VILLANOVA, PA — Villanova University sophomore Jene Baquet ’26 VSB has been selected to participate in the highly selective Washington Program, administered by The Institute of Responsible Citizenship. This prestigious two-summer initiative supports some of the country’s most promising African American male college students.
Baquet, pursuing a degree in Business Administration from the Villanova School of Business, will join eleven other students as part of the Class of 2025 cohort. He is the third Villanovan to be chosen for this competitive program.
“This prestigious opportunity reflects Jene’s academic excellence and his potential to excel in real-world settings—now and into the future,” said Wen Mao, PhD, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business. “I am confident that Jene’s experience will enrich his academic journey and empower him to make meaningful contributions to Villanova and beyond.”
A Posse scholarship recipient from New Orleans, Baquet has shown a commitment to both academics and community. He was involved in preparing food packages to feed over 1,000 families in the New Orleans area. At Villanova, he’s not just hitting the books—he also plays for the university’s club basketball team and manages the women’s basketball team. Baquet aspires to become an NBA General Manager in the future.
The Washington Program offers its scholars a host of enriching experiences. Participants live together in a university residence hall and work at high-level internships in their fields of interest. They also attend a challenging seminar on economic and constitutional principles, engage in private meetings with prominent leaders from both the public and private sectors, and participate in personal and professional development workshops.
The Institute’s alumni have achieved notable success, earning distinguished awards such as Rhodes Scholarships, Truman Scholarships, and Schwarzman Scholarships. They are employed in a wide range of fields, including academia, medicine, law, and business. Baquet’s selection for this program marks another milestone in his promising academic journey and sets the stage for a future filled with potential.
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