Villanova University

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Villanova University
Image:vuseal.gif
Motto Veritas, Unitas, Caritas (Truth, Unity, Love)
Established 1842
Type Private/Roman Catholic
Endowment $238.8 million [1]
President Rev. Peter M. Donohue
Staff 510
Undergraduates 6,300
Postgraduates 3,200
Location Villanova
Radnor Twp, Pennsylvania, USA
Campus Suburban, 254 acres
(1.028 km²)
Mascot Wildcat
Website www.villanova.edu

Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania Main Line. It was founded by the Augustinian order. The campus is adjacent to Lancaster Avenue and Spring Mill Road. The school is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For more than a decade, Villanova University has been ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report in the Best Universities-Masters category in the northern region. Villanova has a number of highly regarded academic programs, including an engineering school that is ranked #11 among undergraduate engineering programs whose highest degree is a masters by U.S. News and World Reports. Also, the business school is ranked #19 in the 2006 Business Week rankings of the Top 50 undergraduate business schools and #87 in the 2006 U.S. News rankings of the top undergraduate business schools. U.S. News lists the admissions selectivity as "More selective."

Villanova is home to an NROTC unit, which has commissioned more U.S. Navy admirals and Marine Corps generals than any institution other than the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2004, the commander of both U.S. Naval Forces Atlantic and U.S. Naval Forces Pacific as well as the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps were Villanova NROTC graduates.

Villanova students participate in numerous charitable organizations as well as service trips both in the U.S. and abroad. In 2005, Villanova was recognized for having the most participants in the Habitat for Humanity program of any university in the United States. The university is also a perennial home to the largest student-run volunteer Special Olympics in the country.


Contents

[edit] History

In October 1841, two Augustinians from Saint Augustine’s Church in Philadelphia, Father Thomas Kyle and Father Patrick Moriarty, purchased “Belle Air” in Radnor Township with the intention of starting a school. The property belonged to the estate of John Rudolph whose wife, Jane Lloyd Rudolph, was a close friend of the Augustinians who served at Saint Augustine’s. The Augustinians were frequent visitors to Belle Air, having celebrated Mass in the Rudolphs’ home for Catholics in the area. A few years after John Rudolph’s death in 1838, Jane Rudolph generously agreed to sell the estate to the Augustinians for $18,000, well below its reported worth of $40,000.

Legal title to the property, comprising approximately 200 acres with the mansion and outbuildings, was conveyed in 1843. The school was called the “Augustinian College of Villanova” and placed under the patronage of Saint Thomas of Villanova, a sixteenth-century Augustinian theologian, educator, and bishop of Valencia, Spain. The College gave its name to the town that eventually grew up around it.

The first great expansion of Villanova began in the late 1890s under Father John J. Fedigan, who served as president and, later, as the provincial of the Augustinians. Father Fedigan wanted Villanova to be a college that would “rank among the best in the United States.” He embarked on an ambitious building campaign that resulted in the construction of new college buildings, improved dormitories, expanded recreational facilities, and the acquiring of new instructional equipment.

Although in the first fifty years of its existence Villanova College concentrated exclusively on the liberal arts, it nevertheless remained open to the changes in the curriculum which were required to meet the needs of the time and the demands for specialization. The School of Technology was established in 1905 under the presidency of Father Laurence Delurey and, in 1915, a two-year pre-medical program was established under the presidency of Father Edward C. Dohan, in recognition of the new requirements for candidates wishing to matriculate in approved medical schools. This, in turn, led to the establishment of a four-year pre-medical program, the B.S. in biology, and the founding of the sciences division in 1926 under Father Joseph M. Dougherty, who became the first dean.

