Alvernia University is expanding into Allentown this summer, bringing a new physical location to the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n
The university has two locations in Reading and one in Pottsville<\/a>. By opening a campus in Allentown, Alvernia hopes to grow its reach and build partnerships with businesses, schools and other organizations in the region.<\/p>\n The university\u2019s newest site, at 520 Hamilton St., is expected to open in August, according to Gaetan Giannini, Alvernia\u2019s chief enrollment and strategic communications officer, who\u2019s leading the Allentown initiative.<\/p>\n The location will initially offer a hybrid Master of Business Administration program<\/a> and Alvernia\u2019s Empowered Ed<\/a> initiative, which connects high school students with real-world projects through the university\u2019s O\u2019Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n \u201cAlvernia University has a long tradition of bringing our model of higher education directly where our students live and work,\u201d Alvernia President Glynis Fitzgerald said in a statement. \u201c\u201cThis milestone reflects our commitment to the region and advances our mission to provide transformative, real-world learning experiences while serving as a catalyst for workforce development, innovation and economic vitality. For our MBA students, this new location creates meaningful opportunities to engage with regional employers, collaborate on real business challenges and develop the leadership skills needed to help shape the Lehigh Valley\u2019s future.\u201d<\/p>\n The university also plans to offer noncredit seminars and other community-based programming at the location.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a mandate for growth at Alvernia,\u201d Giannini said. \u201cWe want to be able to expand what we\u2019re doing and share the good things that we\u2019ve done, and the different approaches that we have, with different areas and different audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n The Allentown location will be Alvernia\u2019s first physical presence in the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n The university\u2019s expansion comes as Alvernia continues to develop its CollegeTowne initiative<\/a>, which launched in Reading in late 2019 with the goal of changing how the university operates, grows, affects the surrounding community and spurs economic development.<\/p>\n The project started with a 250,000-square-foot learning and living facility in downtown Reading.<\/p>\n Alvernia broke ground on another\u202f45,000-square-foot property<\/a> in Reading to establish\u202fa \u202fcommunity health center that serves the city\u2019s underserved populations.<\/p>\n Since then, the university has expanded its presence in downtown Reading and opened Pottsville CollegeTowne<\/a> in January 2023.<\/p>\n But Alvernia\u2019s Allentown location will be different from the university\u2019s larger CollegeTowne<\/a> properties in Reading and Pottsville, officials said.<\/p>\n The university doesn\u2019t plan to brand the Allentown site as CollegeTowne at first. Instead, it will operate as an Alvernia location, with the university\u2019s name displayed on the exterior.<\/p>\n Giannini said Alvernia hopes to eventually expand its presence in Allentown but wants to first learn more about what local businesses, schools and other organizations need.<\/p>\n What will Alvernia offer in Allentown?<\/p>\n Alvernia plans to offer a hybrid MBA program that combines online coursework with weekly in-person classes.<\/p>\n The university already offers a fully online MBA program, but Giannini said it has heard from prospective students and employers that there\u2019s still interest in face-to-face instruction.<\/p>\n \u201cWe think the Lehigh Valley is ripe for this type of approach,\u201d Giannini said.<\/p>\n Giannini said the university\u2019s hybrid MBA program is expected to cost $10,000 as a starting point and can be completed in one year.<\/p>\n A major initiative planned for the Allentown location is Empowered Ed.<\/p>\n Through the program, high school students will work with Alvernia\u2019s O\u2019Pake Institute on projects for businesses and other organizations.<\/p>\n The O\u2019Pake Institute<\/a> works with organizations ranging from large companies to small businesses and entrepreneurial startups. Students work in interdisciplinary teams on projects provided by partner organizations.<\/p>\n The high school students will be overseen by Alvernia undergraduate students, who in turn will be overseen by graduate students and professional staff.<\/p>\n Giannini said the model gives businesses an opportunity to complete projects while providing students with hands-on experience.<\/p>\n \u201cWe think it\u2019s so important because the businesses in the area like to engage with the students,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great way for them to get projects done that they may not otherwise have gotten done. And the businesses are giving back while we\u2019re helping educate both the high school and the college-age students.\u201d<\/p>\n Alvernia is working with the Allentown School District on a memorandum of understanding related to Empowered Ed, Giannini said. The university hopes to eventually work with other school districts in the region.<\/p>\n The university also is in discussions with Lehigh Valley organizations about potential partnerships, though Giannini plans to wait to identify companies until formal agreements are reached.<\/p>\n Alvernia\u2019s employer partnerships can include tuition discounts for employees and customized educational programs based on an organization\u2019s workforce needs, he said.<\/p>\n The Allentown location also is expected to host noncredit seminars and community programming. Giannini said the university has been working with the Allentown mayor\u2019s office as it establishes a presence in the city.<\/p>\n Why Allentown?<\/p>\n Gianinni said Alvernia\u2019s decision to expand into Allentown is partly based on the region\u2019s economic activity and workforce needs.<\/p>\n He pointed to the Lehigh Valley\u2019s advanced manufacturing, healthcare and service industries, as well as employers looking to further educate their workers.<\/p>\n The university also sees an opportunity to work with the region\u2019s community colleges.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not moving into the Lehigh Valley with thoughts of competing with the community colleges,\u201d Giannini said. \u201cWe want to embrace the great things that Lehigh and Northampton are doing, and be the logical next step for those folks.\u201d<\/p>\n Alvernia\u2019s expansion comes at a time where colleges nationwide are facing demographic and financial pressures.<\/p>\n A 2026 estimate from the Huron Consulting Group, reported by The Hechinger Report<\/a>, projected that 442 of the nation\u2019s 1,700 private, nonprofit four-year colleges and universities could be at risk of closing or merging within the next 10 years. The projection was based on factors including enrollment trends, tuition revenue, assets, debt and cash on hand.<\/p>\n