Centers of Excellence "Integral” to A Villanova Law Education
April 20, 2026 — Starting in their second year, Villanova Law students can seek interdisciplinary opportunities to work with one or more of the Law School’s Centers of Excellence:
The Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation seeks to educate and provide technical assistance to those who respond to commercial sexual exploitation in Pennsylvania and to promote victim-centered collaboration.
The David F. and Constance B. Girard-diCarlo Center for Ethics, Integrity and Compliance addresses important and emerging ethical and compliance issues in law and business. It oversees the design of new coursework and special academic programs and brings leading experts and scholars to the Law School for research and collaboration.
The Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy builds upon the Law School’s Augustinian Catholic mission and creates opportunities for new curriculum focused on advocacy, law and religion.
The Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law provides expert analysis of key issues in the sports industry. It also prepares students for sports-related careers through academic programming, externship opportunities, scholarship and research.
The John F. Scarpa Center for Entrepreneurship and Law offers programs, groundbreaking coursework and real-world learning opportunities, ensuring that students receive a legal education infused with business principles.
“They provide a focus and attract faculty experts in these fields,” says Vice Dean Andrew Lund, former director of the Scarpa Center. “These centers are an integral part of a Villanova Law education, and students working with the centers enhance both their curricular and professional experience."
Each of the four centers and the Institute provides students with the opportunity to pursue innovative legal fields through study, practical experience and mentorship. Students working with the centers may engage with industry leaders through events and guest lectures, contribute original writing through blogs or an academic journal, pursue related externships, and more.
Initially drawn to Villanova Law for its sports law offerings, Evan Partridge ’26 has spent time working with Andrew Brandt, executive director of the Moorad Center and a former vice president of the Green Bay Packers, to develop his knowledge of professional athletics and sports management. “From the start, I recognized the resources put into the program and its deep integration within not only the Philadelphia landscape but the national sports and entertainment landscape,” Partridge says. “I have a job at a sports and entertainment management and marketing agency upon graduation, and I owe that opportunity in large part to my time in the Moorad Center, which prepared me for the industry's competitive business environment.”
Scarpa Center Director MarySheila McDonald has extensive experience in teaching both business and law, and she brings this perspective to the Center. She also oversees the Reza Taleghani JD/MBA Program. McDonald believes Villanova Law’s Where Law Meets Business philosophy expands legal education through curriculum, programming, leadership opportunities and interdisciplinary initiatives.
“The [Scarpa] Center emphasizes the development of an entrepreneurial mindset—a transformative paradigm shift in legal education— in which students learn to identify opportunities, solve problems and create value in uncertain environments,” McDonald says. “Students’ skills are deepened through academic courses, externships and leadership roles as Scarpa Fellows, Entrepreneurship Law Society officers and members of the Scarpa Negotiation Team.”
Throughout the year, the centers host speaking events, large-scale symposia and lectures featuring renowned experts. Recent topics include name, image and likeness litigation in college sports and preventing bullying in the legal profession. More intimate events include talks and book signings with invited guests, offering students the chance to connect with successful practitioners in a casual setting.
Other examples of “beyond the classroom” experiences include trips to the Supreme Court in Washington, DC with the McCullen Center, a collaborative documentary screening in Philadelphia with the CSE Institute and the Girard-diCarlo Center and the Moorad and Scarpa Centers’ participation in national and international competitions.
Upon graduation, students with experience working in a center often leave Villanova Law with a diverse network of connections, practical externship experience, publications and reports and a strong sense of the next steps in their legal career.
“My biggest takeaway [from the Moorad Center] has been the ability to grow alongside my peers within the sports and entertainment industry,” Partridge says. “Building out my professional network and sharing those connections with my peers, and them doing the same, has not only been extremely beneficial but also a fulfilling experience from start to finish.”