The Great Depression posed new challenges to Villanova. Enrollments had plummeted in the 1930s and the school's President, Father Stanford, realized that if the College was to survive, it needed to emphasize quality in the curriculum, implement extensive administrative reorganization, and raise funds for scholarships and the endowment. Although World War II intervened, Father Stanford’s efforts met with measurable success. Under his successor, Father Francis X. N. McGuire (1944-1954), Villanova experienced its great post-war expansion. With the number of returning veterans, enrollments increased dramatically and the size of faculty grew fourfold. Additional facilities were built and in 1953, the College of Nursing and the School of Law were established. In recognition of its enhanced academic programs and reputation, Villanova achieved university status on 18 November 1953.

In 1968, Villanova became coeducational under the presidency of Father Robert J. Welsh (1967-1971). Father Welsh was previously dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and later president of the Washington Theological Union in Washington, DC. Under Father John Driscoll (1975-1988), Villanova embarked on a campaign to become a nationally recognized university. During the 1970s and 1980s, the quality of both the faculty and student body improved dramatically and international studies programs were introduced. Residential and recreational facilities were constructed and efforts to increase the endowment were undertaken. Full-scale university planning was initiated and, in an effort to affirm Villanova’s mission as a Catholic, Augustinian institution, the University Mission Statement was adopted in 1979.

The efforts to improve academic quality that were initiated by Father Driscoll continued under Father Edmund J. Dobbin, who assumed the presidency in 1988. Under his direction, Villanova’s strategic plan, A Future of Promise, A Future of Excellence, which followed upon the 1991 planning efforts, was promulgated in 1995. The plan reiterated the University’s Catholic, Augustinian mission, its commitment to the liberal arts, and the need to augment its efforts to increase the endowment. Endowed chairs were established in theology, philosophy, engineering, and business; scholarship funding was increased, and the curriculum expanded and improved. An extensive building campaign was also initiated that resulted in new facilities for the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Commerce and Finance, and in impressive student residences on the south and the west campuses.

In mid-2006, Father Dobbin returned to teaching at Villanova after 18 years in office. His replacement, Fr. Peter M. Donohue, is the former head of the Theater Department and a Barrymore Award-winning director. Father Donohue assumed the presidency of Villanova University on June 1, 2006.

[edit] Academics

In 2006, Villanova was again chosen as the top university in the North region by U.S. News & World Report magazine (Master's Degree Category). Villanova has topped the rankings in this category for 16 consecutive years. In 2006, Villanova's undergraduate business program was ranked #19 by BusinessWeek and #87 by U.S. News. The Department of Communication has been recognized by the National Communication Association as one of the top 300 communication programs in the country. Villanova University offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional programs through its five divisions:

[edit] College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (1842)

Dean: Kail Ellis, O.S.A., Ph.D.

[edit] Villanova School of Business (formerly the College of Commerce and Finance) (1922)

Dean: James M. Danko

[edit] Undergraduate
  • Accounting (B.S.)
  • Business Administration (B.S.)
    • Finance
    • International Business Co-Major
    • Management
    • Management Information Systems (MIS)
    • Marketing
  • Economics (B.S.)
[edit] Graduate
  • Full Time Equivalent M.B.A.
  • Professional M.B.A.
  • Master in Accountancy and Professional Consultancy (M.A.C.)
  • Master of Technology Management (M.T.M.)
  • M.S. in Finance (M.S.F.)
  • Executive M.B.A.

[edit] College of Engineering (1905)

Dean: Gary Gabriele, PhD

  • Chemical Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
  • Civil Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
  • Computer Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
  • Electrical Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
  • Mechanical Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
  • Transportation Engineering(M.S.)
  • Water Resources & Environmental Engineering (M.S.)
  • Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)

[edit] College of Nursing (1953)

Dean: M. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN

[edit] School of Law (1953)

Dean: Mark A. Sargent

[edit] Athletics

Villanova logo
Villanova logo

The school's current mascot is the Wildcat, although previous school mascots included the "Day Hops" and the "Pelicans". Sports teams participate in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big East Conference, except for football, which plays as part of Division I-AA's Atlantic Ten Conference (at the start of the 2007 season, Villanova will participate in the Colonial Athletic Association for football), and women's lacrosse, which plays in the Patriot League. The Wildcats are also part of the Philadelphia Big 5, the traditional Philadelphia-area basketball rivalry.

