VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY NEWS
Chef Jimmy Harris Takes Bronze in National Culinary Challenge
On March 10, 2026, Chef Jimmy Harris, chef manager at Villanova University, left the familiar kitchen of Dougherty dining hall and stepped into a different cooking landscape—the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) 2026 Culinary Challenge. One recipe and a frenzied hour later, he walked away from the competition with a bronze medal and newfound culinary skills to share with his fellow Villanova chefs.
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VILLANOVA IN THE NEWS
CNN
'A Man of Peace': Pope Leo Embarks on a Marathon Visit to Africa
April 13, 2026 - During his pontificate Leo has talked about the importance of protecting the planet, so environmental stewardship could be a topic he addresses while in Angola and elsewhere in Africa. “By modeling peace as a ‘humble and disarming’ force, the pope not only draws global attention to the region’s suffering but also positions the African Church as a trusted mediator for reconciliation,” said Jaisy A. Joseph, a theologian at Villanova University.
Associated Press
Pope Making First Papal Visit to Algeria to Launch Africa Trip and Honor Locally Born St. Augustine
April 13, 2026 - From his first public words as pope, Leo proclaimed himself a “son of St. Augustine,” and he has repeatedly cited the church father in speeches and homilies. “I don’t know if I have seen a statement, a homily, an apostolic letter or exhortation that doesn’t reference Augustine,” said Paul Camacho, associate director of the Augustinian Institute at Villanova University, Leo’s Augustinian-run alma mater outside Philadelphia.
Wall Street Journal
Pope Leo Promotes a Global Vision in Africa
April 12, 2026 - Africa is home to one-fifth of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and Catholicism is growing faster there than anywhere else. Africa also produces more priests than any other region. “The church is thriving in many parts of Africa, and seminaries there are full in a way they are not in the U.S. or Europe,” said Kevin Hughes, a professor of theology at Villanova University. “The future of the church is as much below the equator as above it.”
April 8, 2026 - If the war does not last much longer, food prices may not go up, Peter Zaleski, an economics professor at Villanova University, told Fortune. While crop prices tend to be volatile, other foods may not change in the short term. “Even especially at the retail level, firms are loath to raise prices,” Zaleski said.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Are Native Americans Birthright Citizens? It's No April Fool's Joke
April 7, 2026 - "It appears highly likely that the justices will rule that the administration's effort to ban birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, ending the matter. But other pending high court decisions loom large in the debate over Native people's ability to exercise their American citizenship to protect their Indigenous citizenship..." Paul C. Rosier is director of the Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University.
Forbes
Sonic Branding: The Most Underused Asset in Marketing
April 6, 2026 - "A growing body of research suggests that sonic cues—brand sounds, jingles and audio signatures—are among the most effective distinctive assets for driving recognition and recall. And yet, they remain among the least systematically deployed." Charles R. "Ray" Taylor is the John A. Murphy Professor of Marketing at the Villanova School of Business.
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VILLANOVA MAGAZINE
Drosdick Hall–a state-of-the-art building expansion–unites the College of Engineering in one location, serving as a catalyst for cross-disciplinary innovation
Is CPR Always the Right Answer?
Villanova experts from Engineering, Nursing and Philosophy review best practices—physical, ethical and otherwise—and the latest developments in cardiopulmonary resuscitation
In their externships with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, Law students help restore lives by uncovering the truth