Villanova alumnus Pope Leo XIV keeps close ties with the university

In short: Villanova University is in the spotlight after alumnus Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, and he has stayed publicly connected to the school.

What happened

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native and an Augustinian friar, was elected pope and took the name Leo XIV. He is the first pope from the United States in the Catholic Church’s nearly 2,000-year history. Prevost graduated from Villanova University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.

Villanova said the election brought “profound pride and celebration” and put the campus “at the heart of global attention.” After the announcement, church bells rang for hours at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on campus. Villanova’s president, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, called for prayer, reflection, and thoughtful discussion.

The connection has continued after the election. Vatican News reported that on October 10, 2025, Pope Leo XIV met privately in Rome with a delegation of 19 Villanova students and faculty, and spoke about their shared Augustinian roots and focus on education. In May 2026, he also sent a special message to Villanova’s graduating class, read at commencement, urging students to live out values like community, seeking truth, and service to others, and to preserve key civic principles in the United States.

Villanova is also regularly in national sports news because of its high-profile men’s basketball program. That means the school has been appearing in headlines for two very different reasons, sports success and a historic moment at the Vatican.

Why it matters

For alumni and students, this is like seeing your school’s name on the world’s biggest stage, then hearing directly from a graduate who now leads a global church. It also shows how a university community can stay connected to its graduates, even when those graduates take on roles with worldwide influence.

Source: NYTimes