Villanova University Names The Rev. Bernard C. Scianna, OSA, PhD, as Vice President for Mission and Ministry

VILLANOVA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Villanova University has announced the appointment of the Rev. Bernard C. Scianna, OSA, PhD, ’87, as Vice President for Mission and Ministry, effective June 1, 2026. In this role, Father Scianna will oversee the University’s Office for Mission and Ministry, which plays a vital role in ensuring Villanova’s commitment to living out its Augustinian Catholic mission in every aspect of University life. Father Scianna succeeds the Rev. Kevin DePrinzio, OSA, PhD, who was elected to the General Council of the Order of St. Augustine in September.

"The Office of Mission and Ministry is fundamental in ensuring our Augustinian Catholic values are reflected in all that we do at Villanova,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “With Father Scianna’s breadth of institutional, pastoral, and educational experience, the Office is well-positioned to continue enriching our community and upholding the Augustinian traditions that guide and ground all we do as a University.”

Through a range of service, scholarly and pastoral programs, the Office for Mission and Ministry coordinates initiatives connected to Augustinian heritage and Catholic identity; promotes scholarship and programs on contemporary issues through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching; attends to Villanova’s spiritual and sacramental needs and provides faith-based opportunities for students, faculty and staff of various religious beliefs and traditions.

Prior to this appointment, Father Scianna spent five years as Senior Associate Dean of Students for Student Support at Villanova, where he helped students navigate personal and academic challenges, strengthened campus programs promoting holistic community formation and served on both the CARE and Mental Health and Well Being committees. Additionally, he provided mentorship for the University’s Faith and Learning Program, served as a spiritual advisor for the Augustinian Leadership in Business Program and taught as a faculty member in the Department of Education and Counseling. Father Scianna rejoined his alma mater in 2019 as the inaugural Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, where he oversaw anti-hazing initiatives, educational programming, staffing, budget and communication.

Father Scianna brings to his new position more than 35 years of administrative, pastoral and educational ministry experience from leadership positions within the Augustinian Order, primary and secondary education institutions and parishes. He has also served on numerous religious and educational boards.

Father Scianna earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Villanova University; a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union and a Master of Arts in Education from St. Xavier University, both in Chicago, Ill.; and a PhD in Educational Studies from the University of Oklahoma.

The Rev. Arthur Purcaro, OSA, PhD, who was named interim Vice President for Mission and Ministry in September 2025, will continue in that role until Father Scianna assumed his new duties on June 1.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.