Villanova’s campus can’t help but notice many students driving BMWs, wearing clothing from Armani Exchange, carrying Coach and Louis Vuitton hand bags. They can be sighted walking through campus wearing jewelry from Tiffany’s and carrying the latest cell phone.

What does it all boil down to?

Villanova students are by and large an affluent group. However, Villanova students aren’t all Grinches during this holiday season. It’s often easy to criticize students and overlook the abundant generosity on campus.

Organizations such as Up ’til Dawn, Special Olympics and Greek Life all raise money or provide other means of support for the underprivileged. Up ’til dawn raised over $100 thousand last year for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Not only is that an accomplishment, but it distinguished Villanova University as the top Catholic fundraising institution, according to Villanova’s public relations website.

Special Olympics at Villanova hosted the Pennsylvania games for 15 years. Annually, the organization provides over 1,000 athletes the chance to compete and have fun. The Special Olympics program hosted by Villanova is the largest student-run competition in the United States, according to the Villanova Special Olympics website.

Greek life, often the target of criticism, also does its part to help the underprivileged. Sororities on campus raise money for programs like the Make-a-Wish foundation, an organization that helps children with terminal illnesses. Another sorority raises money on campus for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization that has been helping women deal with breast cancer for 20 years, having raised $600 million through its lifetime.

The Campus Ministry department sponsors Habitat for Humanity trips as an alternative to expensive and lavish vacations to Cancun and the Cayman Islands. On these trips, students visit depressed areas in the United States and travel abroad to build and repair homes for the working poor. In addition to Habitat for Humanity, the Campus Ministry department also organizes mission trips where students build and repair homes, tutor children and visit the elderly and sick.

With over 30 million people in America living in poverty, more can always be done, especially considering the resources and opportunities that exist at our school. However, it is apparent that people at the school are working hard to make the lives of those who are less fortunate better. Keep up the good work, Villanova.