Villanova University Announces Creation of Veterans Resource Center Supported by Gift from Brian F. Prince

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova University today announced plans for the creation of a Veterans Resource Center behind a gift from Brian F. Prince—President & CEO of Hegemon Capital, Inc. The new space will support veterans, service members and dependents as they make their way through their academic journey at the University. In addition to housing Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Service Members, the resource center will serve as a student common area for studying and networking, a designated location for hosting veteran-focused programming and a place for student veterans to congregate and build community. In recognition of this gift, the center will be named “The Prince Family Veterans Resource Center.”   

“Veterans have been—and will continue to be—important members of the Villanova community, and we want to do all that we can to support them and their families,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “I am extremely grateful for Brian’s generous gift, which will have a lasting impact on many students and alumni and will help Villanova continue to be a leader in educating veterans and active members of the military.”   

The Prince Family Veterans Resource Center—which will be located in a newly renovated space in Vasey Hall and is expected to be completed by Fall 2021—will provide the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members with a presence and greater visibility on campus, as it serves as a liaison, advocate and advisor to current and prospective student veterans, alumni and other Villanova community members. It will also serve as a one-stop location for veteran-focused programming, Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit and career counseling and military-to-civilian transition.   

“Through various relationships and interactions with members of the Villanova University community, I have become aware of Villanova’s laudable attention to and support of its veteran students,” said Brian Prince, regarding the reason behind this gift and his commitment to supporting veterans at Villanova. “From knowing family members, friends, and colleagues who have served in the military, I don’t believe civilians are capable of fully understanding the sacrifices made and difficulties faced by veterans as they continue their journey post service. I am humbled and thankful to be able to assist these veterans in their quest for continued success.”  

In addition to the leadership gift from the Prince Family, the project is also being supported by major gifts from the Labrecque Family and Tripp Keber '90.

The University’s relationship with military veterans dates back to World War II. For decades, veterans have been attending Villanova, with the University working to obtain VA benefits for them and their dependents. In 2018, Villanova strengthened its commitment to veterans by forming a centralized Office of Veterans and Military Service Members, dedicated to assisting veterans, service members, and their dependents as they reach their academic, personal and professional goals and guiding them from admission to graduation and beyond.   

“The Prince Family’s philanthropic support of Villanova and this investment in our students who serve or have served in the military is testament to Brian’s focus on—and deep commitment to—the heroes of our nation,” said Michael J. O’Neill, Senior Vice President for University Advancement. “This gift will strengthen the initiatives of the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members to better serve Villanova’s growing population of military and veteran students and alumni.”

In addition to the creation of a centralized office at Villanova, the University expanded its Yellow Ribbon Program to help veterans and their dependents fund tuition, and currently has 40 students participating. Most recently, the University announced a new partnership with Service to School’s VetLink Program to expand opportunities and access for highly qualified veterans seeking to earn their college degrees. Through this partnership, Villanova—which is VetLink’s 25^th partner institution—seeks to increase the number of veterans enrolled in undergraduate degree programs at the University.   

“The gift from the Prince Family will ensure that student veterans, service members and their families have a place on campus where we can honor their service, create a sense of belonging and build upon the Villanova community,” said Michael Brown, Director of the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members. “Student veterans can at times feel out of place on a college campus, and this center will ensure that they have a place to call home. It will allow our office to continue to improve the opportunities and resources for student veterans who choose to attend Villanova.”  

To learn more about Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Service Members, click here.   

About Brian F. Prince:

Brian F. Prince is President & CEO of Hegemon Capital, Inc., a private investment asset manager.  He most recently served as President/CEO of Aozora Bank in Tokyo, Japan, and then as President/CEO of ORIX USA. He previously served on the Management Committee and as Corporate Executive Officer at Shinsei Bank in Tokyo, after having built and led Lehman Bros.’ Principal Transactions Group in Asia.  Prior to that, Prince was a key executive in Lehman’s NY-based Finance Group.  Prince holds an MBA in corporate finance and corporate accounting and a BS in optics from the University of Rochester. He currently serves and has served charitably on the Provost’s Board of Villanova University, the Board of Directors of the Moffitt Cancer Center, the Board of Directors of the Gold Shield Foundation, and the Board of Trustees and Investment Committee of the University of Rochester.   

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.