{"id":5378,"date":"2025-10-17T06:55:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T06:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/5378\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T06:55:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T06:55:31","slug":"alvernia-university-city-of-reading-and-local-high-schools-celebrate-summer-internships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/5378\/","title":{"rendered":"Alvernia University, City of Reading, and Local High Schools Celebrate Summer Internships"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>From Alvernia University<\/p>\n<p>Photos courtesy of Kyle Storti, Alvernia University<\/p>\n<p>This summer, Alvernia University\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/a69abff6b1b04f39b36b3b1f99f008fa\/1\/356dcc6b69241c86abfb996eee9df13ea0850457cf4c84420fdb37465959f5e2?cache_buster=1753722056\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">O\u2019Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship<\/a>\u00a0is providing\u00a0experiential education opportunities to\u00a025\u00a0high school\u00a0students in the EmpowerED\u00a0Program, including\u00a0five students in Mayor Moran\u2019s Summer Youth Program.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118499\" data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2-DSC02713-1024x684.jpg\"\/><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2-DSC02713-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118499\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBuilding strong communities starts with investing in young talent,\u201d said Vice President of Research, Economic Development, and Strategic Initiative Rodney S. Ridley Sr., Ph.D., RTTP. \u201cOur partnership with the City of Reading through programs like EmpowerED and the Summer\u00a0Youth Program is\u00a0a cornerstone of our mission to connect education with economic opportunity. These students are not just gaining skills; they\u2019re helping drive innovation and impact right here in their hometown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118495\" data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/6-DSC02737-1024x684.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/6-DSC02737-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118495\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>High school students\u00a0in the EmpowerED Program and those who were placed at the O\u2019Pake\u00a0Institute through Mayor Moran\u2019s Summer Youth Program\u00a0are gaining\u00a0hands-on experiences in marketing, community and economic development, finance,\u00a0and innovation through Friday, Aug. 22.\u00a0They are divided into four groups, providing\u00a0an opportunity to specialize in their respective areas. For example, one cohort focused on community and economic development, providing learning experiences in business planning, nonprofit development, and conducting outreach and interpreting interview findings.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"673\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118500\" data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/5-DSC02725-1-1024x673.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"673\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/5-DSC02725-1-1024x673.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118500\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis program is something I\u2019ve\u00a0been proud to champion. Giving our young people real, hands-on experience in city government and beyond,\u201d said City of Reading Mayor Eddie Mor\u00e1n. \u201cWith support from community partners like Alvernia, we\u2019ve created a space where students can grow, learn, and see what\u2019s possible for their future right here in Reading.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118498\" data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/8-DSC02759-1024x684.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/8-DSC02759-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118498\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, July 24, the O\u2019Pake\u00a0Institute hosted over 50\u00a0students participating\u00a0in the EmpowerED\u00a0Program and\u00a0Mayor Moran\u2019s Summer Youth Program, along with Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., President of Alvernia University, and Jermell Mitchell, Education Coordinator for the City of Reading. Students had the opportunity to hear from President Fitzgerald\u00a0and the Admissions team, tour the university, enjoy lunch on campus,\u00a0and participate in a\u00a0\u201cShark Tank\u201d style experiential learning activity. They were provided with supplies to create a product and tasked with developing a comprehensive product plan, including financials, marketing, and other key elements, to be pitched to the judges.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118496\" data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/14-DSC02801-1024x684.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/14-DSC02801-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118496\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWorking at O\u2019Pake\u00a0has enhanced\u00a0my skills. In sports, I feel like I\u2019m\u00a0there for my talent in the position I play. Here, I can apply all my skills, enhance my creativity,\u00a0and work collaboratively with new people and organizations,\u201d said Edelheid\u00a0Torres, Reading High School.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118497\" data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/16-DSC02813-1024x684.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/16-DSC02813-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-118497\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>EmpowerED\u00a0is the O\u2019Pake\u00a0Institute\u2019s career connections program designed as a comprehensive, hands-on experience to guide high school students in discovering their passions, exploring career paths, and building essential skills for the future. Through a blend of self-discovery exercises, team-based projects, and career-focused mentorship, participants will gain insights into their strengths and career interests while developing practical skills for the professional world. By working on real-world projects, students will also make a meaningful impact on local businesses, nonprofits, and the community.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about The O\u2019Pake\u00a0Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and experiential learning opportunities, visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/a69abff6b1b04f39b36b3b1f99f008fa\/2\/9f43e12d6d73f975d76a794e4f8ed4212e6b10f4eff211b8fed2f997a6b0aeb6?cache_buster=1753722056\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.alvernia.edu\/opake-institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From Alvernia University Photos courtesy of Kyle Storti, Alvernia University This summer, Alvernia University\u2019s\u00a0O\u2019Pake Institute for Economic Development&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5379,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[128,130,129],"class_list":["post-5378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reading","tag-reading-city","tag-reading-city-headlines","tag-reading-city-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5378"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5378\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}