Alvernia University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

university in

Reading, Pennsylvania Reading ( ; ) is a city in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fourth-most populous ...

. Founded as Alvernia College in 1958 by the Bernardine Sisters of St. Francis, the school gained university status in 2008.

History

Alvernia University was founded in 1958 by the Bernardine Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis first as college for the sisters and then as a four-year

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on Undergraduate education, undergraduate study in the Liberal arts education, liberal arts of humanities and science. Such colleges aim to impart ...

. Many of the college's renovated classrooms and offices had been used for elementary and secondary education before 1958. The college's first building, Francis Hall, was built in 1926 and originally housed an orphanage. Alvernia received its charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1960 and was first accredited in 1967 by the Commission of

Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, also referred to as the Middle States Association or MSA, is an accreditor in the United States. Historically, it has accredited schools in the Mid-Atlantic states region of the northeas ...

. In 1961, the college accepted its first

lay Lay or LAY may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada * Lay, Loire, a French commune *Lay (river), France * Lay, Iran, a village * Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community * Lay Dam, Alaba ...

female students. In 1971, it admitted its first male commuting students, and in 1973, the first male resident students were admitted. In 2008, Alvernia College celebrated its 50th anniversary and was granted university status, taking on the name Alvernia University, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Academics

Alvernia offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors. Pre-professional programs are available in dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary studies. Master's degrees are awarded in occupational therapy, business administration, nursing, community counseling, education, and liberal studies. Alvernia offers a seven-year Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) program. A Doctor of Philosophy in leadership is also available. Since 1967, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools or its successor has granted Alvernia accreditation. The Education program for elementary and secondary teachers is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Occupational Therapy program is fully accredited by the American Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The Bachelor of Science in Nursing has approval by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The Athletic Training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in cooperation with the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training. The Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The Behavioral Health courses are certified by the Pennsylvania Certification Board. The Business Department is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Library

Library holdings include 100,000 print, audiovisual, and computer materials; approximately 900 periodicals; and 400 current subscriptions. The library supports Polish-American and Italian-American cultural centers.

List of presidents

* John Loyack * Glynis Fitzgerald (2023-present)

Athletics

Alvernia's intercollegiate teams, now known as the Golden Wolves but previously known as the Crusaders, compete at the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...

level in the

Middle Atlantic Conferences The Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) is an umbrella organization of three List of NCAA conferences, intercollegiate athletic conferences that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's NCAA Division III, Division III. The 1 ...

(MAC), a highly competitive conference, and the

Eastern College Athletic Conference The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 15 sports (13 men's and 13 women's). It has 220 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from ...

. Men's sports include football, since 2018, wrestling, since 2019, baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field and volleyball, while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, field hockey, ice hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling.

References

External links

*
Athletics website
{{authority control Franciscan universities and colleges Catholic universities and colleges in Pennsylvania Universities and colleges in Berks County, Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Reading, Pennsylvania Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Universities and colleges established in 1958 1958 establishments in Pennsylvania