Philadelphia sports fans will gather downtown on Friday to celebrate the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory with a citywide parade. However, Villanova has made no announcement regarding Friday’s class schedule.
Temple University announced that all campuses would be closed Friday in a message to students sent on Tuesday. The University’s president, John Fry, cited public transportation challenges for students as one of the primary reasons for the cancellation. The Community College of Philadelphia also canceled classes “in honor of the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade.” The University of Pennsylvania students began a petition to close the University, but no official announcement has been made.
“Villanova tells incoming students that we’re ‘a Philly school,’” senior Isabella Ledet said. “I don’t think we can actually claim to be a Philly school if we don’t have the day off when Philly wins the Super Bowl.”
The parade is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. outside Lincoln Financial Field. The city announced that the ceremonial speeches will begin at 2 p.m. and the program will conclude by 3 p.m. These times would conflict with students’ academic schedules as the majority of classes are held between 8:30 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. on Fridays. It is likely that many students will skip their classes on Friday to attend the Eagles Parade instead.
“I understand that classes can come first, but it would be nice if Villanova acknowledged how important the Super Bowl win and parade is for so many Eagles fans,” senior Gabby Davignon said. “A day from class for the parade would be the right thing to do and a nice gesture.”
Villanova did not cancel classes on the day of the 2018 Eagles Super Bowl Parade. University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University, the University of the Arts and Philadelphia public schools suspended operations for the celebration.
However, two months later, the Villanova Wildcats were named National Champions in the NCAA Tournament. The University closed the day after the victory and the day of the NCAA Championship Parade held in downtown Philadelphia for students to attend.
“Experiencing a Super Bowl parade, especially with one of the most passionate fan bases in sports, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will create unforgettable memories for students,” junior Emily Daiuto said. “And let’s face it, it’s not likely we will be getting a day off for our men’s basketball team anytime soon, so we might as well get something to celebrate.”
Despite the Eagles parade, Villanova’s campus will be busy on Friday as an estimated 1,000 prospective students are scheduled to visit for Blue Key’s Admitted Students Weekend. Student-led tours for this event will begin Friday morning and run through the early evening.
The University has yet to address the Eagles victory or Friday classes with the student body. All operations remain normal.
