ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRY INNOVATOR DR. MICHELE MARCOLONGO TAKES THE REINS

When searching for the College of Engineering’s new dean, University Provost Dr. Patrick Maggitti and a committee of faculty, students and alumni were focused on finding “an individual who champions innovative teaching and scholarship, appreciates the opportunities of engineering to positively impact society, and has extensive experience working with major research corporations and agencies.” They found all of this and more in Dr. Michele Marcolongo.

“Under Dean Marcolongo’s leadership, I envision even more support and opportunities for our world-class faculty to advance their research. Dean Marcolongo will also help raise the profile of the College among engineering schools at the top national universities. And we will expand our already robust student research opportunities, offering undergraduate and graduate students meaningful, hands-on experiences with our first-rate teacher-scholars,” says Dr. Maggitti. “In short, with Dean Marcolongo at the helm, I expect that the College of Engineering will continue to build upon its storied legacy and ascend to even greater heights.”

Dr. Gerard “Jerry” Jones, senior associate dean for Graduate Studies and Research adds: “Dean Marcolongo has an unenviable job of leading during this unprecedented time while simultaneously learning about Villanova and its unique culture. I genuinely admire her ability to listen and appreciate the knowledge, insights and efforts of others. As someone who has started several successful bioengineering companies, I expect our entrepreneurial programs will grow under her direction.”

MEET THE DEAN

Having earned degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and the University of Delaware, Dr. Marcolongo first established herself in industry, working for General Electric Aerospace and DePuy DuPont Orthopaedics, where she developed her expertise in biomedical engineering. After joining Drexel University’s College of Engineering in 1997, she steadily rose through the faculty ranks, eventually holding a number of leadership positions, while at the same time co-founding three medical startup companies. Dr. Marcolongo officially began her tenure as Villanova Engineering’s dean on July 31, 2020. “I couldn’t be happier to be here,” she says sincerely.

When asked for her first impressions of the College, Dean Marcolongo is quick to acknowledge the “warm and collaborative community and the total dedication to students.” Providing those students with “the best possible undergraduate experience in a variety of dimensions with a focus on learning by doing” is one of her main priorities, along with ensuring faculty and graduate students have all the resources they need to facilitate their research and scholarship. Continuing to strengthen the bonds between faculty, staff, students and alumni is also top of mind. She adds, “I’m particularly excited about the opportunities for the College under the University’s new strategic plan, namely significantly increasing our physical space—the CEER (Center for Engineering Education and Research) expansion—and supporting our programming, which includes the research enterprise.”

Dr. Michele Marcolongo, Drosdick Endowed Dean, College of Engineering

IN HER WORDS

The future of engineering education: An important lesson in engineering is learning to fail, re-do and then accomplish your goal. We all learn by doing and the challenge in education is to provide opportunities for students to push their own boundaries, which may result in some failures but ultimately make them stronger and more resilient in engineering practice and in life. At Villanova, students have these opportunities through research in our world-class labs, international humanitarian initiatives, self-directed design challenges and entrepreneurial experiences. Expanding these types of offerings is one of my long-term goals.

Required skills for tomorrow’s engineers: More demands are being placed on engineers in the workforce and while technical knowledge is our foundation, we also need to be able to self-manage through our careers, work in interdisciplinary teams, and successfully communicate on different levels. Through the College’s Career Compass program, students’ technical skills are complemented by the professional skills desired by today’s employers.

Challenges that Villanova engineers will be equipped to solve: Last year, Villanova joined the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenge Scholars Program to engage our students in addressing the needs of the 21st century. With the guidance of College faculty who possess expertise in the areas of sustainability, medical technology, communications, energy, infrastructure and the digital realm, our students will be prepared to offer solutions to myriad challenges facing our planet.

Opportunities for COE growth: Our faculty and staff are impressively dedicated to educating and guiding our students toward the successful launch of their careers in parallel with a mission of discovery and innovation. Where we can grow, quite literally, is in our physical space. The construction of a new 150,000-square-foot building will transform our engineering space, serving as a crossroads for innovation. Having all engineering faculty, staff and students under one roof with teaching, learning and laboratory spaces will be a game changer for collaboration.

Importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in engineering: Just as engineering benefits from a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving, so too does it benefit from the experiences and perspectives of diverse groups of people. As the College works toward building a more diverse community of students, faculty and staff, we are also striving to ensure that every member feels valued. I am committed to establishing a culture of mutual respect.