Alvernia University to add three engineering degrees at Collegetowne campus

Alvernia University will add three engineering programs in a move to supply graduates who can fill the needs of the local workforce, officials announced a news conference in downtown Reading. Beginning in fall 2021, students will be able to begin earning bachelor of science degrees in electrical, mechanical and industrial engineering.

“The Alvernia advantage and our student-centered approach is in full swing,” said John Loyack, Alvernia president.

The announcement was made at the site of Alvernia’s CollegeTowne building at 401 Penn Street. The five-story building, which formerly housed I-LEAD Charter School, will serve as the centerpiece for CollegeTowne, an initiative to spur economic development in Reading and Berks County. The engineering programs, along with several other majors, will operate from that location.

The downtown center, on which construction is expected to begin in early 2021, also will include classrooms and labs, loft-style student housing, retail outlets and restaurants. It will be home to a student-centered business incubator to be run by the university’s O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.

Initiated only six months ago, the business incubator already has partnerships with 31 businesses.

The engineering tracks were added following consultation between the university and area business leaders, said Dr. Glynis Fitzgerald, Alvernia’s senior vice president and provost. The university plans to partner with area business and industry to produce job-ready graduates. In exchange, businesses will share their knowledge and expertise with students who serve as interns or otherwise partner with them.

“We will use this building to train students in careers that will shape the future,” Fitzgerald said.

Peter Rye, president and CEO of Brentwood Industries, a Reading-based plastic fabrication company, welcomed Alvernia’s efforts to build the local economy through entrepreneurship and community partnerships.

“For Alvernia now to launch this program in the City of Reading is really an extraordinary thing,” Rye said. “We need engineering talent here in our community, and businesses are willing to share their space and knowledge with Alvernia students. We’re seeing the revitalization of Reading starting right here at CollegeTowne.”

Reading Mayor Eddie Moran said economic development cannot occur without the backing of education. He thanked Alvernia for its ongoing presence in the city, citing the university’s South Reading Youth Initiative, an after-school program that helps first and second graders at two city schools, and the Reading Collegiate Scholar’s Program, which provides four-year scholarships for qualifying Reading High School students.

“These are the kinds of partnerships we need,” Moran said. “We cannot talk about economic development without discussing the important role education plays in developing future professionals to sustain that growth.”

County Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach agreed, saying the programs Alvernia will offer in downtown Reading are needed for the city and the county to prosper.

“The real power of education occurs when we tie theory to reality,” he said.

Leinbach gave assurance that he and commissioners Kevin S. Barnhardt and Michael S. Rivera stand with the university in its CollegeTowne efforts.

“We are here to do what we can do,” Leinbach said. “This is a very bright light in the City of Reading, in the heart of Berks County.”

University officials spoke of the speed with which the CollegeTowne program is advancing, and thanked city and county officials for their cooperation and assistance.

“I can’t believe it was only 15 short, but long COVID months that we set out on this journey that is CollegeTowne,” said Dr. Rodney Ridley, associate provost and vice president and chief executive officer for the O’Pake Institute. “We are moving quickly in our effort to build a better downtown Reading and Berks County.”

Alvernia, which weeks ago welcomed its largest-ever group of incoming freshmen, made its Collegetowne plans public in December.

“Reading CollegeTowne is moving ahead at a rate we could have never dreamed of,” Loyack added.