership Friendship and Service meets weekly on Villanova s campus to plan service projects on and off campus including school cleanups through Philly Cares Day working at soup kitchens and tutoring children in Math and Science at Philadelphia public schools 55 Villanova Emergency Medical Service Edit Villanova Emergency Medical Service VEMS is a student run ambulance service licensed and dedicated to serving the campus community VEMS membership consists of more than 40 undergraduate student volunteers the majority of whom are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians volunteering more than 25 000 hours annually Villanova is one of only a handful of colleges to provide EMS services to their campus and one of only 52 who provide emergency response and transport to at least the Basic Life Support BLS Level 56 VEMS has been recognized on a national level multiple times by the National Collegiate EMS Foundation NCEMSF specifically being named 2001 Campus Organization of the Year and receiving EMS website of the year in 2000 2004 and 2006 Their skills competition team also placed in second at the 2011 Annual Physio Control BLS Skills Competition The team consisted of Capt William Pandos Lt Christopher Cahill Lt John Skinner Treasurer Philip Walker EMT Erin Mack and EMT Kyle Lewis VEMS hosted the second annual NCEMSF Conference in 1995 as well as the twelfth annual conference in Philadelphia in 2005 57 Campus publications and media Edit The Villanovan has been an officially recognized and accredited student newspaper since its founding in 1916 The university s newspaper of record the tabloid sized weekly usually produces 12 issues per semester at 6 500 copies per issue 58 The Belle Air Yearbook is the official yearbook of the university and has been a student made production since 1922 The book is published by the L G Balfour Company The book has won numerous awards over the years including the prestigious Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Award in 1988 59 and 1989 60 and the Yearbook Award for their 2017 book and the National Yearbook Sample Award for their 2019 publication citation needed The Villanova Times the independent bi weekly student newspaper won the Collegiate Network Award for Layout and Design in 2005 06 2007 08 and 2008 09 61 WVTV is the student run campus television station Starting in 1999 as the Villanova TV Production Club the station produces news events films and other programming for the Villanova community and can be seen on the campus television network 62 WXVU the FCC licensed student operated FM radio station operates at 89 1 megahertz With an output of 75 watts WXVU can be heard for 8 miles 13 km around the campus and globally via the internet Since 1991 the station has offered a varied program of music news sports public affairs and specialty programming 63 WXVU is the successor to WKVU WWVU the university sponsored student run carrier current station organized in 1946 by a group of electrical engineering students who had served in World War II as radio operators POLIS Literary Magazine a student publication printed once a semester by the Villanova University Honors Program features writing and artwork by Villanova students and professors Each issue features creative nonfiction poetry short fiction and black and white photography focusing on a central theme 64 Each issue also features articles on literature entertainment and dining Concept is an interdisciplinary journal of graduate studies sponsored by the Graduate Division of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 65 The 2009 student film Price of Life received critical attention 66 NROTC Edit Villanova NROTC is part of the Philadelphia NROTC Consortium consisting of Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania including the cross town agreements with Drexel and Temple University Located in Commodore John Barry Hall the NROTC has been a part of the university since immediately after World War II The battalion consists of more than 100 Navy and Marine Corps midshipmen under the advisement of a staff of Navy and Marine Corps officers and senior enlisted members Midshipmen in the Villanova NROTC program are required to take specific Navy and Marine Corps classes wear their service s uniform on Tuesdays and Thursdays attend daily physical training events participate in extra curricular programs that range from sports teams to rifle shooting and adhere to the basic premise that a midshipman does not lie cheat or steal citation needed Since its inception in the summer of 1946 the NROTC unit on campus has produced 25 Admirals and Generals in the United States Navy and Marine Corps 14 At one point there had only been two four star generals in the U S Marine Corps one of them the Commandant of the Marine Corps and they had both been graduates of Villanova NROTC In 2004 the commanders of both U S Naval Forces Atlantic Admiral William J Fallon and U S Naval Forces Pacific Admiral Walter F Doran were Villanova NROTC graduates 67 68 Admiral Fallon was later assigned as Commander U S Central Command from March 2007 to March 2008 ADM Fallon was the first Navy officer to hold that position 69 Student performing