Your Alumni Association - Villanova University

Radnor Township PresentsDiversity Award to Dr. NanceBY KELLY MIMNAUGH ’08 A&SDr. Teresa “Terry” Nance, Villanova’s assistantvice president for Multicultural Affairs, addressesthe audience at the Unity Breakfast last fall.For her outstanding efforts to increaseawareness and diversity at VillanovaUniversity and in the Main Linearea, Dr. Teresa “Terry” Nance was honoredwith Radnor Township’s diversityaward during its Unity Breakfast onSeptember 13, 2006. Nance, an associateprofessor of communication at VillanovaUniversity, in 2004 was named assistantvice president for Multicultural Affairs.In her remarks, Nance asked the audienceto “break the unreasonable ideology ofmaking one race superior to the next.” Sheexpressed her gratitude for the community’shelp and articulated her belief that “loveand unity will set us free.” Nance left theaudience with words of motivation.Diversity, Nance said, is “the understandingof both external and internal differences.”She modestly emphasized thatthe progress at the Center for MulticulturalAffairs is a reflection of those aroundher, and that she has simply worked to“stir the waters.” The center’s efforts arenot specifically directed towards academics,students, faculty or the administration.Rather, they are a combined effort toreach the entire community. Nance commendedthe action-oriented faith presentat Villanova and credits it for Villanova’sability to “do” and “change.”The greatest obstacle to diversity comesfrom people who believe that everything is“OK,” Nance acknowledged, for complacencycan lead to complicity. She recognizedthat Villanova is a safe place, butwarned about the dangers of confusingsafety with comfort. “When we increase ourwillingness to be uncomfortable, we allowourselves to grow and change,” she said.“Growth and change lead to understanding.It is uncomfortable to talk about racismand privilege, but we must.”Villanova has made tremendous stepstoward becoming a more diverse community,Nance said. In the past two years, 20percent of its incoming freshmen havebeen multicultural students. The Class of2010 has 344 multicultural students andrepresents 18 countries. Her office welcomesincoming multicultural studentsthrough various programs. One of its mostsuccessful efforts is a mentoring programthat pairs freshmen with upperclassmen.Freshmen are offered academic assistanceand guidance throughout their first yearand are encouraged to join the manygroups on campus.Nance admitted that she is happy,but not satisfied, with this progress andbelieves there is a lot to be done. Shehas faith in the ability of the Villanovacommunity to do it. Her ultimate goal,she said, is to make “everyone happy andcomfortable on this campus.”Continental Philosophers ConveneBY KATHLEEN SCAVELLOApproximately 600 philosophersfrom across the country and theworld converged on downtownPhiladelphia October 12-14, 2006, toimmerse themselves in a feast of phenomenologicaland existential reflection. Theywere hosted by Villanova University’s philosophydepartment and the GraduatePhilosophy Program.The 45th annual meeting of the Societyfor Phenomenology and ExistentialPhilosophy (SPEP), held this year at theSheraton Society Hill, showcased seminars,lectures and discussions on topics ofdiverse appeal. SPEP is one of the country’slargest philosophical associations,with a membership of 2,200. The meeting’s200 specialized sessions coverededucation, politics, psychology, literature,feminism, race theory, environmentalphilosophy, theology, Jewish Studiesand more.This was the second time Villanova hashosted the conference. Villanova’s role isparticularly important since the Universityis considered to have one of the nation’sleading doctoral programs in ContinentalPhilosophy, which pertains principally tophenomenology and existentialism.The two plenary speakers were worldrenownedphilosopher Alain Badiou fromthe Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris and Dr.Wendy Brown, professor of political scienceat the University of California, Berkeley.Dr. Walter A. Brogan, professor of philosophyand director of Villanova’s GraduatePhilosophy Program, delivered theAndré Schuwer Lecture, “On GiorgioAgamben’s Naked Life: The State ofException and the Law of the Sovereign.”Brogan also served as a respondent on apanel focusing on his book, Heidegger andAristotle: The Twofoldness of Being.Dr. John R. Caputo ’64 M.A. served as arespondent to a panel on his book, The Weaknessof God. A Villanova professor emeritus ofphilosophy (he retired as the David R. CookProfessor of Philosophy), he is now theThomas J. Watson Professor of Religion andHumanities at Syracuse University.Dr. John M. Carvalho, associate professorand chair of the philosophy departmentat Villanova, moderated a panel.Several other Villanova philosophersmade presentations. They included Dr.Chaone Mallory, assistant professor;Dr. Ammon Allred ’04 Ph.D., visitingassistant professor; and graduate studentsEric Butler and Alexi Kukuljevic.The assistance of graduate studentsKatie Grosh, Elizabeth Irvine and SarahVitale in organizing the event was integralto its success, Brogan noted.“Everything went flawlessly,” Brogansaid. “The attendance at the meeting wasvery, very strong. The talks were awesome.”Winter 2007 21