Alvernia University

What Alvernia University does

Alvernia University is a private Catholic, Franciscan institution headquartered at 400 Saint Bernardine Street, Reading, Pennsylvania, founded in 1958. The university serves traditional undergraduate students, graduate students, adult learners, international students, and military/veterans through on-campus, online, and hybrid program delivery, with a second location in Pottsville for graduate and adult continuing studies. Its academic portfolio spans liberal arts, professional programs (notably nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and education), and accelerated adult bachelor pathways, integrated with a structured experiential-learning framework branded as Total Experience Learning (TExpL) and operated through the Holleran Center for Community & Global Engagement.

The university's core technology footprint is modest but differentiated for a small private institution: an AI recruiter chatbot named Ashlee handles prospective-student inquiries, a self-guided virtual tour platform provides 360-degree campus views, and a volunteer management portal (Get Connected, hosted by Galaxy Digital) operationalizes community-engagement tracking. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees across undergraduate, graduate, and adult program tiers, supplemented by philanthropy (including named benefactors such as John R. Post for the CollegeTowne initiative), small programmatic grants (e.g., a $4,995 Pennsylvania DEP environmental education grant), and corporate partnerships. The go-to-market motion is traditional higher-education admissions — campus open houses, virtual tours, application processing, personalized recruitment — extended by the AI recruiter channel. Alvernia's competitive identity rests on its Franciscan mission, embedded service-learning across disciplines, and a network of 80+ community partnerships spanning healthcare, youth development, and peer-institution collaborations.

Name

Alvernia University

Legal name

Alvernia University

Website

https://alvernia.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alvernia University is a private Catholic, Franciscan university in Reading, Pennsylvania, founded in 1958, serving undergraduate, graduate, adult, international, and military students through on-campus and online programs anchored by experiential learning and a broad community-partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Experiential learning
• Community engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, and adult education tuition and fees for academic programs
2. Government Grants: Environmental education grants from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ($4,995 awarded for balloon-based air quality monitoring program)
3. Philanthropy and Donations: Donations and gifts from alumni and supporters, including major benefactors like John R. Post for Reading CollegeTowne

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alvernia University is a private Catholic Franciscan institution that sells undergraduate, graduate, and accelerated adult bachelor degree programs in liberal arts and professional disciplines such as nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and business. The core offering is delivered primarily on the Reading, PA main campus and the Pottsville satellite location, with online and hybrid formats available, and is reinforced by an experiential learning model (TExpL) that integrates service-learning, undergraduate research, internships, and study-abroad immersion trips into the curriculum.

Product overview

Alvernia University is a Catholic, Franciscan institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and adult education programs. The university's educational offerings are complemented by a robust portfolio of experiential and community engagement services, including Study Abroad Programs in Belize, Ireland, Italy, and via partner organizations USAC and Florence University of the Arts; the Get Connected volunteer management portal powered by Galaxy Digital for the Holleran Center for Community & Global Engagement; Service Learning Courses integrated across academic disciplines; Alternative Breaks service immersion trips; and Accessibility Services (OAS) for students with disabilities. The university also offers technology-enabled services including Ashlee (an AI recruiter chatbot) and Virtual Tour experiences. Key institutes include the O'Pake Institute for experiential learning, Total Experience Learning (TExpL) for real-world impact education, and CollegeTowne for economic development in Reading and Pottsville.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Majors Liberal arts and professional bachelor's degree programs offered on the Reading, PA main campus, designed for traditional high-school graduates and transfer students seeking a career-focused undergraduate education with experiential learning integration.
• Graduate Programs Master's and doctoral programs in fields such as nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, business, and education, available on the Reading campus and the Pottsville Graduate, Adult & Continuing Studies location.
• Accelerated Adult Bachelor Programs Accelerated-format bachelor's degree completion programs designed for working adults, with corporate partnership tuition arrangements and flexible scheduling delivered through the Pottsville Graduate, Adult & Continuing Studies location.
• Study Abroad Programs International education programs offering short-term faculty-led trips, semester programs, and year-long study abroad opportunities in multiple countries including Belize, Ireland, Italy, and via partner organizations USAC and Florence University of the Arts.
• Service Learning Courses Curriculum-integrated service courses across multiple disciplines (OT, DPT, NUR, COM, PSY, ED, SW, THE, BIO, BUS) partnering with community organizations, where students earn 15 hours of service upon passing course requirements.
• Alternative Breaks Weekend and week-long service and immersion trips inspiring students to dedicate themselves to serving underserved communities, with destinations including Camden NJ, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic, and Alderson WV.
• Reading Youth Initiative Afterschool and summer programs providing mentoring, academic support, and healthy choice promotion for K-12 students in the Greater Reading area, engaging hundreds of volunteer hours from Alvernia students and serving over 250 youth since inception.
• Reading Collegiate Scholars Program College access program assisting students in grades 9-12 with preparation for life after high school through tutoring, academic skills improvement, and college and career readiness support.
• Virtual Tour Self-guided campus tour featuring nearly two dozen stops across locations with 360-degree panorama views, videos, and immersive experience for prospective students evaluating the university remotely.
• Ashlee AI Recruiter AI-powered chatbot designed to answer questions about Alvernia University and connect prospective students with the university's community, available via the website chat widget and phone at 610-557-3289.
• Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) Provides equal access to educational opportunities for students with disabilities through accommodation determination, assistive technology, and support services compliant with ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Get Connected Volunteer Portal Volunteer management platform hosted by Galaxy Digital that connects Alvernia students with community service opportunities, tracks service hours, manages reflections, and facilitates organization sign-ups for the Holleran Center for Community & Global Engagement.
• CollegeTowne Initiative University initiative championing economic redevelopment and renewed energy in downtown Reading and Pottsville through partnerships and community engagement, supported by major benefactors including John R. Post.
• Total Experience Learning (TExpL) Institute focused on designing educational experiences with real-world impact, hosting annual conferences for educators on experiential learning methodologies and integrating TExpL across the curriculum.
• O'Pake Institute Experiential learning institute providing opportunities for students to engage in real-world learning and professional development through the O'Pake Fellows program.
• Holleran Center Awards Program Annual service awards recognizing students for community engagement, including Graduation Award for Excellence in Service (300+ hours), Holleran Center Community Engagement Award (500+ hours), Franciscan Servant Leader Certification, and Outstanding Service Award.
• Real-World Learning Awards Financial awards that assist students with experiential learning opportunities such as study abroad, research, and conferences without reducing existing financial aid packages.

