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	Villanova Magazine - Spring 2003 Edition
Homepage Back Summer 2003 Archives	Villanova Magazine - Spring 2003 Edition
Homepage Back Summer 2003 Archives		Why I Give to the Annual Fund Two alumni discuss how Villanova has helped shape their lives By Tom Wirth The Annual Fund is a special forum for giving that Villanova relies heavily upon to provide increased opportunities for meeting needs for faculty and academic programs, student life activities, strategic initiatives, and capital projects. Put simply, Annual Fund gifts help to insure a bright future for the students, faculty, and staff of Villanova. Contributions to the Annual Fund come from an assortment of Villanova alumni, parents, and friends across the United States, but behind each contributor there exists a common quality: pride. The essence of pride is that deep satisfaction derived from knowing the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated. Pride is not something that can be calculated in financial dollars or even translated into words, but is intangible and largely ruled by emotion. Pride is something that each Annual Fund donor possesses and that acts as an adhesive, firmly cementing each person’s bond with the University. “I believe that giving to one’s alma mater is a way of thanking the school for providing a good education and [social] environment,” explained Michael Scully, ’70 C&F. “My experience at Villanova became a positive part of my fiber and has remained so. I realize that not everyone is fortunate enough to feel the way I do about my college experience.” Scully touches on a profoundly important part of the Villanova tradition by pointing to the lasting impression that the University has made on many of its students. Since graduating from the Villanova over 30 years ago, Scully has moved on to build on a successful real estate business started by his father in Jenkintown. He and his brother, Jim, own and operate the Scully Company, currently managing an apartment portfolio consisting of approximately 10,000 units that spans the East Coast from Connecticut to South Florida. He credits Villanova with helping him get where he is today. “I feel, coming out of Villanova, that I possessed the academic, business, and communication skills necessary to get started in the real world. Our firm has significantly expanded over the years, and I am grateful for my Villanova roots,” he remarked. While a student at Villanova, Scully was involved in a host of extracurricular activities: he was a member of the Delta Pi Epsilon fraternity, participated in student politics, and also booked bands and arranged entertainment for several school social events. But many of his fondest memories at the University came while running. As a member of the Wildcats’ world-renowned track and field program, coached by legends Jumbo Elliot and Jack Pyrah, Scully learned the true meaning of tradition and excellence, and he used that experience to coach six Philadelphia Catholic League high school track and field team championships in the seventies. For Scully, whose daughter Jessica is a 1996 graduate of the College of Commerce and Finance, giving back to Villanova is only natural. As he put it, “in addition to simply wanting to help others by giving, the reputation of the school I attended and continue to support is meaningful to me.” That desire to see Villanova remain vibrant and competitive into the future is a critical part of the emotional connection between the University and its alumni. At the same time that pride and tradition work to perpetuate a spirit of giving, the commitment to student growth and development remains a cornerstone of the University’s mission and a main concern for alumni. “The students at Villanova are a priority to me,” commented Christine “Chrissy” Faistl, ’98 A&S. “In order to continue providing students with all of the opportunities that I was given, it is essential that alumni give back. I want to develop that commitment to the University right away, so that as the years go on, I will continue to give and hopefully be able to provide more for the students at Villanova.” As a recent graduate, Faistl represents a new generation of Villanovans who are contributing to the life of the University in important ways. Like Scully, Faistl developed a sense of obligation to and a passion for Villanova well before graduation. As a student she served as president of the Delta Gamma sorority, as a member of the Special Olympics Fall Festival Committee, as a member of the Balloon Day Committee, and as a volunteer for Project Sunshine, Best Buddies, “streets,” and Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, she worked for two years in Peace and Justice under the direction of Rev. Ray Jackson. “Through all of the different organizations that I was a part of, I had the opportunity to meet so many people. I began to develop deep friendships and close ties through the leadership and social activities that I was involved in,” noted Faistl. “I look back now and realize, even more, how wonderful these leadership and development activities were for my personal growth, and I feel that the person I am now has a lot to do with the growth that occurred through my involvement at Villanova.” Faistl’s enthusiasm for helping students at Villanova has carried over into her professional life as well. She is currently an assistant director of Student Development for Greek Life at Villanova. Although an education major as an undergraduate, Faistl felt that an opportunity to work for the University was a perfect way for her to continue developing the leadership and social activities she had worked to cultivate as a student. “I am grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me at Villanova now. I see so many opportunities for growth and development offered to students,” stated Faistl. “I love the work that I do at Villanova, and I hope that I am able to give students the chance to feel connected to the University for years to come. There can be no doubt that the interconnections between Villanova students past and present serves as a driving force behind a Villanova tradition. The recognition that giving back to the University is necessary to perpetuate a legacy of support is a pervasive theme, and a duty that many alumni take on with great zeal. In the end, it comes back to the indefinable quality of pride_the sense that everyone involved in the Villanova community cares deeply about the future of the institution and is committed to its growth and success in all facets, from education to athletics and from capital projects to endowment." Faistl acknowledged The Annual Fund’s important role in enabling this vision: “Each member of the Villanova community has a different opportunity to give. The students serve others with the gift of themselves, while faculty and staff give the gift of knowledge. Alumni, I feel, have the chance to give the gift of the future. They can provide a gift that will ensure the quality of Villanova for future generations."