CAST YOUR VOTE HERE
Voting ends at 7:00PM EST on Wednesday, March 15th.
Winner will be notified by no later than 10PM on Wednesday, March 15th.
Final selection will be posted no later than 10pm on Wednesday March 15th to both the Villanova Basketball (Non-Members) Forum & NovaNation Forum and via social media (FB/Instagram/Twitter).
Link to google form to vote for the 2026 Villanova Student Essay Contest
Essay #1
As a bright-eyed, anxious freshman arriving on Villanova’s campus, I had no idea what to expect. I had only visited once. I didn’t know too much about the school or the campus culture. I was travelling 800 miles from the only place I’ve ever lived to restart my life for the next four years. Freshman year was difficult. On a campus where it felt like everyone had found their place, I wondered where mine was. I used my freshman-year winter break to reset, and I came back to make Villanova not just my temporary residence, but my home. I pursued a research opportunity as a freshman, I declared a double major, I found my people, and I found that Villanova is where I can become the best version of myself. Throughout the past four years, Villanova has provided me with opportunities, from networking on the Hill to publishing my research in an academic journal, to experiencing the best basketball environment in the nation, and to finding my home on Lancaster Avenue. I have grown into someone my freshman-year self wouldn’t recognize, and I now long to be a freshman arriving on Villanova’s campus once again, to have four more years.
Essay #2
Villanova really does mean new home because I have been able to experience this with all the people I have met here. Before coming here I was a really shy kid that did not like to talk much but the greatest thing that happened for me was being placed in Fedigan Hall where I met some of the greatest guys on campus their support help me come out of my shell and run for senate even though I had a fear of talking to people. Through that process of trying to win votes I began to meet a lot of new faces and gave me a lot of new stories. Through this experience I learned the power of being an extrovert and it unleashed a new perspective on my life that I had never experienced before. I can’t say that I am done growing as an extrovert but I do have my guys in Fedigan to tank for giving me a new perspective on life.
Essay #3
I like to think that my decision to attend Villanova was the greatest gamble of my life. As a Texas native, I packed my bags and headed 1,500 miles away with the hope of joining Nova Nation. Four years later, I can confidently say Villanova’s commitment to community and camaraderie changed my life.
During my time on campus, I embraced curiosity while pursuing new passions. I found a home in the Corr Hall basement as a student journalist and studied abroad in Ireland. I counted down the days each year for my favorite weekend-Special Olympics Fall Festival. One of my greatest joys has been welcoming new Villanovans as an OC and tour guide and helping them discover their own home. As a lifelong basketball fan, my classmates and I have celebrated a new era of Nova Basketball throughout our senior year.
Looking back now, my gamble at 18 paid off in ways I never imagined. So, thank you, Villanova for giving me my best friends, the opportunity to grow, and to become a member of the greatest community. I can’t think of a better way to cap off senior year than cheering on the Wildcats one last time.
Essay #4
Villanova has provided me with so many amazing opportunities to grow and learn, but the one aspect that I value most is learning how to be a part of a family. The Nova community was ultimately the deciding factor in my decision to attend Villanova. I’ve found this connection with my peers, studying until after closing hours in the library; my professors, who’ve helped me find confidence in myself both academically and professionally; and even the Nova hat guy, who has shown me that when you’re on the jumbotron at a basketball game, you have to make the most of the opportunity. I couldn’t have experienced any of this, however, if it weren’t for my friends. Though having friends itself is not the most unique thing in the world, I am proud to say they are my Villanova story. They are the ones who have helped me at my lowest, and rejoiced with me at my highest. As a senior, reminiscing over the shared memories is something that I will always have with me no matter where I am in life. It's something that Villanova gave me, and I could not be more grateful for that fact.
Essay #5
I realized my camera roll could tell my Villanova story better than I ever could. Scrolling back to move in day, I find the photo I took of my dad right before he fell on the parking garage stairs. At the time I was convinced everyone around us would remember it forever. The laugh turns into a smile when I reach my first picture with the girls I would live with for the next three years, and the ones my future kids will beg to hear unfiltered college stories about me. A few scrolls later my friends and I are in the middle of an intramural dodgeball game, looking like we are questioning every decision that led us there. Then we are at the school Christmas tree lighting, bundled up outside with free hot chocolate like it is the greatest thing in the world. One of my favorites shows us waiting outside Kelly’s for over an hour just to catch our first glimpse inside. When I finish scrolling, I turn off my phone and see my lock screen. It is me with the two people who made this opportunity possible, and I smile knowing I made the most of it.
