MarySheila E. McDonald

Director of the Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law
Director of the Reza Taleghani JD/MBA Program
John F. Scarpa Professor of Entrepreneurship

MarySheila E. McDonald is the inaugural John F. Scarpa Professor of Entrepreneurship and serves as the Director of the Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law and Director of the Reza Taleghani JD/MBA Program. Prior to joining the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law School faculty in the summer of 2021, she served as Dean of La Salle University’s School of Business from 2017 to 2021 and as Associate Dean from 2011 to 2016. Prior to that, she ran the MBA and MS in Taxation Programs at Philadelphia University. Professor McDonald is an award-winning lawyer-teacher with a significant record of curricular development, program creation and a deep knowledge of experiential learning. She has taught courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels related to the legal environment of business covering such topics as entrepreneurship, intellectual property, social responsibility and business formation. 

Her research interests include the legal implications of social media use on employment decisions, corporate governance and financial literacy. Professor McDonald is a thought leader in championing programmatic innovations, interdisciplinary collaboration and expansion of experiential and professional learning opportunities for students.

In addition to teaching a course on law and strategy for entrepreneurs, she will expand experiential programs in which students will provide representation to entrepreneurs.

Professor McDonald received her BA from the College of the Holy Cross and earned her law degree from Temple University School of Law. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.