Villanova University Partners with Local Business Associations and Chambers of Commerce to Connect Students and Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova University has partnered with the Delaware County and Main Line Chambers of Commerce, and the Wayne and Bryn Mawr Business Associations, on an initiative to connect local businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with students seeking remote, virtual work opportunities.  

The coronavirus pandemic has affected businesses – both large and small – nationally, regionally and locally.  Many small businesses have been uniquely touched by the current stay-at-home order. At the same time, the summer experiences many college students had planned have also changed as a result of COVID-19. A new Summer Experience Task Force at Villanova saw the potential to assist local businesses, as well as the students impacted during these unprecedented times.

“Villanova felt it was uniquely positioned to connect local businesses with students who could use their educational experiences to help in driving commerce and promoting and building online platforms for those businesses,” said Maggie Songer, Director of Employer Relations in Villanova’s Career Center. “We believe this will not only help local businesses, but also provide learning and work opportunities for our students during these trying times.”

The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce announced the initiative this week during its webinar series, #BusinessTipTuesday. The Delaware County and Main Line Chambers, along with the Wayne and Bryn Mawr Business Associations, have shared the opportunity with their member businesses – and it is already leading to numerous job submissions.

"Villanova University is proud to partner with local Business Associations and Chambers of Commerce in offering our students assistance during these unprecedented times,” said Laura Wagoner, Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations at Villanova University. “The initiative not only supports small business owners, but it also provides students with a rewarding academic experience.”

Local businesses in need of support can submit their positions through an online form on Villanova’s Career Center website. The University’s Career Center will process the submissions and assist business owners by sharing these professional work opportunities and identifying students who fit the requirements.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.