Fall 2025 Alvernia Magazine

Alvernia

Engine of Growth

Alvernia graduates its inaugural class of engineers. page 10

A Champion’s Champion

Nurturing Environment

Alvernia amplifies its focus on sustainability. page 17 page 24

Finding a Community Nursing major aided by foundation of faith and support.

Sibling revelry

Engine of growth Mission: Possible Nurturing environment

...And justice for Alvernia

PROFILES

Giving back to give others an opportunity

A foundation of faith and support

Proud grad, proud dad

Squeezing learning into life

Maintaining focus

ON CAMPUS

Alvernia recognized by Carnegie as high-access, high-earnings institution

The Green Bandana Project, a suicide prevention program, comes to Alvernia

Alvernia receives $450K grant from state to boost efforts of Total Experience

Officers of the Board

PRESIDENT

Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

MANAGING EDITOR

Kristopher Nolt

EDITOR

Jon Fassnacht

ART DIRECTOR

Lynn N. Gano

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

Jennifer Rathman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Claire Curry

Kristin Eck

Jon Fassnacht

Lini S. Kadaba

Sarah Matarella

Nikki M. Murry

Marisa Lombardo

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Susan Angstadt

Dan Z. Johnson

Stephen Johnson

Marisa Lombardo

Sarah Matarella

Adam Pivirotto

Hailey Rohrer

Alvernia Magazine is published by Alvernia University to share news and information about the institution with alumni, friends and the community. Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the university. Please share your feedback, as we work to continuously enhance the publication: news@alvernia.edu.

Alvernia Magazine is a publication of Alvernia University. Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.

Chair

Michael Duff

Retired Senior Vice President Penske Truck Leasing

Vice Chair

Jeffrey Rush

President of Commercial Markets

Fulton Bank

President

Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. Alvernia University President

Secretary

Patricia C. Giles

Foundation President Wyomissing Foundation, Inc.

University Counsel Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn

Members of the Board

Charles Barbera, MBA ’01, MD

President and CEO

Reading Hospital

Paula Barrett, CPA Retired

Reinsel Kuntz Lesher

Michael J. Caron, GTS Retired, Welco

Kevin P. DeAcosta ’00 President & CEO

The Highlands of Wyomissing

Sister Ann Therese deGuise Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

Richard Allen Ehst Customers Bank Retired President and CEO

John H. Gallen Jr. Owner and President EthoSource & Wyatt Seating

Jane McBride Gates, Ph.D. Retired Provost and SVP for Academic and Student Affairs

Connecticut State Colleges and Universities

Sr. Madonna Marie Harvath Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

Steven M. Koons, PMP ’05 CPA

Partner and Federal Service Line Leader Sikich LLP

Ginger Kunkel President Tompkins Community Bank Pennsylvania Market

Daniel Langdon Retired CEO East Penn Manufacturing

Sr. Sandra Lyons’69 Assistant Congregational Minister Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

David W. Patti Director of Communications & Marketing Customers Bank

Karen Piraino CEO LVR Inc.

Sr. John Ann Proach’74 Congregational Minister Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

Peter Rye Chief Strategy Officer Brentwood Industries Inc.

Jeanne L. Savage ’88 Community Volunteer

Barry L. Schlouch Owner, President Schlouch Incorporated

Gregory Shemanski President and Owner Custom Processing Service Inc.

Lucine E. Sihelnik ’13 President and CEO Greater Reading Chamber Alliance

Sr. Mary Sninsky Director of the Bernardine Franciscan Associates Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

Sister Mary Joseph Tirpak Bernardine Franciscan Sisters

Micheal Tobash Owner

Tobash Insurance Agencies

Former member of PA House of Representatives

David Turner

Regional Manager, External Affairs

Met-Ed FirstEnergy Co.

Patrick Witmer, MPA

Corporate Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications

B. Braun

At Alvernia, you’re family.

Students and employees don’t just study and work here. Bound together by Franciscan values, they’re part of a tight-knit

community that reveres the dignity of each individual and fosters a sense of responsibility to others.

The cover story of this issue of Alvernia Magazine centers on family in the literal sense, spotlighting a brotherly bond that helped the university crown its first national champion. Matthew and Nathan Lackman were rivals on the wrestling mat for four years, even grappling in a championship match. But when an opportunity arose for Nathan to join his brother on Alvernia’s wrestling team for a year, he took it. Their story is one of love, sacrifice and achievement. Champions on the mat, the Lackman brothers are champions off it as well.

Our Franciscan values also include caring for the environment. We’ve recently amplified our push for sustainability with multiple solar-panel projects and the launch of a student ambassador program that allows students to implement sustainability projects on campus and in the community. Learn more in this issue.

Elsewhere, we highlight two programs at very different points in their history: Alvernia’s groundbreaking Criminal Justice Administration program, which marked 50 years last year, and the John R. Post School of Engineering, which celebrated its first graduating class at this year’s Commencement.

You’ll also read about how the university is modernizing its mission-moment collections, meet an adult student who is finding time to carve out an education while serving as chief of staff to Reading Mayor Eddie Moran, discover how Alvernia’s Achieve Personal Excellence program helped an undergraduate nursing major find a community, and learn how a longtime adjunct professor of photography has kept up with the times during a technological sea change in the industry.

Sincerely,

Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. President

Sibling Revelry

By Marisa Lombardo

“When you get to coach one athlete like a Lackman, that’s incredible. Having two of them in the same room was a blessing, without a doubt.”

— Kriss Bellanca, head wrestling coach

Matthew Lackman, top, became Alvernia’s first national champion in 2025. Nathan Lackman, who transferred to Alvernia in 2024, was a two-time national champion at Rhode Island College.

Sibling revelry

Former collegiate

foes on the mat, brothers Matthew and Nathan Lackman relished reuniting as teammates for a year, a move culminating with Matthew becoming Alvernia’s first national champion.

The Parade of All-Americans, which opens the final session of the NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling National Championship, celebrates and recognizes the eight remaining wrestlers in each weight class. Matthew and Nathan Lackman participated in the parade a combined five times leading up to this year’s final session, but March 15 marked the first time they graced the stage as teammates. Later that night, Alvernia history was made.

Finding Alvernia

Alvernia was not the first collegiate stop for either of the brothers. Matthew was committed to a different university for wrestling, spending one semester there.

“Then COVID happened, and that place didn’t really feel like home anymore. Alvernia was close to where I lived, and it just felt like the right fit for me,” said Matthew, whose family resides in Lower Heidelberg Township.

Alvernia’s head wrestling coach, Kriss Bellanca, told him he would have a good experience here. And he did.

Nathan committed to Rhode Island College out of high school, knowing he wanted to move away from home and compete at the Division III level. Rhode Island was the perfect fit, allowing him to live near his sister, who resides near Providence. He became a two-time national champion: at 157 pounds in 2022 and at 165 pounds in 2023. When he finished his career at Rhode Island, he still had a remaining year of eligibility due to COVID.

“At first, I just wanted to be done with wrestling,” Nathan said. “But then life happens, and God had other plans. Coach Bellanca, Matthew and I had been talking if it was a possibility that I end up at Alvernia. Sure enough, the pieces just kind of fell together.”

An unforgettable title bout

The pieces started to come together for Matthew and Nathan to end up together at Alvernia at the 2023 National Championship. Matthew was the No. 2 seed at 165 pounds for Alvernia entering the championship; his brother was the No. 1 seed for Rhode Island. When the semifinal round concluded, the Lackman vs. Lackman final was set.

“When the semifinal ended, Nathan called me and was like,’Are we doing this?’” Matthew said.

Nathan added: “We kind of tried to tune out the hype until it actually happened.”

Anyone watching the title bout realized these wrestlers couldn’t be more familiar with each other. The bout went to a sudden-victory overtime period. Matthew took a risk on a move, and it backfired. Nathan was able to grab the takedown over Matthew, earning the title.

The reaction was subdued as the brothers embraced on the mat. Both coaching corners were relatively quiet, neither side knowing how to react.

“I remember walking off the mat, and it was bittersweet,” Matthew said. “I hugged my family and was happy for Nate. But

The Lackman brothers’ 2023 championship bout went to a sudden-victory overtime period.

then I walked to the backroom and was like,’Why did I do that?’ It obviously was not the best time to try that move.”

The brothers rarely spoke of the match again. At the time, Nathan thought he had ended his collegiate career as a national champion. Matthew, meanwhile, got right back to training for his 2024 season.

“We didn’t talk about it much again; we kind of moved on,” said Nathan. “What happened, happened. What helped me was that Matthew had a few more years left and had more than enough talent to go run.”

Matthew found himself back in familiar territory at the National Championship. This time, Nathan watched with the rest of the Lackman family in the stands. But things didn’t go as planned. Matthew lost in the semifinal, ending his chance again of becoming a national champion. That moment changed everything for both brothers.

Matthew coped with the loss by delving deeper into his faith.

“It was a heartbreak,” Matthew said. “But God is in the back of your head saying,’Just stay the path and trust what I’m doing.’”

Watching Matthew lose in the semifinal was equally devastating — and consequential — for Nathan. It altered the trajectory of his path as a collegiate wrestler.

The brothers met in the cooldown room after Matthew’s loss. While he didn’t discuss it with Matthew at the time, in that moment, Nathan decided to use his extra year to help his brother get the title in 2025.

“I thought maybe I could come back and help him out,” added Nathan. “At the end of the day, it is going to be him who earns it, and that is the reason he is a national champion. But any way I could help out, I would. I knew had to come back.”

Sharing the mat

When the 2024-25 season hit, the brothers shared the mat for the first time as teammates since high school. They made each other better, elevating the team in the process.

“When you get to coach one athlete like a Lackman, that’s incredible,” Bellanca said. “Having two of them in the same room was a blessing, without a doubt.”

The Lackman family relished watching the brothers join forces.

“Having them both together again was such a joy for me,” said their mother, Sue. “It was just like old times watching each match, one after the other, like they always did growing up.”

Nathan moved up a class to 174 pounds for the season, a year in which each brother quickly topped their respective weightclass rankings. Both qualified for the 2025 National Championship, heading to the finals for the last time in their storied careers.

Matthew wrestled first. It was clear early on that the title would not evade Matthew this time.

“I had a huge sigh of relief when he scored his first takedown,” Bellanca said. “In those last 30 seconds, I felt pretty

Matthew battles on his way to becoming Alvernia’s first national champion.

“I thought maybe I could come back and help him out. At the end of the day, it is going to be him who earns it, and that is the reason he is a national champion.”

— Nathan Lackman

Nathan lost in his championship bout in 2025, but he accomplished his goal of helping his brother secure the title.

Usage of SOLAR-

good. To see it come to fruition was amazing.”

When the final buzzer sounded, a visible look of relief washed over Matthew as he lay on the mat, raising his hands. He had become Alvernia’s first national champion in any sport.

“It was finally real. It was finally true,” he said. “I stood up and saw all the people who had been with me the last five years. It was a great feeling.”

Most of Matthew’s family sat on the floor just beside the stage, but one more Lackman waited in the tunnel for his turn to compete.

“Watching Matthew’s match almost helped me relax and get in the zone a little bit more,” Nathan said. “I get more nervous watching him than I do competing myself. Once Matthew got the first takedown, I knew that was a good sign. It’s hard to score on him, so if he’s already winning, I’m putting my bet on him.”

