2021 News
Student Spotlight: Daniel Duffy ’22 Motivated to Reach His Goals
When Daniel Duffy graduates from the College of Professional Studies this upcoming May, he’ll be doing so after an inspired bout of determination. The Newtown Square, PA native will be finishing his bachelor’s degree in the Organizational Development and Management (ODM) program just three years after beginning his coursework.
Student Spotlight: Ronell Smith '21 is Creating Change Through Education
Ronell Smith is on the precipice of earning her degree, a journey that has been years in the making. Her foray into higher education started 27 years ago in community college and will conclude at the end of this fall’s semester, exactly where she always planned on completing her bachelor's degree.
Student Spotlight: Michael DiMaio '23 is a Veteran Dedicated to Serving Others
For some adult college students, going back to school is driven by career interests. For others, it becomes a life changing experience. Michael DiMaio epitomizes the second group. DiMaio is a veteran who overcame a variety of obstacles before finding his way to the College of Professional Studies at Villanova University. Now he is on track to graduate in May of 2023, poised to take new steps in his career, continue to operate a non-profit organization he founded, and capitalize on a new outlook on life.
Student Spotlight: Robert Brickhouse '22 Shows That Persistence is Instrumental
When Robert Brickhouse first came to Villanova as a teenager in 1992, he never would have guessed that he’d still be working toward his degree 20 years later. When the realities of life got in the way, Robert had to step back from his education, but has remained determined to earn his degree and is on track to do so next May.
IN THE NEWS | 6 Skills You Need to Boost Your HR Career
These days, human resources professionals wear many different hats. HR professionals are a business’ GPS, guiding them down the right path to success and ensuring they follow directions to the letter. To educate well rounded and strategic HR professionals, Villanova University's College of Professional Studies created a new undergraduate major designed for adult students in Human Resource Management within CPS’ Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.
IN THE NEWS | How a law prof is training paraprofessionals to represent immigrants in legal proceedings
Villanova law professor Michele Pistone discusses the creation and components of the VIISTA program, the diverse backgrounds of students it has attracted so far, and the types of work that the program's initial graduates are undertaking.
College of Professional Studies Honors Recipients of the Paralegal Program’s Distinguished Student Award
At the end of the spring semester, the Paralegal Professional certificate program within Villanova’s College of Professional Studies awarded two of its outstanding participants with the Paralegal Distinguished Student Award.
IN THE NEWS | Meet VIISTA: The Program Training Non-Lawyers to Represent Migrants in Court
Ms. Magazine: Six out of every 10 migrants appear in immigration court without a lawyer, yet are 12 times more likely to be granted relief when they have representation. Villanova law professor Michele Pistone is meeting this need—and revolutionizing the immigration legal system—with her program that trains non-lawyers to represent migrants in court.
Father David Cregan, OSA, PhD named Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Strategic Initiatives for the College of Professional Studies
Father David Cregan, OSA, PhD named Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Strategic Initiatives for the College of Professional Studies
CPS Awards Medallion of Academic Excellence to Three Extraordinary Students
On Tuesday, May 5, during the College of Professional Studies’ Annual Awards and Graduate Recognition Event, three of the college’s highest achieving students were honored with the 2021 Medallion of Academic Excellence. Brittni Jones, Erica Howard, and Robert Lyons were each awarded for their exemplary performance in their pursuit of their Bachelor’s degrees.
From a Fishing App to Million Dollar Philanthropy Efforts, Ryan Oakley ’21 CPS Seeks to Change the World
Ryan Oakley ’21 CPS is the type of person you speak to, even for a short time, and you can just feel his passion to change the world. In small ways, in big ways, in all the ways. A May 2021 graduate with a bachelor of interdisciplinary studies in organizational development and management, Ryan now has the educational foundation, the skills and the network to fuel his passions. An excellent student, Ryan was named the student speaker at this year’s CPS Annual Awards Dinner, which recognized and honored him and all of his fellow graduates.
IN THE NEWS | COVID-19's impact on women's representation in the workplace
Over the past several decades, women have made significant progress in academic achievements as well as their representation in the paid workforce. Sadly, the global COVID-19 pandemic has had a major negative impact on all the progress that had been made and we saw women leave the workforce in staggering numbers. What it demonstrated was that there were still significant cracks in the system. The Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership at Villanova University was founded just over three years ago with a mission to promote gender equity and advance women in leadership roles through research and scholarship.
IN THE NEWS | Villanova University’s summer online Pre-College Academy gives high school students an edge
The summer months are coming quickly, and many parents are looking for activities for their high school student that are both enjoyable and educational. For the second year, Villanova is running a Pre-College Summer Academy for high school students – who are over the age of 13 (typically rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders) who will be applying to college in the next couple of years. Offered 100% online to students across the country, the program is made up of two, one-week sessions. Students can choose to take a course in each session or only attend one of the sessions. Within each session, there are two exciting courses to choose from that are created and taught by dynamic Villanova faculty.
IN THE NEWS | New Villanova University certificate equips educators with the latest online Learning Design and Technology skills
As Albert Einstein said, “In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.” The global COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been the crisis of many of our lifetimes, but it has shed light on an area of great opportunity in the online learning and technology landscape. Villanova University’s new fully online certificate in Learning Design and Technology is a non-credit program created by two professionals at Villanova with over 30 years of combined experience in the field of instructional design and technology — Andy-Guoqiang Cui, Ph.D., associate director for eLearning Pedagogy and Ankit Desai, MS, director of Learning Technologies.
Summer Session 2021
The summer of 2021 will be full of new beginnings and new pursuits. As our lives re-emerge from social distancing, many will seek fresh ideas or commit to learning new skills. Villanova University’s wide offering of Summer Session courses includes a diverse array of opportunities for all types of learners.
Student Veterans Find Community at Villanova University
When Chad Allen was preparing for his transition from the Marine Corps, he saw a recurring theme among job listings: degree needed. Allen, who served in the Marines for 11 years, is among nearly 200,000 veterans that exit the military annually, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA ranks entering the workforce as a leading challenge for service members who are making the move to civilian life. And it is what led Allen to explore education opportunities long after he last sat in a classroom.