Immaculata University recently received a $500,000 grant from the Connelly Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Conshohocken, to support the restoration of the Villa Maria Dome, which is one aspect of the University’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, “A Beacon Ever Bright.”

The project to restore the dome, which was built in 1914 and is the centerpiece of campus, includes masonry and stonework, as well as the replacement of eight original windows and recoating the dome’s exterior.

“The dome is a landmark in the community and symbolic to the Catholic faith,” said Josephine C. Mandeville, President of the Connelly Foundation. “It is filled with the story of Immaculata – its past, present, and future.”

The dome sits atop the Villa Maria Hall, the main building of the University. Philadelphia architectural and engineering firm Ballinger and Perrot designed the massive, domed, Italian Renaissance-style building of Villa Maria Hall. The 80-foot, eight-sided dome supports a statue of Mary created by Florence-born sculptor Adolfo De Nesti.

“I am personally grateful for the support of the Connelly Foundation,” said Sister R. Patricia Fadden, President of Immaculata. “Their commitment not only to Immaculata, but to so many nonprofit organizations and schools in the region, make them a shining example of how to increase quality of life through philanthropic outreach.”