VUnited is a two-year program at Villanova, in which students with disabilities enhance their academic, social and independent living skills on campus.
Members have started a Unified Sports Club, in which their students can participate in Special Olympics as athletes or coaches, and it has become a crucial part of the program for the Scholars.
“I participate in SpO because I think it’s one of the best weekends of the year at Villanova and the whole community comes together,” junior and Unified Vice President Greg Gorsky said. “It is a great opportunity to get back and I love being around [the VUnited Scholars].”
Unified not only gives members of VUnited and its athletes a chance to be involved in a variety of sports, but to also compete at a high level with others who share a similar passion for athletics.
“I like SpO because it is fun,” freshman James Humphreys said.
He is both a coach and athlete for SpO Powerlifting events this year.
“SpO brings me a big community at Villanova,” sophomore Cooper Roy said. “I am very glad to play again this year.”
Fall Fest is a wonderful opportunity for VUnited Scholars to have a great weekend and make many memories.
Some Scholars have been doing Special Olympics in their hometowns for years before coming to Villanova, and look forward to experiencing Fall Fest as a new and bigger version of those celebrations.
“I have been doing SpO since I was eight years old,” freshman George Conrod said. “I am very honored to be here, and to be on another SpO team outside of [my] town. I like meeting new people and I think it will be a great year and a great season.”
Molly Shawhan, Director of VUnited Scholars, started the Unified Sports Club a few years ago.
“I feel very lucky that Molly started this opportunity,” Roy said. “Getting to know traditional students has helped me with a lot of things.”
“[Unified] has enhanced my VUnited experience very well,” Conrod said. “I do SpO because I like cheering on new teams from all over the State, and it is nice to meet new people, and hopefully those friendships can become more [than just for the weekend].”
Shawhan has seen firsthand the impact of this program on both the Scholars’ lives and on her own.
“The program has been around for five years, before we had the Unified Sports Program,” Shawhan said. “It truly made the program incredibly integrated and inclusive. I played sports in college and I think I cried more and was happier when we won Fall Fest last year than any sports victory I got in my career. It was one of the best days of my life this far. It was incredible to see our students having fun and enjoying and competing at such a high level. Everyone was celebrating and enjoying the weekend and enjoying one another and championing what it looks like to be an inclusive community.”
This inclusive community and chance to compete at the level SpO offers is not taken for granted by the Scholars.
They also have core memories of their victories from previous years, and are looking forward to hopefully having the same success this year.
“I think it is important for Villanova to host Special Olympics because not a lot of people know about our program, and not a lot of people know what we do,” Conrod said. “It is a chance for regular people to meet people that have special needs and different abilities and I think it is great that a college has an experience like this.”
Unified has grown tremendously since it began five years ago, bonding its members and celebrated good times.
After winning Fall Fest at this past year’s event, all involved from athletes to coaches to Shawnan and those working in VUnited’s administration are looking forward to this year’s Fall Fest coming up.