The storybook ending wasn’t quite there for Nathan, who lost in his championship bout. But with two national titles under his belt, it was not as bittersweet.

“One of my bigger goals this year was to help Matthew get the national title,” Nathan said. “Even though he’s the one who did that, I like to think I helped at some point.”

If he could do it all over again, would he change his decision to return to the mat?

“No,” he said emphatically. “Wrestling season is brutal for anyone. ... But I would make the decision to come back a million times over. I don’t regret a single decision that I made.”

Both Lackmans will leave a legacy at Alvernia, helping to build the foundation of a relatively new program. But even though he leaves as a national champion, Matthew hopes to be remembered more for what he did off the mat.

“I hope my legacy is that I am a good person outside of wrestling,” he said. “Wrestling is something we do on the side. (I hope) the people I met can say that I brought them up more than I brought them down.”

“I hope my legacy is that I am a good person outside of wrestling, (I hope) the people I met can say that I brought them up more than I brought them down.”

— Matthew Lackman

When Bill Stiles arrived at Alvernia in July 2009, Alvernia Athletics was a small Division III department. With about 280 studentathletes and roughly half the sports it offers today, the department as it currently exists was nothing but a vision.

“The vision that Dr. [Thomas] Flynn and Dr. John McCloskey articulated to me during my interview process 16 years ago was very ambitious, but also very clear,” said Stiles. “I could not have been more fortunate to have such amazing leaders and mentors.”

With Stiles at the helm, that ambitious vision became a reality. Under his leadership, Alvernia added over a dozen NCAA programs and grew its studentathlete population to just under 700. Stiles also oversaw over $50 million in new construction, renovations and upgrades to Alvernia’s various athletic facilities. But through all the growth and change,

Departing athletic director turned ambitious vision into reality

By Marisa Lombardo

one thing remained at the forefront: the student-athlete experience.

“I have been unwavering in my belief that the student-athlete experience must always come first,” he said. “That was the principle that guided our actions, shaped our programs and defined our success. Student-athletes are the heart of what we do and the reason this work matters.”

As Stiles departs Alvernia, it is not the new buildings, new sports, championships or the growth of Alvernia Athletics that makes him most proud. It is the culture and community that stayed true to Alvernia through it all. Stiles hopes that will be his legacy.

“I am most proud that the culture of Alvernia University and the Golden Wolves remained the same [through the growth and success],” said Stiles. “Whether it was celebrating the great times or tackling the challenges, we did it together. Watching thousands of student-athletes grow

Newly hired Alvernia Director of Athletics Cory Beddick.

personally and athletically and continue to follow their success is the most rewarding part of what we do — it’s why we do what we do — and I am very proud of that.”

Stiles leaves behind a solid foundation for Cory Beddick to build upon as the new director of Athletics and Recreation. Beddick’s commitment to the development and success of student-athletes on the field and in the classroom was clear from the start of the search process to find Stiles’ successor.

“I will work tirelessly to make sure [that] our current and future student-athletes are supported [and] developed and [that] their athletic experience at Alvernia sets them up for success in the future,” said Beddick. “I plan to approach each day with energy and enthusiasm to support our campus community and develop the next generation of Golden Wolves that will make a positive impact on the campus community.”

Under Bill Stiles’ leadership, Alvernia added over a dozen NCAA programs and nearly tripled its student-athlete population.

Engine of growth

By Sarah Matarella and Jon Fassnacht

Among the 560 students honored at Alvernia’s 2025 Commencement were the first graduates of the John R. Post School of Engineering.

“Our Engineering Advisory Board helps shape a curriculum that gives students the technical and interpersonal skills employers demand so they graduate ready to succeed from day one.”

—Joseph Mahoney, Ph.D., director of the John R. Post School of Engineering

In 2021, still dealing with the lingering tentacles of the COVID-19 pandemic, a dozen students in Alvernia’s Class of 2025 took a chance on Alvernia University’s brand-new engineering programs.

Four years later, the members of the first graduating class of the John R. Post School of Engineering were among 560 students celebrated during commencement at Santander Arena in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania.

The event featured a speech from the Honorable Cherelle L. Parker, the 100th mayor of Philadelphia and the first woman elected to the post. Parker, who was presented with an honorary degree of humane letters at the ceremony, reflected on the experiences that shaped her, including being a first-generation college student, an Ivy League graduate and a single mother. She inspired the graduates by sharing anecdotes she learned in her own studies that became integral to her success.

“Four letters: G-R-I-T. Grit is more powerful than socioeconomic status,” Parker said. “I know that you all are gritty because as we counted it back, many of you became students here in order to be sitting in these seats during the worst black swan event that we could have never predicted in our nation, and that was in the middle of COVID. ... So I don’t care if you were a traditional student, I don’t care if you were online, you decided that you would focus your time and attention on pursuing academic excellence, and that demonstrates grit. As long as you work hard and you’re willing to learn, I don’t care what your socioeconomic status is, you deserve to have a seat at the table and be in the room if you are willing to earn it.”

Leap of faith

Alvernia has always been a part of Faith Bentz’s life. Her parents – David Bentz ’94 and Elizabeth Bentz, OTD ’95, former chair of the school’s Occupational Therapy program — met on campus.

Still, enrolling in the school’s nascent engineering program was a leap of faith for Faith.

“I was not entirely sure what to expect my first year,” Bentz said. “When I joined the program, there were no hired full-time engineering faculty. It was odd to sign up for classes with the professor listed as TBD.”

But despite the program’s new-car smell, Bentz trusted Alvernia to create reputable and worthwhile offerings. It paid off.

“The small class size created an overall sense of community within the program,” the mechanical engineering major said. “There were many late nights spent together at the library.”

Peter Rye, chief strategy officer at Reading-based plastics manufacturer Brentwood Industries Inc., helped bring the engineering program to Alvernia and is now reaping the benefits. Rye, who served as Brentwood’s president and CEO for 14 years, was a member of Alvernia’s Engineering Advisory Board, a group of local community leaders and manufacturers that identified

“The small class size created an overall sense of community within the program. There were many late nights spent together at the library.”

— Faith Bentz

regional workforce needs while providing guidance and support to the university’s programs.

“Ultimately, adding the engineering component to Alvernia’s offerings broadens the economic impact of the university to our community,” said Rye, whose company helped to fund the labs in which the students learned. “As the faculty and enrollment expand, the research opportunities will become a bigger opportunity for students and sponsoring businesses.”

Along with boosting Bentz’s educational experience, the school’s focus on experiential learning and partnerships landed her an internship and job. Community partners were brought in to share their engineering experiences and give the students projects to design, allowing them to apply academics to a realworld setting.

“Our Engineering Advisory Board helps shape a curriculum that gives students the technical and interpersonal skills employers demand so they graduate ready to succeed from day one,” said Joseph Mahoney, Ph.D., director of John R. Post School of Engineering.

Bentz interned with Brentwood in its cooling tower lab during her senior year. Following her walk across the stage at commencement, she began working at the company full time as a product development engineer.

“This is exactly the outcome we hoped for by launching engineering,” Rye said.

Other jobs lined up by the inaugural class include positions at East Penn Manufacturing Co. and Carpenter Technology Corp. in Berks County, Rehau North America in Virginia and Stryker Corp. in New Jersey.

“As the guinea pigs, we got to add our input and legacy into this program,” she said. “It is such an honor to be a part of this group and get to say that the 12 of us are the first of many Alvernia engineers.”

Members of the inaugural John R. Post School of Engineering class in the school’s labs and working with faculty members.

Alvernia University Class of 2025 by the numbers

6,600 miles: the farthest distance traveled (Saudi Arabia) to attend Alvernia

4,200 miles: the farthest distance traveled for students within the U.S. (Anchorage, Ak .)

192 first-generation college graduates

Mission: Possible

By Kristin Eck

“Mission

moments started with a little bag of M&M candy treats placed on the students’ desks. The M&M candy was a symbol inspired by Alvernia’s motto’to learn, to love, to serve.’”

— Sister Rosemary Stets, OSF ’71

The

legacy of Alvernia’s mission moment tradition is secure thanks to an updated print collection and a new interactive kiosk and website.

Sometimes we need to pause and reflect, taking a moment to think about our mission.

Alvernia has long embraced mission moments, which are thoughts, stories, prayers, poems or inspired readings meant to connect students to the university’s Franciscan values. The tradition started in the 1990s during a first-year course with the help of the fittingly named treats, M&Ms.

The university’s core values are an essential vehicle for educating students about the university’s Catholic Franciscan identity and appreciation for its founding women.

“The Bernardine Franciscan Sisters never talked about the mission — they lived it,” recalled Sister Rosemary Stets, OSF ’71.

Living the mission was a clear vision for the Sisters, but what became apparent was connecting their values and stories into an experience that students would carry with them. Mission moments started with a little bag of M&M candy treats placed on the students’ desks. The M&M candy was a symbol inspired by Alvernia’s motto “to learn, to love, to serve,” Stets said.

The tradition blossomed, as the students enjoyed eating the treats while listening to contemplations about Franciscan values. Though the mission moments were initially faculty led, the students soon took over.

“Sometimes with all the activity, the soul can get lost,” Stets said. “The mission moment helps students reconnect with their inner selves, offering space to reset, reflect and slow down before diving into their academic responsibilities.”

As students and faculty embraced this new tradition, opening classes and meetings with the reflections, it became apparent that Alvernia needed a place to store them.

The first edition of “Mission Moments: Reflections From the Alvernia Community” was printed in 2008 to celebrate Alvernia’s 50th anniversary. The book’s second edition, released in 2024 to commemorate the 65th anniversary, featured reflections from students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“Alvernia launched the Reframing the Institutional Saga project, which supported the second book from a multi-year grant from the Lilly Endowment through Network for Vocation and Undergraduate Education (NetVUE),” said President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. “It offered an opportunity to reflect on the past while elevating new voices.”

But books aren’t the only way Alvernia extends accessibility and engagement on campus. With the suggestion of retired Executive Assistant to the Provost Sharon Blair and Director of Creative Services Lynn Gano, Alvernia created an interactive kiosk display

“Alvernia

launched the Reframing the Institutional Saga project, which supported the second book from a multiyear grant from the Lilly Endowment through Network for Vocation and Undergraduate Education (NetVUE).”

—President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

at its Hill Campus, aided by Instructional Technology Faculty Support Manager Jon King.

“Alvernia takes pride in honoring our past while continually finding innovative new ways to embrace the future,” said Fitzgerald. “The new interactive kiosks are a perfect example of the university updating these timeless reflections to appeal to newer generations.”

The kiosk display allows users to explore mission moments and view sidebars that provide links to biographies, interviews and videos.

“The kiosk will provide visitors an opportunity to take a self-guided tour through the history of Francis Hall and the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and read through the updated version of the book,” King said. “Visitors who choose to follow the path into the book can navigate through the sections and read

new kiosk in

includes an interactive version of the Mission Moments book.

One of the pages from the Mission Moments book that is on the kiosk. To hear the mission moment read, please scan the QR code below.

the individual submissions from faculty, staff, board members and university presidents — or, in many cases, tap a little play button and hear the author read it for you.”

Utilizing technology to update these collections of reflections helps to carry the tradition beyond the university.

