Health and Well-Being
Welcome to WXV&U Health!
With health promotion Public Service Announcements running every 30 minutes — 48 times per day, 336 times per week, over 17,000 times per year — and web visits in a single month from over 50 countries, WXV&U Health has a wide reach. Since 2018, when the partnership between Villanova’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing and WXVU began, about 100 nursing students — plus faculty, alumni, and other health-related experts — have produced award-winning PSAs and podcasts broadcast on WXVU 89.1 FM.
Featured Broadcast: 2026 Bone Marrow Drive
Dr. Carol Weingarten and Mitch Dalesio discuss the 2026 WXVU Bone Marrow Drive Broadcast.
The First Nurse-Led Health Department in FCC-Licensed Collegiate Radio
Debuting January 2023, WXV&U Health is a partnership between the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, WXVU 89.1 FM, and Villanova’s Office of Health Promotion. Through NUR 4113 — the Practicum in Health Promotion and Community Health Nursing — senior nursing students assess population health needs, identify priorities for Villanova’s students and listening audience, and produce podcasts and PSAs that reach communities on and off campus.
Leadership
Inaugural Director, WXV&U Health
Associate Professor, M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing
Operations Manager, WXV&U Health
Editorial Staff, Radio World Magazine
Interim Director, Director, Office of Student Involvement
Villanova University
Student WXV&U Health Director
Office of Health Promotion
- Stacy Andes, EdD — Director
- Sean Dinan, LSW — Substance Use Counselor
- Kristy McCarthy, MA, CHES — Associate Director
- Cristina Babyak, BA, MPH — Coordinator, Community Well-Being Strategies
- Jessica Pellicciotta — Coordinator, Nutrition & Fitness Programs
Listen
Podcasts
Full-length episodes from WXV&U Health — nurse-led conversations on mental health, nutrition, substance use, careers in nursing, and more.
Inspiring Careers in Nursing
A series of conversations with nurses who have built careers in less-traveled corners of the profession.
- Nurses in Pharma Education with Cameron Cook
- Nurses in Entrepreneurship with Jamie O’Day
- Nurses in the C-Suite with Tyonne Hinson
- Nurses in the Military and Consulting with John Ervin
- Nurses in the Legal and Insurance Industries with Nicole Blanche Guerin
- Nurses in the Pharmaceutical Industry with Julia Lanouette
Stop the Stigma
Candid episodes about mental health, disability, and the realities of student life.
- Nontraditional Students
- Testing Anxiety Among Undergraduate Students
- Depression Among College Students
- Disability on a College Campus
- Mental Health
Stop and Snack
A nutrition and wellness series.
- Stop and Snack 3: A podcast series about the importance of nutrition
- Stop and Snack (Wellness & Nutrition)
- Stop and Snack (Diet Culture)
The Innovation Series — Coming Soon
A new series launching soon — highlighting innovation in nursing and healthcare.
Other Episodes
- Conquering Testing Terrors – Podcast
- The Art of Well-Being: Podcast
- Fish Out of Water – Podcast
- Wake Up! The Dangers of Caffeine Overconsumption
- Happiness: There’s More to It
- Broken Records: Navigating Romantic Breakups
- NMDP and Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation
- Raising the Bar: Elevating Conversations About College Drinking
- Senior Scaries: A Guide to Senior Year
- Swab to Save a Life: A podcast about blood stem cell and bone marrow donation
- Let’s Get Connected: Mental Health, Well-Being, and Transitioning to College
- WXV&U Health: Don’t Sleep on Sleep
- Ring the Alarm: A podcast about human trafficking made for emergency nurses
Public Service Announcements
Short-form PSAs that air throughout the day on WXVU 89.1 FM.
