As we head into the second half of our spring semester at Villanova, we are excited to welcome the many signs of spring and warmer weather to campus. We hope that you will be able to join us on campus this spring for performances, receptions, games, or simply a stroll. 

Read on for more information on summer camps, our spring musical, an upcoming Art Gallery reception and much more.

Please reach out to neighbors@villanova.edu with any questions. 

We hope to see you soon! 

Entire Planetary System of Four Tiny Exoplanets Found Orbiting the Nearest Single Star to the Sun        

CNN

After decades of searching, astronomers have uncovered some of the strongest evidence yet of exoplanets orbiting Barnard’s Star, the nearest single star system to Earth. “When Barnard’s star was young and active … the star blasted these small planets with X-UV radiation, frequent flares, and dense winds,” said Edward Guinan, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Villanova University, in an email. “Because of this, these sub-Earth size planets probably don’t have atmospheres, water, and life.” Guinan was not involved in the new study but has previously searched for planets around Barnard’s Star.

Pope Francis Makes First Public Appearance, Leaves Hospital After Five Weeks  

The Washington Post (subscription may be required to view)

Pope Francis waved and made a gesture of blessing from his hospital balcony before his discharge and return to the Vatican on Sunday, offering the first live glimpse of the pontiff after his five-week hospitalization.  “Certainly, this new post-hospitalization phase will be a novel stage of his papacy,” said Massimo Faggioli, a Catholic theologian at Villanova University. “As to what that may entail, nobody knows. It’s a truly uncharted territory with a pope forced away from the public.”

Villanova Student-Athletes Help Mentor Next Generation of Radnor Students

CBS Philadelphia

The Villanova University women's basketball team is giving back to the community in the form of mentorship.

Through a partnership between the Radnor School District and Villanova University, 14 student-athletes from Villanova provided guidance to 28 eighth graders from Radnor Middle School over the course of four sessions.

Registration is now open for Villanova Women's Basketball Day Camp! 

The Villanova Women’s Basketball Summer Day Camp will focus on developing the camper in the following areas of conditioning, rebounding, individual defense, team defense/offense, shooting, passing and ball handling. The camp is open to all ability levels and will provide a positive and fun teaching environment for all campers. Each day will include skill instruction from Villanova staff and players as well as other high school/club coaches and collegiate players.

For more information on this camp and others, please visit villanovacamps.com. 

Please join us for a Legacies of Leadership event, beginning with a welcome reception and preview of Life As It Could Be: The Red Rose Girls, an exhibition co-curated by Master's students in the Department of History and Dr. Leah Pires, Assistant Professor of Art History, in the Villanova University Art Gallery.
 
Following the reception, head downstairs to the Villanova Room for Living History: Women and Public Art in Philadelphia, a public conversation between Philadelphia-based artists Maia Chao, Karyn Olivier, and Michelle Angela Ortiz moderated by Katie Lee ’16 CLAS, Assistant Curator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The artists will share recent public art projects in Philadelphia and explore the role of collaboration and community engagement in their work.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. 

Films are screened in the Cinema of the Connelly Center on Villanova’s campus on Sundays at 3:30 and 7 p.m. and Monday evenings at 7 p.m.

The speakers, who introduce the film and lead a discussion after the screening, are only present for the Monday evening screenings. As always, all screenings are free and open to the public.

Films are intended for audiences 18 and over. 

Italy, 1948 | 99 minutes

DIRECTED BY Vittorio De Sica

This “brilliant, tactlessly real work of art,” (Peter Bradshaw, Guardian) tells the story of a father and son setting out to find the father’s stolen bicycle.

MONDAY NIGHT SPEAKERS: Karl Schoonover, Michael Altimore & John Carvalho

We aim to keep our neighbors informed as our work progresses at the Cabrini campus location. We encourage you to watch this space for Cabrini campus updates, events, and information.

Please note that the Cabrini Campus remains closed due to construction and maintenance activity. For our neighbors' safety, we ask that neighbors refrain from walking through campus during the closure. We are excited to welcome our community back to campus in the Fall of 2026. 

Should you have any questions, please reach out to Hally Ammons, Assistant Director for Government & Community Relations at hally.ammons@villanova.edu.

Located on the second floor of the Connelly Center in the heart of Villanova's main campus, the Art Gallery is a free and dynamic space, offering several exhibitions on view per season. 

From opening receptions to family-friendly events, the Art Gallery offers many opportunities for our neighbors to connect with the Villanova cultural community.

