ABOUT THE PRESIDENT
The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD
The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, serves as Villanova University’s 32nd president. Under his leadership, the University has experienced significant transformation, including the development and implementation of ambitious strategic plans, an enhanced intellectual and scholarly climate, expanded student opportunities, a vibrant renewal and expansion of the campus, and the launch of comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
Guided by this vision, Villanova has introduced new initiatives, strengthened its national reputation for academic excellence and set new University admission records. Father Peter has worked in partnership with students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends to deepen the Villanova experience and reaffirm the University’s Augustinian Catholic educational mission.
A Vision for Villanova's Future
Under Father Peter’s leadership, Villanova has launched two ambitious strategic plans. The first, “Igniting the Heart. Inspiring the Mind. Illuminating the Spirit.,” was designed to build upon the University’s strengths and guide Villanova’s progress through a period of growth and change. Central to the plan were the University’s distinctive attributes: academic excellence, a strong sense of community, service to others, personal attention and a platform for success.
Father Peter later launched “Rooted. Restless.” to propel the University into its next era of greatness. The plan builds on Villanova’s strengths while enhancing the experience of the entire community, including faculty, students, staff, alumni, parents and friends.
Father Peter has also championed the University’s environmental sustainability efforts, highlighted by his signing of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which pledges that Villanova will work toward climate neutrality. The University’s formal Climate Action Plan outlines goals to advance environmental sustainability and provide learning opportunities that encourage community members to be responsible stewards of creation.
Father Peter established the Office of Sustainability to better coordinate and guide the University’s sustainability work. This commitment is also reflected in Villanova’s strategic plan, where sustainability serves as a foundational element for the University’s future. Under his leadership, the University also launched the Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal, further underscoring Villanova’s commitment to advancing environmental stewardship, interdisciplinary scholarship and the common good.
Transforming the Villanova Campus
One of Father Peter’s first Presidential initiatives was commissioning a 30-year Campus Master Plan to assure that capital improvements are made with purpose and strategic intent.
As a result, Villanova’s campus continues to undergo a vibrant transformation. In addition to major facility upgrades, the University has expanded and added several state-of-the-art spaces, including Drosdick Hall—home to the College of Engineering—the Mullen Center for the Performing Arts, the Finneran Pavilion and The Commons. The most recent addition is Vic Maggitti Hall, a new library at the center of campus that will serve as a hub for research and learning for students, scholars, and the broader community.
Villanova has further expanded its physical footprint with the additions of the Cabrini and Rosemont Campuses. These campuses enable the University to enhance its programs, deepen its commitment to Catholic higher education and provide spaces that nurture a true living and learning experience in Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic tradition.
A Commitment to Community
Throughout this transformative period in Villanova’s history, Father Peter has remained committed to preserving and strengthening the University’s distinctive identity as an Augustinian Catholic institution. A champion of service learning, he instituted the annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service as a way for the University community to put its Augustinian ideals into action. Each September, nearly 5,000 students, faculty, staff and alumni participate in service projects throughout Greater Philadelphia. It is one of many service-learning opportunities at Villanova, where students, faculty and staff contribute more than 250,000 hours of service in local, national and international communities.
Enhancing the Intellectual and Scholarly Climate
Father Peter is steadfastly dedicated to providing a distinctive academic experience to students across all colleges and disciplines. His leadership has emphasized student-faculty partnerships that connect teaching, research and extracurricular initiatives; new and distinctive approaches to teaching and learning; and the development of centers around areas of institutional strength. Under his leadership, the University has expanded its commitment to interdisciplinary learning and created new Centers of Excellence.
Attracting and retaining world-class teacher-scholars has also been a priority during Father Peter’s presidency. The University has significantly increased the number of full-time faculty, faculty citations in the media, and faculty publications and papers. Villanova has also strengthened interdisciplinary learning by creating new Centers of Excellence and institutes such as the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Ann Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership.
During Father Peter’s tenure, Villanova has advanced its model as a doctoral-granting institution—one that produces a select number of PhDs, supports research in niche areas and offers a wide variety of master’s degrees, while remaining deeply focused on the undergraduate experience. Villanova faculty and students are engaged in innovative research funded by federal agencies and major foundations. The University currently offers doctoral programs in Engineering, Nursing, Philosophy and Theology.
Father Peter’s leadership and commitment to teaching extend well beyond the classroom. Under his leadership, Villanova established its first new college in more than 50 years with the creation of the College of Professional Studies. He has made numerous key academic appointments, including naming the University’s first Provost and several deans across the University’s colleges and schools. In addition, he created senior-level Cabinet positions including Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Vice President of Technology and Vice President for UNITAS: Community Enrichment.
Villanova’s national reputation for academic excellence continues to grow. The University is ranked among the nation’s top universities by U.S. News & World Report and is recognized as one of the country’s leading Catholic universities. Villanova has also been recognized as a Hidden Ivy, reflecting its strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences and its rigorous academic experience.
The University is now consistently listed among the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Students, and Villanovans continue to be recipients of prestigious competitive scholarships and awards such as the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship.
An Accomplished Scholar
Born in the Bronx, N.Y., and raised in Royal Oak, Michigan, Father Peter earned a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University, with a concentration in theatre and communication arts, and was ordained an Augustinian priest. He holds a master’s degree in theatre from The Catholic University of America, a Master of Divinity from the Washington Theological Union and a doctorate in theatre from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While pursuing his doctorate, Father Peter taught theatre at the University of Illinois, where he received honors for outstanding teaching. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline honor society.
Father Peter is a tenured full professor at Villanova who served for many years as chair of the University’s Department of Theatre. He annually directed musical theatre productions on campus, earning six Barrymore Award nominations and one Barrymore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical from the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. He continues to make guest directing appearances.