arts Edit Villanova University is without a formal music department therefore the Office of Student Performing Arts is charged with the organization of the student performing arts groups on campus Due to the lack of a music department student musicians are from every school in the university 70 Nearly 10 of the student body participates in various music related organizations 71 The Villanova Band is the largest and oldest musical group at Villanova with over 100 members The Villanova Band has four divisions the Concert Band the Scramble Band the Pep Band and the Jazz Ensemble The Concert Band plays one concert at the end of each semester It also performs throughout the Villanova community and on its annual Fall Tour The Scramble Band performs for Villanova Football games between plays and at halftime on the field The Villanova Pep Band performs at Villanova Men s and Women s Basketball games including post season games such as the Big East Tournament The Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra have end of semester concerts and perform on campus and around the Philadelphia area several times a year The band is made up of students of every school within Villanova 72 The second largest musical group at Villanova the Pastoral Musicians have about 60 voices and 35 instrumentalists primarily undergraduates up from 30 musicians in 1995 Their musical selection shows the diversity of style within the Roman Catholic tradition contemporary praise music from different cultures Bach Palestrina Mozart Lauridsen and others Villanova s men s chorus the Villanova Singers was founded in 1953 by Dean Harold Gill Reuschlein then Dean of the Law School The Singers were established for the stated purpose of singing various types of music and enriching the cultural life of the university 73 Entirely student run the Singers are governed by a nine member board of students and sing a wide range of musical styles and types ranging from classical to contemporary Within the Singers there exists a smaller student directed a cappella group known as the Spires Alumni of the Spires include Jim Croce Tommy West and Manhattan Transfer member Tim Hauser 73 The Villanova Voices women s chorus is the oldest women s organization at the university Originally called the Villanova Women s Glee Club the group was founded by 20 women from the university s College of Nursing in 1960 shortly after Villanova became coeducational Their attendant a cappella group the Haveners is student directed 74 Athletics EditMain article Villanova Wildcats Villanova Wildcats logo Villanova University teams are known as the Wildcats They compete as a member of the NCAA Division I level primarily competing in the Big East Conference The Wildcats previously competed in the Eastern 8 Conference from 1975 to 1976 to 1979 80 Men s sports include baseball basketball cross country football golf lacrosse soccer swimming amp diving tennis and track amp field while women s sports include basketball cross country field hockey lacrosse rowing soccer softball swimming amp diving tennis track amp field volleyball and water polo 75 The football and rowing team 76 competes in the Colonial Athletic Association while the women s lacrosse team competes in the Patriot League The Wildcats are also part of the Philadelphia Big 5 the traditional Philadelphia area basketball rivalry Their fiercest crosstown rivalry is with Saint Joseph s University St Joe s the city s Jesuit university and matches between them are called the Holy War In the NCAA graduation report released on November 17 2020 Villanova has a graduation success rate GSR of 97 percent rate in the NCAA GSR method 77 In the GSR release Villanova had 12 of its athletic programs post a perfect 100 percent graduation success rate for the 2010 2013 cohort This data measures the percentage of student athletes who entered college on institutional aid whether athletics based aid or otherwise between those years and graduated within six years Villanova had seven women s programs and five men s programs earn a 100 percent GSR in the release 78 The Villanova women s and men s basketball team are among the athletic program s 14 teams with a 100 percent graduation rate for 2010 13 78 The school s athletic teams have won numerous NCAA Division I national titles most notably in Men s Basketball and Track amp Field In addition the football team won the 2009 national title in the Football Championship Subdivision formerly Division I AA Men s basketball Edit Main article Villanova Wildcats men s basketball Championship parade in Center City Philadelphia on April 5 2018 In 1985 under the direction of coach Rollie Massimino the men s basketball team won the NCAA Division I men s basketball tournament in the first year of the 64 team field The final game against defending champion and ten point favorite Georgetown is often cited among the greatest upsets in college basketball history 79 In 2005 under the direction of coach Jay Wright Villanova s men s basketball team reached the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 losing to No 1 seed and eventual champion North Carolina by one point on a traveling call on Allan Ray citation needed In 