SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Center for Faith and Learning hosts dialogue gatherings at which Student Scholars and Faculty Mentors:
- Promote critical inquiry of faith, the intellect and one's life journey through open dialogue in a supportive community
- Discuss what it means to be engaged in a search for truth and the intellectual life
- Explore ways to balance contemplation and activity
- Consider one’s current and future potential for service to community and society as a whole
- Pursue intellectual and personal growth through acquisition of knowledge and wisdom
Student Scholars and Faculty Mentors attend four Dinner Dialogues per academic year. During each dinner, participants discuss provided texts and how the text relates to one's faith journey and the community.
Upcoming Dinner Dialogue Readings & Leading Questions
2023-2024 Academic Year
- Fall 2023 - Desire and Delight: A New Reading of Augustine’s Confessions by Margaret R. Miles
Leading Questions Fall 2023
From Our Scholars
How have the readings helped you?
"The readings helped me to delve deeper into issues of faith and reason that I had not previously thought about."
"The readings are a great jumping off point for discussing how faith is involved in my everyday life. The most helpful part of the program is realizing how there is always room for faith in the day to day happenings of life."
"The readings help provide insight on topics that are hard to bring up and harder to force yourself to think about. They also help make a starting point for a conversation during dinner."
What is your favorite part of being a Scholar?
- "Getting a chance to discuss faith with people from all different backgrounds."
- "Intergenerational and interreligious dialogue with other members of the Villanova community - a real conversation over good food."
How has the Scholar and Mentor relationship helped you?
"My mentor helped show me how these discussions will remain important in the years beyond graduation and how to keep them a part of my life."
"My mentor has allowed me to gain an understanding of how you can definitely live a principled life regardless of occupation. Honestly, my mentor has been an immense inspiration as a woman committed to her faith and job. Faith is something that appears ever present to her regardless of how busy or overwhelmed she may become."