EVER NOVA

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For 110 years, the student-run Villanovan has chronicled campus life and given Nova Nation a voice

By Megan Walsh-Boyle

Since publishing its first issue in November 1916, The Villanovan has been where generations of Villanova students discovered their voice. What began as a quarterly publication that mixed original poetry, stories and essays soon grew into a weekly newspaper—one that documented campus life through world wars, the inaugurations of University presidents and March Madness triumphs. Always by the students, for the students, the paper built a reputation for ambitious, student-driven reporting, ultimately earning national recognition as a finalist for the Associated Collegiate Press Newspaper Pacemaker Award in 2010. In print, it reaches a loyal campus readership with an average circulation of more than 450 copies per issue, while online and social platforms extend its storytelling far beyond campus and into newsrooms across the country, where many former staffers now continue their careers in professional journalism.

Today, the student team of writers, editors, photographers and designers works out of its bustling Corr Hall basement newsroom, continuing a long tradition of late-night editing sessions, headline brainstorming and the thrill of going to press on Wednesdays. For the past decade, Michael Bradley, assistant instructor in Villanova’s Department of Communication, who serves as faculty adviser to the paper, has watched each new student team raise the bar. “The Villanovan is the ultimate influencer on campus,” he says. Recent editors have introduced new special issues, expanded arts and sports coverage, and strengthened the paper’s digital presence, all while maintaining cherished traditions, including the honor of announcing each year’s Commencement speaker.