[edit] Men's Basketball

Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference, and is also a member of the informal league of Philadelphia-area schools known as the Big Five, along with Penn, Temple University, St. Joseph's and LaSalle. Situated on the Main Line, Villanova is the only one of the five technically outside of the city limits. As of the conclusion of the 2006 college basketball season, however, they remain the last Philadelphia-based sports team to win a major championship of any kind. (Among major league teams, the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers have that dubious distinction. See the Curse of Billy Penn.)

[edit] 1985 National Champions

In 1985, under the direction of coach Rollie Massimino, the men's basketball team completed one of the most surprising runs in NCAA tournament history by winning the national championship in the first year of the 64-team field. The eighth-seeded Wildcats beat Dayton, then upset top-seeded Michigan, Maryland and second-seeded North Carolina to win the South regional en route to the Final Four in Lexington, Kentucky. After defeating 2-seed Memphis State in the national semifinals, Villanova met defending champion and ten-point-favorite Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing, in the title game.

Top-seeded Georgetown had beaten conference rival Villanova twice during the regular season, and had reached the title game with tenacious defense, which gave up less than 40% of their opponents' shots from the field in both the regular season and the postseason. But in perhaps the greatest shooting performance in NCAA history, the Wildcats went 22-of-28 from the field to convert a blistering 78.6% of their shots, including a second half where they missed only one basket. The Hoyas hung tough, converting 55% of their 53 attempts, but were unable to overcome the astounding shooting performance as Villanova won 66-64 to claim the NCAA championship. The Wildcat squad remains the only eight-seed and the lowest overall seed in tournament history to win the championship, and their overall team shooting percentage remains an NCAA tournament record for a single game. The game is often cited among the greatest upsets in college basketball history. [1] Ed Pinckney, who shot 5-of-7 and had 16 points in the game, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

[edit] Recent Seasons

Under coach Jay Wright, Villanova's men's basketball team reached the 2005 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, losing to #1 seed and eventual champion North Carolina by 1 point on a disputed call.

Led by senior guards Randy Foye and Allan Ray, the Villanova men's basketball team began the 2005-2006 year ranked #4 in the major polls from USA Today and the Associated Press. Having lost only three regular season games, the Wildcats enjoyed a #1 seed in the 2006 tournament -- their first. Their wins over Monmouth, Arizona, and Boston College brought them to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1988. Their 75-62 loss in Minneapolis to eventual champion Florida ended the team's run for a second NCAA championship in the Regional Final. Along with Saint Joseph's' trip to the Elite Eight in 2004 and Temple University making the Elite Eight twice since 1985 this remains the closest any of the Philadelphia Big Five have come to a Final Four berth since the 1985 Villanova title.

[edit] Campus Publications

[edit] The Villanovan

The campus newspaper of record, the weekly Villanovan has been an officially recognized and accredited student newspaper for more than 80 years. As of 2006, the circulation is 6,500, the format is tabloid, and subscriptions cost $25 per semester or $40 per year. The University allows the student editors "responsible freedom of expression." The paper stresses a balanced political viewpoint and is free to students.

The paper has received several awards, including First Place with Special Merit and Outstanding Sports Coverage from the American Scholastic Press Association and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association's Keystone Award for Best Feature Story.

[edit] The Villanova Times

The bi-weekly Villanova Times broadsheet student newspaper is supported by alumni donations, not university funds. Started in 1999 as the Conservative Column, the paper has evolved toward a more objective practice of journalism. As of 2006, its circulation is 4,000, and subscriptions cost $25 for 12 issues, or about a year.

The paper is the winner of the 2005-2006 Collegiate Network Award for Layout and Design.

