Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. Villanova prepares students to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them.


The strength of the Villanova experience comes in part from the University’s welcoming community. All members are bonded together by a shared responsibility to uphold the ideals of Saint Augustine and let the principles of truth, unity and love guide their lives. The Villanova community helps students grow intellectually, professionally and spiritually, and challenges them to reach their full potential.


The University’s rigorous academic experience, rooted in the liberal arts, forms an environment in which students and professors are partners in learning. The Villanova community is dedicated to providing a personalized experience that fosters every student’s intellectual and spiritual well-being. As part of their education, students are encouraged to enrich their own lives by working for those in need. Through academic and service programs, students use their knowledge, skills and compassion to better the world around them.


There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. These colleges are the setting for an experience that develops both the heart and the mind, and creates the atmosphere where students are called to ignite change.


Villanova University is located in a suburban community 12 miles west of Philadelphia, Pa.

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Fellow, American Academy of Nursing

International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) Diversity and Equity Award

Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

Yale University Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA); Research Education Institute for Diverse Scholars (REIDS), New Haven, CT, 2011-2013

Visiting Research Fellow

Offices of the Provost and School of Nursing Dean
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA , 2009-2012

Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow

Implementation Determinants of Problem-Solving Therapy Delivered by Near-Peer Lay Counselors for Youth Living with HIV in Botswana: Lay Counsellor Perspectives

A Mixed-Methods Study of Social Determinants and Self-care in Adults With Heart Failure

The Association Between Racial Attitudes, Alcohol Use and Mood Disorders Among Black Adolescents

A Systematic Review of Neighborhood-Level Influences on HIV Vulnerability

Mental health burden among Black adolescents: the need for better assessment, diagnosis and treatment engagement

Dr. (Brawner) Rice began her nursing career in neonatal intensive care at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She has since expanded her work to community-based practice. A recognized behavioral health and intervention development expert, she has worked on a myriad of HIV/STI risk reduction programs both locally and internationally for youth with mental illnesses and difficulties with emotion regulation.

More recently, her methodological advances have been applied to address multiple health inequities (e.g., youth mental health service utilization, cardiovascular disease risk among young Black men, gun violence) where she uses novel approaches including mixed methods research and GIS mapping. Cognizant of the role of geography in health, her spatially-based research explicates and intervenes in factors such as neighborhood disadvantage to prevent disease and promote health equity. Dr. Rice does this community-engaged work in close collaboration with key community members (e.g., youth, faith-based institutions and policymakers). She is a staunch justice advocate who believes that research can be leveraged as an advocacy tool to ensure all individuals have an opportunity to achieve their full health potential. She is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Bridgette Executive Consulting, LLC where she works with individuals and organizations to promote the engagement and retention of racial and ethnic minoritized groups in health-related fields.

Adolescent Mental Health

Behavioral Health

Community & Public Health Nursing

Gun Violence

Health Equity

HIV & AIDS and Mental Health

Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention

Social Justice and Equity

Substance Absue

Villanova University President’s Report 2021-2022. Scholarship & Innovation.

The Richard and Marianne Kreider Endowed Professor in Nursing for Vulnerable Populations; Associate Dean for Research and Innovation

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