Villanova Leo's Alma Mater
Former Villanova University basketball player and Associate Teaching Professor Ed Hastings speaks during an interview on campus in Villanova, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
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Villanova University is deepening its ties to the Vatican, thanks to its famous alumnus, Pope Leo. The pope graduated from Villanova in 1977 with a degree in mathematics. The pope is part of the Augustinian order that founded the university near Philadelphia. Villanova is now finding new ways to connect with his papacy. On Sunday, Villanova's basketball teams will play Notre Dame in Rome. The event follows a recent sustainability conference that Villanova held in Rome. Villanova has seen a 10% increase in applications since Pope Leo's election. Some school officials call it the “Pope Leo effect.”