A mission moment from Associate Professor of Education

Mary B. Schreiner, Ph.D., best sums this up: “From my experience, doing a mission moment in whatever form you are comfortable with will not only help you grow personally and spiritually but ... will also touch and make better the lives of the students entrusted to your care, using just a moment of your time.”

The Council of Independent Colleges is grateful to Lilly Endowment Inc. for its generous support of this program.

By Jon Fassnacht

environmentNurturing

New solar panels and the launch of a student ambassador program herald Alvernia’s amplified focus on sustainability.

New solar panels on the roof of Pottsville CollegeTowne produce enough energy to take care of that building’s energy needs.

Since the launch of the CollegeTowne Initiative in 2019, Alvernia has steadily increased its footprint in the region. A new push aims to reduce a different variety of footprint.

Drawing upon the Franciscan attributes of caring for the environment and reverence for all creation, the university has stepped up its focus on sustainability.

“It’s all about cultivating a community that is caring and resilient to help make a positive difference with each other and the environment,” said Alicia Sprow, Ph.D., director of the Office of Institutional Sustainability (OIS).

Some notable initiatives:

Genevieve Weikel ’27 recently launched the Wear Share project, which collects donated clothing, distributing the pieces for free.

• In July, solar panels on the roof of Pottsville CollegeTowne went live. Within the next 12 months, panels will also be installed on the roof of the PLEX.

• Launched in early 2025, the Sustainability Ambassador Program allows students to implement sustainability projects on campus and in the community.

• Bog Turtle Creek Farm, a student-led project that sells affordable produce at multiple markets in the city of Reading farmers market program and through a Community Supported Agriculture Program, was spotlighted in segments on Fox 29 Philadelphia and 6 ABC Action News Philadelphia.

The large, flat roof of Pottsville CollegeTowne made it ideal for installing solar panels.

Soaking up the sun

One community that has become more sustainable is Pottsville, thanks to the new solar panels on the roof of Pottsville CollegeTowne.

The former Giant grocery store has a large, flat roof, perfect for installing panels, said Alvernia Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John McCloskey Jr., DBA.

• The EcoHouse — a site near the Hill Campus that acts as headquarters for OIS and Bog Turtle and that features a hemp-based regenerative building material structure called the Traveler — offers a variety of sustainability-focused experiential learning opportunities for students.

• Bringing together faculty, staff, students, alumni, senior leaders and community partners, the Sustainability Advisory Committee discusses ways to promote sustainability on campus and in the community.

Sprow, who was an environmental education director before she joined higher education, says environmental issues are only part of the equation when it comes to sustainability.

“There are environmental aspects to it,” she said, “but also cultural, social and economic aspects.”

To that end, Alvernia’s sustainability plan supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, five of which particularly align with the university’s mission: good health and well-being, quality education, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, and sustainable cities and communities.

“It’s big enough that it can produce enough energy to be able to take care of that building, and we’ll probably end up selling some back to the grid,” he said. “And it’s visible to the whole city of Pottsville. So for us, this was an opportunity to plant the flag that the university’s here and [that] we’re thinking about sustainability.”

Always looking to keep things local, McCloskey chose Redtail Solar for the job, based down the road from Pottsville in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County.

With that project completed, McCloskey has started to focus on the PLEX, which was determined to be the only building on the Hill Campus that would be compatible with the panels. Berks County-based RER Energy Group was tapped for this project, which will begin early in 2026 and be functional by the summer.

Solar panels aren’t the only green changes coming to campus, McCloskey said. An electric vehicle charging station was installed at the request of Alvernia’s new campus dining partner, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, which utilizes an electric van. There have also been discussions about potentially converting the art studio located next to Penn Medicine – Alvernia Medical and

Counseling Center back into a functional greenhouse to dovetail with Bog Turtle.

Sustainability Ambassadors

The Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, who have been on the Sustainability Advisory Committee since its founding and have been supportive members of the Senior Leadership Team have greatly aided efforts, Sprow said.

“Sustainability has been key for me since I started at Alvernia,” said President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. “As the university continues to grow, we will always keep our core value of environmental stewardship an integral part of our decisionmaking.”

Students have also played a significant role as Sustainability Ambassadors.

Genevieve Weikel ’27 recently launched the Wear Share project. Inspired by the Brandywine Heights Clothing Circle, a program started by a high school friend, Wear Share collects donated clothing, distributing the pieces for free from its space in the Penn Medicine – Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center.

Weikel, who is majoring in environmental science and minoring in sustainability, expanded on the goals of that project by offering an environmental education component.

“I seek to educate those [who] benefit from Wear Share in any way and teach about the dangers of the fashion industry, its environmental impact and what we as individuals can do to mitigate those effects,” said Weikel, who is also the new president

of Alvernia’s Sustainability Club and who serves as an OIS work study.

Her plans include setting up store hours for people to stop by during the day. Until hours are established, interested parties can reach out to her at Genevieve.Weikel@alvernia.edu to coordinate a shopping time. She also wants to set up donation bins around campus. Older items will be donated to the Opportunity House in Reading to help support people outside of Alvernia.

Along with Weikel’s project, Sustainability Ambassadors are planning a rewilding effort on campus, the introduction of campus dining services composting, Adopt-a-Trail cleanups, and an Angelica Creek trout and stream monitoring project.

“I believe that we are all making real, positive change toward a more sustainable campus,” Weikel said.

In August, the Sustainability Ambassador Program received a boost from The Allstate Foundation in partnership with the Center for Expanding Leadership & Opportunity, which awarded the program a $10,000 College Service Grant for the 2025-26 academic year. The Allstate Foundation empowers youth to make a difference by providing them with the opportunities and resources they need to serve and prepares adults to support their service.

In the program’s next phase, three existing project leads will continue to build capacity for projects begun in 2024-25, and three new project leads will develop and implement projects in 2025-26. Over 500 student and community volunteers and participants will engage in the six student-led service projects during the academic year.

… And Justice for Alvernia

By Lini S. Kadaba

The innovative Criminal Justice Administration program, which marked its 50th anniversary last year, continues to evolve to meet the needs of the expanding field.

When Sister Mary Pacelli Staskiel, OSF, started the innovative Institute for Law and Justice in October 1974 at Alvernia, she aimed to meet the needs of local police officers who wanted to earn their bachelor’s degrees.

Since then, the university has continued to lead in the field, training those who fight crime and ensure justice is served.

“The program has evolved and now encompasses many career pathways,” said Rosemary C. McFee, the recently retired instructor and chair of the department, now known as Criminal Justice Administration, which marked 50 years during the 202425 academic year. “We’re not just educating students for careers in law enforcement. There are pages of careers a student can go into.”

The program reflects a growing, more expansive field:

• The Center for Simulated Investigation is a house that simulates crime scenes.

• Instructors bring real-world experience as police chiefs, attorneys and FBI agents.

• Classes tackle modern-day challenges, including gangs, immigration and cybercrimes.

• Experiential learning opportunities abound, taking in not only police work but careers in probation and corrections, forensics, research, criminal and defense law, youth services and more.

“Crime is a fact of life,” McFee said. “We need people who can critically think and adapt to emerging issues, understand systems and work with diverse populations.”

In the 2024-25 academic year alone, Alvernia had nearly 100 internships available to criminal justice students, said Malgorzata “Meg” Zuber, associate professor of criminal justice and newly appointed chair of the department. They included experiences at a private foster care placement agency, a fire department, the Berks County District Attorney Forensics Lab and a nonprofit opposed to the death penalty.

“We’re continuously expanding experiential learning options,” she said, “ensuring students are actively engaged in the field.”

‘It challenges students’

Madison Albright ’24 explored several careers before setting her sights on law school. Originally, the 22-year-old Douglassville native considered forensic science, even minoring in biology. But Albright wasn’t thrilled with spending all day in a lab and switched to police work. After working two summers at a department, she realized it wasn’t the profession for her.

As a senior, the criminal justice major used her internship to explore yet another career: defense attorney. She shadowed former

public defender Abby Rigdon, an Alvernia adjunct instructor and law clerk for Berks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas G. Parisi.

“If it wasn’t for this internship, I wouldn’t have a job right after graduation and know where I want to go in life,” said Albright, who works in Parisi’s office as a judicial coordinator while she prepares to apply to law school.

Criminal justice majors also benefit from adjunct instructors who work in the field. McFee, for example, worked in the Allentown court system during her time as an adjunct with Alvernia before she became a full-time faculty member.

Rigdon, a former public defender and criminal defense attorney, has taught criminal law and other courses for 13 years. Her defense-oriented perspective, she said, provides students with a contrast to what, say, an assistant district attorney might focus on during law lectures.

“It’s interesting to have both sides of a law being taught,” Rigdon said. “That push and pull ... challenges students.”

For Perkasie Borough Police Chief Robert Schurr ’04, instructors who work in the field are crucial.

“I’m able to bring 35 years of law enforcement experiences, stories, things I’ve seen, into the classroom,” he said. “It’s not just me teaching from a textbook.”

Schurr added that his own Alvernia education, and diverse classes, have made him a better officer and administrator.

“Philosophy classes,” he said, “assisted me in putting myself in somebody else’s shoes and seeing things from their perspective.”

Over the years, criminal justice has expanded opportunities.

The 3-year-old Center for Simulated Investigations includes Noelle, a mannequin that allows criminal justice majors to work through scenarios. It’s also popular with nursing, psychology, social work, forensics science and even theater students.

Students also take field trips to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., and the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey for a backdoor tour, she added.

Increasingly, students conduct research, including three who recently presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference in Denver on juvenile gangs, community policing and mental health courts. Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows — a program that allows students to collaborate with faculty scholars — have investigated the impact of Glock switches on gun violence and created tools to detect AI-generated child sexual abuse materials.

“We really try to develop interest in true academic research,” Zuber said, “and graduate studies.”

A new master’s program in criminal justice administration is in the works, she added. The department also plans to promote more interdisciplinary collaborations, such as computer science around cybersecurity or social work around mental health services.

“The department is always looking for new pathways and opportunities to serve students’ interests and the employment needs of the region,” she said. “Criminal justice majors receive versatile academic preparation and training. The skills they gain from our program set them up for success in a range of careers.”

back

GIVING to give others an opportunity

By Claire Curry

Jeff Bush ’79, head of the thriving WellSpring Financial Services, was inspired to make the largest planned gift in Alvernia’s history by his experience as a first-generation college student.

When Jeff Bush ’79 committed to making a seven-figure gift to his alma mater — the largest planned gift in Alvernia’s 66-year history — in early 2025, his decision was inspired by his experience as a first-generation college student and a strong desire to give back by making a college education possible for future generations.

After graduating magna cum laude from Alvernia with a bachelor’s degree in business management, Bush began his career in the financial services industry. Today, he is the CEO and chief financial officer of WellSpring Financial Services, a business he launched nearly 25 years ago that has evolved into a thriving practice. Bush earned an esteemed reputation for his expertise in financial planning and has been featured in USA Today, CNBC, Kiplinger, U.S. News & World Report and Forbes. He shares his financial knowledge on “Financially Speaking With Jeff Bush,” a television show broadcast on PCTV Network.

“I’ve had a lot of good fortune in my career,” he said. “When that happens to you, you’re grateful for it. But I feel you have a certain responsibility to do something meaningful along with that. Alvernia is a growing institution, and I really want to be part of its future. I feel very strongly about education and what Alvernia stands for. That was the driving force behind me making this gift.”

