Nicholas Tretta '71

Nick Tretta '71 is a masterful planner. On Valentine's Day in 1998, he surprised his wife Barbara with a Mass in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary, and he had organized every detail. They renewed their vows at the Villanova Chapel, where they had married years before. Their daughter, Dana, a Villanova student at the time, served as the vocalist. Nick arranged for their other two daughters and friends to attend. Barbara was the last to know, finding out when she walked into the Chapel that day. It is one of their happiest family memories of Villanova.

The Trettas have many wonderful memories of Villanova — though Nick's start as a freshman in 1967 began with a tragic, unexpected turn when his father suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. The plans Nick had for his college years changed dramatically as his family's financial situation became uncertain. After a period of extended convalescence, Nick's father passed away his junior year. The Tretta family was crushed.

Nick was determined to honor his father's memory by completing his studies at Villanova, and graduate as his father did decades before. Nick worked out a plan: he would attempt to finish his studies at Villanova in three years by loading up with over 20 credits per semester. "I was a ‘day-hop', living at home, taking classes and working two part-time jobs — one at a deli and the other at the Philadelphia Chewing Gum Factory." He kept up this grueling schedule year-round, taking classes during summers and completing some lab courses at Temple University where costs were less. The Dean of the Villanova College of Arts and Sciences, knowing the difficult circumstances, graciously accepted the transferred credits.

Nick stuck to his plan, graduated in three years, and began medical school in the same class as his older brother (who graduated from St. Joseph's University) at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in the fall of 1971. Barbara, who began her studies at Villanova before transferring to West Chester University to pursue a teaching degree, graduated in 1972. In 1973, after six tumultuous years of heartaches and joy, the high-school sweethearts married in the Villanova Chapel. After graduation from medical school, Nick completed his residency in ophthalmology and opened a successful surgery practice in Harrisburg, Pa., where he and Barbara would raise their three girls.

Nick credits his strong support system with giving him the strength to study, work and be present with family when they needed him most. "Those three years were the hardest of my life," said Nick, "and Villanova, Barbara and my family got me through."

Years later, another unforeseen event rekindled the couple's relationship with Villanova: their youngest daughter chose to enroll. "I didn't want Dana to feel like I expected her to attend because I did, and it was the last school she looked at," said Nick, but "Dana knew within the first five minutes that Villanova was where she wanted to be." Nick was delighted that Dana was able to take advantage of the student life he had missed as an undergraduate — she lived on campus, joined a sorority and the Blue Key Society, and became deeply involved with the Villanova theater program. Dana '01, '03 MA, is now a successful actress in Chicago. Nick and Barbara never missed any of her shows in Vasey Hall.

The support Villanova provided during a critical time in Nick Tretta's life inspired him to make a generous charitable estate gift to the University. "The two most important things that helped me succeed have been my family and my schools — and I want to support them, in whatever way I can." Nick had planned to donate a condominium he and Barbara owned in Florida to Villanova. After collaborating with the Office of Gift and Estate Planning, he and Barbara decided that contributing the condominium to a trust, specifically a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT), might better match their philanthropic and estate planning goals. This type of trust allows a donor to make a generous gift to the University, while providing immediate tax benefits and income for the donor or others for life, or a term of years.

The CRUT worked with the couple's financial plans and desire to give something more lasting to benefit the University. Inspired by their fond memories of their daughter's performances in Vasey Hall, in 2009 they decided to dedicate the trust to what was envisioned as a campus performing arts center. The Trettas, who were among the first to support the planned center, felt strongly that Villanova's theater program deserved a performance space worthy of today's talented students.

The contribution that the Trettas made to Villanova will ensure the future success of the new John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts and its performance spaces, classrooms, rehearsal space, scenery shop, dance and art studios and offices for faculty and staff. While the temporary closure of campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the opening, the Trettas are hoping to attend the fall production of Guys and Dolls. Until then, they are content watching their three granddaughters perform on FaceTime.

If you would like to learn more about how to establish a charitable estate gift to benefit Villanova, please contact Tim McKinley at 215-240-0812 or timothy.mckinley@villanova.edu.