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Villanova University Awards Mendel Medal to Esteemed Nurse, Dr. Betty Ferrell

Villanova University has named Betty Ferrell, PhD, RN, MA, FAAN, FPCN, CHPN, Director and Professor of Nursing Research and Education at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, Calif., as the 53^rd recipient of the Mendel Medal. Dr. Ferrell will present the Mendel Medal lecture, titled “Spiritual Care as an Essential Domain of Quality Patient Care,” on Friday, November 17, in the Villanova Room located in the University’s Connelly Center.

Villanova University Celebrates 18th Annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service

Villanova University celebrated the 18th annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service on Saturday, September 30, with more than 4,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the University serving alongside local organizations and neighborhood agencies. Villanovans served at more than 100 service sites throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, along with hundreds of alumni at sites across the United States.

Villanova Engineers Awarded Patent for Low-Cost NovaVent Mechanical Ventilator

Villanova University professors of Mechanical Engineering C. Nataraj, PhD, Alfonso Ortega, PhD and Garrett Clayton, PhD, along with Chris Townend, facilities manager for the College of Engineering, have been awarded a patent for the development of a novel type of mechanical ventilator. Initially manufactured as an emergency alternative during the COVID-19 pandemic, this machine, called NovaVent, will now serve as high-efficiency, low-cost devices suitable for mitigating the global need for medical equipment.

World Youth Day 2023: With Truth, Unity and Love

In early August, Villanova University, along with its sister school, Merrimack College in Massachusetts, sent a contingent to experience World Youth Day 2023 together as the only two Augustinian Catholic Institutions in the country. Villanova’s group was led by the Rev. Kevin M. DePrinzio, OSA, PhD., vice president for Mission and Ministry and Abigail Gorman, assistant director for Service Immersion Programs at the St. Thomas of Villanova Center for the Common Good. Three students – Emmaline Lombardo '26 CLAS, Dane Litchfield ’24 MTS and Gina Labricciosa ’26 FCN – made the journey. Merrimack sent nine students, led by the Rev. Daniel Madden, OSA, ’14 MA, a Villanova University alumnus himself.

Villanova University Announces 2023 Opus Prize Finalists

Villanova University and the Opus Prize Foundation are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2023 Opus Prize, an annual faith-based humanitarian award that recognizes social entrepreneurship. Members of the Villanova community led the process to identify the recipient pool for this year’s prize, which will award $1 million for first place and $100,000 to each of the two runners-up. Finalists for the Opus Prize are selected for their work in championing faith-filled change and their efforts to solve the world’s most persistent social issues.

Bishop Robert Francis Prevost OSA, ’77 CLAS, One of 21 New Cardinals Appointed by Pope Francis

Bishop Robert Francis Prevost OSA, ’77 CLAS, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was one of 21 new cardinals announced by Pope Francis on Sunday, July 9 at St. Peter’s Square. He will be formally installed along with the other cardinal-designates on Sept. 30. Bishop Prevost is an alumnus of Villanova University, having earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1977.