The exterior of Villanova’s Connelly Center now features a vibrant new mural. On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the University unveiled the painting dedicated to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Villanova has partnered with the Global Philadelphia Association, a nonprofit that promotes Philadelphia as a global city through fostering international dialogue and awareness. The organization has developed a multi-faceted initiative centered on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which Global Philadelphia’s website describes as the intersection of “the interpretive power of art, the knowledge and resources of our local academic communities, the strong will of corporate and individual sponsors and more.”
Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines a collective framework aimed at achieving peace and prosperity for both people and the planet, now and in the future. Central to this agenda are the 17 SDGs, which serve as an urgent call for global action, for both developed and developing countries to collaborate in addressing these pressing challenges.
Villanova has consistently prioritized integrating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals into its decision-making processes, along with an additional goal: SDG 18: Sustainability in Academics. These efforts are outlined in the University Sustainability Plan, which is available on Villanova’s website. They address the challenge presented in SDG 12 with a 2030 objective of achieving zero waste by promoting awareness of circular procurement and operational models, a goal that represents 5% of the Sustainability Plan’s overall objectives.
Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, University President, reaffirmed Villanova’s dedication to sustainability.
“We continually assess our sustainability practices, promoting environmental ethos, and work to ensure that our community members understand the impact of our daily choices on the world and, more importantly, on future generations,” Fr. Peter said. “We remain committed to taking measurable actions under the guidance of Laudato Si’, its action platform, to achieve an ethos of sustainable living in every aspect of our campus life: academics, research, operations, student life, social justice, earth and well-being. I am immensely proud of what has been accomplished so far at Villanova, but as we all know, there is much work to be done. This is why I’m so pleased to be partnering with Global Philadelphia on this mural to promote a commitment to sustainability and global leadership.”
Global Philadelphia aims to raise awareness about global stewardship by installing 17 murals, each representative of a different SDG, across the greater Philadelphia region. Villanova was fortunate to have one of these murals placed on campus. It will remain here until 2026, after which it will be relocated to center city Philadelphia, joining the other 16 murals in a permanent display.
The mural was envisioned and created by Maggie Hobson-Baker, MFA, a Villanova faculty member in the Department of Communication. She repeatedly emphasized that public art belongs to the community and to everyone who has the opportunity to experience it, “invit[ing] the viewer to interpret what [they] see and even take action.”
Hobson-Baker shared her vision for the mural, highlighting its intended message of unity and shared responsibility.
“My goal here was to symbolize our interconnectedness to one another as well as to the Earth, our shared planet,” she said. “With the placement of the Earth as the central focal point surrounded by sky, my goal was to point to the role our actions take, not only in our local communities, but how our actions affect our global community. The globe serves as a reminder that we share the planet with humans across culture and geography.”
The unveiling ceremony was highlighted by remarks from Fr. Peter; Zabeth Teelucksingh, President of the Global Philadelphia Association; Rev. Kevin DePrinzio, OSA, PhD, Vice President for Mission and Ministry; Sarah Petrus, Chemical Engineering ’25 and Student Sustainability Committee Secretary; Elaine Paul Schaefer, Member of Delaware County Council; Rob McNeill, Global Philadelphia Association Board Chair; and Eli Wenger of Martha’s Choice Marketplace & Community Farm.
Seventeen students had the opportunity to participate in the unveiling, each representing a different SDG with a placard. As they stood in front of the mural, they held up their signs in unison, illustrating how collective effort is key to achieving each goal.
Each mural is accompanied by a grant awarded to a related community organization. The grant for SDG 12 was given to Martha’s Choice Marketplace and Community Farm, a Catholic Social Services program that provides locally sourced, healthy groceries to low-income residents of Montgomery County. The funding will support the pantry’s efforts to distribute over two million pounds of food each year to more than 15,000 individuals, furthering the goal of sustainable consumption while addressing local food insecurity.
Careful planning was essential in making the mural a reality.
Kim Cahill, Director of the Moran Center for Global Leadership, spearheaded the effort to bring this mural to campus, coordinating donations and organizing the event. She emphasized the importance of having a mural like this at Villanova.
“Not only has it increased visibility internally for our campus, to learn about ‘Hey what does this mean?’ or ‘Let me investigate further,’” Cahill said. “But it also helps increase our visibility externally and demonstrates that we’ve made a commitment to sustainable practices on campus.”
This opportunity was made possible through the generosity of donors, each contributing $2,500. Donors include: the Moran Center for Global Leadership, the Office for Sustainability, International and Interdisciplinary Initiatives, the College of Professional Studies, the Center for Common Good, the Center for Global Health and the Center for Humanitarian Engineering & International Development. Their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility does not go unnoticed.
The SDG 12 mural stands as a vibrant testament to Villanova’s commitment to sustainability and global responsibility.
