Villanova integrates sustainability into curricula, scholarly research, academic and community events, and institutional policy and practice.
FACULTY / P8
Advancing Research with Societal Impact
MISSION / P14
Where Art Meets Opportunity
INSIDE VSB / P18
A New Home for Professional Development at VSB
The Helen and William O’Toole Dean Wen Mao, PhD
Director, Marketing and Communication
Monica Mlynaryk Allen
Associate Director of Communication and Editor
Shannon M. Wilson
Contributors
Colleen Donnelly
Amy Swift
Meghan Winch ’15 MA
Principal Photography
Melissa Kelly
Theresa Regan
Design and Production
Matthew Schmidt Design
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Dean’s Update
One of the many things I love about VSB is our commitment to a business education that is rooted in Augustinian Catholic values. It is this foundation that differentiates us as we strive to develop ethical and responsible business leaders.
This issue’s cover story highlights these values in our commitment to caring for each other and our community through sustainability efforts in our curriculum, research and community engagement. Our faculty, staff, students and alumni are using their values-based educational foundation to create true societal impact. This work is deeply important and inspiring.
Throughout this issue, you can also read many stories of alumni who are giving back to VSB. Giving back is more than just philanthropy. Many alumni are involved as guest speakers (pages 13 and 20), as judges of case competitions, serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council (page 29), participating in the VSB Mentor Program, supporting the arts and so much more. I hope these stories inspire you to consider getting involved in shaping the next generation of VSB students. Whether you give of your time, talent or treasure, I promise you the experience will be rewarding in more ways than you can imagine.
Thank you for your continued support of VSB!
Wen Mao, PhD
The Helen and William O’Toole Dean Professor of Economics
Villanova School of Business
Sustainable Education
In keeping with Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic tradition— which emphasizes care for the natural world as an extension of service to one’s community—the University integrates sustainability and respect for the Earth and those who inhabit it into curricula, scholarly research, academic and community events, and institutional policy and practice.
Villanova has an Office of Sustainability, a Sustainability Plan and a Sustainability Leadership Council, which includes representatives from VSB and across the University. At VSB, sustainability aligns with our vision and strategic goals of responsible leadership and developing business leaders for a better world. Through addressing environmental, social and corporate governance issues; exploring the role of business in society; and fostering an understanding of ethics and social responsibility, our commitment to sustainability permeates all areas of VSB. This commitment has intensified over the past several years, as sustainability and societal impact have become increasingly prevalent in corporate strategy and operations, as well as in VSB’s curriculum, research and community engagement.
Sustainability in the Curriculum
Sustainability is addressed in many different areas of VSB’s curriculum. The Global Sustainability Management class taught by Jonathan Doh, PhD, senior associate dean for Research, Faculty Development, and Global Engagement, focuses on sustainable business practices to advance positive economic, societal and ecological impact.
In the Economics Department, courses taught by Associate Teaching Professor Chris Jeffords, PhD, explore environmental and ecological resource economics and address sustainability and climate change.
These courses also count toward the University-wide Sustainability Studies minor that focuses on environmental, social and economic dimensions that contribute to sustainability— commitments many corporations, institutions and governments have adopted as guiding principles.
At the graduate level, sustainability is one of the seven specializations in the MBA program, providing students with a unique understanding of the issues affecting our global ecosystem and examining sustainable solutions on a global and macro level.
In the Accounting & Information Systems Department, students learn about reporting on sustainability standards. The Marketing & Business Law Department addresses the intersection of marketing, public policy and societal welfare.
In her role as faculty director for Ethics and Social Responsibility, Manuela Priesemuth, PhD, associate professor, Management & Operations, collaborates extensively across the University to advance, advocate for and track the implementation of ethics, social responsibility and sustainability content through a range of curricular and extracurricular activities at VSB.
Sustainable Research with Societal Impact
A key feature of VSB’s strategic vision is to advance research with tangible impact within and beyond academia. As a member of the University Sustainability Leadership Council and the Steering Committee of the University Initiative on Climate, Justice and Sustainability, Dr. Doh has been involved in leading Villanova’s sustainability initiatives and is actively engaged in both advocating for research with social significance and conducting his own research with that in mind.
Outside of Villanova, he was recently a keynote panelist for a Strategic Management Society Conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, and a European International Business Academy meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on sustainable business. He also won the best paper award from the Academy of Management International Division for a co-authored paper on the role of artificial intelligence in advancing sustainability in global supply chains.
Community Engagement
Beyond the classroom, students participate in sustainability initiatives on and off campus. In the MBA program, students partner with local nonprofits or social enterprise organizations through the Social Enterprise Practicum. Student teams identify issues and suggest ideas for branding, funding and logistics while helping to advance the missions of these organizations. Several of these clients have chosen to partner with VSB more than once.
Similarly, this past semester the Executive MBA program partnered with Helpsy, a certified B Corporation whose mission is to keep clothing out of landfills to reduce waste and to offset the emissions and water used to create new clothing.
Did You Know?
Demonstrating the practical impacts of our research to create social and economic value is critical for us to maintain both rigor and relevance while advancing our Augustinian values,” says Dr. Doh.
VSB partners with the College of Engineering and the College of Professional Studies for the Sustainable Enterprise Executive Education & Development (SEED) certificate program. The program seeks to teach business and technical leaders how to design robust sustainability programs that fuel productivity, innovation and profits within their organizations.
Scan the QR code to read more
Jonathan Doh, PhD
Did You Know?
Villanova hosted the 2024 International Sustainability Conference. Jonathan Doh, PhD; Chris Jeffords, PhD: and Manuela Priesemuth, PhD, participated in a plenary panel at the event.
The Moran Center for Global Leadership at VSB helped sponsor a mural on campus depicting one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The mural was part of a campaign by the Global Philadelphia Association to promote SDG awareness.
Villanova’s on-campus coffee shop, Holy Grounds, offers a discount for using a reusable mug.
“My VSB education and the overall ethos of the Augustinian Catholic tradition motivated me to pursue careers where my impact could be measured in more than dollars.” Our values-centered approach to business education will continue to inform our teaching, scholarship and engagement with the broader community.
John
Chaimanis
’00 VSB
Chaimanis is the co-founder and managing director of Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure, a nationally recognized developer, owner and operator of distributed-scale, sustainable infrastructure assets. The company is dedicated to building and owning sustainable, long-lived assets, including solar, water and other infrastructure projects.
After graduating from VSB with a finance degree, he was a volunteer teacher in Boston and then co-founded a charter school before starting his career in renewable energy in 2006. An industry thought leader and author, Chaimanis has returned to campus as a guest lecturer and has been involved with the Villanova Strategic Initiative for Climate, Justice and Sustainability. He says sustainability isn’t a passing buzzword, a social cause of the moment or an overcorrection to some prior way of doing business: “It is simply a more prudent and economically sound way to conduct business that reduces risks and looks further into the future.”
“VSB helped me merge sustainability into my business career through the Augustinian values of community and being of service to others.”
Matthew Rusk ’09 VSB
Rusk is head of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) North America. GRI is the independent standard-setter that creates the global common language for impact reporting to foster transparency, organizational accountability and informed decisions to advance sustainable development. Its Standards are the most widely used for sustainability reporting and are used by more than 14,000 organizations, including 78% of the world’s largest companies.
His passion for sustainability was sparked during a summer college job working on a film set as a production assistant, responsible for finding ways to make the production more environmentally friendly It taught him not only that he loved problem-solving, but also that the challenges of sustainability were very real. It was so impactful he considered switching his studies to environmental science, but he decided that the best way he could make material change was through business. Rusk has spent his career managing sustainability and corporate responsibility strategy development, implementation and reporting.
VSB’s commitment to a sustainable future for all is stronger than ever. More than two dozen VSB alumni work in the field of sustainability.
Susanne Salerno ’96 VSB
“Villanova instilled the importance of values, and it is this grounding in values that drives my work in social impact today.”
As managing director of Salerno Consulting, Salerno works with companies to lead initiatives focused on positive social and organizational change. This includes leadership for organizations to effectively build and implement corporate social responsibility strategy; guidance on environmental and governance frameworks; and advice on developing programs to advance community investment goals.
Salerno says Villanova and VSB laid the foundation for a career in social impact. She was involved with several activities, including the Special Olympics Committee, and as a leader in her sorority, organizing community and philanthropic efforts. In her first corporate role, Salerno was an analyst for State Street in Boston, where she took advantage of opportunities offered by the company to engage in volunteer work and fundraising. “That first job was the catalyst for each subsequent step in my career, which always had a connection to community investment, sustainable programs and philanthropy,” she says.
Anthony Severns ’25 VSB
“Sustainability is the responsibility we have to ensure a better future for generations to come.”
What started out as a love and appreciation for the outdoors turned into active involvement in sustainability initiatives for Anthony during high school and now at VSB. “The more I interacted with the field, the more interested I became and the more I realized how interconnected sustainability is with every aspect of our lives,” he says.
He is an intern with the University Office for Sustainability and co-founded the Business Sustainability Club two years ago with Rachel Sabbadini ’25 VSB and Grace Arya ’25 CLAS. Club meetings feature guest speakers, primarily VSB alumni who have built careers in the field. The group participated in the Harvard Business School Climate Symposium, engaging with global thought leaders and industry experts. He credits the Global Sustainability Management class he took with Dr. Doh for helping inspire him to pursue a career in the field. After graduation, he will participate in a Sustainability Leadership Program at Schneider Electric, ranked as the No. 1 most sustainable company in the world by Time Magazine and Statista.
Did You Know?
In partnership with faculty in the Department of Geography and the Environment, Chris Jeffords, PhD leads a Science on Tap monthly event in the community to share a range of science education topics, including sustainability.
Many VSB faculty strive to lessen costs for students and environmental impacts of course materials through open (or electronic) textbooks and leveraging e-resources. These efforts are supported by Falvey Library and Villanova’s current learning management software. Dr. Jeffords; Jeanne Liedtka, JD, associate teaching professor, Marketing & Business Law; and Sue Metzger, professor of the practice, Information Systems, have been recognized as affordable learning champions. \v/
Chris Jeffords, PhD
Faculty and Staff Achievements
VSB boasts world-class faculty and staff members who are both nationally and internationally renowned. Our faculty excels in research, instruction and innovation. Our staff helps create VSB’s unparalleled learning environment in the world of business education.
Jeremy Kees, PhD
Honored with Villanova’s Outstanding Faculty Research Award
At the 2024 Faculty Scholar Awards in September, Jeremy Kees, PhD, the Richard J. and Barbara Naclerio Endowed Chair in Business, was presented with the most prestigious research-related award conferred to a faculty member at Villanova. The Outstanding Faculty Research Award celebrates faculty members who have established a national and international scholarly reputation in their field and who demonstrate the highest standards of excellence in their research, scholarship and contributions to their discipline. Bridget Wadzuk, PhD, ’00 COE, professor and Edward A. Daylor Chair in Civil Engineering, was a co-recipient of the award.
Since joining VSB in 2006, Dr. Kees, chair of Marketing & Business Law, has presented his research at numerous academic conferences around the world and has had his work published more than 70 times in scientific journals, conference proceedings and books. In addition to serving as the founding director of the Center for Marketing & Consumer Insights and as the Faculty Athletics representative, Dr. Kees is also co-editor-in-chief (with Beth Vallen, PhD, professor of Marketing at VSB) of the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, a leading peer-reviewed journal.
Dr. Kees conducts research at the intersection of marketing and public policy and focuses on topics related to consumer, societal and environmental well-being. Much of his work examines how consumers process information in the context of product disclaimers and warnings, and he has published numerous empirical studies examining interventions to help consumers make more informed decisions about potentially harmful consumption behaviors.
In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration often utilizes findings from Dr. Kees’ research in considering public policy and legislation to protect consumers. Due to the impactful nature of his research, Dr. Kees was chosen to serve on the FDA Risk Communication Advisory Committee, an interdisciplinary committee that advises various governmental agencies on risk-communication strategy.
“In my work as a social scientist, I work toward recognizing problems, using theory to generate potential explanations and solutions, and then empirically testing interventions to determine their efficacy in solving the problem,” Dr. Kees explains. “If I can design an intervention to change consumer behavior, it may result in positive changes to consumer well-being.”
Five VSB Faculty Qualify Among
Top Two Percent of Scientists Globally
For the fifth year in a row, several VSB faculty have qualified among the top 2% of scientists globally. This annual analysis by researchers at Stanford University ranks more than 190,000 scholars across all fields from a pool of more than 8.5 million active scientists worldwide, based on how often their work is cited by other scholars. The list considers both career-long citation impact and the impact in a single recent year.
In the “career” (lifetime) analysis, Jonathan Doh, PhD, senior associate dean and Herbert G. Rammrath Chair in International Business, ranked 282 out of 57,191 scholars in Business and Management. Pankaj Patel, PhD, the Frank J. and Jane E. Ryan Endowed Chair and professor in Strategy and Innovation, ranked 350 out of 57,191 in Business and Management, and Charles (Ray) Taylor, PhD, John A. Murphy Endowed Chair and professor of Marketing, ranked 121 out of 14,139 in Marketing.
In the single-year analysis, Dr. Patel ranked 119; Dr. Doh ranked 282; and Corinne Post, the Fred J. Springer Endowed Chair in Business Leadership and professor of Management, ranked 394, all in Business and Management. Dr. Taylor ranked 122 and Jeremy Kees, the Richard J. and Barbara Naclerio Endowed Chair in Business and professor of Marketing, ranked 514, both in marketing. Dr. Doh also reached the milestone of 25,000 Google Scholar citations, including citations in published articles, books and working papers.
“Once again, VSB has demonstrated that our teacherscholar model can produce globally ranked researchers while not sacrificing our unwavering commitment to teaching,” says Wen Mao, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB.
Wen Mao, PhD
Recognized as a Philadelphia Business Journal 2024 Woman of Influence
The Philadelphia Business Journal named Wen Mao, PhD, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB, among its 2024 Women of Influence honorees. The annual Women of Influence program recognizes 30 of the most influential businesswomen from every industry and profession who have made a difference in their communities, blazed a trail and are leaving a mark on Greater Philadelphia’s business community.
The Business Journal’s editorial board reviewed hundreds of nominations submitted by the public to determine the 2024 honorees, who were celebrated at a special event in October.
Jonathan Doh, PhD
Pankaj Patel, PhD
Corinne Post, PhD
Charles Taylor, PhD
Jeremy Kees, PhD
Advancing Research with Societal Impact
One of VSB’s key objectives is to advance high-quality research with societal impact. This includes scholarship that explores topics related to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues, including public policy; the role of business in society; ethics and social responsibility; inequality; and responsible servant leadership.
David Anderson, PhD
Associate Professor, Management & Operations
Dr. Anderson’s work on health care has addressed issues such as how resource constraints impact medical decisionmaking, how patient characteristics affect care decisions and outcomes, and how information can be used to identify patients at risk of negative outcomes. His research also focuses on pay equity and its organizational consequences. His current projects explore the effect of the gender pay gap in the federal government on pay satisfaction, job satisfaction and perceived fairness.
Chris Jeffords, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Economics
A passion for the environment informs Dr. Jeffords’ focus on teaching, research and service on environmental health and sustainability issues. His research agenda spans topics in sustainability and environmental economics and justice. Dr. Jeffords strives to demonstrate the importance of viewing the economy as embedded within the natural environment so that future generations can find a way to live sustainably within a world of finite resources.
Kyoung Yong Kim, PhD
Kevin J. Hughes Family
Endowed Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor, Management & Operations
Dr. Kim’s research interests encompass strategic human capital, strategic leadership, employment relationships, diversity and entrepreneurship. A shared element in much of his research is its substantial practical relevance and social significance. His work examines the connections between valuing employees and improved workforce performance and turnover rates. He has investigated how firms can reduce financial misdeeds and why women continue to face promotion barriers.
Lily (Yuanzhi) Li, PhD
The Diana & Thomas Klein ’84 Assistant Professor, Finance & Real Estate
Driven to conduct research with societal impact, Dr. Li’s work in corporate finance and asset management aids in governance policymaking and sheds light on neglected pitfalls of mutual fund investing. One of her projects asks whether corporate governance matters more for some firms than others, especially in light of the passage of state-level anti-takeover laws that may have the unintended effect of entrenching managers and weakening shareholder governance.
Our faculty are actively engaged in research with implications for society at large—research that’s not only widely published but also highly regarded among industry leaders and policymakers.
Beth Vallen, PhD
Professor, Marketing & Business Law
Dr. Vallen’s early career research on healthy eating provided insights into the strategies that consumers, marketers and policymakers utilize to tackle global issues ranging from overconsumption to food insecurity. She has also conducted research on the psychological factors surrounding food disposal and waste at the organizational, household and consumer levels. Recently, she worked with marketing academics, psychologists and physicians to explore decisions related to health care, including vaccination and prescription drug prices.
Tyler Milfeld, PhD
The Michelle & Sean Traynor ’91 Assistant Professor, Marketing & Business Law
Dr. Milfeld’s research draws on real-world advertising challenges in the corporate social responsibility arena. In addition to messageframing work, he was one of the first researchers to examine consumer responses to brand activism—current projects include understanding when questions are more effective than statements in green advertising, investigating how campus food pantries can improve their websites and devising a new framework for the unintended effects of prosocial communication.
Corinne Post, PhD
The Fred. J. Springer Endowed Chair in Business Leadership and Professor, Management & Operations
Dr. Post’s research focuses on examining when and how diversity enables group and organizational performance and how social identity affects career trajectories. She has a special interest in boards of directors and executive teams, researching who gets appointed and what changes occur with increased diversity. Her work on women on boards and firm performance has been used to develop policy at the highest levels.
Karen Ton, PhD
The Vincent B. DiDomenico, Jr. ’88 Assistant Professor, Accounting & Information Systems
With a primary research focus on financial reporting, auditing and regulation, Dr. Ton’s recent work investigates how accounting information and disclosures affect stakeholder decisions. Another study examines the unintended consequences of speaking out on divisive political and social issues. She also has a current research project that examines whether ethics requirements for obtaining or maintaining a CPA license affect the CPA’s behavior as an auditor.
Thomas Griffin, PhD, ’13 CLAS
The Kenneth ’84 & Pamela Roessler Assistant Professor, Finance & Real Estate
Dr. Griffin first became interested in policy-relevant research while an undergraduate student at Villanova. His work focuses on corporate governance, a field of finance that examines the ways in which investors ensure a return on their investment through board oversight. He also conducts corporate finance research on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. One of his findings suggests discrimination is ingrained in employee culture and unlikely to be disciplined by market forces.
Zeynep Yom, PhD
Associate Professor, Economics
Luke Watson, PhD
Associate Professor, Accounting & Information Systems
Dr. Watson’s research examines the relationship between corporate tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility, the precursor to ESG principles. His findings indicated that there is little, if any, relation between ESG performance and tax avoidance.
Dr. Watson notes that this generalization may not apply in all corporations, and his work underscores that tax payments and ESG activities each offer a path by which corporations can allocate resources for societal impact.
Janice Sipior, PhD
Professor, Accounting & Information Systems
The main focus of Dr. Yom’s research lies in understanding economic and financial crises; measuring their impact on production, innovation and employment; and exploring optimal policies to mitigate the associated problems. One facet of her scholarship investigates the relationship between rising income inequality and sovereign default. Dr. Yom demonstrated that increasing income inequality heightens the risk of default, showing that more progressive tax regimes reduce inequality and the risk of sovereign default. Scan the QR code or search “VSB Inspiring Minds” wherever you listen to podcasts to learn more about the
The heightened role of information technology (IT) in most aspects of contemporary society led Dr. Sipior to conduct research on ethical, societal and related legal issues involving IT. Her research tackles issues including privacy, the digital divide, gender, control of information and, most recently, bias in artificial intelligence. Her research raises issues that have significant societal impact, including the need for developing industry standards, reasonable legislation and regulation, and proactive defensive action. \v/
The Davis Fund for Student Experiences
The Davis Fund for Student Experiences celebrates five years of supporting students as they engage in learning opportunities that inspire. Thanks to the transformative support of Jim C. Davis ’81 VSB and his wife, Kim, VSB was able to establish the Davis Fund for Student Experiences in 2019, making it possible for more students to have Villanova experiences outside the classroom that would positively impact their lives for years to come.
What kind of experiences?
That’s where the Davis Fund challenges students to think big. The funding is grant-based and earmarked for students who want to “enhance their VSB education in exceptional ways.”
One of the primary goals is to ensure that financial cost does not inhibit students from pursuing experiential learning opportunities that push their academic and professional growth to the next level. To receive funding, the students identify opportunities, then submit an application explaining the educational value relative to their goals and VSB’s mission and values.
3,300+
In just five years, the fund has supported more than 3,300 transformative experiences for undergraduate and graduate VSB students.
They have traveled stateside and abroad for immersion programs, study abroad opportunities and nonprofit service; accessed online training courses; conducted independent research and case studies; attended conferences to connect with top experts in their field of study; enhanced their own business society’s programming on campus; and so much more.
“It’s a privilege to be a part of their journey,” says Caitlin Gilmore, director of student engagement for Undergraduate Business Programs. “I get to witness these ideas become realities—from reviewing the applications where students first envision the impact an experience might have on them to hearing what they’ve learned from that experience when they come back and seeing them grow that much more as a global leader because of it.”
For Shania Qu ’26 VSB, it was an unpaid baseball and analytics internship with the New York Boulders, a minor league baseball team in Rockland County. “Receiving that funding allowed me to fully immerse myself in the whole experience,” says Shania, a lifelong athlete who has always dreamed of working in the sports industry. “Having that hands-on experience really solidified my goals and opened an array of doors for me.”
Joseph L. Lucia Memorial Lecture
VSB’s Economics Department presented its 35th annual Joseph L. Lucia Memorial Lecture on Oct. 24 featuring David H. Autor, PhD, professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, and the Society of Labor Economists. Dr. Autor delivered an insightful presentation titled “Expertise, Artificial Intelligence, and the Work of the Future.” Engaging with experts like Dr. Autor enriches our academic environment and provides students with invaluable insights and perspectives that prepare them for the future.
David H. Autor, PhD
Photo: Josh Franzos
VSB Senior Earns Spot on Poets & Quants’ 2024
Most Disruptive Business School Startups
Mohit Mirpuri ’25 VSB is among 29 business students to be selected for the Poets & Quants 2024 Most Disruptive Startups. Mohit launched College Couture to “disrupt” the school jewelry market, which includes college-specific graduation rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets. He hopes to make collegiate jewelry “more stylish and more meaningful” and has established sales partnerships with Villanova Athletics and Playfly, a leading sports marketing and technology firm.
Mohit says, “Villanova’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) has been instrumental in my development as an entrepreneur. Through events like Idea Bounce and the Pitch Deck competition, I’ve gained insights from successful guest speakers who share their experiences with students. The IIE has given me both practical support and the inspiration to navigate the startup world with confidence.”
Bartley briefCASE Winners
VSB juniors had three days to prepare a business proposal for a General Motors’ (GM) case regarding its strategic initiative on full electrification of all the manufacturer’s vehicles by 2035. The students were challenged to recommend strategies affirming this initiative or to suggest alternatives that might relax that timeline for GM. The Fall 2024 competition spanned three rounds and started with 48 total teams.
Nearly 70 industry business executives along with 17 VSB faculty members judged the competition, which is designed to further prepare students for launching their careers in business by enhancing critical business skills such as quantitative and qualitative skills, executive-level presentation development, presentation skills, caseanalysis techniques, and executive-summary writing skills.
National College Fed Challenge
A team of Villanova students recently competed as semifinalists in the 2024 National College Fed Challenge hosted virtually by the Federal Reserve. The team was led by Sarah Burke, PhD, teaching professor, Economics, and Paul Suckow, business fellow, Economics.
The students spent five months preparing to compete among 119 colleges and universities. The challenge required teams to analyze economic and financial conditions and formulate a monetary policy recommendation, modeling the Federal Open Market Committee. Each team submitted video presentations, and Villanova was one of 18 semifinalist teams that participated in question-and-answer sessions to determine the extent to which students are knowledgeable about the Fed, monetary policy and their presentation.
Winners (from left to right): Jeannette Nunez Abreu ’25 VSB, John Holowesko ’26 VSB, Andrew Sidlauskas ’26 VSB, Ronik Gupta ’25 VSB, Erin Sullivan ’26 VSB.
Marketing Major Earns Two Highly Competitive Scholarships
Carl Coridon ’26 VSB was selected as one of just 12 college students nationwide to win the 2024 Sinclair Broadcast Group Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship honors high-achieving students from diverse backgrounds who have the potential to shape the future of the broadcast industry.
Carl is also a newly selected 2025 U.S. Gilman International Scholar. He will be traveling to Milan, Italy, to study at the IES Abroad Milan Center and the Milano Fashion Institute. There, he’ll take courses in digital marketing, business, and managing fashion and luxury companies.
A first-generation college student who hails from Stamford, Conn., Carl is a voracious learner. He has enriched his academic journey by taking on meaningful professional opportunities and leadership roles in student organizations. These, he says, have fortified his passion for marketing and helped him cultivate essential skills for success.
“I’ve always aspired to be the chief marketing or creative officer of brands that zig when others zag—those that dare to take bold, unconventional approaches and lead the way in their industries.”
This year, in addition to serving as the diversity, equity and inclusion chair of the Villanova Marketing Group and treasurer of the Black Student Law Association, he completed a Chase Leadership Development Fellowship with JPMorganChase and a Nonprofit Consulting Externship with PwC. He also founded Archives Collective, a clothing brand dedicated to celebrating individuality, authenticity and self-expression through carefully crafted, high-quality pieces.
Spotlight on DAC
VSB’s Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) provides advice and guidance to Wen Mao, PhD, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB, on important strategic initiatives. DAC members share their time and talent and also support VSB financially.
The Council meets two to three times each year in person, usually on campus. Many members also serve on subcommittees that may meet either in person or virtually. Subcommittees include DAC Engagement & Membership, Curriculum, and Athletic Mentorship/Engagement.
