Recognition affirms 40-hour service requirement, CollegeTowne partnerships and mission-driven impact

Alvernia University has been named to the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a national designation that recognizes institutions that demonstrate deep, reciprocal partnerships with their communities through teaching, learning and institutional practice. The 2026 designees represent more than 230 U.S. colleges and universities.

"Community engagement is how we live our Franciscan mission every day," said President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. "This recognition reflects the decades of commitment by our students, faculty, staff and community partners to strengthen the region, expand opportunity and improve quality of life for the community."

Administered by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education, the Community Engagement Classification is awarded to institutions that can demonstrate collaboration with local, regional, national and global partners for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources, grounded in partnership and reciprocity.

"Higher education is a vital economic engine for us all. Our colleges and universities not only fuel science and innovation, they build prosperity in rural, urban and suburban communities nationwide," said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation. "We celebrate each of these institutions, particularly their dedication to partnering with their neighbors - fostering civic engagement, building useable knowledge, and catalyzing real world learning experiences for students."

Alvernia was first recognized with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification in 2008, placing the university among early adopters of the national framework (which began in 2006). The 2026 designation marks Alvernia's third time earning the classification, following its most recent reclassification in 2015. Since that time, the university has expanded its community engagement infrastructure, partnerships and investment through initiatives such as CollegeTowne and Alvernia's Institutes of Excellence, including the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement, the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and the Total Experience Learning® Institute. The current designation will run through 2032.

Community engagement at Alvernia by the numbers:

• 40-hour service requirement: All Alvernia students complete 40 hours of service to graduate and most exceed the minimum, with opportunities integrated across academic programs and co-curricular experiences.
• More than 30,000 hours annually: Students provide more than 30,000 hours of service each year, averaging 150 hours per student annually while working alongside more than 200 community partners.
• Service-learning at scale: Alvernia offers 65 service-learning courses each year, involving about 40 faculty members and more than 1,000 students annually in partnership with more than 100 community organizations.
• Shared system for access and impact: Through the Holleran Center, Alvernia uses Get Connected by Galaxy Digital to connect campus and community needs, track engagement hours and provide reporting that strengthens volunteer retention and measures impact.
• Leadership embedded in the community: Alvernia's Senior Leadership Team serves on boards or committees of 43 local and regional partner organizations, supporting sustained relationships and responsiveness to community priorities.
• CollegeTowne investment: Since launching CollegeTowne in 2019, Alvernia has invested $43 million in the city of Reading, including the purchase and renovation of the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, a 250,000-square-foot living and learning facility at 401 Penn St.
• Community health access: The American House at Reading CollegeTowne will be home to a community-based health clinic operated by Berks Community Health Center, expected to serve more than 2,000 patients annually while also providing clinical experiential learning for Alvernia students in health care and social service fields.
• Sustained resources for engagement: Since the university's last classification, Alvernia has increased staffing and financial resources supporting engagement.
• K-12 partnership expansion: Total Experience Learning (TExpL) has certified more than 400 educators serving more than 25,000 students across 12 school districts, strengthening Alvernia's partnerships in educational innovation.
• Pathways to college: Since its founding in 2014, the Reading Collegiate Scholars Program has admitted 142 scholars. In addition, the Reading Youth Initiative has interacted with more than 1,600 youth since 2006, and more than 1,200 students have been assisted through Alvernia's College Readiness Program.
  

"This designation recognizes relationships built on mutual benefit, accountability and shared purpose," said Senior Vice President and Provost Leamor Kahanov, Ed.D, ATC/LAT. "Our students do not simply volunteer; they learn alongside community partners, reflect on lived experience and apply their education to pressing needs in Reading, Berks County and beyond."

To learn more about Alvernia's community engagement and partnerships, visit the university's Carnegie Community Engagement Classification profile.