Villanova University Names 2023 Opus Prize Jurors
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova University has invited 11 distinguished jurors to select the three finalists for the 2023 Opus Prize, an annual faith-based humanitarian award—whose $1 million award and two $100,000 prizes make up one of the world's largest faith-based awards for social entrepreneurship. The prestigious honor recognizes individuals who champion faith-filled change and are working to solve the world’s most persistent social issues.
Members of Villanova’s Opus Prize jury include leaders from the Greater Philadelphia arts, business, non-profit, faith and civic communities, and have the important responsibility of reviewing and evaluating nominations based on the Opus Prize values and principles, which will be centered around the theme of “Awakening Restless Hearts.”
“I am grateful that such an esteemed group of individuals accepted our invitation to serve as jurors for the 2023 Opus Prize,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, and chair of the Opus Prize jury. “I look forward to working with my fellow jurors on the critically important task of selecting the finalists to receive these transformative awards.”
2023 Opus Prize Jurors
- Madeline Bell '83 FCN, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Fr. Kevin DePrinzio, OSA, Vice President for Mission and Ministry at Villanova University
- Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, '75 CLAS, President of Villanova University, CHAIR
- Chris Gheysens '93 VSB, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wawa, Inc.
- Jane Golden, Founder and Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia
- Rev. Jim Greenfield, OSFS, President of DeSales University
- Joseph Lenz, Senior Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross
- Crystal Lucky, PhD, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Professor of English at Villanova University
- Cathy Nguyen, Villanova Class of 2023
- Michael Nutter, Former Mayor of Philadelphia
- Sister Mary Scullion, RSM, Activist and Co-Founder of Project HOME
Each year, the Opus Foundation partners with a Catholic university to oversee the process of identifying nominees, selecting finalists, participating in due-diligence site visits, planning the awards week on campus, and most importantly, inspiring others to ignite change in their respective work and organizations.
The jury will review nominations submitted to the University through a confidential process, which will culminate with finalists being awarded during a ceremony on campus on November 9, 2023. For more information, please visit the Villanova University Opus Prize website (www.villanova.edu/university/opus-prize).
About The Opus Prize Foundation: The Opus Prize Foundation is a private and independent nonprofit foundation. Established in 1994 by the founding chairman of earlier Opus Companies, the Opus Prize Foundation is a self-sufficient foundation independent from The Opus Group. The foundation selects universities as partners to organize and execute the Opus Prize selection process and award ceremony. Through these partnerships, students are challenged to think globally and inspired to live lives of service.
About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.