As our academic year winds down, now is the perfect time to visit campus for sporting events, performances, gallery exhibits, or a stroll! 

We are also excited to celebrate our Class of 2025 next month with Commencement ceremonies and activities for graduates and their families. Please read on for important updates about Villanova's 2025 Commencement. 

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

We hope to see you on campus this spring. 

What's Next for the Catholic Church After the Death of Pope Francis        

NPR

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Villanova University theology professor Massimo Faggioli about the future direction of the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis.

How Is a New Pope Chosen? ‘Conclave’ Offers a Glimpse Inside the Process.

The New York Times (subscription may be required to view)

While it is hard to say exactly what goes on within the confines of the conclave, electing a pope is like electing a head of state, said Massimo Faggioli, a professor of history at Villanova University ... “This time, I think it’s an open conclave, meaning that there’s no natural successor, or not a cardinal who is clearly the favorite,” Dr. Faggioli said.

‘You Don’t Quit,’ says Runner Who Crawled Across Boston Marathon Finish Line

The Boston Globe (subscription may be required to view)

It was not a picture-perfect race for 20-year-old Villanova student Matt Nawn, of Pennsylvania, who collapsed during the Boston Marathon with just a few feet remaining on Boylston. But he persisted anyway, crawling on his hands and knees with considerable effort to cross the finish line without help. “You don’t quit. You keep going. That’s how I’ve always been in life,” Nawn said.

This Former NFL Executive is Teaching Villanova Students How to Be the Next Howie Roseman        

The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription may be required to view)

Andrew Brandt has been an agent and front office executive. Since 2012 he’s led Villanova’s sports law program, preparing students in everything from salary-cap management to NIL.

Villanova University is excited to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 with commencement ceremonies on May 16^th and May 17^th. 

We are thrilled to welcome graduates and their families to campus for this special occasion. Please note that commencement-related activities for students will begin Monday, May 12^th. Commencement ceremonies and related events are only for students and their guests and not open to the public. 

Please be advised that pedestrian and vehicle traffic may be heavy around campus throughout the week, and will peak on Friday, May 16^th and Saturday, May 17^th. 

For more information on Commencement for the Class of 2025 and a full schedule of events, please visit villanova.edu/commencement. 

Join us for Big East Lacrosse excitement as Villanova hosts the 2025 Big East Women's Lacrosse Championship on Thursday, May 1^st, and Saturday, May 3^rd. Games will be played in Villanova Stadium.

The semifinal games will take place on Thursday, May 1st at 1PM. and 4PM. ET, while the title game will take place Saturday, May 3rd at 6PM. The semifinal games will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network, available on FloSports and presented by Invesco QQQ, while the championship game will be aired on FS2. 

Tickets for the 2025 BIG EAST Women's Lacrosse Championship presented by JEEP are now available for purchase. 

General admission to the event for a single session is $20 for adults and $10 for youth. A group discount is available for groups of 20 or more at $10 a person. BIG EAST students can get in for free with a valid student ID. 

We hope to see you there! Go 'Cats!

Villanova is excited to host the 2025 Big East Softball Championship from May 7^th  - May 10^th at the Softball Complex. 

We invite our neighbors to join us to cheer on our defending champion Wildcats team as they take on their Big East rivals, beginning May 7^th. Tickets for the championship tournament are available now. 

Please note that pedestrian and vehicle traffic may be increased in the area around the Softball Complex during the tournament. Temporary field lights may be illuminated to ensure athlete visibility during evening games. 

Please reach out to neighbors@villanova.edu with questions. Go 'Cats!

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 is closed due to ongoing construction and maintenance activities. For our neighbors' safety, we ask that neighbors refrain from walking or driving 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).

Join us for a full slate of performances and concerts this spring at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts. 

Tickets are available now for all spring shows. Please contact the Mullen Center Box Office at 610-519-7474 or mullenboxoffice@villanova.edu with questions. 

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 - Ends on May 2^nd

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

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