Father Peter Donohue, Villanova University's president, was shocked to learn Cardinal Prevost, also a Villanova alum, was elected Pope. This unexpected moment transformed Villanova's recognition as Cardinal Prevost had only held cardinalship since 2023. Receiving abundant well-wishes, Donohue reflected on the unique position of being the first president of a university with a Pope in its alumni network. The news not only elevated Villanova's profile—known mainly for its college basketball successes—but also symbolically resonated as a proud moment for its community.
You would think I became the Pope, says Donohue, I was getting so many congratulations.
It was such a long shot. And in the minutes and hours that followed, he fielded a parade of well-wishes.
Villanova, a mid-size Catholic institution run by the same Order of St. Augustine that produced the newly-installed Pope Leo XIV, is enjoying one heck of a moment.
We already had God: we had Jay Wright, says Paul DiSenso, a 2000 Villanova alum who lives in the New York City area.
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