Bush grew up in Bangor, a small town in the Lehigh Valley, in a family of modest means. His father left high school to serve in World War II; his mother grew up on a farm. While it didn’t seem like college was in the cards, he was determined to pursue an education, so he worked full time to put himself through school.

Bush was attracted to the small Catholic college where he felt he always fit in. He attended Alvernia in the era when men had only recently started to enroll, courses were taught mostly by nuns and much of the campus was open fields. He said Alvernia looks much different today.

“Alvernia really hasn’t been around all that long, but the growth has really been phenomenal, and the leadership is really impressive,” Bush said. “You don’t grow the way it’s grown in the 40 years since I was a student there by accident.”

Bush settled in Reading after graduating and volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters

(BBBS) of Berks County. After completing “Leadership Berks”— a program that trains individuals to serve in nonprofit leadership roles — he was appointed to the BBBS board of directors. He also served as president of the Hillside Aquatic Club and later became president of the Tri-County Swim League. Along the way, he earned an MBA in finance at St. Joseph’s University.

Bush and his wife, Diane, who now live in Pottstown, value family time with their four children and new grandson. Staying active is also important to Bush, who enjoys swimming and biking. In each of the past 20 years, he has participated in the 75-mile fundraiser Bike MS: City to Shore Ride. He is training for a triathlon.

Still, his philosophy for life centers on learning, selfimprovement and giving back.

“I just try to get better every day, live my life the right way and do good things,” he said. “That’s how you live an amazing life.”

Partners in Progress campaign closing in on ambitious goal

Bush’s historic planned gift commitment has helped the university close in on its Partners in Progress Campaign goal

of $70 million, with more than $69 million generated to date. The campaign aims to build stronger communities and provide support for scholarships and other student aid resources, and it’s already yielding impressive results.

“The impact on the institution has been tremendous,” said Thomas Minick ’98, MBA ’10, vice president for institutional advancement and government affairs. “The majority of [the campaign] is impacting the academic experience for our students.”

Minick cited several examples, including new academic programs such as the engineering program, new scholarships for business students, and the launch of the state-of-the-art John and Karen Arnold School of Nursing and Interprofessional Healthcare Simulation Center on the second floor of the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne.

“We did this to impact our students first,” he said, adding that there’s still a ways to go. “We still need additional funds to finish the American House project, and we still have students in need, so the Hope Fund and scholarships will remain at the forefront of our fundraising.”

Planned gifts, like Bush’s recent commitment, can have a long-lasting impact by growing the university’s endowment and increasing scholarship opportunities for decades to come, Minick said.

A foundation of faith and support

By Sarah Matarella

When looking for a college, Youyi Ma ’27 sought more than a school. Thanks to Alvernia’s culture of care and the Achieve Personal Excellence (APeX) program, the nursing major found a community.

“I’m really grateful for everything Alvernia has done for me. I feel all the support and the dedication Alvernia has towards student success. I’m just really glad to be here.”

—Youyi Ma ’27

To Youyi Ma ’27, moving to the U.S. from China with her family in 2015 was more than just the start of a new chapter.

“Being in the U.S. meant I would have more freedom to achieve my dreams,” said the sophomore nursing major, whose dream is to become a nurse practitioner. “A quality education is the foundation for reaching my goals.”

By the time she was ready to start college in 2023, she was not solely looking for a place to earn her nursing degree — she was seeking a sense of belonging, personal growth and opportunities for meaningful connections.

“I was looking for more than just a school,” Ma said.

Although Ma was not certain a small, private university would be able to offer her the support she was looking for during her college search, she was pleasantly surprised by the individualized attention and culture of care at Alvernia. Plus, it is close to her home in West Reading.

“As a Christian, I felt drawn to Alvernia’s faith-based values and its emphasis on service to the community,” she said. “It also stood out because of its commitment to student success and how welcoming it is.”

Her college career has been marked by support from the beginning, with one of the cornerstones being the Achieve Personal Excellence (APeX) program. Designed and administered by the Office of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion,

APeX supports at-risk undergraduate student groups that historically face lower retention and persistence rates, and who face increased barriers to degree completion.

“At the beginning of my first year, I was so nervous about college life, wondering about who to go to if I have nursing questions and whether there will be helpful upper-class students,” said Ma. “Thanks to APeX, I was matched with a kind and supportive nursing mentor, Danye, who helped ease those fears and offered guidance when I needed it most.”

Her mentor gave her advice about studying for exams, clinical site placements and responsibilities, and succeeding in the nursing program overall. In addition, Ma met other students in the same year and major through various events on and off campus.

Ma found more than guidance through APeX — she found community.

“Sharing delicious meals and meaningful conversations with my peers made me feel more at home and helped to build a sense of community that I am truly thankful for,” she said. “It made me feel like I truly belonged here.”

When students like Ma join the program, they commit to attending monthly meetings with their mentor and at least one of the events held every semester. Participation makes them eligible for gift cards and bookstore vouchers to further foster an environment in which

Alvernia’s Achieve Personal Excellence (APeX) program supports at-risk undergraduate student groups that historically face lower retention and persistence rates.

students can worry less about finances and focus on their studies.

Founded in 2023, the cohort-based program has yielded an 88% average retention rate. The first cohort was retained at 93% in the first semester and 86% in the second, while the second cohort was retained at 84% in the fall of 2024.

Even outside of the program, the support at Alvernia was tangible for Ma. The staff and tutors in the Academic Success Center, whom she calls “lifesavers,” were also integral to her academic journey. Motivated by the help she received from them, Ma even became a tutor herself.

Now entering her junior year and clinical rotations with confidence, Ma is filled with gratitude and vision. After graduation, she plans to gain experience in the field before going back to earn her master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner. She hopes to be able to give back to others in the same ways Alvernia has poured into her.

“I’m really grateful for everything Alvernia has done for me,” Ma said. “I feel all the support and the dedication Alvernia has towards student success. I’m just really glad to be here.”

Erin J. Anderson

’98, M.Ed. ’05, says Alvernia prepared him for a successful career, something he’s witnessing again with his daughter, who followed in his footsteps.

By Nikki M. Murry

Proud grad,

proud dad

Govenror Mifflin School District Assistant

Superintendent Erin J. Anderson ’98, M.Ed. ’05, credits Alvernia and its professors for leading him on the path to success, a path his daughter now treads.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in education and a Master of Education in educational leadership, along with a K-12 principal certification, Erin remembers feeling like he mattered at Alvernia.

“I enjoyed the small class sizes and that the professors knew our names and cared about us,” he said. “We had thoughtful, enriched discussions in class. Many of our instructors were actively working in the local field and offered insightful, helpful career advice. I was able to leave Alvernia knowing what it takes to be a successful educator. My professors prepared me for exactly what local school districts were looking for.”

Indeed, Erin spent 12 years as the principal at GreenwichLenhartsville Elementary School in the Kutztown School District before taking a role as assistant superintendent with Oley Valley School District.

Now, as the parent of an Alvernia student, Erin acknowledges

that Alvernia’s scope has grown significantly since his school days but asserts that its heart is still the same.

Truth be told, Hannah, a senior nursing major, toured a few colleges in her search. She was accepted at each one to which she applied. But when she visited Alvernia, Hannah found her home.

“Halfway through our visit, she turned to us [Erin and his wife, Lori] and said she knew Alvernia is where she wanted to be,” he recalled. “She loved everything there: the small, community setting [and] every student and faculty member she met, right down to the cafeteria workers who served us a fantastic meal.”

Though her parents reside just a 15-minute drive away, Hannah lives on campus.

“We wanted her to develop her independence at college versus trying to figure everything out once she graduated,” Anderson said. “She would tell you she made the right decision and would do it all over again. She’s loved every minute and says she’s met the best friends of her life there.”

Not only does Hannah enjoy the rewards of participating in a vigorous academic program, she also enjoys the rich social

experience, as Alvernia offers no shortage of volunteer experiences and opportunities for fun.

Speaking of activities, the whole Anderson family participates in the Alvernia experience. Erin and Lori sit on the parent panels that are part of Packapalooza, answering questions parents of accepted or prospective Alvernia students have on topics like academic rigor, finance and even safety.

They also enjoy lending a hand on move-in day, helping to unload cars for parents on that momentous occasion.

While Erin didn’t push Alvernia for Hannah, he believes it’s been the perfect fit. And so does she.

“I’m happy she’s found a place to flourish,” he said. “She absolutely made the right choice for her.”

“She loved everything there: the small, community setting [and] every student and faculty member she met, right down to the cafeteria workers who served us a fantastic meal.”

—Erin J. Anderson ’98, M.Ed. ’05

Squeezing learning into life

By Lini S. Kadaba

Buoyed by the flexibility of Alvernia’s online programs, English Bradley ’26 creates her comeback while working a high-profile job, raising her son and serving on community boards.

English Bradley ’26 has “this happy, delusional optimism all the time,” as she put it, and a firm belief that everything will work out, even when hope might appear slim.

At her lowest, the Reading native was forced to drop out of college when financial aid fell through. Bradley moved to Florida with a boyfriend and held odd jobs before finding out she was pregnant.

“You’re in survival mode,” recalled Bradley, 34, who lives in West Reading with her son, Kevin McFarland, 14. “This was not how I intended things to go.”

And yet, a can-do attitude and bubbly personality helped Bradley create her comeback as a business administration and management major at Alvernia University even as she holds down

Alvernia also offers a tuition discount to members of select regional chambers of commerce.

Already, Bradley’s studies have paid dividends. A business and labor relations course helped Bradley navigate labor contract agreements as the mayor’s representative.

None of this seemed likely when Bradley returned to Reading from Florida to pick up the pieces. But her unwavering faith and support of her mother, a single parent herself, buoyed her, she said. Bradley’s priority became providing for her son. A quick study, Bradley worked a string of jobs: massage therapist; hotel front desk agent, rising to operations sales supervisor; and sales manager at a manufacturer.

In 2020, at a friend’s behest, Bradley joined Berks Community

a high-profile, 24/7 job as chief of staff to Reading Mayor Eddie Moran; raises her son; serves on community boards; and stays active in her church.

“Some days it’s a circus,” she said. “Absolute mayhem. Thank God for Google calendars. Other days, I have great friends saying,’You’re really crushing it.’”

One is Moran.

“English has immense faith,” he said, “and she’s determined to get it done. She brings a good balance of administration, social service and positive energy to my cabinet team.”

Bradley said she juggles it all thanks, in good part, to Alvernia’s online degree program, which affords her flexibility. Often, Bradley spends lunch listening to lectures or working on group projects. She also praised the university’s professors, who have worked with her on assignment due dates.

“Anytime I needed anything, personally, professionally or academically, they’ve been available,” she said.

She called Reading and Alvernia’s partnership giving city employees a discount on tuition a godsend. The city is one of numerous local employers offering a tuition discount to its workers through Alvernia’s Preferred Partnership program.

“Alvernia’s really helping to change my future. This degree, this’comeback,’ is the open door for whatever comes next. That’s worth every penny, every sleepless night.”

Television (BCTV) as an administrative manager, doing fundraising and outreach.

“I fell in love with nonprofits,” she said, “and helping people in authentic ways.”

An eager learner, Bradley became acting executive director in 2023. In April 2024, she joined the mayor’s office.