2005 2006 the team began the year ranked No 4 in the major polls from USA Today and the Associated Press A 75 62 loss to eventual champion Florida ended the team s run for a second NCAA championship in the Regional Final This team was led by a four guard set a unique type of lineup designed by coach Jay Wright In the 2006 2007 season the Wildcats had a record of 22 11 and lost to Kentucky in the first round of the 2007 tournament In the 2008 NCAA Division I men s basketball tournament the team was eliminated by the top seeded eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16 after upsetting the fifth seeded Clemson Tigers in the first round and defeating the thirteenth seeded Siena Saints in the second round In the 2009 tournament the Wildcats upset the No 1 seed Pittsburgh Panthers on a last second shot by guard Scottie Reynolds to win the East Region and advance to the Final Four The team was then defeated by the eventual champion North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2009 Final Four game In 2016 the Wildcats won the 2016 NCAA Championship by defeating North Carolina 77 74 The game included the only buzzer beater in NCAA Championship game history when Kris Jenkins sank a three pointer to win the game In 2018 Villanova defeated the Michigan Wolverines 79 62 to win the 2018 NCAA Championship in San Antonio The game was notable for featuring the highest scoring bench player in NCAA Championship history in Donte Divincenzo who scored 31 points and was awarded the Final Four MVP Award The home venues for the Wildcats include the on campus 6 500 seat Finneran Pavilion for smaller attendance games as well as the larger 20 478 seat Wells Fargo Center known formerly under a variety of bank names within the South Philadelphia Sports Complex The February 13 2006 meeting between Villanova and the University of Connecticut set the record for the highest attendance at a college basketball game in Pennsylvania with 20 859 attendees 80 Football Edit Main article Villanova Wildcats football The Villanova men s football team competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision formerly Division I AA in the Colonial Athletic Association On December 18 2009 the team were CAA conference champions and defeated the Montana Grizzlies to be crowned the 2009 NCAA Division I AA champions The university continues to play in the Colonial Athletic Association for football as the new restructured Big East Conference does not include football as a conference sport The football team went on to win the CAA Conference once more in 2021 and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinalsAccording to some sources the 1906 Villanova team is credited with completing the first legal forward pass in football history 81 Men s lacrosse Edit Main article Villanova Wildcats men s lacrosse The Villanova men s lacrosse team competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big East Conference Through 2009 Villanova men s lacrosse was a member of the Colonial Athletic Association and in 2009 Villanova won the CAA tournament as the fourth seed the lowest seeded championship team in conference history 82 for its first title 83 The team also made its first NCAA tournament appearance that year 84 Women s cross country Edit In 2009 and 2010 the women s cross country team won the NCAA National Championships under Coach Gina Procaccio The 2010 victory was led by individual national champion Sheila Reid of Villanova The Wildcats also hold the NCAA record for the most Division 1 team and individual wins in women s cross country with nine team victories 89 90 91 92 93 94 98 09 10 and eight individual champions seven of which coincided Track and field Edit Villanova University s track and field team has a long history of athletic success that has spanned from Big East Conference Championships to NCAA Championships 85 The men s team has produced 69 NCAA Championships 36 Indoor and 33 Outdoor The team has had eight NCAA team Championships four Cross Country three Indoor one Outdoor Villanova has produced 28 athletes who have made appearances in the Olympics 10 of whom have medaled seven gold medals three silver medals The men s team has also won 112 Penn Relay Championships which stands as the most wins by any school The men s current coaches include head coach Marcus O Sullivan and assistant head coach Anthony Williams 85 The women s team has also had a multitude of success producing 11 Big East team Championships and nine NCAA team Championships most recently winning the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Cross Country Championships They have also produced nine Olympians including Ron Delany Eamonn Coghlan Vicki Huber Sonia O Sullivan Kim Certain Kate Fonshell Jen Rhines Carmen Douma and Carrie Tollefson The Women s team has won 28 Penn Relay Championships which is the most wins by any women s team The current women s coaches include head coach Gina Procaccio and assistant head coach Anthony Williams 85 At least one Villanovan athlete has competed in every Summer Olympics since 1948 winning a total of 13 medals nine gold four silver 86 Traditions EditThe University Seal Edit An adaptation of the seal of