Editing Villanova University (section)

==History==
In October 1841, two Irish [[Order of Saint Augustine|Augustinian friars]] from [[Saint Augustine]]'s Church in Philadelphia, with the intention of starting a school, purchased {{convert|200|acres}} in Radnor Township. Known as "Belle Air", the estate belonged to the late John Rudolph, a merchant of Burlington, New Jersey and Philadelphia. The school, which was called the "Augustinian College of Villanova", opened in 1842.<ref>Contosta, David R., ''Villanova University, 1842–1992'', Penn State University Press {{ISBN| 9780271014593}}</ref> Besides the [[novitiate]] and college, the Augustinians had pastoral care of Catholics living within a fifteen-mile radius. Bishop [[Francis Kenrick]] dedicated the chapel in 1844. Parishes at [[Berwyn, Pennsylvania|Berwyn]], [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]], and [[Wayne, Pennsylvania|Wayne]] developed from the Villanova mission.<ref>[https://radnorhistory.org/archive/articles/ytmt/?p=993 Patterson, Emma. "Villanova College in the 1890s", Radnor Historical Society, May 10, 1957]</ref>

However, the [[Philadelphia Nativist Riots]] of 1844 that burned Saint Augustine's Church in Philadelphia caused financial difficulties for the Augustinians, and the college was closed in February 1845. The college reopened in 1846 and graduated its first class in 1847. In March 1848, the governor of Pennsylvania incorporated the school and gave it the power to grant degrees. In 1859, the first master's degree was conferred.<ref>Address by Dean of the Graduate School Gerald Long to incoming graduate students. August 24, 2008.</ref> In 1857, the school closed again as the demand for priests in Philadelphia prevented adequate staffing, and the crisis of the [[Panic of 1857]] strained the school financially. The school remained closed throughout the Civil War and was used as a military hospital.<ref name=Hoffman>[https://villanovan.com/6581/uncategorized/the-history-of-villanova/ Hoffman, Claire. "The History of Villanova", ''The Villanovan'', July 22, 2017]</ref> It reopened in September 1865; since then it has operated continuously.<ref name="vill-history1">{{cite web|url=http://www.heritage.villanova.edu/history.html|title=The Mission and Heritage of Villanova University|website=Villanova.edu|access-date=August 17, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708233509/http://www.heritage.villanova.edu/history.html|archive-date=July 8, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its prep school later moved to [[Malvern, Pennsylvania|Malvern]], a town along the [[Philadelphia Main Line|Main Line]]. Today it is called [[Malvern Preparatory School]] and is still run by the order.<ref>[https://www.malvernprep.org/ Malvern Preparatory School]</ref>[[File:Oldnova.jpg|thumb|Villanova College in 1849|left]]

Villanova was all-male until 1918 when the college began evening classes to educate [[nun]]s to teach in [[parochial school]]s. In 1938, a laywoman received a Villanova degree for the first time. When the nursing school opened in 1953, women began attending Villanova full-time.<ref name=Hoffman/> In 1958, the College of Engineering admitted its first female student; other colleges admitted women only as commuters. Villanova University became fully coeducational in 1968.<ref name="vill-history1" />

During World War II, Villanova was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the [[V-12 Navy College Training Program]] which offered students a path to a Navy commission.<ref name="villanova-v-12">{{cite web |url=http://heritage.villanova.edu/vu/heritage/allthings/2002SPh.htm |title=Amidst the Depression and War, Progress Still Prevails |publisher=Villanova Magazine: Villanova University |access-date=September 29, 2011 |year=2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406132413/http://heritage.villanova.edu/vu/heritage/allthings/2002SPh.htm |archive-date=April 6, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> It has since graduated 25 US Naval Admirals and Marine Corps Generals; only the  Naval Academy in Annapolis has generated more.<ref>[http://www.augnet.org/en/history/places/4267-usa-villanova/ "Villanova" 4267, Augnet]</ref>

After World War II, Villanova expanded, returning [[veterans]] swelling enrollments and the faculty growing fourfold. Additional facilities were built, and in 1953, the college of [[Nursing]] and the School of Law were established. Villanova achieved university status on November 18, 1953. Between 1954 and 1963, 10 new buildings were built or bought on land adjacent to the campus, including Bartley, Mendel, and Dougherty Halls.<ref name="villanovan2405">{{cite web |url=http://media.www.villanovan.com/media/storage/paper581/news/2006/09/07/Features/The-Facts.About.The.History.Of.Villanova-2262405-page3.shtml|title=The Facts About the History of Vilanova|work=The Villanovan|access-date=October 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121084409/http://media.www.villanovan.com/media/storage/paper581/news/2006/09/07/Features/The-Facts.About.The.History.Of.Villanova-2262405-page3.shtml|archive-date=January 21, 2008}}</ref>

Villanova and [[Cabrini University]] issued a joint statement on June 23, 2023, announcing that Cabrini would cease operations in 2024 and be incorporated into Villanova.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Albright |first1=Amanda |title=Villanova to Take Over Campus of Struggling College Next Door |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-26/villanova-to-take-over-campus-of-struggling-college-next-door?sref=CIpmV6x8 |access-date=June 26, 2023 |work=Bloomberg.com |date=June 26, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> In March 2025, leadership of [[Rosemont College]] and Villanova University announced that the two institutions would merge by 2027.<ref>{{cite web |title=Villanova University and Rosemont College Enter Into Merger Agreement |url=https://www1.villanova.edu/university/media/press-releases/2025/merger-agreement.html |website=Villanova University |access-date=March 31, 2025}}</ref>