Amid the camera flashes, hugs and cheers on Commencement day, Polly and Terry OâToole VSB â80 beamed with pride at their two graduates. Alex Alberti â19 COE and Mafatta Janeh â19 CLAS arenât their children, but they are undoubtedly part of the OâToole legacy at Villanova.
In 2013, the couple committed to a $10 million gift to establish the endowed OâToole Family Presidential ScholarshipâââAlex and Mafatta were the first recipients. âThis day is a dream come true for us. We couldnât be prouder to have you be the first OâToole Scholars to graduate from Villanova,â Terry OâToole told the graduates as they shared brunch together. âHopefully youâre the first of 100 to come through this program.â
This unique promise scholarship modelâ the first of its kind at Villanovaâââgives two high-potential, high-achieving high school sophomores from the Archdiocese of Newark , N.J., the opportunity to attend Villanova with all expenses paid for four years.
âWhen opportunity and promise meet, a spark is created,â explains J. Leon Washington, Villanovaâs dean of Enrollment Management. âThe vision was to look for young persons who had promise but who may not have encountered this type of opportunity.â That vision belonged to Washingtonâs predecessor, the late Stephen Merritt â78 CLAS, who came up with the idea when the OâTooles approached him with their desire to do something different and distinctive.
âUnfortunately Mr. Merritt passed away our freshman year, so he didnât get to see it come to fruition,â Alex says. âBut he helped get it started, which I am really thankful for because a scholarship like this is immeasurable. This moment has been seven years in the making, and it feels like only yesterday I was interviewing for it.â