POTTSVILLE — An expansive mural will soon take shape outside Alvernia University-Pottsville CollegeTowne, reflecting both the rich history of Schuylkill County and of the Franciscan university.
A partnership between the university, professional artists and the community, the mural is projected to take up nearly 300 feet of space on the wall by the campus parking lot along Route 61. It will feature colorful mosaic designs, illustrations of wildlife, Alvernia University mementos and coal region culture.
Alvernia University’s Total Experience Learning (TExpL) Institute spearheaded the project, which is being funded by a portion of a $2 million federal grant awarded in 2022 to develop Pottsville CollegeTowne through various objectives and initiatives.
The grant — part of the $1.5 trillion federal bipartisan appropriation package passed in 2022 — includes nearly $60,000 earmarked for the ambitious mural project.
A rendering depicts how the the mural created by Alvernia University’s Total Experience Learning Institute would look on the parking lot of Pottsville CollegeTowne. (SUBMITTED)
“We will be inviting the community in as we progress,” said Ellen Albright, executive director of communications and external relations for Alvernia’s TExpL. “So they can not just see it and appreciate it for what it is, but they can also participate.”
Total Experience Learning studio assistant Leslie Ramos created the design, and artist-in-residence Michael Miller is coordinating the project.
In designing the mural, Ramos did extensive research to find meaningful images of Schuylkill County heritage and culture to be juxtaposed with Alvernia’s.
Last spring, she and Miller met with teachers and administrators from Pottsville Area High School, who suggested significant social, historical and cultural elements worthy of inclusion.
The area’s rich coal mining history and environment — all tied to the Schuylkill River — influenced the design, she said.
The Pottsville coat of arms — a seal depicting coal miners and mining tools — is seen in the “O” of the words Progress Avenue, which centers the design.
There are traditional Ukrainian patterns throughout the background, a nod to the rich Ukrainian heritage of area coal miners.
Mountainous landscapes — based on sections of Blue Mountain, Broad Mountain, Sharp Mountain and others — flank each side of the mural, reflecting the real-life mountains that surround the Schuylkill River. The words “Progress Avenue” are patterned with a water texture, symbolizing the river passing through the mountains.
The full projected design of Alvernia’s “Progress Avenue” mural. (SUBMITTED)
Leslie Ramos paints a mural concept for the concrete wall next to Alvernia University – Pottsville CollegeTowne, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
Leslie Ramos paints a mural concept for the concrete wall next to Alvernia University – Pottsville CollegeTowne, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
Mike Miller, Total Experience Learning Institute Artist in Residence at Alvernia University, shows Sloan Chivinksi, 7, how to use her paintbrush at a certain angle during Schuylkill Winterfest at Alvernia University – Pottsville CollegeTowne, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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The full projected design of Alvernia’s “Progress Avenue” mural. (SUBMITTED)
Ramos said she was struck by the way the local landscape and culture occupy the minds of Schuylkill County natives.
She wanted to create an expansive design that would allow “everyone to enjoy it and connect with it on some sort of level,” she said.
For Alvernia, the mural includes the saying “To learn, to love, to serve,” recalling a Franciscan creed integral to the university’s history and mission.
It incorporates the text font of Alvernia’s logo, as well as the university’s maroon and gold colors. A nearly ten-foot-tall wolf, positioned on the left end of the mural, is a nod to Alvernia’s mascot.
The design also emphasizes nature and the movement of birds to reference Saint Francis and his patronage of animals and the environment.
One mountain in the background features a tile pattern with a stethoscope and a heart, reflecting the university’s nursing program, which was an inaugural component of the Pottsville CollegeTowne campus. Another tile pattern in the mountains features a cluster of eagles — a reference to America’s oldest brewery, D.G. Yuengling & Son.
Miller said that in the coming weeks, TExpL will host painting workshops for those interested in contributing to the mural. He said that over 100 people participated in one held at Pottsville’s Winterfest on Jan. 17.
Painting and installation of the mural will begin in June or July, and Miller hopes it will be completed by the end of the summer.
The project reflects TExpL’s commitment to hands-on, experiential learning, and its leaders enjoyed researching and learning about the community to create a design worthy of its residents, Albright said.
“Having them talk with community members really (showed) how much the social and historical elements were something that they hold so dear,” Albright said. “They really have strong cultural ties.”