Cabrini University alumni get first look at former campus after Villanova's renovations

Hundreds of Cabrini University alumni returned to their former campus Saturday, getting a first look at the property since it reopened under Villanova University following more than $100 million in renovations.

About 400 alumni attended Cabrini Alumni Day at Villanova's Cabrini Campus in Radnor, where graduates toured familiar buildings, saw new improvements and reflected on the future of a place many once called home.

For some alumni, the day brought back memories of the uncertainty they felt when Cabrini announced it would close.

"I cried," said Emily Zottnick, a member of Cabrini's class of 2023. "We were very unsure of the future and how Villanova was going to transform things."

But after returning Saturday, Zottnick said she felt differently.

"Now being here today and seeing everything, I could not be more grateful," she said.

Villanova purchased the former Cabrini University property in 2024 after the school announced it would close. Since then, the university has renovated buildings across the campus while preserving parts of its original character.

Alumni touring the property Saturday pointed out fresh paint, exterior improvements and new plans for some buildings, including an upcoming space for animal studies.

Graduates from decades earlier said they were also pleased to see original architecture preserved.

"It's so beautiful to appreciate all that has been uncovered," said Nancy Costello, a member of the class of 1971. "We're so grateful for Villanova for their construction."

One discovery during the renovations offered an unexpected connection to Cabrini's past. 

Crews found a wallet belonging to former student Phyllis Cohen that had apparently been lost on campus more than 25 years ago. Inside were pieces of her college life from the 1990s, including her Cabrini student ID and a Blockbuster card.

"Of all the people who touched it, for it to get to me, says a lot about the human connection," Cohen said.

For alumni returning Saturday, moments like that helped show that while the university occupying the campus has changed, Cabrini's history still has a place there.