Como parte de la orden religiosa católica que remonta sus orígenes a San Agustín de Hipona (354-430), la Escuela Preparatoria Villanova promueve su ideal de una comunidad donde sus miembros sean “de una mente y corazón en el camino hacia Dios”. Un enfoque agustiniano de la educación busca crear un contexto comunitario en el que el aprendizaje pueda florecer.
Established in October 1924, Villanova has now successfully embraced this approach to education for more than 100 years. The 131-acres on which Villanova sits were purchased for approximately $20,000 USD in the early 1920's. The first buildings on site were Cantwell Hall (today, as it was originally, the boys dorm) and Austin Hall for classroom spaces.
In the early 1970's the school became co-educational, and by the early 1980's young women were admitted as resident students. The impressive McGrath Science Center was completed at the same time, today housing all science courses taught for high school students. In 1989 Villanova became the only high school in the United States to receive an endowed scholarship from Lady Clare Boothe Luce; today the investment continues to fund the Clare Boothe Luce Program for supporting young women in STEM.
In 1990 the Clarke Gym was built, with the new pool and aquatic center following in 1997. Most recently, the school has added an Art Center, two digital arts labs, and the Taylor Student Center for housing the school's Counseling Department.
La Escuela Preparatoria Villanova encuentra en la vida y escritos de San Agustín un legado convincente. El obispo, filósofo y teólogo del siglo quinto creía apasionadamente que la búsqueda del entendimiento y la verdad era una búsqueda común, llevando a los buscadores en última instancia a Dios, la fuente de toda verdad y sabiduría.