Alvernia University

The Addictions and Mental Health Awareness Club ("AMHAC") is dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions throughout the university and local community. Membership is open to all university students at no cost. AMHAC believes in the dignity and worth of every individual, and is committed to helping develop "ethical leaders with moral courage." Through Alvernia University's rich campus life, students enjoy a full calendar of activities and events, more than 60 clubs, intramural sports and student leadership and governance opportunities. The University presents endless opportunities for students to gain leadership, problem-solving, collaboration and teambuilding skills. Students hone lifetime skills essential for any industry or field of study. Student clubs and activities also offer students opportunities to connect with Alvernia's surrounding communities throughout Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania. Through service, engagement, and leadership, students learn indelible lessons outside the classroom. Campus clubs and activities are among the many ways in which Alvernia students gain real-world experience, contribute to more than 60,000 hours of community service each year, and help the university remain deeply anchored within its communities.

Active Minds is the leading nonprofit organization that empowers students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking. The club is changing the culture on campuses and in the community by providing information, leadership opportunities, and advocacy training to the next generation. Through Alvernia University's rich campus life, students enjoy a full calendar of activities and events, more than 60 clubs, intramural sports and student leadership and governance opportunities. The University presents endless opportunities for students to gain leadership, problem-solving, collaboration and teambuilding skills. Students hone lifetime skills essential for any industry or field of study. Student clubs and activities also offer students opportunities to connect with Alvernia's surrounding communities throughout Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania. Through service, engagement, and leadership, students learn indelible lessons outside the classroom. Campus clubs and activities are among the many ways in which Alvernia students gain real-world experience, contribute to more than 60,000 hours of community service each year, and help the university remain deeply anchored within its communities.

Alvernia University has announced its registered student organization leaders for the 2020-2021 academic year. Alvernia presents endless opportunities for students to gain leadership, problem-solving, collaboration and teambuilding skills. Through more than 50 campus clubs and organizations, students hone lifetime skills essential for any industry or field of study. Student clubs and activities also offer students opportunities to connect with Alvernia's surrounding communities throughout Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania. Through service, engagement, and leadership, students learn indelible lessons outside the classroom. Campus clubs and activities are among the many ways in which Alvernia students gain real-world experience, contribute to more than 60,000 hours of community service each year, and help the university remain deeply anchored within its communities.

The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Tara Engelhardt (Hazlet, N.J.), a senior Social Work major and Addictions and Mental Health Treatment minor, was selected as the university's Student Employee of the Month for February. On top of her studies and presidency of Phi Alpha, Tara is employed with the Career Development Office on campus.

Literary arts journal Zephyrus claims second place in Sigma Tau Delta contest. For the second consecutive year, Alvernia students earn honors by international English honor society, Sigma Tau Delta, for their literary and artistic works in Zephyrus, the university's literary arts journal. "I'm thrilled our students were recognized for their hard work," said faculty adviser and Associate Professor of English Dr. Thomas Bierowski. "I didn't expect us to be awarded once, let alone two years in a row. It sets the bar very high for this year, and I'm hoping that we can be recognized again." Alvernia's chapter of Sigma Tau Delta will receive the award in March, when they attend the 2020 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, where they will present a panel titled, "Transformative Landscapes in Dystopian Literature." Zephyrus is a student-run operation that includes soliciting submissions, editing and assembling the hard copy. The editorial board encouraged their peers to submit creative pieces that embodied the theme of the winning edition, "New Beginnings." The submissions received included photographs, short stories, poems, and various other unique artworks that illustrated this idea. The editorial board has selected "Home" as the theme for the 2020 edition and is encouraging video submissions through the use of QR technology. "I think Alvernia has a variety of video production classes already," said Michael Beyer '20, editor-in-chief of Zephyrus. "So it would be of great benefit to Zephyrus to open the doors for people to submit their works that they're already creating for other classes."

A total of 82 student-athletes represented Alvernia University on the 2019 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Fall Academic Honor Roll, as announced on Friday by MAC Executive Director Ken Andrews. A total of 1,588 student-athletes were recognized across the MAC for their achievements in the classroom. The MAC Academic Honor Roll is comprised of student-athletes who compete in a varsity level sport and registered a semester GPA of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) or higher. Women's Soccer led the way for Alvernia with 19 representatives, four of which earned a 4.00 GPA. Field Hockey was second with 16 representatives, including five athletes with a 4.00 GPA. Men's Soccer finished right behind field hockey with 15 student-athletes on the honor roll, including one individual with a 4.00 GPA. Football finished with 12 student-athletes represented, including two with a 4.00 GPA. Women's Volleyball finished with nine individuals. Women's Cross Country had seven representatives, including two with a 4.00 GPA, and men's cross country finished with four representatives. Across all sports, 14 Alvernia student-athletes achieved a 4.00 GPA this semester.