Essay #6
Looking back, my past 4 years haven’t been a highlight reel of wins; they’ve instead been about showing up for my people. I’ve realized that being a Wildcat isn't just about the championship runs, it’s about the loyalty when things get tough. Rarely missing a home game, I’ve hopped on the train to the Big East tournament every year, even when March Madness felt like a far away fantasy. That disappointment hurt, but it never kept me away from the stands.
Sports defined my life here, from the intensity of intramural basketball and volleyball to just losing track of time playing spikeball on the quad. But what really made my story different was finding the Filipino American Student Association. FASA gave me a space to dive into my heritage and understand my culture in a way I never had before.
I’ve learned that the Villanova community is wonderfully unique. It’s the hype in the student section, but it’s also the personal growth that happens when you finally find your people. My time here taught me that community is something you have to build for yourself, whether you’re on the court or just learning who you are.
Essay #7
My four years at Villanova have flown by, and when I look back on my time here what I remember most are the small ordinary moments that have shaped my experience and taught me gratitude.
Some of my favorite memories are the simple ones, like the late night dorm chats with my best friends, people that I wouldn’t have met without Communitas freshman year. I think about sunset picnics outside the church, and the feeling of the Villanova community in the moments before a basketball game begins in the Finn. I think about Villanova Mass, and of sitting by the fountain in the spring and seeing the flowers blooming after a long winter. I also think about organizations like Special Olympics and NOVAdance, and how inspiring it is to be part of a community that comes together for the things they are passionate about.
Individually, these moments may seem small. But together they represent the heart of my Villanova experience. Each one is a reminder of the people, traditions, and community that make this place so special. I see each of these moments as a gift and am endlessly grateful for these years that have shaped the person that I am.
Essay #8
This school is special because it is safe, beautiful, and friendly. It is well regarded and funded. My Villanova experience is a positive reflection of the qualities of this school. It has been a time for me to touch the surface of multiple disciplines as a student in the college of liberal arts and sciences, adapt to a Villanova lifestyle of sport and service, develop relations in the surrounding community, and still be surprised by how many people I meet who have similar understandings, beliefs, and habits as me, given how far away I have come to be here. It has been fascinating to belong temporarily to this place and live in it, a place formed by people who have lived here longer ago. People believe in the future of this school. Now as a Villanovan, I sense my responsibility to carry truth, unity, and charity a little bit longer into the world as it is my turn to enter it.
CAST YOUR VOTE HERE
Voting ends at 7:00PM EST on Wednesday, March 15th.
Winner will be notified by no later than 10PM on Wednesday, March 15th.
Final selection will be posted no later than 10pm on Wednesday March 15th to both the Villanova Basketball (Non-Members) Forum & NovaNation Forum and via social media (FB/Instagram/Twitter).
Link to google form to vote for the 2026 Villanova Student Essay Contest
Essay #1
As a bright-eyed, anxious freshman arriving on Villanova’s campus, I had no idea what to expect. I had only visited once. I didn’t know too much about the school or the campus culture. I was travelling 800 miles from the only place I’ve ever lived to restart my life for the next four years. Freshman year was difficult. On a campus where it felt like everyone had found their place, I wondered where mine was. I used my freshman-year winter break to reset, and I came back to make Villanova not just my temporary residence, but my home. I pursued a research opportunity as a freshman, I declared a double major, I found my people, and I found that Villanova is where I can become the best version of myself. Throughout the past four years, Villanova has provided me with opportunities, from networking on the Hill to publishing my research in an academic journal, to experiencing the best basketball environment in the nation, and to finding my home on Lancaster Avenue. I have grown into someone my freshman-year self wouldn’t recognize, and I now long to be a freshman arriving on Villanova’s campus once again, to have four more years.
Essay #2
Villanova really does mean new home because I have been able to experience this with all the people I have met here. Before coming here I was a really shy kid that did not like to talk much but the greatest thing that happened for me was being placed in Fedigan Hall where I met some of the greatest guys on campus their support help me come out of my shell and run for senate even though I had a fear of talking to people. Through that process of trying to win votes I began to meet a lot of new faces and gave me a lot of new stories. Through this experience I learned the power of being an extrovert and it unleashed a new perspective on my life that I had never experienced before. I can’t say that I am done growing as an extrovert but I do have my guys in Fedigan to tank for giving me a new perspective on life.
Essay #3
I like to think that my decision to attend Villanova was the greatest gamble of my life. As a Texas native, I packed my bags and headed 1,500 miles away with the hope of joining Nova Nation. Four years later, I can confidently say Villanova’s commitment to community and camaraderie changed my life.
