The Patrick J. Cunningham, Jr. and Susan Ward '80 Endowed Lecture Series in Engineering

In 2009, Villanova Engineering alumnus Susan Ward ’80 ChE and her husband Patrick Cunningham established an endowed engineering lecture series to offer students exposure to experts from various engineering fields and educational opportunities outside the classroom.

Since the inaugural lecture in November 2010, the Cunningham/Ward Lecture Series in Engineering has delivered a wide variety of speakers from diverse engineering backgrounds. 

2020: “When I Grow Up: A Life’s Narrative” with Dr. Douglas Munch ’69 ChE, who served on the Apollo mission team, ran flight test and development for the F-14 fighter aircraft, and earned a PhD in Medicine and Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

2019: “Engineers Advancing Sustainable and Integral Development” with Dr. Anne Roby '86 ChE, senior vice president of Linde plc.

2018: “The International Space Station: Engineering the Unknown” with Alumnus Brian T. Smith ’93 EE, a NASA flight director. (video)

2017: “Business and Professional Ethics—Managing with Integrity” with Nicholas DeNichilo, PE, FASCE, NAC, president and CEO of global engineering, management and development firm Mott MacDonald. (video)

2016: “The Doors Technology Can Open” with Gretchen McClain, founding CEO of an S&P 500 global water technology company, and NASA’s former Chief Director of the International Space Station. (video) 

2015: “The Evolution of Wireless Technology” with Anthony J. Melone ’82 EE, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Verizon Communications (video)

2014: “Building Fields of Dreams” with John Stranix ’78 CE, founder and president of Stranix Associates, LLC (video)