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Core Franciscan Values

Our core values form the foundation for decision-making, for program development, and for our relationships with each other in the pursuit of our personal, communal, and educational goals. They make an education at Alvernia distinctive. As members of the Alvernia community, each of us, no matter our role, willingly proclaims common ownership of these core values.
 

Service

• We believe that service to others is central to the Franciscan mission and reflects the elemental values of humility and simplicity.
• We value the unique contributions and gifts that each person brings to service in our internal communities.
• We believe that social responsibility and devotion to service, particularly to the materially and spiritually disadvantaged, are cornerstones of the Alvernia mission. 

Humility

• We recognize that what we have comes from God and, therefore, we exercise care and good spirit in revering and honoring each other.
• We value simplicity that acknowledges need, asks for, and willingly accepts help.
• We believe that what good we do is accomplished by God working in us, and we are not concerned with the appropriation of power or status.

Peacemaking

• We believe that peacemaking is the striving for harmonious relations and the development of an environment that is calm and serene, free from strife and contention.
• We believe that peacemaking in society should make it easy for all to obtain their material needs and to grow in their spiritual life.
• We believe in a peaceful community of learning that resolves conflicts with fairness and justice.

Contemplation

• We believe that each created being, by nature, is called to worship, and we value a prayerful and reverential attitude toward God, one another, and all creation.
• We believe that we all are called to be contemplative, "to see with God's eyes."
• We reverence all life, and we treat all creation with care and respect.

Collegiality

• We believe that collegiality is founded on living the principles of service to others, humility, charity, and joy.
• We believe that the spirit of collegiality is demonstrated in leadership that serves others and in a true community of shared vision, purpose, and decision-making.
• We believe that the talents of each member of the community are necessary to create a nurturing and peaceful environment for personal growth and development.

More ŷ��ƽ̨ Our Tradition

Seeds of Student Formation

Alvernia’s essential Catholic core, evident in its Franciscan identity, compels us to foster moral leadership and service to others in the interest of peace and justice locally and globally, and to promote civic engagement and learning as lifelong pursuits in every career and life path our students choose. Our motto "To Learn To Love To Serve" is rooted in our heritage and embraced by our students.

The university’s broad commitment to ethics in the workplace, in personal relationships, and in community experience is brought to life in many ways. Some students in nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, criminal justice, education, and business find internship or practicum opportunities, while other students choose to volunteer in the greater Reading community. These opportunities give students valuable experience, but also plant seeds of social awareness in their hearts.

The Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagementand the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurshipcollaborate in the development of ethical leaders with moral courage in our student, staff, and community.

Our Catholic Heritage

At Alvernia, we express our heritage by sharing a Christian vision and goals, reflecting on the world as seen through the light of faith, and commitment to service for the common good. Our students experience intellectual and spiritual growth that shapes who they are for the remainder of their lives. It is our goal to provide opportunities for our students to wrestle with the challenges of coming into adulthood knowing that there can be harmonious unity between faith and reason. Campus Ministry offers a rich liturgical life for all our students, who are encouraged to participate in Mass on Sunday and during the week. They are also encouraged to worship  and pray at one of the chapels available on campus.

What are some of the elements of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition?

• