GET TO KNOW ... HEATHER GILL

By Yasmine Iqbal

As the College of Engineering’s assistant director of Undergraduate Recruitment and Involvement, Heather Gill ’95 CE meets with prospective engineers to discuss their interests and educates students about the academic disciplines, research and internship opportunities and organizations that the College offers. Her roots at Villanova run deep: Her father is a Villanova graduate, her grandfather attended before being called to military service, and her husband obtained his master’s degree at Villanova.

Gill worked in the private sector for 28 years before joining Villanova as a department coordinator for Civil and Environmental Engineering in January 2024.

“I welcomed the opportunity to return to Villanova,” she says. “It was a wonderful way to be a positive influence and be a part of the Villanova community again.”

BACK ON CAMPUS
As department coordinator, Gill’s duties included supporting faculty, coordinating school visits, tracking budgets and grant proposals, and assisting with accreditation reports. She enjoyed applying her civil engineering background in academic administration, but when the assistant director position opened last September, she embraced the opportunity to become even more involved with students, “helping future engineers ignite change and pursue their goals,” she says.

MAKING CONNECTIONS
In addition to sharing her own career experiences with students, Gill provides support for campus organizations, including the NovaRacing Formula SAE team, the Society of Women Engineers and Villanova Community Action by New Engineers (NovaCANE).

She is also passionate about helping students bring ideas to life, like the launch of a new organization, the Theme Park Engineering Club. “The club proposes to combine technical innovation with creativity to explore how engineering, design and storytelling intersect to create immersive experiences,” she says.

“The one thing I hope people know about me is that I am excited to provide support for our innovative, collaborative and creative students,” she says. “My door is always open. Go ’Cats!”