But even as she succeeded, Bradley dreamed of a college degree. Fortuitously, BCTV is located in Alvernia’s John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, where frequent student sightings piqued her interest in the university. A 2022 encounter with President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., assuaged any doubts.

“She bought me a coffee and gave me a hug and said,’Girl, we won’t let you fail. If you want to do this, we’ve got you,’” she recalled.

That personal interaction assured her Alvernia would have her back.

Looking ahead, Bradley sees only opportunities.

“Alvernia’s really helping to change my future,” she said. “This degree, this’comeback,’ is the open door for whatever comes next. That’s worth every penny, every sleepless night.”

Maintaining F cus

By Jon Fassnacht

Though her photography classes have changed significantly over the past 20 years due to technology, adjunct professor Heidi Reuter kept up with the times while never losing sight of the bigger picture.

When Heidi Reuter began teaching photography at Alvernia in 2005, her classes centered on film and developing pictures in darkrooms.

Since then, not much has changed. Only everything.

Today, Reuter’s students only know a world in which cellphones double as cameras and photos develop instantly. But she seamlessly adapted to the times, not only as an adjunct professor but as the owner of an oft-awarded photography business.

And despite the advancements that forever altered how people take photographs, the foundation of what Reuter teaches hasn’t changed.

“I’m there to give you the groundwork for photography, but then it’s up to you to be creative with it,” she said. “I always say, you as the photographer choose what we as the viewers get to see. I teach them things like aperture; shutter speed and lighting; and

A photo taken by Yasiris “Yassy” Martinez’09 while she was a student in a class taught by Heidi Reuter.

then tell them to run with it. And I say at the end of the semester, you can continue doing what we did in class with your camera, or you can apply those skills to your cellphone photos.”

Reuter refined and expanded her early love of photography during her undergraduate years at Muhlenberg College, where she majored in art and communication. She continued her studies in London, first at Goldsmiths, University of London before earning a master’s degree in photojournalism at the University of Westminster.

Upon returning to this side of the pond she launched Heidi E. Reuter Photography and joined the faculty at Alvernia, dual vocations that continue to this day.

What keeps her coming back year after year?

“I enjoy the students and the school,” she said. “I consider myself an artist who educates. My philosophy of teaching is anchored in my passion for the arts and sharing my love for the arts with all ages. Within my classroom, I like to emphasize

observation, conversation and technical mastery. I believe that students learn from each other when immersed in a diverse atmosphere where they have guidance from a teacher as well as interaction with each other.”

She maintains ties with many of her students, including one of her first.

Yasiris “Yassy” Martinez ’09 became enamored with photography at age 15 when she snapped shots of Tom Hanks filming “Catch Me If You Can” down the street from her house in Yonkers, New York. But the criminal justice major said Reuter was the reason she minored in art.

“I took each class Heidi taught while I was there,” she said. “I lived in that darkroom. Her classes pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me see my work more critically. Heidi was the first photography teacher I felt understood my pictures from my viewpoint. She didn’t just teach me the technical side of

“Heidi was the first photography teacher I felt understood my pictures from my viewpoint. She didn’t just teach me the technical side of photography; she helped me believe in my perspective and trust my eye.”

—Yasiris “Yassy” Martinez’09

photography; she helped me believe in my perspective and trust my eye.”

Reuter even suggested the name — Miss Yassy Bakes — Martinez uses for her dessert shop, a business aided by the photographs she posts to social media.

Complementing careers

Reuter’s original curriculum and its hands-on learning are snapshots of a bygone era. Two of the classes, Basic Photography and Intermediate Photography, were removed from the university’s offerings after the 2017-18 academic year, and the darkroom in Bernardine Hall went dark. Though she’s made her peace with the transition to digital, she believes a film course would greatly benefit students.

“If I had it my way, everybody would have film photography first,” she said. “Because you put a lot of time into those 36

“I’m there to give you the groundwork for photography, but then it’s up to you to be creative with it.”

—Heidi Reuter

pictures you’re going to take. It makes you slow down and think about what you’re going to shoot.”

Jamie Pierce’25 had little knowledge about shooting photos before she took Reuter’s digital photography classes. Though she has no plans to become a professional photographer, the digital media marketing major said the skills Reuter taught her will be beneficial in her field.

“She’s really easy to relate to and makes class comfortable,” Pierce said. “She pushes us to try new things, which I really appreciate. One thing that really stood out was how much she talked about composition and focusing on the subject of your photo. The two work together to make sure your photo tells a story and creates emotion.”

Also working together are Reuter’s careers, with each one complementing the other.

Being a practitioner of the subject she teaches allows her to go beyond technique to explain the business side of photography,

often showing her students photographs she took earlier in the day for a client.

And the experience in front of a classroom helps her as a smallbusiness owner, making her more confident directing clients or speaking to large groups of people.

Though the mediums used by her students have changed, Reuter is proud that the growth they experience during her classes remains the same.

“I do a fun assignment with them,” she said. “I have them pick one photo from their very first assignment and compare it to a photo from the last day of class. And a lot of them will laugh and be like,’I can’t believe I thought this was a good photo. Now I understand how to complete the shot. I understand lighting. I understand the rule of thirds.’ By the end, they understand that even just with a few months of education and photography, they’ve changed their own work.”

“She pushes us to try new things, which I really appreciate. One thing that really stood out was how much she talked about composition and focusing on the subject of your photo.”

—Jamie Pierce’25

Commencement 2025

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Owen Weiss ’26

Hometown

Pottstown, PA

Major Biology

Internships

Minor Chemistry

I am applying for internships for spring 2026. One of the opportunities I’m most excited about is the possibility of an internship with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Postgraduation plans

I intend to join the workforce in the microbiology field, either as a lab or field technician, for a few years before obtaining a master’s degree in medical microbiology.

Why Alvernia?

The first time I stepped on campus, it felt like home. The tight-knit community, combined with small class sizes, hands-on lab work and one-on-one time with the professors, made me want to come to Alvernia.

Meaningful activities

Days of service, which help the Reading community. I also represent the school as a Golden Guide Student Ambassador and Orientation Weekend Leader (OWL), which allowed me to make meaningful relationships with families and other students within the Alvernia community.

Highlights

Serving as an OWL and representing the university as a Golden Guide Student Ambassador. I’m also proud to have completed the Honors Program and had the incredible opportunity to attend a chemistry conference in California. Most of all, I treasure the lifelong friendships I’ve built and the mentorship I’ve received, which will stay with me well beyond graduation.

“

I’m proud to have completed the Honors Program and had the incredible opportunity to attend a chemistry conference in California.

“ I hope others can see that it is possible and [that] you’re more than’Just a Kid From Reading.’

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Mylina Castillo MSAT ’26

Hometown

Reading, PA

Major

Master of Science in Athletic Training

Internships

I am applying to two sites for my spring clinical rotation. I hope to go to the PSATS Student Immersion with the Philadelphia Union MLS team or the RehabWorks Immersive Clinical Experience with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Postgraduation plans

Become an athletic trainer in a nontraditional setting or professional sports.

Why Alvernia?

Its amazing accelerated Athletic Training program and Division III athletics.

Meaningful activities

Clubs/Student Organizations: Black Student Union vice president; Sustainability Club; Psychology Club; Pickleball Club; Friends of Animals; Circle K

Athletics: DIII track and field triple jumper

Research: 2025 EATA clinical case study student poster presenter; 2025 PATS clinical case study student poster presenter.

Work-Studies: Office of Global Engagement; Golden Guide; Peer Mentor; Orientation Weekend Leader; Interfaith Student Leader.

Highlights

Winning the inaugural Golden Wolf of the Year Award. I’m filled with gratitude to have presented at research conferences and to have attended the Philadelphia Eagles Sports Medicine Conference this year. Most of all, I cherish all those who have helped me make it this far.

ON CAMPUS

Fitzgerald on Power 100 list for 2nd straight year

Alvernia President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., was named to the Lehigh Valley Business 2025 Power 100 list, marking the second consecutive year she has been honored as one of the region’s most influential leaders.

The Power 100 list recognizes individuals who shape communities and influence the quality of life in the Greater Lehigh Valley. Honorees are selected for their leadership, commitment to service, and impact on the region’s economic and civic vitality.

“This recognition reflects the collective efforts of the Alvernia community to advance our mission and make a positive impact throughout the region,” Fitzgerald said.

Alvernia designated as Military Friendly® School

Military Friendly® Schools has named Alvernia a 2025-26 Military Friendly® School, awarding the university a silver designation for the second straight year.

The distinction highlights Alvernia’s strong commitment to supporting student veterans, service members and military-affiliated learners.

Alvernia offers a range of services and resources to support military-affiliated students, including dedicated admissions and financial aid counseling, academic advising, and career services. The university’s Veterans Center provides a welcoming space for military-affiliated students.

The university also earned a national endorsement in military support from Colleges of Distinction for the fifth straight year.

Alvernia recognized by Carnegie as high-access, high-earnings institution

Alvernia received national recognition as one of the country’s leading institutions for student opportunity and economic mobility in the newly redesigned Carnegie Classifications. Alvernia was among a select group of institutions designated as High Access, High Earnings Opportunity Colleges and Universities in the 2025 Student Access and Earnings Classification, a groundbreaking system that evaluates how effectively higher education institutions create pathways to success for students from diverse backgrounds.

“This classification affirms what the Alvernia community has long understood: Alvernia transforms lives,” said President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. “Our commitment to highimpact experiential learning, a strong liberal arts foundation, workforce readiness and a deeply embedded culture of care empowers students not only to earn their degrees but to lead meaningful, successful lives beyond the classroom. Being recognized as a high-access, high-earnings institution underscores our core mission and validates our unwavering focus on delivering outcomes that matter — for our students, our region and the communities they go on to serve.”

Of the over 3,700 higher education institutions evaluated, only 479 were named Opportunity Colleges and Universities. Alvernia stands out further as one of just 30 institutions nationally to earn both the Special Focus: Other Health Professions designation and a High Access, High Earnings classification. The university is also one of only three institutions in this category that simultaneously holds the prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

Developed by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the new classification system uses advanced methodology to assess institutions by comparing student access and post-attendance earnings among peer institutions. According to the Carnegie team, these designations reflect how well institutions serve their local and regional communities by preparing students for economic success.

Alvernia was previously ranked by Carnegie in 2021 as a Doctoral/Professional University under the previous Carnegie Basic Classification. The university still meets the requirements of a doctoral institution based on the number of doctoral programs and degrees awarded annually.

Breidegam Family Foundation supports American House at Reading CollegeTowne

with significant gift

Alvernia in April announced it had received a significant gift from the Breidegam Family Foundation to support the renovation of the historic American House at Reading CollegeTowne, furthering the initiative’s goal of expanding health care access and experiential learning opportunities for Alvernia students in downtown Reading. This contribution will help advance Alvernia’s partnership with Berks Community Health Center (BCHC) to establish a state-of-the-art community health center serving Reading’s underserved populations.

“The generous support from the Breidegam Foundation is pivotal in transforming our vision for the American House at Reading CollegeTowne into reality,” said Alvernia President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. “This initiative strengthens Alvernia’s commitment to serving underserved communities and enhances experiential learning opportunities for our students across health care, social services, education and other academic programs. We are deeply grateful for this investment in the well-being of our neighbors and the future of our region’s workforce and nonprofit sector.”

