Alvernia secures $2.3 million U.S. Dept. of Ed grant

Alvernia University has received a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education under the Strengthening Institutions Program. The program is designed to help colleges expand their capacity to serve low-income students by strengthening academic quality and fiscal stability.

The grant is the first of its kind for Alvernia, a private Franciscan Catholic university of 3,000 students in Reading.

“This is a momentous achievement for Alvernia, and I am very proud of the effort and collaboration our team put into this process,” said John R. Loyack, president of Alvernia University. “We are thankful and excited to receive this highly-competitive grant.

The grant, which is distributed over a five-year period, may be utilized in a variety of ways, including development and improvement of academic programs, construction and renovation of instructional facilities, and faculty development.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the contributions of so many who participated in the planning and submission process,” said Glynis Fitzgerald, Alvernia senior vice president and provost. “We are excited to utilize this grant to increase student engagement and career connections from the point of admission through every step along the way, creating a thruway to graduation and lifelong success.”