Institutes of Excellence evolve, uniquely preparing students for professional world

O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement nurture new generation of leaders while benefiting community partners

By Nikki M. Murry and Jon Fassnacht

For nearly 20 years, Alvernia's Institutes of Excellence - the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement and the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship - have combined the university's commitment to innovation, service and community engagement with experiential learning to generate prepared, compassionate graduates.

Aided by a generous gift from T. Jerome and Carolyn Holleran, a local couple passionate about community service, the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement was established to embrace and reflect the university's mission and values in students' coursework and co-curriculum.

Founded a few years later - also aided by a gift, this one from State Sen. Michael O'Pake - the O'Pake Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Public Service helped to make its trifecta a distinctive part of an Alvernia education.

Reflecting the university's quest for continued innovation, both institutes have evolved to meet the changing needs of students and the community. The shift occurred with the introduction of the university's CollegeTowne Initiative in 2019.

The strategy fostered economic redevelopment around the university's community-based campuses through partnerships and collaborations. Central to those plans was the newly rebranded O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.

"A key component of the original CollegeTowne strategy was an understanding that strategic nurturing was needed to realize the full impact of relocating downtown," said Rodney S. Ridley Sr., Alvernia's vice president of research, economic development & strategic initiatives and chief operating officer of the O'Pake Institute.

"Additionally, by 2019, it was evident that the higher education landscape was shifting dramatically," he continued. "Universities had to adapt or face serious challenges. We have always prided ourselves on our exceptional faculty, who deliver strong theoretical and practical instruction. However, we aimed to elevate this to an even higher level by prioritizing a new distinctive experiential learning model. Through the O'Pake Institute, we developed a renowned model for hands-on training that uniquely prepares students for the future workforce, setting us apart from other institutions."

The O'Pake Fellows Program allows undergraduate and graduate students to work directly with entrepreneurs, small-business owners, faculty researchers and local industry leaders. Since the rebrand, O'Pake Fellows have served over 300 clients and completed over 250 projects.

As O'Pake Communications Fellow, Hector Malave '26 assists businesses such as Custom Cryptids, the Berks County Chamber Alliance and the
Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce with creative endeavors, including content creation, business analysis and graphic design.

"These experiences have equipped me with a well-rounded skill set, preparing me for diverse professional opportunities," said the Reading Collegiate Scholar, a communication and theatre major. "They provided me with extensive networking opportunities and enhanced my time management abilities. And my participation in community service projects has fostered a strong sense of community and social responsibility."

'Not Just Serving a One-Time Need'

O'Pake's successful shift in strategy inspired Holleran leadership to seek a similar transformation, leading to the establishment of the Holleran Corps in 2022. Divided into Education, Justice, Mission and Service branches, the collective harnesses students' passions to create positive change.

"Rather than the O'Pake theme of going out into the community, we're training them in here, and then they go out into their individual units," said Alyssa Slade '14 MA '16, Senior Director at the Holleran Center. "Education Corps leaders will serve in the Reading School District. Service Corps is helping to inform things that we do in the Holleran Center. Justice Corps is helping the newly formed Office of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion. And Mission Corps is helping Mission & Ministry and the peer ministers and residents."

In addition, Holleran trains students through mini leadership retreats, on-campus trainings and experiential opportunities in the community. The goal is for students in the Holleran Corps to explore, develop and practice civic leadership skills.

Invited to join the pilot year of the Service Corps, Lauren Janson '27 is fully invested in its mission, becoming the group's student leader in her second year. In fact, it was Alvernia's commitment to service that reeled Lauren in and convinced her to enroll at Alvernia.

"The service requirement [a minimum of 40 hours prior to graduation] is something I found thrilling, actually," said Janson, who further invests in service to others through her position as president of Circle K International on campus. "When I heard about it, I knew this would be a good place for me."

Laura Nentwig '23 MBA '24 began working full time at Holleran as community engagement and communications coordinator in July following a year as a graduate assistant. Nentwig's hands-on experiences included projects related to the promotion of Alvernia's Days of Service and community service-related announcements like social media posts, T-shirt and pin designs, posters, photography, and instructional videos.

"My experience with Holleran allowed me to take what I was learning in the classroom in my marketing and communication courses and apply it to practical settings," Nentwig said.

The work of the Corps extends to helping others in the region, as well as other parts of the world. Holleran has partnered with over 150 community organizations to support the needs of Greater Reading and Berks County, said Darryl Mace, Ph.D., vice president for mission, diversity and inclusion and Holleran's executive director.

It has embraced global issues through support of environmental stability and the expansion of global experiential learning opportunities. Students lend helping hands in other states and continents through study abroad offerings, pilgrimages and Alternative Breaks, which are service and immersion trips meant to inspire students to lead lives dedicated to serving the underserved and promoting peace and justice.

"We're not just serving a one-time need," Slade said. "We're really trying to teach the students what the root issue or the social justice issue is attached to what we're serving and why we're serving."

Nearly 20 years after their gift helped to establish the service-focused Institute of Excellence, the Hollerans couldn't be happier about what the center that bears their name has become.

"We are extremely grateful that our investment in the mission and program of the Holleran Center has produced such amazing results for the university and the surrounding community," said Carolyn Holleran. "Every time we learn about the impact of the Holleran Center we feel great pride. We know that the Alvernia University students will continue to carry the Holleran Center spirit to wherever they live as they each reach out to help their communities."

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