COMMUNITY LETTER

November 2, 2023

Dear Members of the Villanova Community,

In June, I announced that Villanova University and Cabrini University were considering an agreement between our two Catholic institutions. Over the past several months, members of both communities have been completing the necessary due diligence to reach a final agreement.

Today, I am pleased to share that the boards of trustees of Villanova and Cabrini universities, along with the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, have reached a final agreement. In the agreement, Villanova will assume ownership of the Cabrini campus at the conclusion of Cabrini’s 2023-24 academic year, while maintaining the Cabrini name for the campus and preserving Cabrini’s overarching legacy and mission, as well as a number of its many impactful initiatives. Some of these initiatives could include the creation of an institute/center on immigration; incorporating the work of Cabrini’s Wolfington Center into existing Villanova programs; establishing a “Cabrini Scholars” scholarship program in conjunction with the program that currently exists with Cabrini High School in New Orleans, LA; and hosting an annual event focused on women’s leadership, honoring Mother Cabrini. For additional information, please visit our website.

While we plan to use this next year to engage our community to determine the best ways to fully incorporate and utilize the Cabrini campus for the benefit of students, faculty, staff and alumni, the agreement provides an opportunity to enhance our programs and further our commitment to advancing Catholic higher education, while honoring the legacy of Mother Cabrini and Cabrini University. As I have shared previously, this agreement will complement the goals we developed together as a community in our Strategic Plan, Rooted. Restless.

As we seek to enhance our University and our programs, we will always remain true to our Augustinian Catholic traditions. I look forward to continuing to share new details about our progress and plans with the Cabrini campus.

Sincerely,

Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA
President