FAITH AND LEARNING MENTORS
The Center for Faith & Learning welcomes faculty of all faiths and from all VU colleges who are interested in exploring the intersection of one's faith journey (wherever you are) and intentional intellectual insight. 2 evenings a semester, dialogue with student scholars and faculty mentors about a pre-assigned reading.
The Center for Faith and Learning Program seeks to:
- Provide opportunities for faculty and student conversations concerning the intersection of the life of the mind and the intentional faith journey, rooted in the Augustian tradition of learning through dialogue.
- Welcome all faiths into the program Dialogues
Through the intentional work of these faculty and student Dialogues, the Center for Faith & Learning seeks to prepare the next generation of students to integrate the faith journey and life learning into their emerging adult lives.
Program Design
This is a three-year program. Faculty members who begin their mentoring service in Fall 2021 will finish in Spring 2024, when their Scholars graduate.
The Faith and Learning Scholars Program functions as one large intentional faith community. Together, Mentors and Scholars explore the vocation of the mind and the intersection of faith and learning through the writings of leading academics.
The Center is currently facilitating three communities - a total of 110 Student Scholars and 76 faculty Mentors:
- St. Monica III Group (current seniors)
- St. Thomas of Villanova III community (current juniors)
- St. Augustine IV group (current sophomores)
Each academic year, there are
- Three Program Dialogues for each community
- One Program Dialogue for all members to gather as a community
Mentor Responsibilities
Mentors will:
- Attend four Program Dialogues with their assigned Student Scholar per academic year; each dialogue is a 90-minute commitment
- Be asked to review a provided reading and discuss it with other Mentors and Scholars (view past reading selections)
- Be available (when possible or requested) to Student Scholars
- Assess and evaluate the Scholar program
Current Faculty Mentors
- Gabriele Bauer (VITAL)
- Heather Brom (Nursing)
- Christopher Brown (Physics)
- Francis Burns (Public Admin)
- Sherry Burrell (Nursing)
- John Cacchione (Theology/Rel Studies)
- Paul Camacho (ACS)
- Ian Clausen (Humanities)
- Fr. David Cregan (Theatre)
- Chris Daly (ACS)
- Gail Furman (Nursing)
- Lowell Gustafson (Poli Sci)
- Brisa Hurlocker (Chemistry)
- Evie Lengetti (Nursing)
- Stephanie Linkmeyer (Chemistry)
- Bette Mariani (Nursing)
- Jessica Myers (Chemistry)
- Sarah Reed (Economics)
- Bernard Scianna, OSA (Student Support)
- Patrice Soares (Learning Specialist)
- Helena Tomko (Humanities)
- David Tomlinson (Philosophy)
- Mat Verghese (OMM Liturgy)
- Carey Walsh (Theology/Rel Studies)
- Mary Ann Cantrell (Nursing)
- Fr. Francis Caponi, OSA (Honors Program/Theology)
- Allison Covey (Ethics)
- Aimee Eggler (Chemistry)
- Ken Fleischer (Theology)
- Gregory Grimes (Theology)
- Lowell Gustafson (Political Science)
- Keith Henderson (Geology & the Environment)
- William Horne (ACS)
- Kevin Hughes (Theology)
- Helen Lafferty (Education/Counseling)
- Jeanne Liedtka (Marketing & Law)
- Jean Lutes (English)
- James Mendez (Nursing)
- Manuel Nunez (Management/Operations)
- Mary Ellen O'Donnell (Theology)
- Rena Potok (ACS, English)
- Megan Povelones (Biology)
- Theresa Rissell (Economics)
- Ann Scheve (Nursing)
- Troy Shirangi (Biology)
- Gina Talley (History)
- Thomas Umile (Chemistry)
- Ward Utter (Management/Operations)
- Juanita Weaver (Communications)
- Carol Weingarten (Nursing)
- Teresa Wojcik (Education/Counseling)
- Angelina Arcamone (Nursing)
- Rishtee Batra (Marketing/Business Law)
- Ellen Bonds (English)
- Craig Carpenter (ACS)
- John Cunicelli (Romance Languages)
- Noel Dolan (ACS)
- Audra Goodnight (Ethics)
- Thomas Griffin (Finance/Real Estate)
- Jaisy Joseph (Theology)
- Michelle Kelly (Nursing)
- Deborah King (Nursing)
- Adam Kuczynski (Public Administration)
- Yuanzhi (Lily) Li (Finance/Real Estate)
- Stephen Liedtka (Accountancy)
- Cathy Lovecchio (Nursing)
- Susan Meyers (Nursing)
- Stephen Napier (Philosophy)
- Tracy Oliver (Nursing)
- Betty Patch (CLAS/ACS)
- Jennifer Palenchar (Chemistry)
- Tia Pratt (Sociology)
- Jim Reaves (Church Management/VSB)
- Louise Russo (Biology)
- Dana Saxon (Physics)
- Julia Sheetz (Theology)
- Daniel J. Smith (Nursing)
- Monika Sywak (Finance/Real Estate)
- Cathy Toner (Marketing/Business Law)
- Hector Varela Rios (Theology)
- Stephanie Wong (Theology)
- Jonathan Yates (Theology)