Tracy S. Brala ’90 VSB to Receive 2026 St. Thomas of Villanova Alumni Medal

VILLANOVA, Pa. (July 2, 2026) - The Villanova University Alumni Association (VUAA) has announced the selection of Tracy Setlock Brala '90 VSB as the recipient of its 2026 St. Thomas of Villanova Alumni Medal. The medal is the highest award bestowed by the VUAA and is presented to alumni for outstanding service and for reflecting the spirit and legacy of St. Thomas of Villanova.

Tracy has brought her leadership and passion as a connector to the Villanova community since her days as an undergraduate. She was an active and engaged member of the campus community serving as captain of the Swimming and Diving team, a member of the Blue Key Society and a New Student Orientation Counselor. After graduation, she remained actively involved as a mentor and resource for current students and through service on a variety of University advisory boards.

For more than a decade, she served on the VUAA Board of Directors (2007-2018), including a term as President from 2014 to 2016. She was a founding Advisory Council member of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership, serving from 2016 to 2023, and was also a member of the President's Advisory Council. Currently, she serves on the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Board of Consultors and the Espiritus Nova Greater Philadelphia Regional Campaign Committee. In 2022, she was honored with the Villanova University Alumni Association Loyalty Award, the University's oldest alumni honor, in recognition of her distinguished and sustained service.

"Tracy embodies the very best of what it means to be a Villanovan," said Sheila Doherty P '23, '25, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations. "For decades, she has generously shared her time, talent and resources in service to the University and its students. Whether as a mentor, volunteer leader, philanthropist or advocate, Tracy has consistently strengthened our community and inspired others to do the same. She is exceptionally deserving of the St. Thomas of Villanova Alumni Medal for her unwavering commitment to Villanova and her extraordinary service to the University community."

Tracy's commitment to Villanova is reflected not only in her service to the University but also in her philanthropy. A longtime member of Villanova's giving societies, she and her husband Patrick '89 VSB, '07 EMBA recently established both the Brala Family Endowed Scholarship and the Brala Family Scholarship, creating opportunities for student-athletes on the Women's Swimming & Diving Team who compete in diving.

Tracy graduated from Villanova with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and earned her Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President of Ecosystem Engagement at the University City Science Center (Science Center), leading marketing, customer experience and advancement. She also launched Venture Café Philadelphia, a network of companies and organizations that come together through the Science Center to strengthen business, education, technology, social justice, science and the arts in Philadelphia and beyond. Through this work, she serves as a connector and educator for innovators.

"I have been blessed by this community in ways I could never fully repay," Tracy said. "Villanova shaped not just my career, but my character-and the Augustinian call to love boldly, seek truth fearlessly and build unity across differences has never felt more urgent or more personal. To receive this medal is to be reminded of my deepest obligation: to keep showing up, keep giving back and keep the flame alive for the next generation of Villanovans."

Tracy resides in Villanova, Pa., with her husband, Patrick, and they have two adult children. In recognition of her extraordinary service, leadership and commitment to Villanova, the VUAA will honor Tracy with the St. Thomas of Villanova Alumni Medal during Homecoming Weekend 2026.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University's Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. 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 M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation's top universities, Villanova supports its students' intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.