Dear Faculty and Staff:
Before the semester officially concludes, I wanted to share with you one final update in 2008.
This has been a busy year for Villanova. With all of the questions and concerns brought forth by the economic uncertainty facing our nation and the world, it’s easy to forget that there is a great deal to celebrate throughout our community. This is something that came into sharp focus for me as I prepared my annual address to the University Senate which I delivered earlier this month.
This speech, commonly referred to as the “State of the University Address,” gives me an opportunity to highlight general milestones throughout campus and draw attention to specific accomplishments. It is always refreshing to go through the process of collecting information for this speech each year as it becomes quite clear that our students, faculty, staff and alumni are doing wonderful things every day that advance our institution and support our mission. I invite you to view the speech and see for yourself just a few of the many achievements from 2008 that are worthy of celebration. This speech and other Villanova-related content can be viewed at the University’s site on iTunesU or its YouTube Channel.
I would like to draw your attention to one item of note within that speech that relates to our mission. I am pleased to announce that effective January 1 Dr. Barbara Wall will become Vice President for Mission and Ministry. This new role will unite and oversee the Office of Mission Effectiveness, the Office of Campus Ministry, the Augustinian Institute and the University’s partnership with Catholic Relief Services. This is an important reorganization of programs and ministries that are vital components of Villanova’s Catholic and Augustinian identity – our Caritas. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Wall. She has done a wonderful job as Special Assistant to the President for Mission Effectiveness and I expect she will not miss a beat with this new title and responsibilities.
As we get ready to turn the calendar, I offer my sincere thanks for everything you have done for Villanova in 2008, and for your continued commitment and dedication in 2009 to upholding our educational and Augustinian mission. I wish each of you a Merry Christmas, a joyous Holiday season, and a happy, healthy and safe New Year.
Best regards,
Rev. Peter M. Donahue, OSA, President
