Alvernia University

What is the history of Alvernia University?

Alvernia University is a private Catholic university founded in 1958 by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters. It began as Alvernia College, an institution shaped by the sisters' commitment to education and service, and adopted the Alvernia University name in 2008.

Its development from a college into a university reflects a broader range of undergraduate and graduate study. The Franciscan connection remains part of its identity, while its programs now extend across health professions, business, education, the sciences, and the humanities. For applicants, that history helps explain why service and professional preparation appear alongside traditional academic study in university materials.

What are the faculties and departments at Alvernia University?

Alvernia offers undergraduate and graduate study across the liberal arts and professional fields. Its academic offerings include nursing and other health-related subjects, business, education, social work, psychology, criminal justice, communication, biology, and the arts.

Students can pursue bachelor's degrees as well as selected graduate and professional credentials. Program choice matters beyond the major's title: nursing, teacher preparation, social work, and other professionally oriented paths may have separate admission stages, clinical or field placements, and requirements for licensure after graduation. Applicants should examine the current academic catalog for their intended degree level, campus or delivery format, required courses, and any progression standards.

Alvernia reports a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1. That institution-wide measure describes the relationship between enrollment and instructional staffing; it is not a promise that every course or laboratory has 14 students.

What is the location of Alvernia University?

Alvernia University is based in Reading, Pennsylvania. Its main campus provides a residential college setting within a city, giving students access to campus facilities while placing internships, service activities, and everyday errands in the surrounding region.

Students should distinguish the main campus from any other location or instructional format attached to a particular program. Commuting is a significant part of campus life: institutional figures indicate that 43% of students commute. First-year students may register or park a car on campus, although a parking permit, availability, and applicable rules are separate questions. Reading Regional Airport, also known as Reading Municipal Airport, is nearby; students planning longer-distance travel should check actual commercial flight and ground-transportation options rather than assume a nearby airport offers convenient scheduled service.

What is the mission and vision of Alvernia University?

Alvernia describes its educational mission in Catholic and Franciscan terms, emphasizing learning, service, ethical reflection, and the development of the whole person. The university's roots in the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters are a continuing part of its stated purpose.

That identity is relevant to students regardless of whether they share the university's religious tradition: it helps explain the place of service and community engagement in institutional life. A mission statement expresses what the university intends to do, not independent evidence that every student has the same experience. Prospective students who want to understand how the mission operates in a specific major should look at that program's curriculum, experiential requirements, and opportunities for service.