Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 20, 2026 – Dec 21, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- FastForward 1 2026FastForward 1 Fall 2026
- FastForward 1 2026
- FastForward 2 Fall 2026
- FastForward 2 2026
- FastForward 3 2027FastForward 3 Spring 2027
- FastForward 3 2027
- Spring Semester 2027
- FastForward 4 2027FastForward 4 Spring 2027
- FastForward 4 2027
- Summer Session I 2027
- Summer Session III 2027
- Summer Session II 2027
- Fall Semester 2027
- Spring Semester 2028
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 31 of 31 terms
C
- Cafe Nova
- The food court-style dining location in Dougherty Hall known for its burritos and sandwiches.
- CAT
- Campus Activities Team, the primary student organization responsible for planning campus events.
H
- Holy Grounds
- The various on-campus coffee shops located in buildings like Connelly, Bartley, and the Commons.
- Hoops
- General shorthand for the university's prominent basketball culture and game days.
N
- Nova
- The standard shorthand for Villanova University.
- Nova Nation
- The collective term for Villanova students, alumni, and fans, particularly in the context of athletics.
- NOVADance
- A year-long fundraising effort and dance marathon benefiting pediatric cancer patients.
S
- Second Storey
- The upstairs dining area in Dougherty Hall, often used for lunch and late-night options.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the representative body for the undergraduate student population.
- South
- The South Campus residence halls, primarily housing freshmen (Stanford, St. Monica, Katherine, etc.).
- Spit
- Short for 'South Pit,' a common student nickname for the Donahue Court dining hall.
- SPO
- Special Olympics Pennsylvania Fall Festival, the largest student-run event of its kind in the world.
T
- The Commons
- The upscale apartment-style residence halls located on the east side of campus.
- The Courts
- The St. Mary's Hall residential area, often housing freshmen and sophomores.
- The Exchange
- The dining facility located within Bartley Hall, popular with business students.
- The Gables
- University-affiliated apartment housing located a short distance from the main campus.
- The Grotto
- While a religious site, it is often used as a landmark reference for the nearby St. Mary's Hall on West Campus.
- The Main Line
- The historic and affluent suburban region outside Philadelphia where the campus is located.
- The Oreo
- The 'Awakening' statue located between Connelly Center and Corr Hall, a central campus meeting point.
- The Pit
- Donahue Court, the primary dining hall located on South Campus.
- The Quad
- Refers to Sheehan and Sullivan Halls located on Main Campus.
- The Spit
- St. Mary's Dining Hall, located on West Campus/St. Mary's area.
- The Whispering Arch
- An architectural feature at the entrance of the Augustinian Monastery where sound carries from one side to the other.
V
- V-Bill
- The online student account and tuition billing system.
- V-Unit
- A common student nickname for Villanova's Public Safety officers.
- VEMS
- Villanova Emergency Medical Service, the student-run volunteer ambulance service.
- Villy
- A less common but occasionally used shorthand for Villanova, often seen in social media handles.
- VTV
- Villanova Television, the student-run television station.
W
- West
- West Campus housing, typically for upperclassmen, including St. Mary's Hall and apartment complexes.
- Wildcat
- The university mascot and the standard term for a Villanova student.
- Wildcats
- The university's mascot and the collective name for the student body.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Bartley
- Bartley Hall, the main building for the Villanova School of Business (VSB).
- CEER
- The Center for Engineering Education and Research, the primary hub for the College of Engineering.
- Connelly
- The Connelly Center, the main student union building containing the cinema and meeting rooms.
- dougherty_hall
- Dougherty Hall
- Driscoll
- Driscoll Hall, the home of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing.
- M-Lot
- The large main parking lot located behind the Finneran Pavilion.
- Mendel
- The Mendel Science Center, housing the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' science departments.
- Nova Alert
- The university's emergency notification system for weather-related closures or safety threats.
- Nova Pay
- The online system used by students to manage tuition payments and student account balances.
- SEPTA
- The regional rail system; Villanova has two stops (Villanova and Stadium) on the Paoli/Thorndale line for easy access to Philadelphia.
- st_mary_s_hall
- St. Mary's Hall
- The Finn
- Finneran Pavilion, the on-campus arena where the basketball teams play.
- The Loop
- The campus shuttle service that transports students between Main, South, and West campuses.
- The Oreo
- The 'Awakening' statue on the main campus, a common landmark and meeting spot.
- The Pav
- The Finneran Pavilion, the university's primary indoor arena and home to basketball games.
- the_court_at_donahue
- The Court at Donahue
- Tolentine
- Tolentine Hall, a major academic building housing the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
- V-1
- The large main parking lot often used for student parking and major campus events.
- V-Print
- The campus-wide wireless printing system that allows students to print from their laptops to various kiosks.
- Wildcard
- The official Villanova University ID card used for building access, meal plans, and 'Nova Cash'.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 20, 2026 – Dec 21, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 31 approved campus terms and 20 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.