In the wake of Michael Gaynor’s tragic passing from Stage 4 urothelial carcinoma in August, University President, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. has announced that Matthew Harris, formerly Director of Undergraduate Recruitment, will succeed Gaynor as Villanova’s Executive Director of Undergraduate Admission.
Gaynor, a beloved member of the Villanova community and within the world of college admissions, leaves behind an incredible legacy, one Harris will strive to honor every day in the role.
“[Gaynor] did such great work at this University, and we were all so saddened,” Harris said.
Harris, a 2006 undergraduate and 2014 master’s graduate of Villanova, is no stranger to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, having served within the office in some form since 2010. In Harriss new position, he is tasked with overseeing the office, but also new opportunities and expansion on campus.
“As I move into the new role, I am just really excited about the opportunities and the team that we have in our office, that I know we’re ready for this next step,” Harris said. “I think one of the most exciting things on the horizon for Villanova is the introduction of the Cabrini campus, and all the changes and additions that will come from that, and I know the admission will be a huge piece of making sure that works well.”
One of Harris’s main goals within this new position is to continue the great legacy of Gaynor who came before him. Harris shared that he and his team are aiming to honor the legacy of Gaynor, by ensuring the incoming Class of 2029 is as strong academically, socially and spirited as the classes Gaynor brought to Villanova across his 24 years as Director and 42 years in the Villanova community.
“I think one of the great things about Villanova is that as a community we have a sense of humbleness about us,” Harris said. “And I think something Michael taught us is just how open and approachable we should be to everyone that comes through our process. And sometimes, as we see that growth and applications, it can be numbers wis a lot of people but want to remember that it’s individual lives that are going through that process. Remaining available and open to helping and having conversations, and trying to make it as least scary as people, or at least scary as it can be for people who are going through a really tough process, or maybe not tough, going through a really life changing, evolving process.”
Harris and other members of his team spend significant time traveling throughout the world, speaking to and getting to know prospective students and families, in order to bridge that connection and make applying students more comfortable with that application process.
“We really take off right after Labor Day, and we’ll visit over a thousand high schools in September and October to really make those connections truly around the world,” Harris said. “We also attend college fairs, and we’ll present on panels and at various presentations. And [while] we’re able to visit over 1,000 high schools, we had students apply from over 5,000. And so there’s others that we will reach by phone and Zoom and email for places where we maybe aren’t able to physically get to as well, either. But that’s a big piece of trying to bring that Villanova feeling and conversation to people who maybe can’t bring themselves to campus.”
With the news of Villanova’s plans for the recently acquired Cabrini campus likely to be announced imminently, it seems likely that Villanova will be admitting larger classes beginning as soon as with the Class of 2029. Despite that, Harris remains passionate about ensuring Villanova continues to bring in students of high morals and good character and the best incoming class to Villanova for the fall of 2025.
“We’re anticipating, since we’ll have more space, that we will likely be bringing in a larger class,” Harris said. “We want to make sure that as we do that we’re not losing the character of Villanova in terms of the type of students. That is the type of students who are really committed to Villanova, and committed to our mission, and are intellectually strong and ready to come and be successful on campus.”
