Three Villanova students sit comfortably in the Humanities lounge holding great books.

 

Lessons for Life

How Humanities shapes better
leaders and thinkers

As an academic community rooted in the tradition of St. Augustine—perhaps Christianity’s greatest thinker—Villanova has always included a strong humanities foundation in its educational experience. It’s a matter of course that Villanova students learn to think critically, act compassionately and seek truth while serving others, guided by Augustine’s ideals of Veritas, Unitas, Caritas—Truth, Unity, Love.

Some 20 years ago, when faced with the question of how the Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition could inspire the 21st-century student, the Rev. Kail C. Ellis, OSA, PhD, ’69 MA, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the time, established the Department of Humanities. Father Ellis viewed the new major as an opportunity for students to reflect the spirit of Augustine—his relentless desire for truth and goodness—in a world influenced by rapidly changing technology and the increasing availability of information.

“Rooted in the thought and spirituality of St. Augustine, the Department of Humanities occupies a unique and special place within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,” says Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD, William and Julia Moulden Dean. “Today’s students embrace the opportunity to engage with the department’s multidisciplinary community of teacher-scholars in explorations of enduring questions about human existence, from the relationship between faith and reason to the challenge of technology to the human person.”

Since the department’s founding, its curriculum has been distinctly Augustinian and has attracted a cohort of gifted professors who encourage students to search for answers to big questions concerning meaning, purpose and faith.

“It was an intellectual adventure unlike any other that was available to me coming out of graduate school,” says Michael Tomko, PhD, who joined the department as a professor of Literature in 2005 and became its chair in 2019. “To work in community with theologians, philosophers, architectural historians, economists and political thinkers, all while teaching the best and brightest students, is what got me excited and brought me here.”

Given that Augustine’s quest for knowledge encompassed literary, philosophical, theological, political and social thought, the nearly dozen faculty in the Department of Humanities also represent a variety of disciplines. That same diversity is also reflected in the undergraduate students majoring and minoring in Humanities at Villanova, who, after graduation, pursue many different paths, including careers in business, education, government, health care, law, continuing education or volunteer service.

“To teach students in Business, Engineering and Nursing and open them up to new worlds and bring new perspectives is something pretty unique,” says Margaret M. Grubiak, PhD, who joined the Department of Humanities in 2007 as a professor of Architectural History. It’s in this intellectual community, Dr. Grubiak notes, that her scholarship has been made richer as she gains insights from her fellow faculty and students. “Being among colleagues in an interdisciplinary environment makes the borders of our disciplines disappear. A much more complete picture of how to live a good life comes through, which I think is the primary intention of our department,” says Dr. Grubiak.

A much more complete picture of how to live a good life comes through, which I think is the primary intention of our Department.

- Margaret M. Grubiak, PhD

Ideas That Matter

Those who major and minor in Humanities at Villanova focus on questions of meaning and value in human life:

Is what I want good and real? How do my studies connect to my relationships, career and beyond? How can I know myself to know others, God and the natural world? What other questions must I ask?

The curriculum centers on four key areas: God, world, society and the human person. In reading scores of philosophy, literature and theology texts from the ancient to the contemporary world, students explore complex questions that spark engaging and meaningful discussions. They acquire the skills to read and think critically, communicate effectively in writing and speech, and develop habits of inquiry for the lifelong pursuit of wisdom. They contemplate what matters most for living a deeply human life, just in time for the full demands of adulthood to begin.

“I was undecided with what I wanted to do with my life,” recalls Bernard Jacobson ’16 CLAS. “Humanities was a great reflection point—it allows you to listen to what other people throughout history have thought about big questions and develop a balanced perspective.” Now as a client manager in the insurance industry, Jacobson credits the Humanities program with helping his career flourish. “I learned to see the whole picture,” he explains. “There’s a tendency in insurance to be reactive, but that puts you in a bad spot. I take an empathetic approach, have the patience to absorb what my clients are saying, and then create an effective plan of action.”

Humanities was a great reflection point—it allows you to listen to what other people throughout history have thought about big questions and develop a balanced perspective.

