Villanova, Radnor, Lower Merion Partner For Community Events

VILLANOVA, PA — Villanova University is working in conjunction with Lower Merion and Radnor townships to foster a good relationship between the school and surrounding communities.

Recently, Villanova hosted two events with campus and community partners focused on this good neighbor message: The Off-Campus Housing Resource Fair and the Back to School Barbecue at the Villas of Bryn Mawr.

Those are two new initiatives undertaken by Villanova University, Radnor Police Department, Lower Merion Police Department, township officials, and many off-campus partners to provide an opportunity to speak one-on-one with students about being mindful of noise, trash, and litter—and being safe and smart with their decisions.

The Off-Campus Housing Resource Fair brought together both officials and police officers from Villanova, Lower Merion and Radnor, in addition to other outside vendors: Aqua, Comcast, Peco, Septa, Main Line Health, Lululemon, Cryo Myst Therapy Lounge, Athleta, Orange Theory Fitness, and more.

Students were offered free T-shirts, complimentary food, music by VU Tech Crew, and received giveaways from many of the vendors.

The University and Police Departments handed out “Good Neighbor Guides,” which remind students to be “be respectful, be considerate, be mindful, be safe,” in addition to “Know Your Noise” posters, a collaborative campaign which uses humor to remind students to be aware of noise levels in the community.

Many local businesses donated gift cards to the raffle including: Athleta, Bryn Mawr Running Company, Di Bruno Brothers, Clean Juice, Louella, Not Your Average Joe’s, Sephora, Sweet Green, and Solid Core.

The Welcome Back Barbecue at the Villas of Bryn Mawr is in its second year, and also brought together University and Township officials, police officers from both Radnor and Lower Merion police departments, and local vendors.

Students were served hotdogs and hamburgers, cooked and served by Tom DeMarco, Dean of Students, and Nick Tumolo, Assistant Dean of Students, as well as Dunkin Donuts iced coffee samples, Rita’s Water Ice.

Both Villanova University and Morgan Properties were giving away goodies and raffle prizes to students, while the Radnor and Lower Merion Police spoke with students one-on-one about living respectfully and responsibly in the community.

Township Commissioners from both Radnor and Lower Merion Townships were present.

"It is our aim to facilitate positive relations between our students, neighbors, and community partners," Laura Wagoner, assistant director of Government and Community Relations at Villanova, said. "This event goes a long way in fostering communication and understanding between students and those living and working around them. We look forward to continuing to engage students in a positive manner and strengthening community relations in the process."

"Our students continue to show they want to be positively contributing members of the Villanova and local community" Sydney Scheiner, Coordinator for Conduct and Community Engagement, said. "Living off-campus is a big transition for students, and we expect there will be a learning curve to living on their own, but they have shown they really have the community’s best interest at heart."