[edit] Campus landmarks

The Oreo
Enlarge
The Oreo
  • The Grotto. This beautifully landscaped walkway between Corr Hall, Falvey Library, and Alumni Hall on the west side of Main Campus often hosts outdoor mass and other large gatherings, and is a charter stop on the walking tour of the university. The area boasts dozens of the varied tree species that help the entire campus earn its place as a certified arboretum. It is reportedly where Jim Croce wrote Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown.
  • Mendel Hall. Named for pioneering geneticist and Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel, this 1960 science center holds computer science labs and other science facilities. In 1998, the college commissioned a 7-foot bronze sculpture of Mendel by Philadelphia sculptor James Peniston, and installed it outside the hall's entrance. Mendel Hall consists of two large buildings connected underground and by a second-floor indoor bridge, the latter of which forms the gateway between West and Main Campus.
  • The Oreo. This large black-and-white sculpture by Jay Dugan, officially titled "The Awakening," sits front and center along one of the most-travelled routes on campus. The nickname is appropriate given the sculpture's cookie-like appearance. A popular student meeting place, The Oreo is a frequent home to club events, alumni photographs, and warm-weather people-watching. It was severely damaged during celebrations following the men's basketball win in the 1985 NCAA Championships, and was not repaired until 1989.
  • St. Thomas of Villanova Church. A large and prominent church whose dual spires are Villanova's tallest structure. The church sits atop one of Villanova's two pathways connecting the campus to the main parking lots, and hence is a well-trafficked route for pedestrians as well as a popular meeting place. Catholic masses are held here during the school year Sundays at 6, 8, and 10 p.m.
  • The Arboretum Villanova includes roughly 1,500 trees across campus, including the only known instance of a naturally-growing sequoia east of the Mississippi River.

[edit] Villanova Traditions

[edit] The University Crest

The crest of Villanova University is an adaptation of the historic seal of the Order of St. Augustine. Its design reflects the Catholic heritage of Villanova University, founded by the Friars of Saint Augustine, and dedicated to St. Thomas of Villanova, under the patronage of Our Mother of Good Counsel. The crest displays seven elements with historical significance.

The motto of the University is 'Veritas, Unitas, Caritas' or truth, unity, and love. These are the special virtues to which the University aspires and seeks to inculcate through every endeavor.

The book is symbolic of Augustine's dedication to learning, and the Book of Scriptures through which Augustine began his conversion to Christianity. In Confessions, written by Augustine himself, he recounts hearing a voice which instructed him to take up and read, 'Tolle lege, tolle lege". At this invitation, he took up the Book, opened to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, Chapter 13, and began his search for self-knowledge through a relationship with Christ.

The cincture which rests on the book, is an element of the habit worn by the Order of Saint Augustine, and is symbolic of the common trials shared by Mary, the Mother of God; Monica, the mother of Augustine and Augustine himself.

The flaming heart symbolizes both Augustine’s fervent search to know God and love of neighbor which so characterized the life of Saint Augustine.

The crosier or staff is symbolic of Saint Augustine's leadership in the Church as Bishop of Hippo.

The crosses above and behind the Book are symbolic of Augustine's conversion and commitment to Christianity.

The laurel wreath which frames the central elements is symbolic of the victory to be gained through the pursuit of knowledge in the context of shared community.

The incorporated fide of the University appears in Latin along the outer border, of the official University Presidential seal - 'Villanova University in the State of Pennsylvania.'

[edit] "Sister Bell"

In March 1754, Agent Robert Charles ordered a new bell from the Whitechapel bell foundry in London, England, the same company that cast the Liberty Bell. This new “Sister Bell,” originally intended to replace the cracked Liberty Bell, possessed very similar features to the older bell. Therefore, instead of replacing the Liberty Bell with the newer model, both bells were hung in the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. While the Liberty Bell rang on special occasions, the Assembly attached the Sister Bell to the State House clocks.

In 1830, city officials began renovations on Independence Hall. Olde St. Augustine Church bought the “Sister Bell” and displayed it in its chapel belfry. However, the bell suffered damage when the church was set on fire by anti-Catholics in 1844. Part of the bell was salvaged, recast three years later, and sent to Villanova for safe keeping.

