Villanova University Celebrates 2026 St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service
VILLANOVA, Pa. (August 25, 2026) — On Saturday, September 19, more than 4,000 Villanova University students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends will take part in the 2026 St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service. Named for the University’s patron saint, a 16th-century Augustinian bishop who tended to the poor and marginalized, the yearly event is one of the Delaware Valley’s largest single-day service initiatives.
As part of this year’s effort, members of the University community will volunteer at more than 100 sites across the Greater Philadelphia area, providing vital support to a wide range of charitable causes and organizations. Collectively, participants will contribute thousands of hours of service work, benefiting food pantries, community farms, local schools, care facilities and more.
“Service is at the heart of what it means to be a Villanovan,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “By coming together to serve our neighbors, we honor the example of St. Thomas of Villanova and put our Augustinian values into action. The Day of Service is a powerful reminder that when we work together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and strengthen the communities we call home.”
Emphasizing the importance of yearlong engagement, the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service is one of numerous ways Villanovans can make a difference in the region and around the world. Each semester, students, faculty and staff regularly participate in local outreach, mentoring, service trips and Habitat for Humanity builds. Collectively, the University community performs nearly 250,000 hours of service work annually.
The St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service is organized by the Day of Service Committee, comprised of Villanova students, faculty and staff members. To learn more about this year’s initiative, and for more information on how to get involved, please visit the Day of Service event page.
About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.
