Success Stories
Discover how Â鶹ÊÓƵ students, alumni, and faculty turn education into action. Explore success stories of leadership, service, and innovation that reflect our Franciscan mission. Ready to see where your story begins? Explore how you can join a community that leads with purpose.
Search for success stories at Alvernia
Firefighters museum enjoys revival thanks to O'Pake fellow
PHOTO: Bill Sheeler, from left, John Trimble, and Brody DeGroodt '24 MBA '25 at the Reading Area Firefighters Museum. In a way, the Reading Area Firefighters Museum was facing a three-alarm fire. It needed a strategic plan to keep the 16-year...
History major, an Air Force veteran, relishes in-person connections
Most adult students prefer the flexibility of online courses, which allow them to tailor learning to their schedules.Michael Barnwell ’26 sought the opposite, seeking the interaction he thrived on during 20 years in the U.S. Air Force.“I wanted th...
O'Pake Institute work helps MBA student stockpile experience for future career
In his years at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Brody DeGroodt ’25 has had many rich experiences — four years as a baseball player, academic excellence that included the History Achievement Award at the Honors Convocation, and deep friendships.But perhaps th...
Transfer student follows mother's footsteps to find community and a full-time job
The journey of transfer student Lilibet Perez '26 to Alvernia wasn’t exactly traditional. She originally thought she wanted to be an elementary school teacher, only to realize a year-and-a-half into her college journey that her heart wasn’t in it....