It’s this community “
of love that extends
way beyond our
campus...[it’s] why
so many people go
abroad and do the
service trips. They
want to reach out
and extend this
love we have to the
rest of the world.”
—Abby Butkus ’ 10
ABBY: In high school I had my own jewelry
business, and I loved figuring out my sales
and keeping track of everything I did. When
I came to Villanova and took my first
accounting class, I realized, “This is what I
was doing.” I then knew I wanted to major
in accounting.
I’m majoring in international business as
well because of my interest in how business
is conducted in other cultures. I just got
back from Kenya. Experiences like that are
helping me not only fulfill my international
business major, but also gain international
experience that will help me in my career
after graduation.
FR. PETER: What do you do in your spare time?
ABBY: I have a band! My friend and I recorded
two songs in the Villanova radio station
recording studio. We’re building our fan
base right now!
(laughter)
KELLY RYAN: For me, nursing was “it” from
the beginning. I really like the College of
Nursing because you go right into nursing
courses as a freshman. It’s nice to get
started right away.
FR. PETER: In terms of the academic environment of the University, all of you are very
different majors: nursing, engineering,
communication, biology, business—do you
feel you’re being well-prepared for your
chosen careers?
KELLY: As you progress in the nursing
program, your time in the classroom
becomes limited because you’re having
experiences in actual hospital settings.
It’s a lot thrown at you at once, but you just
work through it. The professors truly
prepare you for the real world, to do well,
to be successful.
AMEER: I’ve found the engineering curriculum
to be very challenging, and it’s shown me
that I’m going to have to be very dedicated
to become successful in the field.
FR. PETER: If you had to do the egg drop today,
would it be different than when you started?
AMEER: It would be a piece of cake.
(laughter)
ABB Y: I had an internship this summer at an
accounting firm, KPMG, and was definitely
one of the most prepared people there.
They offered me a job after I graduate. They
want Villanova students because of the
tough curriculum. They know we can take
on any challenge on the job.
FR. PETER: Tanya, your experience at Villanova
is a little different—you came here for law
school. Say I have a great LSAT score. I’m
looking at law schools. Why come here?
TANYA PAULA DE SOUSA: I think the lawyers
that come out of Villanova School of Law
are definitely in touch with the ethical side
of things. The thing I like best is the faculty
interaction. I’ve mentioned it to my friends
at other law schools across the country.
I’ve cultivated relationships with professors
over the past few years that I can’t imagine
not continuing after I graduate.
FR. PETER: In my inaugural address,
I said, “Education is the breath of life that
enables us to discover our potential and
move in new directions.” I think one of the
special things about a Villanova education
is how our faculty help students do that—
not just via lectures or labs, but through
personal attention to each student. Have
you found that to be the case?