To recognize the Breidegam Family Foundation’s gift and commitment to health care and the community, the second floor of the American House will be named Helen and DeLight Breidegam Center at the American House. The significant gift comes as the university enters the final year of the five-year Partners in Progress comprehensive campaign to build stronger communities by redefining higher education.

“The Breidegam Family Foundation is proud to support this initiative, which will have a lasting impact on health care access in Reading,” said Paula Barrett, president of the Breidegam Family Foundation. “This project embodies the values of community service, innovation, education and collaboration, all of which were deeply important to our founders.”

Alvernia acquired the 45,000-square-foot, four-story historic American House property at 354 Penn St. in 2022 as part of its Reading CollegeTowne initiative, which is a model for economic redevelopment and community impact in downtown Reading. The redevelopment of the building will create a multifaceted health care hub, featuring a new BCHC community health center, which will host at least 50 annual clinical experiences for Alvernia occupational therapy, physician associate, physical therapy, exercise science, athletic training, nursing, social work, and addictions and mental health treatment students.

Alvernia and its partner organizations continue to seek philanthropic support to complete the $17 million renovation of the American House so construction can begin in 2025.

Partnership to improve youth housing stability

Alvernia has joined forces with the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness (BCEH) to advance youth housing stability initiatives through the Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement (YHSI) grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The collaborative effort will focus on improving resources and services for youth experiencing homelessness in Berks, Lancaster and York counties.

Under this agreement, BCEH, as the lead grant recipient, has designated Alvernia as a sub-recipient responsible for the YHSI initiatives. The university will provide expertise in research, community engagement and data analysis while ensuring youth participation in system improvements.

The YHSI grant spans a 30-month period from Nov. 1, 2024, to April 30, 2027. It is part of HUD’s broader efforts to enhance youth homelessness response systems nationwide.

Pre-PT Club raises over $11,000 during Mini-THON

Over 100 participants from Alvernia Team For The Kids (FTK) joined more than 90,000 students across the country to help conquer childhood cancer through the Four Diamonds Organization. Alvernia Team FTK, sponsored by the Pre-Physical Therapy Club, raised $11,379 at its Four Diamonds Mini-THON event to support children and families battling pediatric cancer, the highest amount fundraised in the organization’s history. From 7 p.m. on March 22 to 11 a.m. on March 23, students spent 16 straight hours in the PLEX. The event featured activities ranging from Zumba and pep rally games to an overnight DJ session, tournaments and community hour.

ON CAMPUS

Online programs now include data analytics, business analytics

Alvernia is expanding its fully online offerings with the launch of the Master of Science in Data Analytics and Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics.

“The addition of these programs is a significant step in Alvernia’s mission to provide transformative education that meets the changing needs of our regional workforce,” said Alvernia University Senior Vice President and Provost Leamor Kahanov, Ed.D., ATC/ LAT.

The Data Analytics program equips professionals with the advanced technical and ethical decision-making skills necessary to navigate today’s datadriven world. The program requires just 30 credit hours, allowing students to complete their degree in two years, and is competitively priced at $315 per credit hour and under $10,000 in tuition.

The Business Analytics program meets the increasing demand for professionals with strong analytical, managerial and leadership capabilities. It prepares graduates with comprehensive analytical, managerial, and leadership skills to address the challenges of modern businesses.

Grant will expand special educator certification

Alvernia received funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education as part of the Accelerated Special Educator Certification Program. The grant is part of more than $1 million awarded to support a second cohort of higher education institutions leading workforce-aligned educator preparation.

The Accelerated Special Educator Certification Program Grant, organized by the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, funds summer field experiences, year-round mentoring and an accelerated postbaccalaureate program that enables participants to earn PK-12 special education certification within 18 months.

Alvernia and media partners launch initiative to strengthen local news coverage in Berks

Alvernia and its media partners have established the Community News Lab: A Media Collaboration, a pioneering initiative designed to provide students with hands-on journalism experience while strengthening local news coverage in Berks County. The initiative, housed at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, brings together Spotlight PA Berks Bureau, Berks Community Television (BCTV) and 830WEEU (Treese Media Group) to create a student-driven newsroom where emerging journalists work alongside professionals to cover vital community stories.

“The Community News Lab represents a bold step in Alvernia’s commitment to experiential learning,” said Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., president of Alvernia University. “This initiative provides a unique opportunity for students to develop their reporting, multimedia and investigative journalism skills while making a direct impact in the community.”

The project aligns with Alvernia’s CollegeTowne strategy, which fosters partnerships that enhance educational opportunities and drive economic development in the region. The formation of the lab will also provide permanent space for editorial staff and journalists in the newly established Spotlight PA Berks Bureau.

“Creative partnerships like the news lab are essential to revitalizing local news coverage and ensuring more reporters are on the ground,” said Christopher Baxter, CEO and president of Spotlight PA.

Students will have the opportunity to contribute investigative reports, multimedia content and live broadcasts, gaining real-world experience in digital and community journalism. The lab will provide students with opportunities to have their work published, aired and shared across multiple platforms.

“Joining in the Community News Lab collaboration with Alvernia University reinforces and strengthens BCTV’s commitment to local storytelling and civic engagement,” said BCTV Executive Director Heather Adams.

Alvernia Communication Professor Jodi Radosh, Ph.D., will serve as director. She is a former television journalist and was formerly the associate director of the university’s Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement.

“Treese Media Group and WEEU are proud to be part of the Community News Lab collaboration, a groundbreaking initiative that nurtures the next generation of journalists while reinforcing the vital role of local news,” said Treese Media Group CEO John J. Treese Jr.

The Community News Lab officially launched in fall 2025, beginning with a pilot semester that integrates the initiative into news and feature-writing and broadcasting courses.

The Green Bandana Project, a suicide prevention program, comes to Alvernia

Suicide is the third-highest cause of death for those between the ages of 15 and 24. The Green Bandana Project aims to increase awareness of resources and empower students to seek help to decrease the risk of mental health crises and suicide among students.

The program was brought to Alvernia by softball coach Allie Bridgman, who learned about it while a student at Fairfield University. The project provided mental health and suicide prevention resources to student-athletes to distribute to their teams.

Under the Green Bandana Project, students take QPR Gatekeeper program training (which stands for question, persuade and refer), then display a neon-green bandana on their clothing or bookbags to show they are mental health advocates.

“Those green bandanas are such an image of support and community, and for people to see that on campus and know that they’re not alone, that’s a huge thing,” Bridgman said.

The program is an offshoot of Dan’s Bandana Project, which was started in 2014 by a professor at University of Wisconsin-River Falls who lost her son, Dan, to suicide. Dan’s everpresent bandanas became the project’s symbol.

QPR training for Alvernia students is provided by Penn Medicine – Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center.

“If you’re struggling and you need to talk to somebody, those green bandanas are your signal that that person is safe and they want to help you,” said Gina Manidis, LPC, a licensed professional counselor at Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center.

It’s an important resource to have on Alvernia’s campus, said softball player Kalli Bunnell’26.

“Mental health is a huge concern everywhere but specifically on the college campus, especially being a student-athlete,” she said. “It’s hard: long days, long practice hours after class. So being that teammate someone can come to and even just being a peer who people can come to is really important.”

Fox 29 Philadelphia and NBC 10 Philadelphia recently highlighted Alvernia’s Green Bandana Project, interviewing Bridgman, Bunnell and Manidis.

Aramark named new campus dining partner

Alvernia selected Aramark Collegiate Hospitality as its new dining services provider following a competitive review process aimed at enhancing the campus dining experience for students, faculty, staff, guests and the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters. The partnership began operations on July 1.

The decision to transition to Aramark reflects Alvernia’s ongoing commitment to delivering an inclusive, high-quality and community-centered dining experience in alignment with the university’s Franciscan values and student-first mission. Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, which partners with more than 275 colleges and universities across the U. S. — including a significant number of private Catholic institutions — brings a strong track record in chefled culinary innovation, sustainability, inclusive dining and student engagement.

The transition plan includes continued dining support for the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, honoring their ongoing presence and importance in Alvernia’s campus life.

Ecology class plants trees in Reading City Park

Alvernia students in April engaged in community service and environmental stewardship through an ecology class led by Assistant Professor of Biology Jamie Becker, Ph.D. The class partnered with the Reading Climate Corps and Public Works to plant 24 native trees in Reading City Park. Through this collaboration, students gained hands-on experience while contributing to vital environmental restoration in the local community.

According to Becker, the tree planting project aimed to combat erosion, improve soil hydrology in a wet area of the park and create a habitat for local wildlife.

“The lab was exciting, as I felt like I was making a difference for the city of Reading for years to come by planting these trees,” said biology major Brandon VanSchaick’26.

ON CAMPUS

Alumna earns 2025 Bernardine Legacy Award

The Alvernia University Women’s Council recognized Kat Ketter ’05, associate vice president of member experience at Jefferson Health Plans and founder and CEO of Kat Ketter Coaching, with the 2025 Bernardine Legacy Award at its annual luncheon in June.

Established to honor the legacy of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, the Bernardine Legacy Award recognizes Alvernia alumni and community leaders whose lives reflect a deep commitment to Franciscan values through service, leadership and community impact. Ketter was selected for her tireless advocacy on behalf of women, her visionary leadership in health care, and her commitment to empowering underserved communities.

The Reading native earned her bachelor’s degree from Alvernia in 2005 and a master’s in public health from Liberty University. Over her two-decade career, she has launched groundbreaking mentorship and wellness programs that center on whole-person care and health equity.

Ceremony honors student leaders

Twenty-two Alvernia students were honored at the inaugural Student Leadership Recognition award ceremony in May, recognizing those who left their marks on the campus in addition to excelling in their studies.

As a part of this new tradition, Annual Leadership Awards were created to recognize and honor student leaders who embody the spirit and mission of Alvernia. A full list of honorees is available at alvernia.edu.

Alvernia receives $450K grant from state to boost efforts of Total Experience Learning

Alvernia will benefit from $450,000 through the PAsmart Advancing Grants for Career and Technical Education programs and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

State Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Berks, announced the news in April as part of a $10.35 million investment that expands access to computer science and science, technology, engineering and math education (STEM-CS) for learners across Pennsylvania.

“I welcomed these grants with great enthusiasm. This state funding will create more opportunities for professional development in our community and help students keep pace with a constantly evolving job market,” Guzman shared in his official statement. “I believe it is crucial to equip students with the necessary tools and skills to match industry needs and these high-demand career paths.”

The funds, secured through Alvernia, will help accelerate the ongoing efforts of Total Experience Learning® (TExpL) to address the critical need for access to high-quality STEM-CS education and professional development within the Diocese of Allentown (DoA). TExpL offers hands-on educational opportunities designed to develop critical thinking, creativity and real-world skills for learners of all ages. The institution joined Alvernia University last year, bringing with it an impressive student program. To date, students have been granted 12 patents, and this year alone, the program helped secure $25,000 in funding for STEM after-school research for students in grades 5 through 12.

The DoA has a network of 24 schools and 624 teachers across five counties and serves 8,500 students. The network has identified a significant need to improve STEM learning options through cross-sector partnerships like the one that will now emerge with Alvernia and TExpL.

