SOPHOMORE LIVING AND LEADERSHIP COMMUNITIES AT CABRINI
The Sophomore Living and Leadership Communities at Cabrini offers Villanova sophomores a distinctive opportunity to live, learn and lead together in a vibrant residential setting on the Cabrini Campus. Designed to fit the unique needs of sophomores looking to build on their experiences to grow as leaders, this experience invites students to explore leadership practice, connect with mentors and take part in high-impact programming that deepens their sense of purpose.
Through shared courses and community activities, students engage with topics and disciplines they are passionate about while also developing the skills to collaborate with people whose perspectives differ from their own. The Cabrini Communities cultivate friendships with like-minded peers, while also fostering the ability to lead in dynamic and diverse settings.
More than a living space, Cabrini Communities is a launchpad for growth—helping sophomores gain leadership experience, build meaningful relationships and develop career-ready skills. This signature Villanova program sets students apart and equips them to make a lasting impact on campus and beyond.
FIVE RESIDENTIAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
FOR SOPHOMORES!
- Advancing Women Leaders in STEM
- Augustinian Living and Learning: Cultivating Belonging and Meaning in an Age of Distraction
- Sophomore Service-Learning Community (SSLC)
- The Space Between: Personal and Professional Development in CLAS
- Startup Studio
Space is limited. Application deadline is January 29.
CHOOSE YOUR COMMUNITY
Led by the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership, the Advancing Women Leaders in STEM Community is open to any sophomore student majoring in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering and math). Advancing Women Leaders in STEM cultivates a community that fosters women developing as STEM leaders and supports the critical role of STEM in our society.
Members of this community will:
- Build connections and collaborations across STEM disciplines including with current leaders working in STEM industries.
- Develop skills needed to lead in these fields.
- Create a personalized leadership development plan for their success.
Through the accompanying course, which fulfills the University's Ethics requirement, students will explore conceptions of human flourishing, giving attention to how humanity’s relationship with nature is entangled with conceptions of gender and how scientific inquiry and moral inquiry reflect these dynamic relations, especially regarding the climate crisis.
Find purpose, connection and spiritual engagement. The Augustinian Living and Learning community is open to all sophomores interested in forming community that responds to the challenges of our times by cultivating Augustinian virtues of wonder, patience, humility, conviviality and forgiveness. This exciting offering emerges from partnership among the Office of Mission and Ministry and the Departments of Theology and Religious Studies and Humanities.
Members of this community will:
- Form a way of life oriented toward these virtues through coursework in Theology and Humanities and in various forms of spiritual practice together, including shared meals, conversations and reflection nights.
- Learn contemplative practices and insights from the Christian, Catholic and Augustinian traditions and commit to regular fasts from technology.
- Embrace and practice Augustinian virtues to meet the challenges of isolation, screen saturation and polarization and to build community and lifelong habits.
The Sophomore Service-Learning Community (SSLC) is designed for sophomores who want to make a difference through hands-on service, grow as leaders and build lifelong connections. The program integrates weekly service, academic reflection and intentional community living to create a holistic learning experience.
Members of this community will:
- Engage in weekly service, dedicating three to four hours each week to partnering with local community organizations that address a variety of social and educational needs.
- Take a three-credit SSLC-approved course designed to deepen understanding of social issues and strengthen the skills needed to engage in thoughtful, informed dialogue about communities served.
- Participate in a one-credit “Fourth Hour” seminar, a reflective space to discuss service experiences, ask questions and critically learn about the impact of service-learning.
The Space Between is open to all sophomores in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) who are seeking a unique opportunity to ask the big questions, discover their values, develop into a leader, learn to build resilience and shape a future with purpose. The Space Between is built upon one of St. Augustine’s most meaningful and memorable quotations: “Become what you are not yet.” It is a community where questions matter more than answers, and connection grows in the spaces in-between.
Members of this community will:
- Take two Arts and Sciences Professional Development one-credit courses (ASPD 2000: Passion, Path, and Purpose and ASPD 2023: Navigating Roadblocks).
- Participate in leadership and networking events while connecting with Villanova alumni.
- Connect with student and alumni mentors through the CLAS Peer Career Coaching Program, POWER Peer Education Program, and CLAS Mentorship Program.
Live where you can bring ideas to life! Led by the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), the Startup Studio is open to any sophomore who is curious, creative and eager to make an impact. Students will learn and lead in a supportive environment that encourages collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking in every aspect of their Villanova experience.
Members of this community will:
- Gain the skills, networks and ethical foundations to become principled leaders, founders and innovators.
- Take two one-credit courses, Entrepreneurial Mindset in the Fall and a course to prepare for the Villanova Student Entrepreneurship Competition (VSEC) in the Spring.
- Participate in networking opportunities, mentorship from industry leaders, startup competitions, workshops and projects such as business ideation, prototypes, pitch decks and other venture-creation experiences.