The Council impacts VSB through:
Advising VSB’s leadership team
Assisting with the recruitment of the best and brightest students to VSB
Serving as guest speakers, bridging the gap between theory and practice for students
Mentoring students
Judging case competitions and providing feedback
Facilitating connections with senior members of their organizations
Working to ensure VSB is a top recruiting school for internships and full-time career opportunities
“The DAC experience has been phenomenal. Not only do we get to support Dean Mao’s strategic initiatives for VSB, but it’s also a way to reconnect and meet Villanovans who share the same passion to give back. My experiences at Villanova were a big contributor to the leader I am today, and I want to give back to the next generation of leaders.”
–Alana Hoskin ’00 VSB
“Villanova has had a profound impact on my personal and professional growth and the DAC has afforded me a terrific platform with which to give back. Dean Mao fosters a collaborative environment where we all work together to determine how to best shape the next generation of VSB.”
–Brian Collie ’95 CLAS
To learn more about DAC or get involved with VSB, contact Brendan Glackin at brendan.glackin@villanova.edu.
WHERE ART MEETS OPPORTUNITY
Under
Tammy Salvadore’s leadership, the Reliance Matrix Foundation has expanded access to transformative educational programs
in the arts.
In her nearly 30 years as executive director of Reliance Matrix Foundation, Tammy (McAlindin) Salvadore ’85 VSB has led initiatives that have touched the lives of more than 50,000 underserved students in and around Philadelphia.
The foundation partners with cultural institutions and community organizations throughout Greater Philadelphia to support arts and STEM education, mentoring, and career-focused programs for students in grades 5 through 12. “We are engaging students in innovative, immersive programming that builds confidence, sparks creativity and introduces them to career opportunities,” Salvadore explains.
Programs include after-school programming, a six-week intensive summer film program, and the Philadelphia Zoo’s West Philly Zoo Scholars Program, which involves regular workshops, core science classes and hands-on animal care. “These programs are not easy—they require commitment, discipline and an openness to learn and collaborate,” Salvadore says.
From Finance to Fine Arts
Since 1996, the Reliance Matrix Foundation (formerly the Delphi Project Foundation) has invested more than $15 million to support thousands of life-changing opportunities at renowned cultural institutions, in the classroom, after school and during the summer.
“Exposure to the arts has the power to challenge the mind, inspire the soul, promote cultural expression and strengthen our community,” Salvadore says.
“I am grateful to work for a company where corporate social responsibility is core to its mission.” The foundation is one outreach arm of Reliance Matrix, a leader in financial protection, employee benefits and absence solutions and a member of the global Tokio Marine Group.
“We believe in a culture of ‘Good Company,’ which includes looking beyond profit to nourish the communities in which we work and live,” says Chris Fazzini, president of Reliance Matrix. “Tammy built our foundation into a living model of how to cultivate strong communities by educating and inspiring young people.”
Salvadore joined the company in 1989, just a few years after graduating with a degree in Finance from Villanova. Initially, she worked in finance and investor relations. But when Reliance was exploring more formal ways to give back to the community, Salvadore took the lead in getting the foundation set up from a finance perspective —and embraced the invitation to serve as its executive director.
“That challenge of developing something from the ground up was very appealing,” she says. “This foundation awakened a passion for the arts in me because I’ve seen the benefits of what it can do.”
Under Salvadore’s leadership, the foundation continues to evolve and expand. It started with a $150,000 budget, supporting programs at three schools. Over three decades, it has grown to serve students representing 120 schools and community organizations.
The foundation is recognized as an Educational Improvement Organization by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. For more than 25 years, it has maintained core partnerships with three world-renowned cultural institutions: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Ballet and Philadelphia Zoo. To date, it has collaborated with 18 community partners, including the Franklin Institute, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Taller Puertorriqueño, the Mann Center and Project HOME.
A Leader Committed to Learning
In 2014, Salvadore enrolled in the two-year intensive training program to become a Philadelphia Museum of Art guide. To expand her knowledge of the arts, she attended weekly training sessions with a cohort of 20 other trainees from various backgrounds— including a Philosophy professor from Villanova. “It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences, with the most supportive colleagues,” she says.
Salvadore still leads tours about twice a month and often joins students on their tours. With about 220,000 works of art in the permanent collection, there are always new discoveries. “Students will point out something in a work of art that I might have looked at 50 times and never noticed before,” she says. “I learn something new every time.”
What stays with me about Villanova is the sense of community and the power of learning in community,” Salvadore says. “You can’t lead alone. You need to be able to learn and work in collaboration with others and embrace new ideas—that started for me at the Villanova School of Business.”
THE
STUDENTS ARE AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING WE DO—
When asked to reflect on her accomplishments, ever humble, Melinda German’s student-focused mindset stands out. “Obviously, I am proud of the programs we developed and the rankings we achieved. But what I am most proud of is how we were able to respond to the needs of the students and provide increased support to them in a meaningful way. That means more to me than anything else. And I didn’t do any of this by myself; I had an incredible team I was honored to work with every day.”
AND EVERYTHING WE DID WAS TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS.
Melinda German A Model of Leadership and Dedication
A pillar of the VSB community for more than 25 years, Melinda German retired as associate dean of Undergraduate Business Programs in May 2024.
German joined VSB in 1997 as director of Graduate Studies in Business. One of only three staff members in the graduate office at the time, she was responsible for the recruitment, admissions, curriculum and program development of the graduate business portfolio. During her tenure, the graduate programs expanded, marking the start of VSB’s Executive MBA and Master of Accountancy programs.
From 2002 until her retirement, German led the strategic and academic direction of all undergraduate programs as associate dean. She oversaw VSB’s Clay Center for Student Services and the O’Donnell Center for Professional Development and was a steadfast advocate for students.
Under her leadership, student academic and professional development services were consolidated under one area; the Backpack-to-Briefcase curriculum was instituted; the Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council and Young Alumni Advisory Council were formed; the professional advising model was developed; and the VSB Mentor Program was formalized and launched.
As VSB rose in prominence and ratings over the years, German was a steady force in VSB’s administration during the tenure of several deans. As Dean Emeritus Thomas “Tim” Monahan, PhD, says, “It is hard to argue with the importance of Melinda’s role in the rise of VSB over the past 25-plus years. She identified ways to improve our students’ college experience and was an unapologetic voice for every Villanova student she encountered. Her legacy is obvious and will be lasting!”
Known for her “student-first” approach, German recalls an early strategic plan with Monahan that had a one-page visual with students in the middle. “That image always stayed with me throughout my career,” she says.
Young Alumni Council (YAC) member Doug Jadis ’15 VSB says German embodied what it means to be a Villanovan. “She was known by anyone and everyone around VSB. The impact that she made on all current students, alumni and the entire faculty with her guidance and leadership will cement her legacy.” Fellow YAC member Mario Masrieh ’12 VSB echoes this sentiment: “Melinda is a true Villanovan who has such a unique and special touch that makes her cherished by all those who have had the privilege to spend time with her.”
