A massive mural on Alvernia University’s CollegeTowne campus in downtown Pottsville was celebrated Wednesday, with its creators explaining how the artwork pays tribute to Pottsville, Schuylkill County and the school itself.
When the project began in 2025, it didn’t start with sketches, but with conversations. Lead muralist Leslie Ramos Garcia of Reading said the team met with Pottsville teachers alongside Alvernia faculty and officials to shape the concept.
“We asked a simple question. What makes Pottsville, Pottsville?” she said.
“The answers kept coming back to the same things — coal, energy, the mountains and the Schuylkill River running through it all,” she said. “So that’s what we painted.”
The mural adorns the wall that borders the parking lot below Terry Reiley Way. It covers 4,600 square feet and took about 200 hours to paint, Garcia said.
Audience members applaud during the dedication of the Progress Avenue mural at Alvernia University’s Pottsville CollegeTowne campus on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
In addition to the college, the campus hosts public events throughout the year, such as outdoor markets, and is also home to the new Golden Kettle cafe, and the Schuylkill YMCA’s Sky Gymnastics program.
The community helped create sections of the mural at some of those public events, where about 100 children and adults painted within outlined shapes on polyester interfacing, a weather-resistant textile that was then attached like wallpaper. Those contributors helped move the project along and have a stake in the final product, officials said.
Mural coordinator Mike Miller said he was excited to present the mural to the public, and thankful to those who helped bring it to life.
Alvernia University’s wolf mascot is depicted on the Progress Avenue mural dedicated Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
“When public art is done right, it doesn’t belong to the artist or even to the property owner,” he said. “It belongs to the people who walk past it every day. This lot will be the backdrop for many future Pottsville memories, from first days of class to market days.”
The mural prominently features the words “Progress Avenue,” which is the name of the street where CollegeTowne is located, and represents how both the university and the city are striving to advance themselves, officials said. The words were painted to include a water-texture pattern to symbolize how the Schuylkill River flows through the county.
The mural features mountains at both ends to reflect the local geography, such as the Blue, Sharp and Broad mountains.
The painting also includes the Pottsville coat of arms, which depicts coal miners and mining tools.
The background of the painting has traditional Ukrainian patterns to honor the immigrants who worked in the area’s coal mines.
There are also numerous references to Alvernia, including the school’s maroon and gold colors, the font of its logo, and a nearly 10-foot wolf painted near the campus water feature to represent the school’s Golden Wolves mascot.
Bookmarks featuring the Progress Avenue mural were available during the mural’s dedication ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
A stethoscope and a heart are included to represent Alvernia’s nursing program, which was the first program on campus and is integral to the college’s educational presence in the region, officials said.
The university’s motto “to learn, to love, to serve” is included since it embodies the Franciscan values that Alvernia works to emulate, and also ties the themes of community and education together, officials said.
Since St. Francis was the patron saint of animals and the environment, the mural emphasizes nature and includes several birds, including an eagle, which is both a connection to American culture and the symbol of D.G. Yuengling & Son brewery in Pottsville.
“I hope people stop here to take pictures,” Miller said. “I hope kids point out the wolf and ask what the patterns mean, or are drawn into the CollegeTowne building because of their interest in the story we created here visually.”
Mural coordinator Mike Miller speaks during the dedication of the Progress Avenue mural at Alvernia University’s Pottsville CollegeTowne campus on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Alvernia officials said the mural demonstrates CollegeTowne’s continued growth, and the strong relationship between the school and city. Alvernia’s main campus is in Reading, where it also operates a CollegeTowne location. Alvernia President Glynnis Fitzgerald said the artwork helps to connect the university’s two homes.
“Whether you’re on our Hill Campus (in Reading), downtown at Reading CollegeTowne, or here on Progress Avenue, you’re part of one Alvernia family,” she said.
With the continued support of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, the mural will become a landmark and part of Pottsville’s growing community art initiatives for years to come, said Adelle Schade, chief of innovation and pre-college officer for Alvernia University, and founder of the school’s Total Experience Learning program.
“We hope this is just the beginning,” she said. “We look forward to more projects where learning, art and community meet right here on Progress Avenue.”
Designer Leslie Ramos paints a patterned section of the Progress Avenue mural outside Alvernia CollegeTowne on Aug. 27, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Lead muralist Leslie Ramos speaks during the dedication of the Progress Avenue mural at Alvernia University’s Pottsville CollegeTowne campus on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Mike Miller works on the Pottsville city seal during ongoing painting of the Progress Avenue mural on Aug. 27, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
The nearly finished Progress Avenue mural highlights the Pottsville city seal, wildlife imagery, and Alvernia University themes on Sept. 1, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
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Designer Leslie Ramos paints a patterned section of the Progress Avenue mural outside Alvernia CollegeTowne on Aug. 27, 2026. (AISHWARYA BEHL/STAFF PHOTO)
Community art matters because it changes how residents and visitors experience the city, said Pottsville Councilman Jonathan Marsh, who heads council’s streets and public improvement department.
“It gives us another reason to stop, look around and appreciate a place we might otherwise walk past,” he said. “It brings character to our streets and gives residents something to take pride in.
“Pottsville has a rich history, and we also have talented, creative people helping shape its future. Projects like this bring those things together. They show what can happen when people share an idea and put the time and effort into making it real.”