Opening Reception: April 10, 2025 from 4-6PM

Curators' Walkthrough: April 22 from 5:30-6:30PM

On view from: March 27 - May 17, 2025

At the turn of the turn of the twentieth century, the nation witnessed the Golden Age of American Illustration. The work of Philadelphia artists Elizabeth Shippen Green, Violet Oakley, and Jessie Willcox Smith—known as the Red Rose Girls—had far-reaching impacts on society during this period as it circulated through print publications and public spaces.  The trio, joined by their companion Henrietta Cozens, relocated to the former Red Rose Inn in Villanova in 1902. The women embraced an alternative lifestyle: they achieved artistic and financial success, lived communally, developed intimate relationships, and vowed never to marry. The artworks and archival materials presented in Life As It Could Be offer a fresh view into the Red Rose Girls’ visionary approaches to art and life, which both illustrated and subverted the conventions of Victorian womanhood. 

Curated by Ilyssa Abbott, Joseph Blaney, Dan Brought, Kyle Chipman, Weronika Grajdura, Caitlyn Graulau, Deanna Hagman, Amanda Laule, James Lingman, Anthony McDonnell, Riley Nelson, Alex Shehigian, Isaac Smith, Soumya Swain, and Kelly White (students in Curatorial Practice graduate seminar, Department of History) and Dr. Leah Pires (Assistant Professor of Art History).

Opening Night: April 3 | Speaker's Series: April 6 | Drinks with the Dramaturg: April 11

RUN TIME: 2 1/2 hours, one intermission

All Performances at 8 pm except Sunday matinees at 2 pm. 

Venture into the woods alongside fantastical figures from the world’s most beloved fairy tales in this timeless Tony Award-winning musical. Featuring unforgettable songs like “Children Will Listen,” “It Takes Two,” and “No One is Alone,” this spell-binding story delightfully upends the traditional trope of “happily ever after,” charming audiences at every twist and turn.

"Into the Woods" runs from April 3 - April 13 in the Topper Theatre.

Reserve your tickets today.

Hosting an event this spring? With several private and semi-private event space options, The Refectory is an ideal venue for celebrating special occasions of all kinds.

For more information, reservations and menus, please visit The Refectory.  

The Friends of Villanova program is offered by Villanova University to our neighbors in Radnor Township and select neighborhoods in Lower Merion Township that are contiguous to our main campus.

Residents of Radnor and select areas of Lower Merion may, for an annual fee of $60, access University facilities such as the Fitness Center at the Davis Center and the Pavilion Pool, on a limited recreational basis. 

Please visit villanova.edu/fovmembership to complete a membership application. Please allow 3-5 business days for staff to complete the review and verification process. Once the process is complete, you will be notified of your status via email. 

Davis Center

Spring Semester Hours of Operation

Monday-Thursday:  7:00AM -11:00AM & 8:00PM - 12:00PM

Friday: 7:00AM - 11:00AM

Saturday: 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Sunday: 10:00AM - 12:00AM

Pavilion Pool

Spring Recreational Swim Hours

Monday 9:00AM - 12:45PM

Tuesday 8:00AM - 1:00PM

Wednesday 9:00AM - 12:45PM

Thursday 8:00AM - 1:00PM

Friday 9:00AM -12:45PM

Please note that there will be no Rec Swim on the following dates, and that these dates may be updated throughout the semester:

4/18/2025, 4/20/2025: Good Friday and Easter Monday

Wildcard Office Hours

Monday - Friday: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Please follow www.facebook.com/NovaNeighbors for program updates and hours of operation. 

New Applications and Renewals

All new applications and membership renewals must be initiated online at www.villanova.edu/fovmembership.  

All approved members must complete the membership process at the Wildcard Office in person. Wildcards may only be issued to the verified member to whom it is assigned. 

Please email neighbors@villanova.edu with questions. 

Coming to campus? Know where to go using our Campus Map. Wondering what's happening on campus? Check our guide to noteworthy events to stay up-to-date. 

Please note that the use of recreational e-scooters and related motorized personal transportation devices on campus, including self-balancing one- or two-wheeled boards and motorized skateboards, is prohibited on campus. Electric mobility aids are exempted from this policy. 

The University's Off-Campus Living website contains pertinent information for students and community members about living in the community. The website also allows neighbors to submit an issue or concern directly through the website. Visit the Off-Campus Living website for more information. And be sure to check out our Villanova University Neighbor Updates Facebook Page! 

Contact Information

Hally Ammons, Assistant Director

Government & Community Relations

Phone: 610-519-7455

Email: hally.ammons@villanova.edu

800 E. Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085