Mission&MinistryEver the Two Shall MeetNew center integrates faith and learning>> By Suzanne WentzelImagine the scene: Augustine andfriends are gathered in a villa in theMilanese countryside. Heedless of thechanging shadows on the sundial, theylose themselves in conversation aboutthe life of the mind, the search for truthand how it all fits together.Call it “Birth of an IntellectualTradition.”This idyllic origin can seems worldsaway from 21st-century academia. Multimajor,perpetual-motion students worryabout acquiring marketable skills, whilefaculty juggle the demands of teaching,research and scholarship. Is this age-oldtradition even relevant?More than ever.And as heir, <strong>Villanova</strong> is unsurpassedin preserving and expanding it. The<strong>University</strong> continually provides newopportunities for faculty and students to38 <strong>Villanova</strong> MAGAZINe FALL <strong>2012</strong>
embrace their Augustinian heritage—to grow as a community of learners,dialogue as friends and pursue wisdomtogether. The most recent example is thecreation of a unique center that invitesparticipants to explore the vocation ofthe mind and the depths of the spirit.Perfect blendThe Center for Faith and Learning madeits debut in fall 2011. Overseen by theOffice for Mission and Ministry, it givesfaculty and students what they hungerfor: time and space to talk about the samequestions that intrigued Augustine.Consider the response when the centerpiloted an academic learning communityfor incoming freshmen. Within 24 hoursof its announcement, 48 students hadapplied for 17 slots.The instant appeal thrilled foundingdirector Beth Hassel, PBVM, DMin, whohas been a vibrant force on campus for31 years. It also confirmed what herresearch had suggested: faculty andstudents want programs that integratethe intellectual and spiritual life.“Faith and knowledge are a power couple,”says Katherine Garvey ’14 VSB, oneof the center’s scholars. “Unlike manyschools, <strong>Villanova</strong> recognizes that.”Indeed, the Strategic Plan sees the centeras a means of enhancing the school’sAugustinian identity, and Dr. Hassel isdeveloping programs faithful to that vision.“We’ve formed an intellectually rigorouscommunity outside the classroomthat applauds and affirms the importanceof the mind and heart together.”Table talkThis clear understanding of purpose isone reason why the center’s Faith andLearning Scholar/Mentor Program is a hit.Twice each semester, students andfaculty gather to discuss how faith andlearning intersect. Their conversations,which springboard from assignedreadings, take place over dinner in the<strong>University</strong>’s elegantly appointed PicotteHall at Dundale—not a bad substitutefor an Italian villa.While the topic can be personal,participants don’t feel vulnerable orembarrassed offering their perspectives.Diversity of faith traditions, disciplinesand backgrounds enlivens the exchangeand challenges people to reflect ontheir beliefs.“We disagree, of course,” says SamanthaThoma ’14 A&S. “But everyone isrespectful and open. No interpretation isright or wrong.”It’s not that similar conversations don’toccur elsewhere on campus. Still, the actof gathering off the clock, as equals, toenjoy a meal and probe questions raisedby faith and academics is quintessentiallyAugustinian.“You not only talk about the life ofthe mind with students. You live it withthem,” says mentor David Schindler,PhD, associate professor, Humanities.Time-out for facultyAs if overseeing these initiatives werenot a full-time job, Dr. Hassel also hasdeveloped programming to encouragefaculty to dialogue with each other. Atluncheons held each semester, facultyshare personal experiences related toteaching as vocation and explore theirfaith traditions within the AugustinianCatholic community.The kaleidoscope of 10-minute talkshas included observations by Professorof Law David Caudill, JD, PhD, theArthur M. Goldberg Family Chair, onthe influence of Dutch Neo-Calvinism;a photo chronicle of the teaching journeyof Chemical Engineering ProfessorVito Punzi, PhD; and a reflection onBeth Hassel, PBVM, DMin, director, Center for Faith and Learning, and faculty and studentsin the Scholar/Mentor Program enjoy a leisurely meal and stimulating conversation.Sikhism by Gunita Grover, PhD, assistantprofessor, Finance.These stories stimulate conversationand allow faculty to open up in waysmore formal meetings do not. “Facultywho normally wouldn’t sit together andshoot the breeze are being woven intoone tapestry,” says Dr. Punzi.Such feedback assures Dr. Hassel thather dream of serving the campus-widecommunity is within reach. “My challengewas to design a center that isinclusive, welcoming and supportive of<strong>Villanova</strong>’s mission. I don’t pray for signs,but how can I not see that we’re movingin the right direction?” villanova.edu 39
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