Frequently Asked Questions

Villanova and Cabrini have reached a final agreement for Villanova to assume ownership of the Cabrini campus at the conclusion of Cabrini’s final academic year, while maintaining the Cabrini name for the campus, preserving Cabrini’s overarching legacy and mission, as well as a number of its many impactful initiatives. Villanova will take the next year to ascertain the best way to incorporate and utilize the Cabrini campus for the benefit of students, faculty, staff and alumni. VU plans to honor Cabrini's mission and the work of the Missionary Sisters by continuing to foster what Mother Cabrini advocated—an “Education of the Heart”—which is strongly aligned with Villanova’s own mission.

Villanova will maintain the Cabrini name for the campus, preserving Cabrini’s overarching legacy and mission, as well as a number of its many impactful initiatives, including: the creation of an institute/center on immigration, which will unite aspects of both Cabrini’s and Villanova’s existing immigration and advocacy work; 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.

Villanova will also honor Cabrini’s mission and the work of the Missionary Sisters by continuing to foster what Mother Cabrini advocated—an “Education of the Heart”—by encouraging active engagement, critical thinking, life-long learning and moral reflection, as well as a focus on service leadership to build a just, peaceful, and sustainable world—efforts strongly aligned with Villanova’s own mission. Villanova will provide resources to commemorate, celebrate and document the history and artifacts associated with Mother Cabrini and the Cabrini campus, including honoring Cabrini’s rich athletic history.

As part of the agreement between Villanova and Cabrini, two individuals will be nominated by current Cabrini leadership to serve on the Villanova University Board of Trustees for up to two successive terms of 5 years, including one representative of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The agreement with Cabrini provides an opportunity for Villanova to enrich our programs and further our commitment to advancing Catholic higher education, while honoring the legacy of Mother Cabrini and Cabrini University. Villanova and Cabrini’s shared faith, common values and aligned missions to support and further Catholic education allowed for a strong alignment of two like-minded institutions. As the higher education landscape continues to evolve, Villanova University regularly considers options to enhance our mission, ministry and educational offerings. The Villanova Board of Trustees is confident this is a sound financial investment.

Villanova is financially healthy and is currently rated by Standard and Poor’s as AA- with a stable outlook and by Moody’s Investors Service as Aa3 with a stable outlook. We believe this agreement will be beneficial for the University and its future.

This agreement does not alter the direction of the Strategic Plan. While there are specifics of our budget model moving forward that are still being considered, we continue to make progress on the Strategic Plan and this arrangement enables Villanova to further expand our mission. 

We are not sharing the specifics of the financial arrangement because, while the agreement has been approved by the boards of trustees of both institutions, completion of the transaction is contingent on a number of regulatory and other approvals, which are expected to be received over the next 12 months.

In preparation for the 2024/25 academic year, Cabrini and Villanova shared counseling and resources to support Cabrini students to develop individualized transfer plans enabling them to complete their degrees. Cabrini University is committed to finding every student an academic home for the 2024/25 academic year suited to their unique path and needs. Cabrini’s Center for Student Success is working with each student directly to develop individualized transfer plans to local colleges or universities best aligned to the student’s program of study offering the best opportunities for academic, personal and career success.

There are a few pathways for Cabrini students who are interested in finding an academic home at Villanova:

• Starting December 15, the transfer application opens for Villanova’s traditional full-time undergraduate program for Fall 2024. As space allows, transfer applicants will be considered for admission into the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Villanova School of Business and College of Engineering. A simplified transfer application specifically for currently enrolled Cabrini students will be posted to Villanova’s transfer website and the application fee has been waived. Students will be notified of admission decisions on a rolling basis. Villanova commits to an expedited review of Cabrini transfer applicants to provide an admission decision as quickly as possible, and not later than May 1.
• Villanova’s College of Professional Studies offers in-person, online and hybrid bachelor’s degree options that align with Cabrini offerings, with transfer options for Spring 2024 (on a case-by-case basis), Summer 2024 and Fall 2024. A simplified application specifically for currently enrolled Cabrini students was posted to Villanova’s CPS website starting September 15, 2023. Students will be notified of admission decisions on a rolling basis, depending on their program of interest.
• Villanova is offering an expedited admission process for Cabrini alumni interested in Villanova’s graduate programs.

Representatives from Villanova will be on Cabrini’s campus in November, along with other institutions, to help students learn more about opportunities to finish their education, if they are not able to complete their degree at Cabrini.

Villanova will continue services to Cabrini alumni, including maintenance of academic transcripts and the continuance of an annual Cabrini alumni event. In addition, Villanova is offering an expedited admission process for Cabrini alumni interested in Villanova’s graduate programs, as well as providing access to Villanova career services.

Cabrini students and alumni can follow the instructions on the Cabrini website, via the Registrar’s Office page, for transcripts through the 2023/24 academic year, ending on June 30, 2024. After that date, Villanova will maintain the records for Cabrini alumni and former students, who will be able to access their Cabrini transcripts by following the instructions on Villanova’s website dedicated to the needs of former Cabrini students and alumni. All former students will be welcome to order their transcripts using the service provided by the National Student Clearinghouse. Despite partnering with the Clearinghouse to receive requests, academic records remain securely handled and managed by Villanova University.

Villanova will take time over the coming year to ascertain the best way to incorporate and utilize the Cabrini Campus for the benefit of students, faculty, staff and alumni. The Cabrini President's House will be owned by Villanova and offered to the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a group for their use as long as they wish.

Yes—in his message to the Villanova community announcing the final agreement with Cabrini, University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, solicited feedback from students, faculty and staff regarding opportunities to integrate and best utilize the Cabrini campus. The feedback from this survey, a variety of community discussions, and the priorities enumerated in Villanova’s Strategic Plan Rooted. Restless., will help inform decisions regarding the best use of the space for the benefit of students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Villanova will work with local township officials to find an opportunity to share information with residents and answer questions. As this process moves forward, we will continue to identify ways to share updates, address concerns and meet with members of the community.

Villanova has a long tradition of serving the community in various ways, including special programming and providing access to campus facilities on a space-available basis. We are exploring the programs and services that Cabrini currently offers and identifying ways to continue meeting the needs of the community where possible.   

Villanova recognizes that, just like its main campus, the Cabrini campus is located within a residential community. The University prioritizes its role as a good neighbor and has dedicated significant resources to both proactive communications with those who live near campus and to quickly addressing concerns that arise. Moving forward, Villanova will be careful and deliberate in its approach, prioritizing its commitment to being a good neighbor and citizen of the local townships in which the Cabrini campus and Villanova’s main campus reside.