- SNAPshots for health Germ Watch PSA
- SNAPshots for Health – Sleep Equals Study Power PSA
- Living in a Plastic World – PSA
- The Art of Well-Being – PSA
- Stop the Stigma – Conquering Testing Terrors PSA
- WXV&U Health: PSA on Napping
National Recognition
2023 IBS Media Awards
- Winner — Best Public Affairs Program: “Ring the Alarm: Human Trafficking” — Alexandra Hudson, Graduate Student
- Finalists: Best College/University Radio Station · Best News Interview (Chris Cokinos interviewing Kaleigh Brendle) · Best Live Music Broadcast (Minas Brazilian Jazz)
2024 IBS Media Awards
- Winner — Best Podcast: “Stop the Stigma: Mental Health in College Students” — Natalia Matar, Gabriella Sasso, Anne Ferry
- Winner — Best News Interview: “Freshman Move-In” — Chris Cokinos and Mandy Love Ledbetter, interview with Fr. Peter Donohue, OSA, President of Villanova University
2025 IBS Media Awards
- Winner — Best Podcast: “The Senior Scaries: The Journey Through and Beyond Senior Year” — Ryan Batkay, Laura Boyko, Teagan Sullivan
- Winner — Best News Interview: “An Interview with Tim Walz’s Former Student” — M.K. Coolican, WXVU Station Manager, with Mick Coughlan
- IBS National Convention Speakers: Carol Weingarten, Nick Langan, Cat Coyle, and Natalia Matar presented “From Struggle to Success: How One Station’s Journey Provides Advice for Strategies to Empower Your Station.”
2026 IBS Media Awards
- Finalist (Top 3–5%): “Stop the Stigma: Conquering Testing Anxieties” — The Villanovans
College Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI) National Awards
- 2nd Place — Public Service Announcement: “Swab to Save a Life” (Bone Marrow Donation PSA) — TODO: year, student credits
Students — Spring 2026
Senior nursing students in NUR 4113, the Practicum in Health Promotion and Community Health Nursing, are producing this semester’s PSAs and podcasts.
Group 1
- Catherine McCallion
- Audrey Hogan
- Ava Vincini
Group 2
- Michelle Berke
- Juliana Marran
- Nicola Sheriff
Group 3
- Isabella Galasso
- Grace Paul
Spring 2026 PSAs
Examples of short-form PSAs that air throughout the day on WXVU 89.1 FM.
From Student to Staff: Managing Anxiety in the Job Search
Ava Vincini, Catherine McCallion, Audrey Hogan
Educating college seniors on managing stress during the job search and highlighting Villanova resources that support them. Features interviews with Kathryn Poet, MS, CHES (Associate Director of Health Promotion Services) and Anne M. Fink, PhD, RN, CNE (Associate Dean for College and Student Services; Director, LEAD Professional Development Program).
Do Not Disturb, Campus Edition: Phone-Life Balance
Isabella Galasso, Grace Paul
Identifying how smartphones impact college students’ well-being and promoting “tech-breaks” as part of a healthy phone-life balance. Features interviews with Cristina Babyak, MPH (Community Well-Being Specialist, Office of Health Promotion) and Elizabeth Burgess Dowdell, PhD, RN, AFN-C, IVES-C, FAAN (FCN Professor; Undergraduate Research and BSN Honors Program Coordinator).
Student Research & Independent Studies
WXV&U Health supports student scholarship through research assistantships and independent studies in nursing.
Research Assistants
- Mandy Love Ledbetter — First Research Assistant, Spring 2023 (Freshman Research Match Program); served on the Executive Board of WXVU as WXV&U Health Coordinator
- Mitchell Dalesio — First-Year Research Assistant, 2025; now on the 2025–2026 WXVU Executive Board; Independent Study
- Sara Spolski — 2026
- Storm Harrington — BSN Express Research Assistant, 2025
- Anna Maxwell — 2026
- Kate Parkinson — BSN Express Match, 2026–2027
Nursing Independent Studies
Graduate:
- Alexandra Hudson, BSN, RN
Undergraduates:
- Mandy Love Ledbetter, Class of 2026 — Fall 2023, Fall 2024
- Ryan Batkay, Class of 2024 — Spring 2024 (following NUR 4113)
- Mitchell Dalesio, Class of 2028 — Fall 2025, Spring 2026
- Sara Spolski, Class of 2029 — Fall 2026
Special Thanks
Villanova Student Life
Office of Student Involvement
M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing
Office of Health Promotion
Counseling Center
And to everyone who was interviewed, facilitated renovation of the station, and welcomed the Villanova Nurses.