the Order of St Augustine the seal of Villanova University is one of the campus s most ubiquitous images adorning everything from buildings to chairs to backpacks 87 A ribbon carries the university motto Veritas Unitas Caritas Truth Unity and Charity virtues to which every member of the Villanova community should aspire A book symbolizes Augustine s dedication to education and the New Testament where he found Christianity A cincture is part of the habit worn by members of the Order of Saint Augustine Hovering above is the flaming heart symbol of Augustine s search for God and his love of neighbors Behind the book is the crosier a staff traditionally held by a Bishop commemorating Augustine s service as Bishop of Hippo Above and behind the book are two crosses symbolic of Augustine s conversion and the university s commitment to Catholicism Framing the central portion of the seal is a laurel wreath exemplifying victory through the pursuit of knowledge and 1842 is the year of the university s founding Surrounding the seal is the incorporated fide of the university Universitas Villanova In Statu Pennsylvaniae The Liberty Bell s Sister Bell Edit The old wing of the Falvey Library Villanova University was home to the Liberty Bell s Sister Bell the replacement bell ordered from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry after the original bell cracked in 1753 88 This new bell was installed at the Pennsylvania State House Independence Hall and attached to the State House clock The Sister Bell rang the hours until the late 1820s when the bell was removed during a renovation and loaned to the Olde St Augustine Church in Philadelphia In 1829 the bell was hung in a new cupola and tower designed by architect William Strickland There it remained until May 8 1844 when it was destroyed along with the Olde St Augustine Church during the Philadelphia Nativist riots The friars of the Order of Saint Augustine had the Sister Bell recast and transferred to Villanova University 88 The bell was moved off campus in 2011 At the university s centennial celebration the bell was rung by Archbishop Dennis Joseph Dougherty to open the ceremonies In 1954 the bell was displayed as part of an exhibit at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia that focused on the growth and development of the university 89 The Sister Bell is currently enshrined in the Heritage Room on the basement floor of the St Augustine Monastery on Villanova s campus 88 89 Alumni EditMain article List of alumni of Villanova University Jill Biden First Lady of the United States and former Second Lady of the United States Maria Bello actress Ed Rendell former Governor of Pennsylvania and former Mayor of Philadelphia Bradley Cooper actor Toby Keith country music singer Kyle Lowry NBA basketball player Xavier Suarez former Mayor of Miami Florida Jim Croce folk and rock singer songwriter Denver Riggleman former U S Representative Chad Wolf former Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security Donte DiVincenzo NBA basketball player Jalen Brunson NBA basketball player Howie Long Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end and sports analyst Kelly Ayotte former U S Senator from New Hampshire Mike Stack former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania Sonia O Sullivan former track and field Olympian Jacob Frey Mayor of Minneapolis Victor Buono actor and comedian Brian Westbrook former NFL running back Don McLean singer and songwriter Josh Hart NBA basketball player John G Rowland former Governor of Connecticut Andrew M Allen Marine aviator and lieutenant colonel Joseph Clancy former Director of the U S Secret Service Anthony Zinni United States Marine Corps generalVillanova University has produced many notable alumni Golden Globe nominated actress Maria Bello NBC News WCAU and Emmy Award winning news anchor Keith Jones actor Jon Polito NFL Hall of Famer longtime FOX commentator and actor Howie Long founder of Manhattan Transfer Tim Hauser singer songwriters Jim Croce and Don McLean Tony Award winning playwright and screenwriter David Rabe fashion model and entrepreneur Katherine Parr 90 professional athletes Brian Westbrook Matt Szczur Kerry Kittles Alvin Williams Kevin Reilly Kyle Lowry professional wrestler Wheeler Yuta and Michael Bradley Villanova has produced several military and governmental officials including former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell former New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte Villanova Law and former Connecticut Governor John G Rowland 91 Wife to the governor and federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Marjorie Rendell is also a graduate Numerous Marine generals and Naval Admirals are products of Villanova s Naval ROTC program including William J Fallon Admiral in the United States Navy and Commander of United States Central Command George B Crist Marine General and the first Marine to be designated Commander in Chief Central Command and Joe Clancy former Director of the United States Secret Service Another graduate Paul X Kelley served as Commandant of the United States Marine Corps In business alumni include Robert J Darretta Jr chief financial