“In addition to creating new learning opportunities for students, this funding and partnership between Alvernia, TExpL and DoA will also address critical disparities in teacher support and retention,” said Adelle L. Schade, Ph.D., founder of TExpL. “By providing immersive, experiential learning opportunities and equipping these educators with specialized skills and coursework, we will build capacity for impactful STEM-CS instruction, attracting new talent and retaining educators.”

The grant will be used to close the STEM-CS gap for K-12 learners, build a diverse talent pipeline, and attract and retain highly qualified educators. K-12 students will benefit from immersive classroom experiences both on Alvernia University’s campus and in their home schools. Undergraduate interns and university faculty will mentor students in the after-school and summer programs. Instructors at DoA will receive targeted professional development and certificate coursework in TExpL’s experiential learning methodology.

Header School of Business namesake mentors students through executive-inresidence program

Greg Header’97, Alvernia’s Executive in Residence (EIR) and the namesake of the university’s Header School of Business, touted the power of people during a campus speech to students, faculty and staff on Thursday, his second EIR speaking engagement.

“Greg Header’s keynote address,’My Journey and Keys to Success,’ offers our students an invaluable opportunity to learn from a distinguished entrepreneur whose journey exemplifies the transformative power of education and perseverance. His story is a testament to what can be achieved through dedication and hard work,” said Dean of the College of Business, Communication and Leadership Travis Berger, Ph.D.

Header discussed his journey of success as a young entrepreneur at 23, the challenges that came from losing his job at 24, being diagnosed with Lyme disease at 25, finishing his management degree at Alvernia at 27, and founding Solar Innovations, a premier architectural glazing system company recently acquired by a Fortune 500 company.

“The biggest thing I tell everybody is that you can’t do it alone. There’s nobody that knows everything. There’s power in people,” said Header. “If you build a bench, surround yourself with a few people to help guide you through the unknown. That bench will change at times, but it really should be people in the industry you’re involved in to show you what mistakes they’ve made. It’s a really powerful thing. It limits your mistakes, balances you and gives you perspective.”

Following his talk, the 180+ students, faculty, and staff in attendance had the opportunity to ask Header questions. Topics included overcoming doubt when starting a professional journey, best practices for risk-taking and decision-making, managing worklife balance, habits for success, working in the family business and more.

“As a student in the Header School of Business, I’m going to connect what he said to my classes and use him as a role model. He shared about all of the work he’s done and did a great job connecting both meetings that we had in the previous semester and connecting those stories together,” said Anthony Repko, a first-year business management major.

The EIR program, now in its ninth year, allows students to gain valuable insight into real-world experiences directly from regional industry executives. Students also learn about the specific skills that leaders are looking for in college graduates, various leadership styles and real-life professional scenarios through interactive sessions and classroom lectures with Yuengling and other executives.

Prior Alvernia executives-in-residence include Wendy Yuengling, chief administrative officer of D.G. Yuengling & Son; Andy Moses, senior vice president of sales and solutions with Penske Logistics; and Scott Gruber, CEO of Tompkins Financial.

Alvernia launches cannabis academy

Alvernia in April became the first university in Berks County to offer a cannabis industry-related academic program, announcing the launch of the Alvernia Cannabis Academy. The workforce-aligned certificate program was established in partnership with the Cleveland School of Cannabis. Delivered through the university’s Accelerate AU platform for non-credit and professional programs, the academy provides online training to prepare individuals for various careers in Pennsylvania’s cannabis industry.

Spring athletes excel on and off court and field

The 2025 spring season capped off another exciting year of Alvernia Athletics. The women’s golf team claimed its second straight MAC title, winning the 2025 MAC Women’s Golf Championship. The team represented Alvernia and the MAC at the Division III Women’s Golf National Championship, taking 27th overall.

Six spring Alvernia teams — baseball, softball, men’s and women’s golf, and men’s and women’s track and field — reached their respective conference playoffs or competed in a conference championship.

Alvernia had two all-region honorees in McKylie Boreman (women’s golf) and Nick Ferraioli (baseball). Ferraioli and Dane Sabarese (men’s lacrosse) also earned Athlete of the Year honors from the MAC Commonwealth. Ferraioli was named the MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year, while Sabarese repeated as the MAC Commonwealth Goalie of the Year. A total of 23 spring student-athletes earned all-conference honors.

Off the court and field, 126 spring student-athletes were named to the MAC Academic Honor Roll, finishing the spring semester with at least a 3.2 GPA.

Alvernia closed out the semester honoring its 2025 graduating class of 103 student-athletes. Matthew Lackman and McKylie Boreman were named Alvernia’s Class of 2025 Most Outstanding Athletes.

Periscope

Alvernia’s faculty making a difference

Faculty SPOTLIGHT

A half-dozen retiring Alvernia faculty members were honored at the university’s Faculty Awards event in May. The honorees spoke in remarks dubbed Last Lectures. Two of the professors were not able to attend the event; colleagues gave remarks for them. Excerpts are below.

Spencer S. Stober, Ed.D.

Stober taught biology at Alvernia for over 30 years. He also taught graduate courses in leadership and acted as a strategic advisor for the Office of Institutional Sustainability, a role he will continue following his retirement. He received Alvernia’s Christian R. & Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2005 and was awarded the Neag Professorship in 2011.

“I’m resistant to retiring, as you know, and it’s partly because I feel like I’m still 20 — or not. But this is who I am and what I do. So it’s kind of a big, big shock in a way. But recently, I went to see the musical’Groundhog Day.’ A message came out of it that I realized applied to me, and that is that I was living today through the lens of tomorrow. And now that I had this time to reflect, I’m starting to look at things a little differently. I’m trying to look at today.”

“Students that I’ve had in junior high are now doing really special things. And I think all of us have that opportunity to see our students do special things, and I think that’s the reason we have optimism. I’m also optimistic because we’re a Franciscan university, and we are uniquely positioned because of our values to promote a sustainable future. So for that reason, I think we’re optimistic.”

Scott Ballantyne, MPA, Ed.D., PRSBA

Ballantyne joined the faculty of Alvernia in 1999. The professor of business also served as faculty advisor for the Risk Management and fishing clubs. He received Alvernia’s 2015 Teaching Excellence Award (nominated by the students) and a Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching. An avid outdoorsman, he runs the successful YouTube channel Bikes Boats Bivouacs, which spotlights motorcycles, boats, camps and camping, and travel destinations. Spencer Stober, who spoke on Ballantyne’s behalf, says Ballantyne asked him to read a quote from “Big Mama,” a woman who helped develop his beloved Florida Keys.

“‘Everybody is born in a box of wealth or a box of poverty, a box of physical or mental limitation, or a box of family problems or

neglect. The fascinating thing to watch is to see how people manage to escape their boxes.’ … The reason Scott asked me to read that quote is because that’s one of his major goals in teaching. He helps students escape their boxes.”

Stober then read a quote from Ballantyne:

“The joy I receive in carrying out my duties as a professor is primarily rewarded by watching students build confidence in themselves through projects and assignments, created and based on actual experiences. … When students develop the skills and confidence to climb out of their box and find creative ways to build confidence, that’s what I really enjoy seeing in students. And I like to approach classes as students as champions, and Alvernia as a place for opportunity.”

Rosemary McFee, M.Ed.

A longtime Alvernia professor in the Criminal Justice Administration Department, McFee played a significant role in advancing the program. A full-time faculty member for over 15 years, she served as an adjunct professor for the prior 14 years while working full time in the Allentown court system. An advisor to the Criminal Justice Association, she started the Circle K Club, a service organization for college students at Alvernia, to help the community through various service projects.

“I was able to teach criminal justice courses at all levels, seeing the students emerge, experience change, grow personally and academically, meet their challenges, and make decisions about their futures. As a faculty advisor to two clubs, Criminal Justice Association and Circle K, I observed the dedication of students to be involved and deserve the community, and I really mean this from my heart. They exemplify Alvernia’s motto:’To learn, to love and to serve.’ They do so much volunteer work with little prompting on my part.”

“I’m especially thankful for the opportunity to experience the Assisi Pilgrimage. We came back with renewed energy, great memories, personal spiritual experiences and a deep understanding that Saint Clare was truly a formidable woman.”

Alvernia’s

Periscope

Neil H. Penny, Ed.D., M.S., OTR/L

After serving for many years in a variety of psychiatric and behavioral health settings, Penny joined Alvernia in 1999. During his time here, he served as Occupational Therapy Program director multiple times and chaired the Occupational Therapy Department along with teaching occupational therapy and Honors Program courses. He closed his statements with an email he received from a former student.

“‘Dear Dr. Penny, I hope this email finds you well. I’m currently working at an outpatient orthopedic clinic, a role that I’m thoroughly enjoying and learning so much for every day. As I reflect on how I arrived here, I continually come back to the strong foundation you helped build for me. The dedication to teaching, your passion for the field, and the genuine care that you showed to your students played a huge role in shaping both my academic and professional journey. Without your guidance and support, I truly don’t believe I’d be where I am today and for that I’m endlessly grateful. Your impact has extended beyond [the] classroom. You’ve helped mold us into thoughtful, skilled and compassionate clinicians. And I carry many of the lessons I learned from you with me, in my day-to-day practice.’”

“And that, I believe, is my legacy, and that, I believe, is the legacy that all faculty [members] strive for. It’s the impact that we will have on the lives of our students as they pass through these hallowed halls of academia.”

Dolores Bertoti, PT, MS, DPT

Bertoti has been a physical therapist for nearly five decades, authoring over 20 publications. The sixth edition of Brunnstrom’s Clinical Kinesiology, co-authored by Bertoti, became the industry standard, translated into seven languages. At Alvernia, Bertoti served as department chair and program director for physical therapy, athletic training, occupational therapy and healthcare science. Thomas G. Porrazzo, Ph.D., the current health care science department chair, offered a revised version of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” called “Oh, the Places Delores Has Been!”

“For 33 years, you’ve taught and researched with care. We are astonished and admire how you got there. You’ve held almost

every position, been on every committee. What a feat, so popular you are. Were you vying for Alvernia’s presidency? … Oh, the places Dolores has been. Like traveling to Australia, first class was the way, a keynote speaker to about 20,000 people. Must have certainly been a good payday. Presenting with so many colleagues here and abroad, she headed to Hawaii, New Zealand, Spain, England, Ireland, Italy, Germany, France, where she was adored. You certainly soared in height in your career, but we all know how your service to others is so clear. Your love for the children, the lost and underserved, you poured out your heart through Easter Seals, we observed. Through perils and heartbreak, you’ve always stood strong. Your faith is an example for all to belong. With retirement arriving once more, you’ll ride high, ready for anything under the sky.”

Donald Schalk, MBA

The longtime businessman discussed his second career at Alvernia, which included roles as a professional specialist in the Business Department, director of the MBA Program and director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. His speech opened with a story about how Franciscan sisters in Syracuse, New York., helped his family overcome the sudden death of his middle son in the 1990s. He vowed to repay them in some way. That came to fruition when he was transferred to Reading for a job, where he ran into then Alvernia President Thomas F. Flynn, Ph.D., at a gathering.

“That was not a coincidence; that was a God wink. And what I would say to each of you is you’re not here out of any reason but this is where God wants you right now at a very challenging time in the world.”

“Right now, in our country, we focus more on getting students ready for jobs. But I think over the last several years, we’ve been lax in teaching people how to be good citizens, which leads me to discuss our role as leaders. To be a good citizen, you need to know where we have been so that you can set the future.”

