- Villanova’s most famous alumnus — Pope Leo XIV, who graduated in 1977 — has boosted the school’s profile (applications jumped >10% after his 2025 election), prompting the university to joke it’s “the pope’s school.”
- Villanova’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will open the season in Rome vs. Notre Dame in an “Eternal City Tip‑Off” doubleheader, with thousands of fans traveling and a possible private audience with the pope.
- The university’s Vatican ties are expanding beyond sports — new sustainability honors, more internships and study‑abroad opportunities in Rome, and a noticeable uptick in student interest in Catholic life on campus.
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