During my time on campus, I embraced curiosity while pursuing new passions. I found a home in the Corr Hall basement as a student journalist and studied abroad in Ireland. I counted down the days each year for my favorite weekend-Special Olympics Fall Festival. One of my greatest joys has been welcoming new Villanovans as an OC and tour guide and helping them discover their own home. As a lifelong basketball fan, my classmates and I have celebrated a new era of Nova Basketball throughout our senior year.
Looking back now, my gamble at 18 paid off in ways I never imagined. So, thank you, Villanova for giving me my best friends, the opportunity to grow, and to become a member of the greatest community. I can’t think of a better way to cap off senior year than cheering on the Wildcats one last time.
Essay #4
Villanova has provided me with so many amazing opportunities to grow and learn, but the one aspect that I value most is learning how to be a part of a family. The Nova community was ultimately the deciding factor in my decision to attend Villanova. I’ve found this connection with my peers, studying until after closing hours in the library; my professors, who’ve helped me find confidence in myself both academically and professionally; and even the Nova hat guy, who has shown me that when you’re on the jumbotron at a basketball game, you have to make the most of the opportunity. I couldn’t have experienced any of this, however, if it weren’t for my friends. Though having friends itself is not the most unique thing in the world, I am proud to say they are my Villanova story. They are the ones who have helped me at my lowest, and rejoiced with me at my highest. As a senior, reminiscing over the shared memories is something that I will always have with me no matter where I am in life. It's something that Villanova gave me, and I could not be more grateful for that fact.
Essay #5
I realized my camera roll could tell my Villanova story better than I ever could. Scrolling back to move in day, I find the photo I took of my dad right before he fell on the parking garage stairs. At the time I was convinced everyone around us would remember it forever. The laugh turns into a smile when I reach my first picture with the girls I would live with for the next three years, and the ones my future kids will beg to hear unfiltered college stories about me. A few scrolls later my friends and I are in the middle of an intramural dodgeball game, looking like we are questioning every decision that led us there. Then we are at the school Christmas tree lighting, bundled up outside with free hot chocolate like it is the greatest thing in the world. One of my favorites shows us waiting outside Kelly’s for over an hour just to catch our first glimpse inside. When I finish scrolling, I turn off my phone and see my lock screen. It is me with the two people who made this opportunity possible, and I smile knowing I made the most of it.
Essay #6
Looking back, my past 4 years haven’t been a highlight reel of wins; they’ve instead been about showing up for my people. I’ve realized that being a Wildcat isn't just about the championship runs, it’s about the loyalty when things get tough. Rarely missing a home game, I’ve hopped on the train to the Big East tournament every year, even when March Madness felt like a far away fantasy. That disappointment hurt, but it never kept me away from the stands.
Sports defined my life here, from the intensity of intramural basketball and volleyball to just losing track of time playing spikeball on the quad. But what really made my story different was finding the Filipino American Student Association. FASA gave me a space to dive into my heritage and understand my culture in a way I never had before.
I’ve learned that the Villanova community is wonderfully unique. It’s the hype in the student section, but it’s also the personal growth that happens when you finally find your people. My time here taught me that community is something you have to build for yourself, whether you’re on the court or just learning who you are.
Essay #7
My four years at Villanova have flown by, and when I look back on my time here what I remember most are the small ordinary moments that have shaped my experience and taught me gratitude.
Some of my favorite memories are the simple ones, like the late night dorm chats with my best friends, people that I wouldn’t have met without Communitas freshman year. I think about sunset picnics outside the church, and the feeling of the Villanova community in the moments before a basketball game begins in the Finn. I think about Villanova Mass, and of sitting by the fountain in the spring and seeing the flowers blooming after a long winter. I also think about organizations like Special Olympics and NOVAdance, and how inspiring it is to be part of a community that comes together for the things they are passionate about.
Individually, these moments may seem small. But together they represent the heart of my Villanova experience. Each one is a reminder of the people, traditions, and community that make this place so special. I see each of these moments as a gift and am endlessly grateful for these years that have shaped the person that I am.
Essay #8
This school is special because it is safe, beautiful, and friendly. It is well regarded and funded. My Villanova experience is a positive reflection of the qualities of this school. It has been a time for me to touch the surface of multiple disciplines as a student in the college of liberal arts and sciences, adapt to a Villanova lifestyle of sport and service, develop relations in the surrounding community, and still be surprised by how many people I meet who have similar understandings, beliefs, and habits as me, given how far away I have come to be here. It has been fascinating to belong temporarily to this place and live in it, a place formed by people who have lived here longer ago. People believe in the future of this school. Now as a Villanovan, I sense my responsibility to carry truth, unity, and charity a little bit longer into the world as it is my turn to enter it.
CAST YOUR VOTE HERE