“This university’s done a great job by putting the S.O.L.A.R. program together. And we need to make sure that we execute on that program so that our students have the opportunity to succeed like all of us. We need to challenge ourselves and others to dream and celebrate success with students and all those small wins that they have along the way.”

Periscope

Alvernia’s faculty making a difference

Joseph Mahoney, Ph.D.

Director of the John R. Post School of Engineering, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Mahoney had a research article detailing how running with a stroller affects form and injury risk published in The Washington Post in May. A longer version of the study, co-authored with Allison Altman Singles, associate professor of kinesiology and mechanical engineering at Penn State University, was published on The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news website. Links to both articles are available with the online version of Periscope at alvernia.edu.

Mahoney also published a paper that used machine learning to classify footstrike patterns (FSPs) during running. The study showed promise in utilizing wearables for injury prevention. (Mahoney, J. M., Rhudy, M. B., Outerleys, J., Davis, I. S., & Altman-Singles, A. R. (2024). Identification of footstrike pattern using accelerometry and machine learning. Journal of Biomechanics, 174, 112255.) A link to this paper is also available at alvernia.edu.

Travis Berger

Associate Professor of Business and Leadership, Header School of Business

In February, Berger successfully facilitated Reading Symphony Orchestra’s Board Strategy Retreat. In May, he presented to the PA Department of Labor and Industry’s executive and management teams as part of their Leadership Lab.

Heather Keperling, Ed.D., RN

Assistant Professor of Nursing

Keperling presented “Perseverance and Passion in Nursing Education” at the 2025 International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses Conference in New Orleans in March.

Additionally, her manuscript “Developing and Implementing a Service-Learning Course in Prelicensure Nursing Education” was accepted for publication in the Journal of Nursing Education.

Professor and Department Chair of Communication & Digital Media, Director of Community News Lab

Ana Ruiz, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

Radosh and Ruiz received the Office for Teaching and Learning Founding Leadership Award in recognition of their dedication to academic excellence and their leadership in launching the inaugural Office for Teaching and Learning from the Provost.

Radosh was named director of the new Community News Lab, a pioneering initiative designed to provide students with hands-on journalism experience while strengthening local news coverage in Berks County. The initiative, housed at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, brings together Spotlight PA Berks Bureau, Berks Community Television (BCTV) and 830WEEU (Treese Media Group) to create a student-driven newsroom where emerging journalists work alongside professionals.

Alan Howard, Ph.D., RN

Assistant Professor of Nursing Howard’s manuscript “Nursing Theory Through the Lens of Scripture and Faith” was accepted for publication in the Journal of Christian Nursing. Howard is also starting a new organization at Alvernia, the Nurses Christian Fellowship.

Periscope

Alvernia’s faculty making a difference

Kris Lowrey, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Communication

Lowrey presented “Remixing the Community: Composition Students’ Creative Engagement with Local Archives” at the Conference on College Composition and Communication annual convention in April. She also served as a Stage I proposal reviewer for the conference and as a workshop leader for the CCCC Feminist Caucus program, “Can I Get a Beat? Or, Collaboration and Publication in the Field.”

In addition, Lowrey facilitated a local run of the Oscar-nominated documentary film about the ongoing war in Ukraine, “Porcelain War,” and led a post-screening discussion of the film in collaboration with Kevin Donnelly, Ph.D., an associate professor of history at Alvernia, and Randall Newnham, Ph.D., a professor of political science at Penn State Berks.

Finally, she served as the conference committee chair for the third annual College of Business, Communication, and Leadership “Because You Matter” Conference.

Caroline Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Professor of Communication and Digital Media

Fitzpatrick served as a judge for undergraduate and graduate submissions for the convention awards in the creative nonfiction and critical essay categories of the Centennial Sigma Tau Delta International Honor Society Convention in Pittsburgh in April. Additionally, she judged the 1924 Scholarships, which celebrated the society’s anniversary and were awarded to applicants who exemplify excellence in language and literacy initiatives. She also served on the Past Presidents Advisory Council of the nonprofit organization.

Kayla Landers, MA

Writing Program Director and Instructor of Communication

In April 2025, Landers served as a documentarian for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Annual Convention, held in Baltimore. Documentarians are selected by project leads each conference to participate in an initiative designed to enhance the organization’s understanding of member experiences. Responsibilities included the completion of a preparatory module, participation in daily morning and evening surveys throughout the convention, and a postconference reflective survey. According to Lindquist et al., data gathered from these instruments enables CCCC to “learn more about the needs and experiences of its members” (1).

In addition to her role as documentarian, Landers also presented a session titled “The Value of Digital Multimodal Composition in First-Year Composition Courses” on April 11. Drawing on her teaching experience, she argued that digital multimodal composition fosters greater student motivation, confidence and self-esteem in writing. Her observations suggest that students engaged in multimodal projects spend more time conducting research, generate a higher volume of written work, and demonstrate increased rhetorical awareness and intentionality in their final compositions.

Landers especially enjoyed attending the convention alongside her colleague, Kris Lowrey, Ph.D. She looks forward to continuing to incorporate digital multimodal projects in her composition and research courses to promote deeper student engagement and more meaningful learning outcomes.

Class NotesAlumni

Attention, Alumni:

• Married?

• New job?

• Addition to the family?

Share your news! Contact us at alumni@alvernia.edu.

1990s

(1.) Amy (Hiester) Matthias ’97 MBA ’08 is the new director of marketing for Post & Schell, P.C., Attorneys At Law.

2000s

(2.) Margot Allen ’09 married Nick Lambright on November 2, 2024, in their hometown of Baltimore. She also became a stepmom to Theodore.

(3.) LeeAnn Smulligan MBA ’09 has been promoted to chief operating officer at Mrs. T’s Pierogies.

(4.) Lt. Brett Sneeringer ’09 has been promoted to captain of the Reading Police Department.

2010s

(5.) Brianne Traina MS ’19 and Kirby Turner ’15 were married on July 4, 2024.

2020s

Marley Werner ’22 accepted a new role as marketing manager at Byler Holdings in Lebanon, Pa., where she manages the corporate and day-to-day marketing efforts of the corporate office and four divisions, along with individual companies within the division.

(6.) Brock Gumaer ’23 was named director of athletics and transportation at his alma mater, Blue Ridge School District.

(7.) Cora Cox ’24 has accepted a new job as a surgical scheduler in the oncology department at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional.

In Memoriam

In memory of our deceased alumni who are gone but not forgotten.

1960s

Sr. Clare Chabot OSF ’68

1980s

Steven Galambos ’80

Dale Aulenbach ’88

Norman Woodford ’88

1990s

Amy (Cagle) Dubowski ’90

Martha Orlando ’91

2000s

Adam Borkey ’06

Brenda Williams ’08

2010s

Rayetta Barnhardt ’14

Michael Murphy ’14 2020s

Henry Funk ’20

NEWS Alumni

ChelseaBurke’25,left,joinsinNewStudentOrientationwith DataandResearchSpecialistMollyGaffney’22,MBA’24 andEducationDepartmentChairShawnRuttM.Ed.‘07.

WeekendChelseaBurke’25,left,helpsOrientationLeaderJamieKelleymoveinstudents.

Kicking off New Student Orientation weekend, Move-In Day features hundreds of new Alvernia students taking the first steps in their educational journeys. But alumni also show up for the occasion.

2025

MargaritaVern 2025 was a great night for alumni and soon-to-be graduates to celebrate together. We welcomed about 300 people to the Flynn PLEX, spanning graduation years from 1967 through 2025. The People’s DJ, Nick Talarico ’03, entertained everyone with various music and games, and the eight party-themed food stations were a hit with everyone’s appetites. Local brewer Pagoda City Brewing provided Golden Wolves Lager to help with the festivities.

Save the date: Saturday, May 2, 2026

Other Important Dates for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026

All times are tentative.

• Regional Receptions in Philadelphia; Washington, DC; Pottsville; and other locations

• Sunday, Dec. 7: Fun with Santa – 1 p.m., Physical Education Center (PEC)

• Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026: Athletics Hall of Fame Induction – 11 a.m., Francis Hall

• Sunday, March 22, 2026: Easter Egg Hunt – 1 p.m., Flynn PLEX

• Saturday, May 2, 2026: MargaritaVern – 6 p.m., Flynn PLEX

GOLF OUTING

Honoring Late Student Marks 30 Years

In 1995, Chris Schlager was thriving at Alvernia, participating on the soccer team while pursuing a degree in education. But his life was tragically cut short by an industrial accident during a school break. In the wake of unimaginable loss, his parents, Tom and Barbara Schlager, chose to honor his life and deep commitment to learning by creating the Chris Schlager Golf Outing.

Held each year at Moselem Springs Golf Club, the tournament brings together Schlager’s family and friends, Alvernia alumni, and community partners in celebration of his memory. On June 9, they gathered 30 years after the inaugural event to reflect, reconnect and reaffirm their support for Alvernia students.

Since its inception, the outing has raised $395,000 to support the Schlager Endowment Fund, which provides scholarships and helps maintain the university’s turf fields. Participation in this event also strengthens the Hope Fund, a vital resource for students facing food and housing insecurity, transportation barriers, or emergency medical expenses, ensuring they have the support they need to stay on the path to graduation.

Schlager’s legacy lives on, not only through the lives of the students who benefit but in the enduring community built in his name.

Keep Learning. Keep Growing.

Alvernia’s Seniors College relaunched this fall with a strong start — from pollinators and watershed basics to local history and the state of homelessness. With those sessions complete, the rest of the Fall slate brings a new set of opportunities to connect, explore and be inspired.

Remaining Fall 2025 Courses

Oct. 28 & Nov. 4

Nov. 4

Nov. 11

Nov. 18

The American Scripture Project with Rabbi Brian Michelson (10:30 a.m.–Noon)

La Bohème: Opera Live in HD with Deanna Reuben (1:30–3 p.m.)

Treasures of the Reading Public Museum with Scott Schweigert (10:30 a.m.–Noon)

Highlights of the Reading Public Museum Arboretum with Rebeka Birch (10:30 a.m.–Noon)

Guided by Franciscan values, the Seniors College celebrates lifelong learning, curiosity and community.

Together we honor the joy of discovery, the wisdom of shared experience and the call to keep growing at every stage of life. Classes will continue in the spring, offering more chances to learn and connect.

Print or Digital… You Decide

We’ve added more digital content, like photo galleries and videos, to the Alvernia Magazine. In fall 2024, we started reducing printed copies by 70%, an effort that is in line with our commitment to environmental and fiscal sustainability of the university. You can still enjoy the magazine in print or digital format — whichever you prefer, but we are asking you to declare your preference.

Request Your Alvernia Magazine

To continue receiving a printed copy or selecting the new digital issue with a postcard reminder, let us know by:

• Emailing alumni@alvernia.edu or calling 610-796-8259.

• Completing the quick survey at alvernia.edu/Magazine

NOTE TO PARENTS

If this issue of Alvernia Magazine is addressed to a daughter or son who has established a separate residence, please notify us of that new address by sending an email to alumni@alvernia.edu.

WANT TO UNSUBSCRIBE?

If you no longer wish to receive the print edition of the magazine, use the QR code to the left or notify us by sending an email to alumni@alvernia.edu.