Women's Ice Hockey freshmen Olivia Gilida and Julia Beaven earned UCHC weekly award honors for their performances during the week of December 30, 2019 - January 5, 2020.

Nearly 200 students and faculty members from Alvernia University served various organizations throughout Berks County as part of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Participants provided service for Berks County organizations including the Phoebe Berks Retirement Community, Helping Harvest, Hope Rescue Mission Thrift Stores, Hopewell Furnace, Habitat for Humanity, Mary's Shelter, Olivet Boys & Girls Club, Reading Area Firefighter's Museum, Reading City Hall, Reading Pagoda, Reading Science Center and St. Joseph's Villa. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is part of a national initiative of community service and is also one of four traditional Days of Service at Alvernia - where students volunteered 40,000 hours annually. Alvernia's other annual Days of Service include Freshman Orientation Day in August, St. Francis Day in October, and Earth Day in April. Alvernia's individual, group and mass service ventures are coordinated by the university's Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement, currently in its 12th year of operation.

The following students have been named to Alvernia University's Dean's List for the fall 2019 semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must carry a semester GPA of 3.5 or better and take a minimum of 12 credits.

Alvernia University named students who competed for the Golden Wolves men's and women's cross country teams during the fall 2019 season.

Alvernia students named students who competed for the university's women's soccer team during the fall 2019 season.

Alvernia University named students who competed for the Golden Wolves football team during the fall 2019 season.

First-year students in Alvernia's Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program demonstrated the importance of movement and exercise to fourth-grade students at Lauer's Park Elementary School through an interactive program called Power in Motion.

Alvernia University celebrates the successes of its student employees by recognizing outstanding efforts through its newly launched Student Employee of the Month Award.

Alvernia students named students who competed for the university's women's volleyball team during the fall 2019 season.

Alvernia students named members of the university's field hockey team in fall 2019.

Alvernia students named members of the university's men's soccer team in the fall 2019.

Alvernia students spent a week of the 2019 summer break volunteering in Negril, Jamaica, through the university's Alternative Breaks program. During their experience, the students engaged with children while assisting them with their educational and creative skills, painted a school, sorted clothing donations, attended mass and learned about the Franciscan charism. The team also learned information about poverty, environmental sustainability and education in Jamaica. Alvernia's Alternative Break programs organize weekend and week-long service and immersion trips for students to inspire and empower them to lead lives dedicated to serving the underserved, promoting peace and justice and working towards the common good. Alvernia University is a thriving comprehensive university that empowers students to become ethical leaders with moral courage, while providing an intellectually challenging environment with real-world learning experiences. Located on a scenic 121-acre suburban campus in historic Berks County, Pennsylvania, the distinctive Franciscan university of nearly 3,000 students is conveniently located near Philadelphia (60 miles) and within an easy drive of New York, Baltimore and Washington, DC.

Alvernia University had seven students compete in the Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc. National Conference held in San Antonio, Texas, this summer.

Alvernia students and faculty volunteer to provide fresh produce for the local community.

Alvernia students spent a week of the 2019 summer break volunteering at the Bethlehem Farm in Alderson, West Virginia, through the university's Alternative Break program. Students experienced living simply in a prayer community while learning about sustainable practices and working on different projects such as home repair and gardening.

Alvernia students spent a week of the 2019 summer break volunteering in Reading, Pennsylvania, through Alvernia University's Alternative Break program. Along with their staff advisors, the students assisted a diverse group of non-profit organizations that included the Opportunity House, Phoebe Berks, Helping Harvest, Hope Rescue Mission, Mother Veronica Resource Center, St. Joseph's Villa, and Alvernia's very own Bog Turtle Creek Farm.

Alvernia students spent a week of their 2019 summer working to make a difference in Reading, Pa., Alderson, W. Va., and Camden, N.J through the University's Alternative Break programs.

Student Ambassadors have been named at Alvernia University for the 2019-2020 academic year. Ambassadors actively participate in campus events, generate student involvement and serve as a network for other activities and organizations on campus. The program is highly competitive and requires interested students to submit an essay, two letters of recommendation and complete professional interviews.

The following students have been named to Alvernia University's Dean's List for the spring 2019 semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must carry a semester GPA of 3.5 or better and take a minimum of 12 credits.

More than 700 students earned associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Alvernia in May. Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement ceremonies were held May 11th.

Alvernia students spent their 2019 spring break working to make a difference in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Tucson, Arizona, and Cuba through Alvernia University's Alternative Break programs.

College students worked with children and adults in San Domingo, Dominican Republic this winter through Alvernia University's Alternative Break programs.

Alvernia University held it's annual Honors Convocation on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at the Physical Education Center. Ceremony speakers included longtime Alvernia President Thomas F. Flynn and 2019 Senior Scholar Hayley Haggerty. Visit Alvernia.edu for a full list of award recipients.