Quantifiable outcome

• 803 students named to Dean's List for Fall 2025 semester
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Misericordia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Collaborative interdisciplinary service-learning partnership in Belize. Students and faculty from Misericordia University's speech-language pathology program partnered with Alvernia for a service trip, conducting 162 speech therapy sessions and serving 300+ clients across Belize City, San Ignacio, and Orange Walk.
• University of PittsburghcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Partner in interdisciplinary service trip to Belize providing therapy services and educational training to underserved communities alongside Misericordia and Alvernia University students.
• Hope Rescue MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService learning partner for Nursing program. Students in NUR 317 (Nursing in Health and Illness III) complete clinical hours at Hope Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter and recovery ministry.
• Reading Youth InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity-sponsored program providing afterschool mentoring and summer camp programs for K-12 students in Greater Reading Area. Has served over 250 youth since 2006.
• Reading Collegiate Scholars ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege access program assisting students in becoming prepared for life after high school. Provides tutoring and college readiness support for grades 9-12.
• Tower HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical practice partner for DPT students. Students complete clinical rotations at Tower Health Rehabilitation facilities and Encompass Health Rehabilitation.
• USAC (University Study Abroad Consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partner offering programs in over 14 countries for semester or summer study abroad opportunities.
• Florence University of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer study abroad program in Florence, Italy where students earn business or gen ed credits while experiencing Italian culture.
• Olivet Boys & Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChartered member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America providing youth development programs. Alvernia students volunteer through various service opportunities including tutoring and mentorship.
• HelpAge BelizecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService learning partner for DPT and OT programs in global environment courses. Students provide therapy services during winter break trips.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Misericordia University: Misericordia University is a Catholic private university in Dallas, PA offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs including DPT and SLP. Alvernia explicitly partnered with Misericordia on the Belize interdisciplinary service trip, confirming close operational similarity in size, mission, and program mix.
• DeSales University: DeSales University is a small Catholic private university in Center Valley, PA offering liberal arts and professional programs including healthcare tracks. Comparable to Alvernia on faith affiliation, regional Pennsylvania footprint, and undergraduate/graduate program mix.
• Holy Family University: Holy Family University is a Catholic private university in Philadelphia offering undergraduate and graduate programs with strong healthcare and education offerings. Similar faith-based mission and program mix to Alvernia.
• Immaculata University: Immaculata University is a Catholic private university in Immaculata, PA offering undergraduate and graduate programs including nursing and education. Closely comparable in faith affiliation, scale, and adult learner programs.
• Cedar Crest College: Cedar Crest College is a small private liberal arts college in Allentown, PA historically focused on women. Geographically and scale-wise adjacent to Alvernia, with similar liberal arts plus professional programs positioning.
• Marywood University: Marywood University is a Catholic private university in Scranton, PA with strong programs in health sciences, education, and social work. Similar scale, faith-based mission, and emphasis on service-learning make it a close peer to Alvernia.
• Notre Dame de Namur University: Notre Dame de Namur University is a small Catholic private university in Belmont, CA. Comparable Catholic liberal arts mission and small-institution profile; leadership link exists because Alvernia's Provost was elected NDNU's next president.

Regional players

• Penn State Berks: Penn State Berks is a commonwealth campus of Penn State University located in Berks County, PA. Direct local competitor offering the Penn State brand at a regional location with more favorable tuition.
• Kutztown University of Pennsylvania: Kutztown University is a public state university in Berks County, PA offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Direct regional competitor for the same Reading-area prospective student pool but with state-subsidized pricing advantage.

Broad incumbents

• Villanova University: Villanova University is a large Catholic private research university near Philadelphia, PA. Comparable on faith-based Augustinian mission and broad program portfolio, but operates at substantially larger scale and brand recognition than Alvernia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAzN0zVkJrlFGD-HXf3SkbQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/132662710132076
• Instagraminstagram.com/hollerancenter
• Xx.com/verncrusaders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alvernia-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alvernia University