officer and vice chairman of Johnson amp Johnson John Drosdick former CEO of Sunoco and Thomas G Labrecque former chairman and CEO of Chase Manhattan Bank Other notable alumni include John Joseph O Connor Cardinal Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York John L Hennessy former president of Stanford University Deirdre Imus head of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology and wife to radio host Don Imus and Sean Carroll a cosmologist and science popularizer citation needed See also Edit Philadelphia portalEducation in Philadelphia Roman Catholicism in the United StatesNotes Edit Other consists of Multiracial Americans amp those who prefer to not say The percentage of students who received an income based federal Pell grant intended for low income students The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum References Edit As of June 30 2020 U S and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 Report National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA February 19 2021 Retrieved February 20 2021 Villanova at a Glance Villanova University Visual Identity Guidelines Villanova University Retrieved June 1 2018 Villanova University archive org web 20070218115621 http www villanova edu enroll admission university profile htm University Profile Villanova edu Archived from profile htm the original on February 18 2007 Retrieved March 10 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check archive url value help Check url value help The Nation s Augustinian Catholic University Villanova University Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup carnegieclassifications iu edu Center for Postsecondary Education Retrieved July 25 2020 As of fall 2009 75 percent of Villanova undergraduates are Catholics http www villanovan com university preserves catholic tradition article c490a495 9593 5ea9 ae8a c79aa36da0b7 html On every building on campus there s a cross Fr Peter Donohue university president told the Inquirer https www catholicnewsagency com news catholic colleges new bridge too catholic neighbors complain 90660 Augustine and Culture Seminar Program ACSP Villanova University Address by Dean of the Graduate School Gerald Long to incoming graduate students August 24 2008 a b The Mission and Heritage of Villanova University Villanova edu Archived from the original on July 8 2007 Retrieved August 17 2007 Amidst the Depression and War Progress Still Prevails Villanova Pennsylvania Villanova University 2002 Archived from the original on April 6 2012 Retrieved September 29 2011 a b Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps NROTC Villanova University a b c The Facts About the History of Vilanova The Villanovan Archived from the original on January 21 2008 Retrieved October 10 2007 Campus location Villanova edu Archived from the original on May 23 2007 Retrieved October 9 2007 Piro Lauren VU Not a national arboretum Villanovan Villanova University Retrieved July 28 2021 VU Not a national arboretum The Villanovan Retrieved March 23 2009 permanent dead link St Thomas of Villanova church Archived from the original on January 7 2009 Retrieved November 9 2008 James Peniston Sculpture Retrieved July 8 2008 Launch Villanova University Virtual Tour Villanova edu Retrieved October 9 2007 Project Details Design Concept for Lancaster Avenue designconceptforlancasteravenue com Table 20 Higher education R amp D expenditures ranked by FY 2018 R amp D expenditures FYs 2009 18 ncsesdata nsf gov National Science Foundation Retrieved July 25 2020 Forbes America s Top Colleges List 2022 Forbes Retrieved September 13 2022 Wall Street Journal Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022 The Wall Street Journal Times Higher Education Retrieved July 26 2022 2022 2023 Best National Universities U S News amp World Report Retrieved September 13 2022 2022 National University Rankings Washington Monthly Retrieved September 13 2022 2022 Best Global Universities Rankings U S News amp World Report Retrieved July 26 2022 2022 2023 National Universities Rankings U S News amp World Report Archived from the original on May 21 2011 Retrieved October 29 2022 a b U S News Best Colleges Rankings Villanova University U S News amp World Report Archived from the original on April 16 2011 Retrieved April 3 2018 Levy Francesca amp Rodkin Jonathan Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2016 Bloomberg Businessweek Retrieved April 19 2016 The Financial Times Ranks the Villanova School of Business Executive MBA Program Among the Top 30 in the Nation in 2007 PDF Villanova edu Retrieved March 10 2007 Villanova Law censured by ABA over admissions data fraud but retains accreditation Philly com August 11 2011 a b In new sorting of colleges Dartmouth falls out of an exclusive group Washington Post February 4 2016 Retrieved July 25 2020 Villanova University Receives New Carnegie Classification Change Signaling the University s Forward Momentum amp Academic Strength Villanova Pennsylvania Retrieved April 5 2016 Villanova University Again Earns Top Spot in U S News amp World Report s Regional North Category Villanova University Press release September 9 2015 Retrieved July 26 2020 U S News