Alvernia University in Reading, PA | Children`s and Teens` Education | Pennsylvania Catalog

Alvernia University

Whether a residential undergraduate student or a working professional enrolled in one of our many graduate programs, our students not only gain knowledge and proficiency in their fields of study, they also acquire an understanding of their responsibilities as citizens of their community, nation and world.
Internships, cooperative teaching and community service projects play an important educational and enrichment role in an Alvernia education. Throughout the campus and the surrounding communities of Reading and Berks County, students integrate classroom theories with real-world experiences, learning from working professionals as well as their talented instructors.
The Core Franciscan Values of Alvernia University:
The Mission Statements of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and Alvernia University are the sources of the five core values of the Franciscan tradition — service, humility, peacemaking, contemplation, and collegiality. To call these values “traditional” to the Catholic, Franciscan view of the world does not imply that they are merely “old” or without relevance to contemporary society. On the contrary, these basic values have continued, throughout the centuries, to inform a way of life, a view of the world, and view of the world and a definition of men’s and women’s relationship to their Creator that is perhaps more relevant in today’s world than ever before.
These values are, then, very much alive at Alvernia. Together they form the foundation for decision-making, for program development, and for our relationships with each other in the pursuit of our personal, communal and educational goals. They are what make an education at Alvernia University unique. As members of the Alvernia University community, each of us, no matter our role, willingly proclaims common ownership of these core values.
Institutional Heritage:
The heritage of Alvernia University and its foundational Franciscan values can be traced to the growth of three religious orders who owe their origin to the preaching of St. Francis of Assisi – the Friars Minor, the Poor Clares, and the “Third Order” which has two distinct branches: a secular order for the laity, and a regular order for women and men living an evangelical life with religious vows. The Bernardine Franciscan sisters, founders and sponsors of Alvernia University, are members of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis.
Alvernia's Vision Statement:
To Be A Distinctive Franciscan University, Committed to Personal and Social Transformation, Through Integrated, Community-Based, Inclusive, and Ethical Learning
Integrated Learning — combining liberal arts and professional education, and blending rigorous inquiry, practical experience and personal reflection in the classroom, on campus, and in society;
Community – Based Learning — engaging the local, regional and global communities as partners in education and service;
Inclusive Learning — welcoming people of diverse beliefs and backgrounds; responsive to the educational needs of recent high school graduates, working adults and established professionals, and senior citizens; respectful and self-critical in our dialogue about differences in values and perspectives;
Ethical Learning — challenging individuals to be values-based leaders by developing habits of the mind, habits of the heart, and habits of the soul.