According to Wen Mao, PhD, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean, “Melinda has left an indelible mark on VSB. She was instrumental to so many programs and initiatives that have become synonymous with the identity of our school. We are forever grateful for all that she has done to shape the past, present and future of VSB.”
Larry F. Fillian Jr. Named New Associate Dean
After a national search, VSB named Larry L. Fillian Jr. the new associate dean of Undergraduate Business Programs as of Sept. 3, 2024.
Fillian is responsible for leading the strategic and academic direction of VSB’s undergraduate business program and its offerings, and for overseeing VSB’s Clay Center for Student Services and O’Donnell Center for Professional Development.
Fillian brings extensive experience in leading student programs and services at national universities and has distinguished himself as a champion of student interests. Most recently, he served as associate dean for Enrollment Management and Student Success at the New York University School of Professional Studies.
A New Home for Professional Development at VSB
The O’Donnell Center moves to a dedicated space on the ground floor of Bartley Hall.
The go-to destination for VSB undergraduate professional development services and initiatives has a new location: Bartley 030. The Charlotte and James V. O’Donnell ’63 Center for Professional Development kicked off its grand opening on Nov. 18 with a weeklong celebration of activities to welcome students, faculty and staff to the new space.
Established in 2015 as the result of a generous endowed gift from Jim O’Donnell ’63 VSB and his wife, Charlotte, the O’Donnell Center shared a physical space with the Clay Center at VSB for nearly a decade.
“We fondly referred to ourselves as a ‘center within a center,’” says Brenda Stover, assistant dean, O’Donnell Center. “The Clay Center provides advising and studentsuccess services, while we provide career and professional support.”
The O’Donnell Center leads the delivery of the Backpackto-Briefcase curriculum, professional development coaching, experiential education initiatives and the undergraduate/alumni Mentor Program. It partners with VSB faculty, VSB academic departments and Centers of Excellence, student business societies, and the Villanova Career Center to offer career education and employer programs. Additionally, the O’Donnell Center collaborates with campus partners to build employer relationships and secure externships, internships and co-op opportunities that align with students’ interests.
“As our offerings and staff have expanded, and in recognition of the O’Donnells’ continued commitment to our students and mission, it was time for a dedicated space,” says Stover, who’s been championing VSB’s professional development efforts since 2002. An ideal location became available: a 1,725-square-foot space on the ground floor of Bartley Hall, where the former Bartley Print Center was located. In the center of a hallway of classrooms and just steps from Holy Grounds and the Curley Exchange, the new location is thoughtfully designed to support the O’Donnell Center’s current staff, services and offerings, with room to grow for the future.
“As part of VSB’s strategic plan and the University’s capital campaign, we’re working toward establishing an individualized professional development career coaching team which would differentiate VSB from other undergraduate business programs,” Stover explains.
“The O’Donnell Center provides young students with a real leg up going into the business world and being able not just to succeed, but to contribute.”
–Jim O’Donnell ’63 VSB
The grand opening of the O’Donnell Center’s new home coincided with another milestone event celebrating the former trustee and retired CEO of American Eagle Outfitters. On Nov. 14, 2024, Jim O’Donnell received the Rev. Joseph C. Bartley, OSA Alumni Medallion, the highest distinction VSB can bestow to one of its alumni. Awarded annually, the Bartley Medallion recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers while also demonstrating extraordinary service to their communities and to VSB.
The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, presented O’Donnell with the Bartley Medallion in November.
The O’Donnell Center team is privileged to bring Jim and Charlotte’s vision to life. Their commitment provides students with a distinctive business school experience—a journey that integrates career development and professional preparation due to their generosity.”
Brenda Stover
Dedicated staff members
From Phone Booths to Zoom Booths
Across the hall from the O’Donnell Center, the iconic wooden phone booths in Bartley received a modern makeover, thanks to a idea from Kaitlin Grady, O’Donnell Center associate director of Experiential Education and Employer Outreach, and technical expertise of VSB’s IT coordinator Erik Germanovich.
Many VSB alumni fondly remember big moments in these tiny telephone booths, like job-clinching interviews and promising recruiter phone calls. Now these booths offer students spaces for video conferencing and virtual meetings.
At the Intersection of Business and Law
Following a non-traditional career path after VSB, Ava Giannella returns to campus as a guest speaker to share her experience with students.
Ava (Roberts) Giannella ’20 VSB wasn’t exactly sure what career path she wanted to pursue after college. Many of her friends in VSB were headed into audit or banking roles, but Giannella was drawn to the idea of a more nontraditional business path and was considering law school. She found the perfect blend of business and law as a damages consultant. As an Economics major with minors in Business Law and Spanish, she landed an internship with financial services firm Stout the summer before her senior year, then accepted a full-time position with the firm after graduation.
Currently a manager in Stout’s Disputes, Claims and Investigations practice, Giannella provides accounting, finance and economics expertise in commercial litigations. Giannella specializes in intellectual property disputes, such as patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation. Her role involves analyzing financial records and statements to create financial models and damages analyses. “It’s expert witness testimony for the business side of things—damages due to the plaintiff if the defendant is found liable,” she explains. She says applying accounting and finance skills learned at VSB while also working with attorneys makes this “my dream job, which I didn’t know existed until I got involved!”
A few years after graduation, Giannella reached out to Marketing & Business Law Associate Teaching Professor Jeanne Liedtka, JD. “The Corporate Responsibility & Regulation class I took with Professor Liedtka helped me begin to understand the type of work I enjoyed and provided a solid foundation for the skills I would later need,” says Giannella.
She continued, “I wanted to spread the word to other VSB students that this type of career exists. I know there are many students that are interested in both business and law, but that may not know how to combine these interests or the opportunities that are available.”
Giannella has since returned to campus as a guest speaker for Professor Liedtka’s Intellectual Property Law for Business course as well as the Business Law student society. Professor Liedtka says Giannella has been an incredible resource for students. “Thanks to her efforts, several students have learned about damages consulting and later interned with her firm, which is especially meaningful because undergraduates typically have difficulty finding work experience in the legal field. My students have benefited so much from her generosity in sharing her time and experience.”
Business Law and Corporate Governance Minor
The Business Law and Corporate Governance minor was introduced in 2005 and in the 2023–2024 academic year was the most popular minor at VSB. The program provides students with a robust understanding of the legal and ethical impacts of business practices and the global economy.
Students learn about a variety of legal topics, including contracts, commercial transactions, forms of business entities and how they are governed and managed, and the rights and obligations of the entities’ stakeholders.
Jeanne Liedtka, JD
Associate Teaching Professor, Marketing and Business Law
Ava engages students with fascinating examples of how her work uses her business skills to develop evidence to resolve legal disputes or inform legal transactions. Her stories help my students see how the abstract concepts we discuss in class have real impacts on how businesses operate.”