- Bernard Jacobson ’16 CLAS

MaryKate Winter ’19 CLAS attributes her love of learning to the Department of Humanities—it’s a passion that has led her to two master’s degrees in Theology and her current pursuit of a doctoral degree in Strategic Communication from George Mason University. “The Humanities course of study is rigorous, but the faculty gives you the tools to succeed in that environment,” says Winter. “Writing my senior essay–on the subject of home as a sacred space–gave me confidence in my ideas and analysis, which I have taken with me throughout my studies.” Currently, her research focus is on the dynamics of religious authority on social media, a topic she became fascinated with eight years ago in Dr. Grubiak’s Architecture and Religion in America course.

While the scope of skills and insights that students will need in a rapidly evolving workforce is certainly unpredictable, the great value of a Humanities education is that it comes with competencies that are always in demand. “The ability to work on a team, think through a problem, achieve a goal, set the next goal, imagine new possibilities and the challenges that are on the horizon—those are the kind of things that we do in our seminars and that our students write about in their senior theses, and those are the kind of skills that our graduates bring to their careers, communities and families,” says Dr. Michael Tomko.

Kyra (Malamood) Koons ’15 CLAS, ’18 MS can attest to how adaptable and flexible the major can be. One of four siblings with Humanities degrees from Villanova, Koons has an older brother who went on to law school, another who is a practicing physician, and a twin sister who completed her Master of Divinity.

As for Koons, she earned a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is currently serving as the program director for the Capuchin Franciscan Volunteer Corps. “I’m a helper in spirit and naturally drawn to the human person, so my whole lens is very relational,” says Koons. “Humanities helped me name my passion and purpose and see that it was good.” Having previously worked as a therapist and clinical supervisor, she’s now leading young adults and managing a program devoted to serving others. “As a supervisor, asking questions to understand—not just to sound smart—but to engage and to make decisions from a place of understanding is important,” she says. “We all have different thoughts, ideas and opinions, and to navigate that gracefully is essential for anything you do.” Koons credits her experience in Humanities for giving her a foundation in these critical skills.

A stack of great books sits on a wooden coffee table next to a plate of cookies.
The Humanities lounge is a place for students to nourish their minds and bodies—with thought-provoking books and energy-boosting snacks. PHOTOS: VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY/JOHN SHETRON

Required Reading

So what is a “great book”? We asked Villanova’s Humanities faculty to share their picks for the literary treasures they count among their favorites.

The Symposium by Plato
FROM PAUL CAMACHO

My Bright Abyss by Christian Wiman
FROM ANNA B. MORELAND

The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
FROM MARGARET GRUBIAK

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
FROM KEVIN HUGHES

Soul Searching by Christian Smith and Melina Lundquist Denton
FROM JESSE COUENHOVEN

Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins
FROM HELENA TOMKO

Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien
FROM MICHAEL TOMKO

Pensées by Blaise Pascal
FROM TERENCE SWEENEY

Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
FROM JAHDIEL PEREZ

The City of God by St. Augustine
FROM VERONICA OGLE

Unto This Last by John Ruskin
FROM EUGENE McCARRAHER

Fostering Fellowship

The quest to uncover the meaning of existence and develop the skills that can lead to a happy and successful life is by no means solitary. The Department of Humanities takes a group-centered approach to learning, carrying out St. Augustine’s vision of education as a community activity of scholars searching for truth in open discussion.

Each year, about 20 students graduate with majors in Humanities. The relatively small size makes for a closely knit cohort of students with diverse backgrounds and goals.

“The common denominator among the students is they have a great care and concern for their learning,” says Dr. Michael Tomko. “They want to hear and understand what their professors and fellow students think—those conversations transform them.” It’s what the department refers to as conviviality, or intellectual fellowship. Students argue and debate in a way that allows for different perspectives and points of view to be brought to the table. “This intellectual exchange is truly nourishing,” says Helena Tomko, DPhil, associate professor of Literature. “It’s a meeting of the mind and heart that you need to continue after graduation.”

A desire to keep these discussions going beyond Commencement has prompted the department to help coordinate Humanities for Good gatherings around the country. Started in 2015, these informal meetups are most active in larger cities, including Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, but have also sprung up in Alaska and England. They encourage Humanities alumni who might not know each other to get together over coffee or dinner and talk over a text suggested by someone in the department.