Best Colleges Rankings Villanova University U S News amp World Report 2016 Retrieved July 24 2016 Ways To Apply Villanova University www1 villanova edu Retrieved February 20 2019 Admission Profile Villanova University www1 villanova edu Retrieved March 29 2021 University Partners with The Posse Foundation and Philadelphia Futures The Villanovan Retrieved April 19 2019 College Scorecard Villanova University United States Department of Education Retrieved May 8 2022 Campus organizations Villanova edu Retrieved October 9 2007 a b Special Olympics Villanova edu Archived from the original on October 8 2007 Retrieved October 9 2007 NBC10 News November 7 2008 NOVAdance NOVAdance Retrieved May 23 2019 Office of Communication and Public Affairs Habitat for Humanity applauds Villanova participation Blueprints Archived from the original on August 29 2006 Retrieved February 18 2007 Ewb Usa Ewb Usa Retrieved May 6 2012 Villanova Engineering Students Learn through Service Villanova edu Retrieved May 6 2012 Engineers Without Borders Villanova Chapter Thailand Students villanova edu Archived from the original on May 30 2011 Retrieved May 6 2012 Blue Key Society Students Villanova edu Archived from the original on November 5 2007 Retrieved May 6 2012 Rays of Sunshine Villanova edu Archived from the original on March 6 2008 Retrieved February 20 2008 Home Villanova Student Government Association Villanova SGA Greek Life at Villanova Villanovan com Archived from the original on January 3 2009 Retrieved April 16 2008 About Us Villanova edu Archived from the original on July 7 2008 Retrieved March 19 2008 Alpha Phi Omega villanova edu Archived from the original on January 21 2008 Retrieved February 20 2008 NCEMSF Database Archived from the original on August 29 2000 Retrieved June 25 2007 NCEMSF Awards Archived from the original on September 27 2007 Retrieved June 25 2007 General Information villanovan com Archived from the original on February 4 2008 Retrieved February 20 2008 1988 Awards for Student Work Crown Awards Collegiate Recipients Columbia Scholastic Press Association 1989 Awards for Student Work Crown Awards Collegiate Recipients Columbia Scholastic Press Association The Villanova Times Retrieved June 1 2018 VTV Villanova edu Archived from the original on July 16 2011 Retrieved February 20 2008 About the Station WXVUFM com Archived from the original on March 17 2008 Retrieved February 20 2008 Polis Literary Magazine Villanova edu Retrieved February 20 2008 Home page concept journals villanova edu Villanova University Retrieved March 15 2017 Villanova to screen students documentary film Philadelphia Inquire philly com August 21 2009 Archived from the original on August 21 2009 Retrieved August 21 2018 Former Commanders U S Fleet Forces Command Villanova edu Archived from the original on October 23 2008 Retrieved May 26 2010 Former Commanders U S Pacific Fleet Villanova edu Retrieved May 26 2010 With passing of flag CentCom gets new leader Villanova edu Retrieved May 26 2010 Villanova edu Archived September 1 2006 at the Wayback Machine Dunphy John Director of Music Activities Lecture April 5 2008 Vuband com Vuband com Retrieved May 6 2012 a b Vusingers villanova edu Archived from the original on July 17 2009 Villanova edu Archived February 12 2009 at the Wayback Machine Villanova com Official Athletic site of the Villanova University Wildcats Villanova cstv com Archived from the original on April 12 2006 Retrieved May 6 2012 Seven Teams Set to Compete for CAA Women s Rowing Championship Sunday caasports com Retrieved July 28 2021 Graduation Success Rate web3 ncaa org Retrieved July 28 2021 a b Villanova Athletics Records Highest NCAA Graduation Success Rate in Program History Villanova University Retrieved July 28 2021 ESPN com Page 2 s List for top upset in sports history Retrieved December 13 2006 ESPN Connecticut vs Villanova Box Score February 13 2006 ESPN February 13 2006 Retrieved May 6 2012 First Real Football Tests the New Rules Spectators Divided as to the Success of Experimental Changes The New York Times 1906 09 27 Villanova Secures First CAA Men s Lacrosse Title permanent dead link National Collegiate Athletic Association May 3 2009 Villanova claims first CAA title with 10 9 win over Towson Archived May 6 2009 at the Wayback Machine Inside Lacrosse May 2 2009 Virginia crushes Villanova 18 6 faces Hopkins in next round The Baltimore Sun May 11 2009 a b c Runnova Retrieved February 20 2008 Villanova magazine Summer 2008 Villanovans have won 13 Olympic Medals The University Seal Villanova edu Archived from the original on October 18 2007 Retrieved October 9 2007 a b c Villanova Magazine Fall 2003 Edition Archived from the original on August 29 2006 Retrieved October 12 2007 a b Villanova University Archives The Liberty Bell s Sister Archived from the original on September 15 2007 Retrieved October 12 2007 root Katherine Parr s Toolkit for Success Villanova edu Retrieved May 6 2012 root John G Rowland External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Villanova University Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Villanova University amp oldid 1133935141, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.