Wyomissing Foundation bestows $300k grant for CollegeTowne initiative
Alvernia to launch three engineering programs
New programs meet student interest, market demand and region鈥檚 workforce needs
RKL joins CollegeTowne; Barrett named Executive-in-Residence
Local entrepreneurs, Alvernia students can access business valuation services, expertise as RKL joins Reading CollegeTowne initiative
Alvernia鈥檚 O鈥橮ake Institute joins Ben Franklin Technology Partners Incubator Network
New partnership jump-starts university鈥檚 CollegeTowne initiatives
Alvernia and DoubleTree partner for student housing
Resident students experience downtown Reading as part of campus de-densification
O鈥橮ake powers CollegeTowne
The re-engineering of the O'Pake Institute is powering the CollegeTowne initiative
Customers Bank joins Reading CollegeTowne initiative
Partnership with Alvernia鈥檚 O鈥橮ake Institute funds business incubator and student mentorig
Alvernia and Kutztown partner for small business development
O鈥橮ake Institute and Small Business Development Center advance Reading entrepreneurship
笔别辫蝉颈庐 partners with Reading CollegeTowne
Initiative鈥檚 first corporate partnership supports experiential learning and local entrepreneurs
Three-year award provides support for student powered business incubator
Alvernia receives a $300,000 grant from the to support the student powered business incubator, the flagship program through the university鈥檚 O鈥橮ake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.
鈥淭his grant is another step forward for the Reading CollegeTowne movement, Alvernia students, local business and entrepreneurs, community organizations and future Reading residents,鈥 said 麻豆视频 President John R. Loyack. 鈥淲e are grateful for the partnership with the Wyomissing Foundation and for their generous support of this transformational initiative in downtown Reading.鈥
The student powered business incubator is central to the Reading CollegeTowne initiative, the innovative strategy of expanding the campus into the downtown area to continue its Franciscan mission of serving the underserved through education and economic development.
The incubator is student-run and provides experiential learning opportunities for students of all disciplines. This initiative will allow students to create, collaborate and lead while providing hands-on support to new ventures and entrepreneurs in the community.
鈥淭he Wyomissing Foundation is always seeking to invest in catalytic initiatives that produce long-term and game-changing outcomes for our community,鈥 said Wyomissing Foundation President Karen Rightmire. 鈥淩eading CollegeTowne and the student powered business incubator have the potential to accomplish that by transforming economic and community development in the heart of downtown Reading for decades to come. In addition, both Alvernia students and current residents living in Reading and Berks County will have increased educational, employment and economic opportunities because of these initiatives. We鈥檙e pleased to be a partner with 麻豆视频 in helping make all this happen.鈥
The grant will be awarded over three years and will support the expansion of the student powered business incubator, including new staff and student fellow positions, training and resource expansion for incubator clients.
Previously this year, the O鈥橮ake institute announced partnerships with SCORE Berks Schuylkill Chapter, Lehigh Valley Angel Investors, Kutztown University鈥檚 Small Business Development Center and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as the institute鈥檚 first corporate sponsors, and Customers Bank.
Alvernia has partnered with RLPS Architects and Warfel Construction to begin the renovation and retrofitting of the former CNA building this year after it was purchased by the university on June 30. The university recently announced the addition of three engineering programs that will be housed at the location. Alvernia's communication and business programs, student powered business incubator and O鈥橮ake Institute will also be located at the downtown location.