Between the consistently sunny weather we've been having in Pennsylvania (it hasn't rained since Family Weekend!) and the refreshed and reset focus the students have brought back to campus following Fall Break, Villanova is at peak levels of energy and beauty! Whether your Wildcat caught up on rest at home, worked, explored a new city or volunteered through one of Villanova's Service and Justice Experiences, it's wonderful to have everyone back.

These next few weeks are busy, as the Special Olympics Fall Festival is just days away, Spring Semester course registration is underway, Dining Services presents a Friendsgiving Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 7 in the student dining halls and the Career Center hosts the Nursing Career Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Families, you'll see below that you're invited to join a professional development webinar series, Nova@Noon, that begins in November.

Happy Halloween!

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

Students planning to live on campus for their upcoming junior or senior years are encouraged to visit their Housing Portals to apply for housing for the 2025-26 academic year. Applications will be open until Friday, Nov. 8. Only students with a signed application will be eligible to participate in the housing selection process. 

Rising juniors are guaranteed on-campus housing for their junior year. 

As students have been made aware, Villanova can only offer on-campus housing to a limited number of seniors. Each rising senior who applies for on-campus housing is entered into a lottery. Students will be notified of their status on Thursday, Nov. 14. If your student is placed on the Housing Waitlist, encourage them to check out our Off-Campus Housing website to learn more about the many properties available in the area for students who live off-campus.

Rising seniors who are selected for on-campus housing and rising juniors will be able to identify roommate groups beginning Thursday, Nov. 14. Meal Plan selection will become available in the Spring semester.

Rising sophomore families: Your Wildcats will learn more about housing for next year during the Spring semester. Their housing application will open in January, and their housing selection will take place in March.

Now in its 36th year, the Special Olympics Fall Festival, held Friday, Nov. 1-Sunday, Nov. 3 on Villanova's campus, gathers thousands of athletes and volunteers for the largest annual student-run Special Olympics event in the world. If you are interested in being part of the weekend, we encourage you to click here to learn how you can support the teams in competition and celebrate victories big and small during Fall Festival. Please remind your students that they can also volunteer by pre-registering or signing up in the volunteer tent on campus throughout the weekend.

Is your Wildcat interested in joining a fraternity? Families are invited to attend the IFC 101 webinar hosted by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. ET to review the recruitment process and understand expectations. Those interested in attending are required to register.

Thanksgiving Break begins for students after their last class on Tuesday, Nov. 26; residence halls will close for the holiday on at noon ET on Wednesday, Nov. 27. If your student will be staying at Villanova over the break, please remind them to complete their housing request application in their housing portal.

The Integrative Care Team is a collaboration between different departments in Health Services to provide holistic care to students struggling with disordered eating. Team members include health care providers from the Student Health Center, psychologists and psychiatrists from the Counseling Center, a Registered Dietitian and an Athletics Liaison, and together, they provide assessment, referrals and ongoing care. If you feel your Villanovan would benefit from this care, encourage them to schedule an initial consultation with a member of the Care Team by completing the online request form found on the University Counseling Center page.

With the 2024 elections next week, #Let'sVoteNova has been working hard to educate our Wildcats about registering to vote (the last day to register in Pennsylvania was October 21) and where they can cast their ballot on Election Day. For on-campus resident students who are registered to vote in Pennsylvania, it’s right here at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts.

Student Life has collaborated with a number of University departments to create an Election Resource website, offering a schedule of events, information about conversation groups and listening circles taking place before and after Election Day. The site also includes details about Villanova’s policies related to election-related activities.

Parents and family members are invited to join Career Management's comprehensive six-part program designed to provide experienced professionals in all industries with valuable insights and education. You may register for select programs or all six.

Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 5, virtual events will take place from noon-1 p.m. ET each month and will focus on today's most essential professional development topics, including the power of personal branding, how to build a meaningful career and transitioning from a traditional career to entrepreneurship. For more information, including a schedule of topics and registration link, please use this event link.

As part of the campus master planning process, Villanova students with a meal plan have been invited to participate in a dining services survey. Their feedback will be instrumental in helping to plan dining options available to the community moving forward. Please encourage your student to look for the email invitation to the survey, which is open through Friday, Nov. 8. Students not on a meal plan may also participate by picking up a survey card at dining hall entrances.

By completing the survey, your student will be eligible to participate in a prize drawing for a chance to win an iPad, AirPods or a Visa gift card.

Mission and Ministry's fourth annual Mother Mary Lange Lecture in Black Catholic Studies will take place on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. ET (in person and livestream attendance is offered). This year's speaker, Kim Harris, PhD, Associate Professor of African American Religious Thought and Practice in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, will deliver the lecture "United States Black Catholics: A Community of Origin for Historic Negro Spirituals." Parents and family members are invited to attend this free lecture; registration (whether in person or online) is required.

Is your Wildcat considering a move to New York City upon graduation? If so, suggest that they register to attend the Moving to NYC online information session on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 5-6 p.m. ET. This event is sponsored by the Villanova University Alumni Association and hosted by Charlie Saunders ’02 CLAS, a Villanova alum and real estate broker operating in the New York City metropolitan area. All students, no matter their class year, as well as parents and family members, are welcome to attend this online event.

Villanova University Office of Parent and Family Relations

Phone: 610-519-6212

Email: parents@villanova.edu