Success Stories

The Alvernia Impact

Discover how Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ 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.

 

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Alvernia President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. and LeeAnn Smulligan MBA ’09, Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. T’s Pierogies

Industry-focused faculty fuel COO’s career trajectory

Industry-focused faculty fuel COO’s career trajectoryWhen LeeAnn Smulligan MBA ’09 walks into a room, people listen, not solely because of her title, but because of the way she leads. With more than two decades at Mrs. T’s Pierogies, Smulligan has...

  • College of Innovation, Discovery, and Enterprise
  • 2026
Morgan Petry Alternative Break

Wide range of Alvernia experiences helped prepare for role as U.S. Navy nurse, alumna says

PHOTO: Morgan Petry, at right, during an Alternative Break trip to Cuba.When it came to selecting a place to continue her education, Long Island, N.Y., resident Morgan Petry '19 dreamed it would be a place where she could entertain more than one p...

  • College of Health Sciences
  • 2026
Ray Strickland Foundation

Former pro basketball player launches foundation to help at-risk youth

Ray Strickland ’04 became familiar with Alvernia’s campus before entering a classroom or declaring a major. His introduction came at summertime basketball camp with Alvernia Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Jack McCloskey, then coach of the men’s b...

  • College of Business, Communication, and Leadership
  • 2026
Kacie Walters

'Giving-back seed' sprouts into lifelong pursuit helping others

For as long as she can remember, helping others has been part of her life, said Kacie Walters '25.The Bachelor of Social Work grad was certainly influenced by her mother’s helping heart. The family’s matriarch introduced Walters and her siblings t...

  • College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences
  • 2026