As finals approach, and the campus settles into the winter season, the semester is officially finally winding down. The past 15 weeks have delivered no shortage of news. From Orientation to service opportunities, a new basketball season, guest lectures and new beginnings, Villanovans have stayed busy both on campus and throughout the community.

The school year officially kicked off in August, when the Orientation Program welcomed the class of 2029 and transfer students to campus. 

During the annual Orientation program, Villanova became the victim of two hoax active shooter calls, one of which occurred during the Welcome Mass for new students and their families. These scares rattled the campus community. 

“There was no active shooter, no injuries and no evidence of firearms present on campus,” a statement sent by University President Rev. Peter M. Donahue, O.S.A., Ph.D. read. “While that is a blessing and relief, I know today’s events have shaken our entire community.” 

Following Orientation events, the academic year got underway. From the halls of Bartley to the labs in Drosdick, students had the opportunity to engage in new classes and uncover new academic passions. 

“So, my academic experience this semester has been like no other,” senior Luciana Wolcott said. “As a comprehensive science major, a lot of my classes overlapped this semester and were all related to sustainable developments which was really nice to see all the connections across different classes and professors.” 

On Saturday, Sept. 20, students and community members gathered to partake in the 20th annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service. Throughout the day, participants traveled to service sites across the greater Philadelphia area to engage with their groups and give back to a variety of causes. 

“This year I got to go to Willows Park Reserve for Day of Service where we planted trees for the organization,” senior Delia Ciamei said. “I was so happy that I was able to spread the mission of giving back to the community and go with my orientation group.” 

This semester, families and alumni returned to campus to attend Family Weekend and Alumni Weekend. The annual tailgates and football games ignited school spirit and celebrations for students to enjoy. 

“Family Weekend is like a blending of worlds in the best way possible,” senior Lindley Day said. “At Villanova, there are so many different fun events to show my family around to and I get to introduce them to all my amazing friends, too.” 

During Family Weekend in September, Father Peter hosted his annual “University Welcome” which addressed the future of Villanova’s campus expansion and how it will impact students in the upcoming years. 

Father Peter provided insight into how the opening of the Villanova Cabrini Campus next August and the upcoming merge with Rosemont College will affect class size numbers. 

“​​We’re going to take 250 additional students every year for the next four years,” Father Peter said. “So the undergraduate population will grow to 8,000.”

As students began to look ahead and make housing plans for next year, Father Peter’s address also explained how rising sophomores will have the opportunity to live at the Cabrini Campus next year. 

“Cabrini will be a lovely place to live,” Father Peter said. “It’s [going to] be 900 sophomores over there, and then the other 900 will be in the Quad.” 

Although this semester saw lots of activity on campus, many Villanova students participated in study abroad programs across the globe. 

Some of these students and faculty members  even had the opportunity to meet and engage with Villanova’s most famous alumnus, Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican. 

“Meeting Pope Leo XIV was an unforgettable experience for all of us Villanovans interning and studying abroad in Rome,” junior Viola Lake said. “He made us feel seen and connected to Villanova’s values, even thousands of miles away from campus.” 

From Nov. 7-9, Villanova hosted the world’s largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world. Student volunteers welcomed more than 1,200 Special Olympics PA athletes, coaches and Unified partners to a weekend of athletic competitions and spreading the mission of inclusion. 

“Watching the weekend unfold was nothing short of incredible, especially after witnessing the nine months of hard work and dedication from all 113 committee members to make Fall Fest 2025 a success,” sophomore Tori Phillips said. 

In the midst of their academic studies and extracurricular involvement, Villanovans also found time to partake in social justice projects, engage politically during the 2025 elections and participate in faith-based programs. 

As the semester comes to a close and students look forward to the spring, the moments of the past few months will continue to shape the campus community.