Professor Anna B. Moreland, PhD, talks with her hands while sitting on a bench outside.
Professor Anna B. Moreland, PhD, hosted the opening dinner of Convivium 2023, an intellectual retreat to celebrate the Department of Humanities' 20th anniversary. PHOTO: VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY/Jim Roese

Gabriella Berman Elhallal ’17 CLAS, a PhD student in Theology at the University of Notre Dame, has participated in and hosted Humanities for Good groups in South Bend, Ind., where she lives with her husband, Paul Elhallal ’18 CLAS, also a PhD student, and their three small children. “Conviviality is deeply ingrained in my soul,” she says. “I love continuing my Humanities friendships, growing new ones and returning to my experience in my memory with gratitude and hope for the future.”

With the success of these smaller get-togethers, the idea for a large-scale reunion took hold. Fittingly dubbed Convivium, the department celebrated its 20th anniversary with more than 100 Humanities alumni returning to campus—and the classroom. Atypical for most reunions, there was “homework”— short stories, poems, articles and essays to read—in anticipation of 15 seminars, which took place in Falvey Library and the St. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts over a mid-September weekend in 2023. There were also memorable meals, including an anniversary banquet and a Mass in Corr Chapel. Based on the enthusiasm shown for the first Convivium, a second one is already in the works for the department’s 25th anniversary.

For Dr. Michael Tomko, knowing that his former students continue the path of learning after they leave campus brings him great joy. “We’re proud of the type of people they become and the contributions they make,” he says. “Seeing the gift Villanova gave them and how they give it back to the world is a real privilege.” 

DID YOU KNOW?

Each semester, the Department of Humanities hosts a lecture that speaks from the heart of its commitment to the intellectual life at Villanova University. The most recent fall lecture, which took place in October, was given by Anna B. Moreland, PhD, professor of Theology and the Anne Quinn Welsh Endowed Chair and Director of Honors Program, Villanova, and Thomas W. Smith, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at The Catholic University of America. Together, they spoke about the challenges confronting young adults today, which is the topic of their new book, Young Adult Playbook: Living Like It Matters.

Images of a gear, gavel, magnifying glass, heart and scale of justice icon.

Humanities Perspectives Across Disciplines

Villanova’s strong commitment to the humanities is evident across all six colleges—not just the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All first-year students in every discipline are assigned the Augustine and Culture Seminar, a two-semester course that teaches about St. Augustine and how to be like him in the lifelong pursuit of wisdom. On top of that, here’s a sampling of courses offered outside of the Department of Humanities that take an Augustinian approach to learning.

  • Catholic Social Teaching for Engineers
    Students consider the “greater good” vs. the “common good” when analyzing engineering topics and case studies in this course taught by Vito Punzi, PhD, professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Master of Science in Chemical Engineering program director.

  • CRR (Corporate Responsibility and Regulation)
    Jeanne Liedtka, JD, associate teaching professor, Marketing and Business Law, uses case studies and current event discussions to have students analyze business behavior through the lens of the law, business ethics and corporate social responsibility.

  • Humanities in Augustinian Traditions
    Adult students pursuing a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Professional Studies are enrolled in a holistic program focused on enriching the mind and heart. Among the required courses is Faith, Reason and Culture, offered by the Theology Department as an introduction to major thinkers of the world who have shaped the human search for meaning.

Nursing and Health Policy
In this course, taught by Anne Schneider, MSN, RN, associate professor of the practice, and Elizabeth B. Dowdell, PhD, RN, AFN-C, FAAN, professor coordinator Undergraduate Research, students examine societal and professional issues influencing nursing practice and the participation of nurses in policy development.

Justice and Rights
Patrick McKinley Brennan, professor of Law, and John F. Scarpa Chair in Catholic Legal Studies, introduces the ongoing conversation about justice and rights in Western political theory and shows its operation through close reading and critical analysis of classical and modern works of political philosophy from authors such as Aristotle and Augustine through Hobbes and Locke to Martha Nussbaum and John Rawls.

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