Latest news with #Alvernia
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Alvernia University gets PA grant to help combat special education teacher shortage
Alvernia University has received a state grant aimed at addressing the ongoing shortage of special education teachers in Pennsylvania. The Reading school has been awarded $100,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Special Education as part of its Accelerated Special Educator Certification Program. The funding helps pay for summer field experiences, year-round mentoring and coaching from experienced special educators, as well as an accelerated post-baccalaureate program that enables participants to earn pre-K to 12th grade special education certification within 18 months. The program includes virtual instruction for working professionals and requires a minimum of 12 weeks of student teaching, ensuring participants gain hands-on experience in the classroom while maintaining full-time employment. 'This program exemplifies our mission to serve graduate and adult learners with flexible, impactful credentials,' Dr. Gaetan T. Giannini, Alvernia's vice president for graduate and adult education, said in a statement announcing the grant. 'We are enabling working professionals to become certified special educators without pausing their careers.' Alvernia has participated in the program for the past two years. And for that entire span it has partnered with the Chester County Intermediate Unit. 'The partnership between the CCIU and Alvernia University has been successful in addressing the critical shortage of special education teachers across our region,' said Danielle Hawkins, CCIU's assistant director of human resources. 'The accelerated certification program provides our educators with a clear, accessible pathway to expand their qualifications while continuing their important work supporting children in the classroom. 'We're seeing firsthand how this collaboration strengthens not only individual teaching careers but also the quality of specialized instruction we provide to our students with diverse learning needs. This partnership is an example of what is possible when educational institutions work together with a shared commitment to excellence and opportunity.' So far, Alvernia has seen more than 60 educators enroll in the program, and expects another 30 to enroll in each upcoming academic module, which begin every seven weeks. The program is housed within Alvernia's College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences and offers undergraduate, graduate and certificate tracks with online and hybrid delivery formats. For more information on the Accelerated Special Education Certification program visit
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
A pioneering graduate at Alvernia University
Faith Bentz has always liked figuring out how to solve problems. It's a trait that from an early age drew her to studying math. And in high school it pushed her toward classes like physics. 'Being able to find a definite answer is so cool,' she said of her love of the subjects. Her desire to find answers didn't end when Bentz graduated from Gov. Mifflin High School. It's something that has continued to guide her, first to Alvernia University and in the very near future to Brentwood Industries. Four years ago, Bentz followed her parents to their alma mater Alvernia University. There, she became part of the school's first class of students to enroll in Alvernia's brand-new engineering program. The decision, the 22-year-old from Shillington said, was not necessarily an easy one. Knowing she would be joining a program just being created meant that what her college career would look like wasn't exactly clear. 'It was kind of a little scary,' she said. 'I was signing up for classes that didn't have a professor yet. We were kind of going into it blind.' Bentz didn't have upperclassmen to lean on, to ask questions about professors or courses. But she did have something unique — a voice. Bentz said she and some of her classmates actually got a chance to help shape the new engineering program, sitting in on online interviews of potential professors and providing feedback to university officials. She said she also had the benefit of being part of a small group of engineering students at a small school, something that created a very personal college environment. 'All of our professors got to know all of us,' she said. 'And the students, we were very tight-knit. There were lots of late nights in the library where I would look around and it was all engineering students. 'We made a point to sit together at graduation, 12 of us,' she added. 'I just love the community I found here.' Bentz dove head-on into that community, keeping her schedule quite busy during her tenure at Alvernia. She was a member of the Disciple Makers Bible study group, she was a peer tutor in math and physics and she was an O'Pake Fellow of Engineering. Through her fellowship she got a chance to work as a consultant for a local feed mill, recommending systems to help with temperature control. But not everything was easy during Bentz's time at Alvernia. Like most college students, she faced struggles. Along with being a part of a new program and the challenges that created, Bentz said she also faced hurdles being a woman in the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering. Many of those hurdles, she said, were in her own mind. 'I had to work on my confidence, I think a lot of women deal with self-doubt or imposter syndrome,' she said. 'I'm looking around and not seeing people who look like me. But you just have to believe in yourself and do what you love.' Bentz said she hopes her success in a STEM field helps show younger girls what's possible. 'I really hope I can be an inspiration to young girls,' she said. And that goal won't end with her graduation from Alvernia — it will continue as she pursues a career in mechanical engineering at Brentwood Industries. Bentz worked as an intern at the Reading company, and will start a full-time job there as a product development engineer this summer. Her new job will see her help to develop product fills for cooling towers — yet another problem for her to solve.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alvernia University's health center project receives gift from Breidegam Family Foundation
Alvernia University has received a gift from the Breidegam Family Foundation to help turn the former American House into a state-of-the-art community-based health center in downtown Reading. The center, in partnership with Berks Community Health Center, will provide health care to Reading's underserved populations and experiential learning opportunities for Alvernia students, officials said in a release. Alvernia did not disclose the amount of the foundation's gift. Officials have said the renovation project will cost $17 million. 'The generous support from the Breidegam Foundation is pivotal in transforming our vision for the American House at Reading CollegeTowne into reality,' said Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Alvernia president. 'This initiative strengthens Alvernia's commitment to serving underserved communities and enhances experiential learning opportunities for our students across healthcare, 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.' The former American House at Fourth and Penn streets is, across the street from Alvernia's Reading CollegeTowne campus. Alvernia University has received a gift from the Breidegam Family Foundation to help turn the former American House into a state-of-the-art community-based health center in downtown Reading. From left are Paula Barrett, Breidegam Family Foundation president; Dan Miksiewicz; Katelyn Miksiewicz-Kline; Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald, university president; Dr. Karen Wang, Berks Community Health Center chief medical officer; Matt Miksiewicz; and Thomas Minick, university vice president of advancement and government affairs. In recognition of the gift, the second floor of the center will be named the Helen and DeLight Breidegam Center at the American House. DeLight Breidegam, who died in August 2021, was a co-founder of East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. in Richmond Township. Officials said the gift comes as the university enters the final year of the five-year Partners in Progress 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 healthcare 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 bought the 45,000-square-foot, four-story building at 354 Penn St. in June 2022 as part of its Reading CollegeTowne initiative. The redeveloped building will create a multifaceted health care hub, featuring a new BCHC community health center that 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, officials said. They said the project will respond to the city's urgent need for accessible health care, noting 27% of Reading residents live below the poverty line. BCHC will be able to serve 2,000 additional patients annually at the center, ensuring they have access to primary care, mental health, addiction counseling and other services-regardless of their ability to pay. 'This project will greatly impact the health care needs of the residents of the city of Reading,' Mary Kargbo, president and CEO of Berks Community Health Center, said in the release. 'By adding this location in the heart of downtown, we are increasing access to care in our quest for a healthier community while also strengthening the pipeline of future health care professionals.' The third and fourth floors are planned to be renovated for additional business incubator space for the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and retail space for businesses. Alvernia said it continues to seek philanthropic support for the project so construction can begin this year. The amount raised so far for the project was not immediately available. Alvernia announced in November that it had received a $3 million state grant to support health care center project and the conversion of a former grocery store in Pottsville in to a CollegeTowne campus. In January 2024, the Wyomissing Foundation awarded Alvernia a $300,000 grant toward the health center.