The bell served the university several times during its history. At the centennial observances, celebrated by His Eminence Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, Archbishop of Philadelphia, the bell rang to open the ceremony. In 1954, during Villanova’s Development Program, the university held an exhibit at Gimbel’s department store in Philadelphia, featuring the “Sister Bell” and models of the projected new buildings for campus. The “Sister Bell” is on permanent display in Falvey Memorial Library.

[edit] Campus Myths

A number of legends are spread around campus by students. Some of these include the existence of secret tunnels and catacombs under campus, the haunting of some of the older dormitories (sometimes linked to their supposed use as hospitals during the Civil War[citation needed]), and speculation over the existence of an entire wing of St. Mary's Hall which is completely blocked off.

The three buildings most commonly discussed as being haunted are Alumni Hall (located by St. Thomas of Villanova church on the main campus), St. Mary's Hall and Dundale (both located on the west 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 was used as a military hospital and traces 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.

St. Mary's Hall was built in 1962 and served as an Augustinian Seminary until 1972. 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.

The property on which Dundale Hall is located was originally purchsed 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. On more than a handful of occasions, the school's Public Safety officers have been called out late at night to investigate lights in the building coming on inexplicably.

[edit] Campus Activities

[edit] Campus Activities Team

The University's Campus Activities Team (CAT) is a campus organization that hosts social events and programs for students, including Merry Christmas Villanova Week, Siblings Weekend, Homecoming, and NOVAFEST Weekend, a weekend-long festival held each April. The Campus Activity Team has also organized events featuring Whose Line is it Anyway?, Dane Cook, Guster, The Roots, Third Eye Blind, and the All-American Rejects.

[edit] Mock Trial

Villanova's Mock Trial Team competes in various regional and national competitions sponsored by the American Mock Trial Association ([2]).

Main article: Villanova University Mock Trial

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Commencement speakers

[edit] References in popular culture

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ ESPN.com: Page 2's List for top upset in sports history. Retrieved on 2006-12-13.
  2. ^ http://sec.edgar-online.com/1997/03/26/00/0000811716-97-000002/Section5.asp
  3. ^ Wikipedia: The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.
  4. ^ HBO: The Sopranos: FBI Files: Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero. Retrieved on 2006-11-03.

[edit] External links



Big East Conference
Football: Cincinnati • Connecticut • Louisville • Pittsburgh • Rutgers • South Florida • Syracuse • West Virginia
Non-football: DePaul • Georgetown • Marquette • Notre Dame • Providence • St. John's • Seton Hall • Villanova
Patriot League
Bucknell • Colgate • Holy Cross • Lafayette • Lehigh
Non-football members: American • Army • Navy
Football-only members: Fordham • Georgetown
Women's Lacrosse-only member: Villanova
Atlantic 10 Football Conference
Delaware • Hofstra • James Madison • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Northeastern • Rhode Island • Richmond • Towson • Villanova • William & Mary
Colleges and Universities in Metropolitan Philadelphia
Arcadia University • Art Institute of Philadelphia • Bryn Mawr College • Cabrini College • Chestnut Hill College • Curtis Institute of Music • Delaware Valley College • Drexel University • Eastern University • Gratz College • Haverford College • Holy Family University • Immaculata University • La Salle University • Lincoln University • Manor College • Moore College of Art and Design • Neumann College • Peirce College • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts • Pennsylvania College of Optometry • Philadelphia Biblical University • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine • Philadelphia University • Reconstructionist Rabbinical College • The Restaurant School • Rosemont College • Saint Joseph's University • Swarthmore College • Temple University • Thomas Jefferson University • Tyler School of Art • University of the Arts • University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey • University of the Sciences in Philadelphia • University of Pennsylvania • Ursinus College • Villanova University • West Chester University • Westminster Theological Seminary • Widener University
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