On Saturday, October 2, 2021, a group of 50 students from Villanova University traveled to the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) for the annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service. The day was spent at the CCIU’s Educational Service Center and the CCIU Learning Center, where students volunteered their time by assisting with painting, cleaning out storage closets, weeding and edging flower beds. 

Maddy McClay, a junior and orientation counselor at Villanova, spoke about the benefits of volunteering and why this annual event holds such importance for the university. “It’s instilled in our values; Veritas, Unitas and Caritas, which means truth, unity and love, and our annual Day of Service is a big part of that,” she said.   

The day was also an opportunity for the students to continue building their comradery. “We spent a lot of time with this group during our four-day orientation program, so this is an opportunity for us to reunite while also being able to give back to our community,” explained McClay. 

The Day of Service, named in honor of St. Thomas of Villanova, an archbishop who is known for extending his generosity and aiding others, is a day for Villanova students to bring the community together and to celebrate his legacy of love.  

Each year, the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service brings together nearly 5,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and their families, working in partnership with neighborhood agencies, to perform service throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. This annual event is one of many service activities performed throughout the year by the Villanova community and exists as a unique way to put its Augustinian ideals into action. 

Group 75 from Villanova gather in front of the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Educational Service Center before kicking off their annual St. Thomas Day of Service.  

Kelly Ewanich, a Villanova senior and orientation counselor, uses a wheelbarrow to collect weeds and debris from the flower beds.