Although it was a rainy Family Weekend, Wildcat pride was shining throughout campus as families returned to visit with their Villanovans! We loved spending time and reconnecting with so many of you.

As students "fall" back into the rhythm of academic and campus life and are beginning to prepare for midterms and Fall break, I hope you'll find some of the information below helpful. As always, please reach out if you have questions.

Best,
Carita Geib '98, P'26, '28 | Director, Parent and Family Relations
parents@villanova.edu | 610-519-6212

As we approach cold and flu season, a reminder to families that our Student Health Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week when classes are in session. To help prevent the spread of germs this time of year, Villanovans are reminded to:

As an important reminder, the Student Health Center does not provide notes to excuse students from class. When students need to miss class due to illness, they should refer to the Provost’s page regarding Class Attendance and communicate directly with their professors regarding their absence.

Fall Break is quickly approaching! Fall Break housing begins Saturday, Oct. 12 and ends Sunday, Oct. 20 at noon. If your Wildcat plans to stay on campus during that time, please remind them that they must register (using the application available on their Housing Portal under "Housing and Dining Forms") by Friday, Oct. 11 at noon to be approved for Fall Break Housing. Please keep in mind that all dining halls will close at the end of brunch on Saturday, Oct. 12 and will reopen on Sunday, Oct. 20 for brunch.

Prior to leaving for Fall Break, on-campus residents are reminded to remove all trash from their rooms (receptacles are located outside of the residence halls), close and lock all windows and doors and unplug electrical appliances (except the refrigerator and freezer).

Families often ask about transportation to Philadelphia International Airport as breaks approach. Back by popular demand, as a fundraiser, Villanova Special Olympics will partner with the Student Government Association to provide shuttle service from campus to PHL on Thursday, Oct. 10 and on Friday, Oct 11. Details and signups will be available to students in Wildcat Newswire, on Instagram and via digital screens around campus in early October.

Is your student looking for some creative meal ideas in the dining halls? Encourage them to learn more and register for the Office of Health Promotion's interactive workshop to learn easy residence hall-friendly recipes, new meal ideas using everyday dining hall ingredients and tips from the campus dietitian on how to fuel their body this semester.

The Office of Parent and Family Relations hosts a Family Webinar Series focused on timely, informative topics that provide you with a better understanding of opportunities, programs and organizations available to your Villanovan. Our latest recordings are now available for you to view:

Have you seen what the Office of Student Involvement and Campus Activities Team have lined up this Fall? From big-league sporting events and big-name concerts at the Wells Fargo Center, to s'mores breaks, food truck Fridays and weekly Bingo and Quizzo on campus, they've got plenty planned to keep your Wildcat entertained! Remind your student to read Wildcat Newswire and our weekly publication, "This Week on Campus."  They can also follow @villanovaosi on Instagram to stay up-to-date on the fun!

The Villanova Student Government Association, Office of Student Involvement, and Office of Government Relations, along with campus colleagues, are providing a campus coalition to promote voter education, registration and mobilization. Encourage your Wildcat to learn how to check their registration status, request mail-in ballots and find their polling place by visiting the #Let'sVoteNova information page. New this year: Villanova students who register to vote in Pennsylvania with their Villanova campus address may vote at an on-campus polling location at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts.

1842 Day, Villanova's annual day of giving, will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Villanovans, families and friends can make a gift of any size to the area(s) they, or their Wildcats, are especially passionate about! To learn more, visit the 1842 Day page.

Liz Campanella
Director, Office of Education Abroad

I am a CLAS '03 graduate and studied History and Art History with an Honors Concentration. When I returned from my year abroad (a semester in Florence and a second in Rome), I knew that the experience of living and learning in another country had transformed my perspective on what was possible, and I wanted to encourage others to expand their own point of views through international study. After I graduated, I spent a year in an Americorp program, after which I was lucky to be hired at Villanova as a Study Abroad Advisor. I have served as Director of the Office of Education Abroad since 2013. 

Why is education abroad important?
Education Abroad is one of the many experiential opportunities available to Villanova students that can help them develop into successful young adults committed to lifelong learning. As part of our OEA Framework, we've identified five main areas of focus: Academic Discovery, Personal Growth, Cross-Cultural Understanding, Career Exploration, and Social Impact. This framework is used in the pre-departure phase, encouraging students to think about their goals for their study abroad and what they want to accomplish through a study abroad, but we also use the Framework with our returned students, asking them to articulate how their study abroad experience has impacted these areas.  

How can families plan for education abroad?
It is never too early to start planning! We love working with first-year students because we can help them articulate their own goals for study abroad and plot out their academic requirements so that study abroad is feasible and will keep them on track towards graduation. This early planning is especially important for our STEM students. Families should be prepared to let their student do the majority of the work in planning for a study abroad; ultimately, they are the ones who will be traveling and living abroad, so we want to foster independence and ownership of their experience in the planning phase. But of course, students may need help and guidance throughout the planning process, so we ask our families to partner with us in supporting our students through their journey. It's important to note that at Villanova, students don't just "sign up" for study abroad; they engage in a (sometimes) lengthy process of meeting with advisors, seeking various approvals and applying for programs. 

What are the three most important things a student should consider when trying to select a program of study?
1. Don't focus exclusively on location. Focus on how the different locations can help you meet your goals and interests. One of the most common questions we hear is: "What's the most popular program?" I always want to emphasize that what might be the best program for someone else, might not be the best fit for you. We focus our advising on the individual needs and goals of each student, so we do encourage students to think about what will work best for them, keeping the OEA Framework in mind as they weigh different opportunities.

2. Be flexible and keep an open mind. The best program for you might be in a location where you never thought of studying! Being open to new ideas and opportunities is all part of the study abroad experience, so encouraging that mindset through the program selection process is key.

3. There is no "perfect program," and ultimately, you are responsible for your own experience. When looking at multiple options, I encourage students to make a list of the features that are important to them, then use those features to weigh the pros and cons of each opportunity. Maybe they want to be in a big city, but the trade-off there might be that they will have to commute to class, and a smaller city might be better so they can walk everywhere. There are so many different things to consider, and we try to help walk students through those variables. Even with all of this in mind, every location and program will have its own pros and cons, and it all becomes real once they are actually living and studying abroad. There are ups and downs of any intense experience like studying abroad, so we ask your support in helping our students navigate those challenges and encouraging them to reach out for support when they need it—from our fabulous on-site partners or our Villanova team members back on campus.

Villanova University Office of Parent and Family Relations

Phone: 610-519-6212

Email: parents@villanova.edu