Heart and Soul
Six talented VSB students share how the performing arts have enriched their business education and shaped them personally and professionally—and they all echoed similar sentiments. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other; in fact, they complement each other quite well.
Melody Hutchins ’26 VSB
Majors: Real Estate and Finance
Performing Arts: Violinist in Villanova Pastoral Musicians
Shamar Long ’25 VSB
Major: Management Information Systems
Performing Arts: President of the Villanova Spires, tenor in Villanova Singers and performer in Villanova Student Musical Theatre
During her first year at Villanova, Melody Hutchins ’26 VSB wasn’t involved in the arts. “I thought it would be best to focus on my academic studies,” says Melody, a dual Real Estate and Finance major who has been playing violin since she was 8 years old.
Her sophomore-year roommate was a member of Villanova Pastoral Musicians and encouraged Melody to join. “Thanks to her, I have been able to continue making music alongside wonderfully talented student musicians ever since,” Melody says. “Having not only a successful career but a passion is a core part of who I am and want to be after graduation.”
Plus, her participation in Villanova Pastoral Musicians has been an asset to her academic studies. An ensemble of about 40 undergraduate and graduate instrumentalists and singers, the Pastorals perform sacred music at weekly liturgies, special Masses and concerts throughout the year.
“We are often required to sight-read the pieces we play, making the ability to think and act quickly with confidence imperative to be successful in the group,” Melody says. “Likewise, in my classes, I often find myself coordinating group projects with time constraints that require efficient decision-making skills, and because of my experience in Pastorals, I can make decisions in groups with confidence.”
Before coming to Villanova, Shamar Long ’25 VSB had honed his singing skills in church and on stage in musical theater, but he had never performed with an a cappella group.
“I had no idea how it was going to be, but I was immediately sold when I walked into the audition room for the Villanova Spires,” says Shamar, a tenor whose audition song was “How Deep Is Your Love.”
“I joined to have a creative outlet and to do something I love, and that turned into being a part of several groups,” he says. A major in Management Information Systems, Shamar performs with Villanova Singers and Villanova Student Musical Theatre (VSMT) in addition to the Spires. He’s wowed audiences from Ithan Avenue to Montreal, Canada, and Barcelona, Spain, with the breadth, depth and range of his voice. His repertoire encompasses many styles of music from sacred to soul, gospel to contemporary.
Shamar also serves as the publicity director of VSMT and president of the Spires. “As president, I work to ensure our group is heard as a collective and seen as a collective at the same time,” he says. “The arts have given me a space to be myself while engaging with people who are on different paths than me but who all share the same passion.”
Frederick, Md.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Hometown:
Melody Hutchins ’26 VSB
Hometown:
Shamar Long ’25 VSB
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.
Hometown: Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.
Tess Chiarello ’26 VSB
Cole Joyce ’27 VSB
As actors, singers, set designers and musicians in Villanova’s close-knit performing arts community, these VSB students have developed numerous skills and qualities that help them succeed in the classroom and in business: creative problem-solving, quick analytic thinking, improved public speaking and communication skills, team building, confidence, perseverance, and resilience, to name a few.
Tess Chiarello ’26 VSB
Majors: Management and International Business
Minor: Business Law
Performing Arts: Props manager for Villanova Student Theatre crew, scene shop assistant at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts
Though all of her work happens behind the scenes, Tess Chiarello ’26 VSB says theater has shaped almost every aspect of her life.
As an assistant in the Scene Shop at the Mullen Center for the Performing Arts and the props manager for the Villanova Student Theatre crew, Tess has literally set the stage for some of Villanova’s most captivating productions over the last two years. The stunningly intricate set for The Spanish Tragedy was a standout for her— she helped to bring a two-story mansion-style building to life on stage, complete with a sweeping staircase and climbing vines.
“In order to build a set and create a show, you must be able to work as a team while simultaneously working by yourself,” says Tess, a dual major in Management and International Business. “You have to be able to work through problems quickly and come up with efficient solutions.”
Even a seemingly basic task in set design like painting foliage for a jungle scene demands vision, creativity, independent initiative, decision-making and precision.
“This kind of freedom and trust helps not only build confidence but skill. I can see this confidence reflected in my group projects, work teams and other clubs on campus,” Tess says. “Having to be your own leader is nerve-racking at first, but it only gets easier.”
Cole Joyce ’27 VSB
Major: Marketing
Minors: Business Law and English
Performing Arts: Tenor in Villanova Spires, performer in Villanova Student Musical Theatre
Cole Joyce ’27 VSB never questioned how theater and singing would fit in with academic pursuits in VSB. He jumped in with both feet. In his first semester, he joined the Spires as a tenor in the all-male a cappella group and took on the role of Wednesday’s love interest/ fiancé in VSMT’s production of The Addams Family: A New Musical
“Because of the Spires and VSMT, I embrace opportunities to stand out and am a much more effective communicator,” he says. “My involvement in the arts has taught me to solve problems in the classroom and in life through a more creative lens.”
Cole’s passion for the arts was a driving force in selecting his major as well. “Marketing is a way for me to keep my creativity and imagination alive in a business setting,” says Cole, who also discovered his interest in business law during the fall semester.
A core course on Corporate Responsibility and Regulation taught by Cathy J. Toner, JD, assistant dean, External Relations and Event Planning, inspired him to pursue a Business Law minor and consider law school after completing his business degree. “She showed me how the creativity, problem-solving and communication skills I’ve developed through the arts were not only relevant but valuable in both business and law,” Cole says.
Hometown: Kendall Park, N.J.
Gianna Pacilio ’26 VSB
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colo.
Owen Dorlac ’26 VSB
The performing arts are more than a creative outlet for these Villanova Business students— they’re also an essential component of their success.
Owen Dorlac ’26 VSB
Major: Applied Quantitative Finance
Minor: English
Performing Arts: Actor in Villanova Student Theatre
The theatre bug bit Owen Dorlac ’26 VSB just before he came to Villanova. He acted on stage for the first time in his senior year of high school and immediately fell in love. “I was determined not to lose that going into college, so I began looking for a theatre group as soon as I set foot on campus,” he says.
He joined Villanova Student Theatre his first semester and has appeared in every performance since, from Macbeth to The Outsiders. A pianist himself, Owen says the undeniable highlight of his theatre career at Villanova was playing the 18th-century composer Salieri in VST’s production of Amadeus. It’s a demanding role: Salieri has hundreds of lines and rarely leaves the stage during the two-and-a-half hour run time. “It teaches you a lot about commitment,” says Owen, the newly elected president of VST. “You spend months rehearsing for hours and hours—all for four performances, or eight, if you’re lucky. But I would do it 100 times over.”
