On Friday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, Feb. 14, Villanova’s admissions office and its tour guide organization, Blue Key, held the Admitted Students Day (ASD) weekend for Early Action and Early Decision students. Especially as the spotlight on Villanova continues to grow, it is more important than ever that Villanova remains intentional and authentic about how it presents itself to potential students. This year’s ASD did just that.
Following a series of sessions specific to the four academic colleges, University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. addressed the admitted students and their families in the Finneran Pavilion. A key theme throughout his remarks was the idea of promoting inclusion and empathy as a means of honoring Villanova’s Augustinian roots. He explained that as Villanova was founded on a desire to educate the disadvantaged and under-resourced, it is our duty as a community to continue that legacy. This sentiment was echoed by a series of student speakers who worked with the Admissions Office and Blue Key to highlight what makes the campus culture so unique. Undergraduate students emphasized the role that community-oriented events such as the Special Olympics’ Fall Festival and the NOVADance fundraiser play in shaping an ethos of compassion.
Corey McCall, a junior who serves on Blue Key’s executive board as the Inclusion Coordinator, shared his thoughts on this year’s ASD.
“What made ASD unique this year was the start of a new tradition,” McCall said. “I worked closely with the Inclusion Committee and my chairs to create the first Multicultural Fair, which was held in Jake Nevin. Watching it all come to life and seeing prospective families come talk to the students at the fair truly warmed my heart.”
After all, highlighting the aspects of life at Villanova that define student experience helps those considering Villanova understand what it is really like. What makes Villanova a special place, in many instances, is not simply the headlines. Instead, it’s the little moments in which Villanovans demonstrate their passions and their care for the community. Taking the extra few seconds to hold the door for someone else, signing up to table for an organization, and simply making the effort show up for others are the simple, everyday instances that shape Villanova’s culture into what we know it to be.