“Acting is one of those things you can’t do alone,” he says. “It has taught me how to be a team player and shown me the amazing things a team is capable of doing when they’re working hard together toward a common goal.”
Gianna Pacilio ’26 VSB
Major: Marketing
Minors: Communication and Business Law
Performing Arts: French horn player in the Villanova Band and trumpet player in the Villanova Jazz Band
Before joining the Villanova Band, Gianna Pacilio ’26 VSB had always struggled with public speaking. But at New Student Orientation for the Class of 2028, all eyes in the Finneran Pavilion were on her—as she stood center court teaching hundreds of incoming students how to sing “V for Villanova.”
“Needless to say, that fear has essentially disappeared,” says Gianna, a Marketing major who now has many opportunities to speak in front of large crowds as president of VU Band and publicity chair of Villanova Jazz Band. “Being a part of the Villanova Band and Villanova Jazz Band has really helped me develop my marketing skills and my confidence.”
One of the oldest and largest student organizations on campus, VU Band was definitely a factor in Gianna’s choice to go to Villanova. “I have been involved with band since I was in third grade, so it seemed natural to me to continue making music in college,” says Gianna, who plays the trumpet and the French horn. “Musicians tend to stick together and support one another, so I was also seeking out that community. From my first day at Villanova when I met everyone else in the VU Band, I knew I made the right choice.” \v/
In the final round of interviews for a competitive global investment banking internship, a vice president at the firm asked Owen Dorlac ’26 VSB a question he’s heard many times: How do you balance your major in Applied Quantitative Finance with your demanding schedule as an actor in Villanova Student Theatre?
Owen’s answer: You make time for the things you love.
“Theater has really shaped who I am as a person, and it’s not a part of myself I can set aside,” says Owen, who will intern as an analyst at DC Advisory this summer. “I don’t have to give up on my professional career because I’m passionate about acting.”
A Lasting Legacy
When Brennan Eberle ’26 VSB, son of George Eberle ’87 VSB, was accepted to Villanova in December 2021, he called his grandfather, George F. Eberle ’54 VSB, to share the exciting news. Brennan’s grandfather was the first in his family to go to college, attending Villanova through a Naval ROTC scholarship. Sadly, the joy of Brennan’s news was shortly followed by his grandfather’s passing away just a few hours after the phone call. “Although my dad had not been doing well, we think he held on until he knew Brennan got into Villanova before he passed peacefully. It was a bittersweet moment; on one hand, we had so much joy for Brennan, but on the other, we were devastated due to the loss of my dad. The thought that my dad hung on until he knew Brennan was in a good place and headed to Villanova, it still gives me chills,” Eberle shared.
At the funeral and in the weeks after his passing, Eberle was deeply touched hearing so many stories of his father’s generosity, kindness and selfless acts that he did for others. Eberle’s wife Aimee encouraged him to honor his father’s kindness and generosity in a meaningful way, and the couple was inspired to establish the George F. Eberle ’54 Endowed Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is intended for a VSB student who qualifies for aid and who is from Queens (where his dad grew up) or Long Island, N.Y. (where his family lives).
After graduating with a degree in finance, Eberle began his career at Merrill Lynch and later Credit Suisse in San Francisco before taking a leap of faith to move back across the country and join the alternative asset fundraising firm Park Hill in New York. Twenty years later, Eberle is a partner at the firm, now known as PJT Park Hill.
Eberle has also given of his time and talents to VSB over the past several years as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC). He had been on the board of The Green Vale School, his children’s primary school, and knew how rewarding and impactful an experience it was to be involved in their education. When his oldest son, George ’23 VSB, started at Villanova, he reached out to a longtime mentor, George Coleman ’78 VSB. Coleman, who had hired Eberle at Credit Suisse earlier in his career and has mentored many Villanovans over the years, advised him on how he could get more involved. In addition to serving on DAC, Eberle was also recently named to the tri-state area sub-committee for Villanova’s comprehensive campaign, Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University
“We are happy to give back to such a great school; we hope the scholarship in my dad’s name keeps his legacy of generosity alive and continues to the next generation.”
We want to help students who are in the ‘middle’: someone who really wants to go to Villanova and their parents might earn a good living but also might not be able to afford the full cost of attendance.”
–George Eberle ’87 VSB
George F. Eberle ’54 VSB (2nd from right) ran track at Villanova under the legendary Coach Jumbo Elliott.
George Eberle ’87 VSB
VSB Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC)
The DAC provides advice and guidance to Wen Mao, PhD, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB, on important strategic initiatives under consideration.
Greg Wilson ’95 VSB, P ’26; Chair Partner
Goldman Sachs
Alana Hoskin ’00 VSB Vice President, Global Audit and Chief Risk Officer
Nike
Anthony Abbatiello ’97 VSB Workforce Transformation Leader, Principal PwC
Jennifer Barbetta ’95 VSB COO and Managing Director TA Associates Management
Arthur Batson III ’98 VSB President and CEO
Lucas Tree Expert
Ken Bodmer ’87 VSB, P ’24 CFO
Prime Therapeutics
John Cashwell ’87 VSB, P ’19, ’23 Managing Director, Capital & Partner Solutions
Vista Equity Partners
Christopher Cereghino ’93 CLAS Managing Director
The Carlyle Group
Anthony Chiarello ’77 CLAS, P ’08, ’26, ’28 Principal/Owner
Lighthouse Maritime Advisors
Susan Ciccarone ’95 VSB Partner
Further Global Capital Management
Brian Collie ’95 CLAS
Managing Director and Senior Partner
Boston Consulting Group
Thomas J. Colligan P ’92 Vice Dean of Executive Education (Retired)
The Wharton School
Steven DeCillis II ’95 VSB CFO and Partner AEA
Angela Deering ’00 VSB Managing Director
J.P. Morgan
Stephen Delaney ’91 VSB Partner, Audit and Assurance Services, Office Audit Leader–Philadelphia Deloitte
Dante D’Egidio ’94 VSB Americas Vice Chair of Assurance EY
Thomas Donnelly ’98 VSB Principal KPMG
George Eberle ’87 VSB, P ’23, ’26 Partner
PJT Park Hill
Richard Furtek ’91 VSB, P ’18, ’20 Principal Furtek & Associates
Michael Giarrusso ’01 VSB Partner, Financial Services Consulting EY
Thomas Henry, Esq. ’81 VSB, ’92 LLM, P ’22 Retired PwC
Patricia A. Ippoliti, PhD ’75 VSB President PI Associates
Debbie Kolman P ’24 Retired Investment Banker Goldman Sachs
Greg Mancini ’95 VSB Co-Head Global Research and Portfolio Manager Nuveen Investments
Mario R. Masrieh ’12 VSB Managing Director Trivest
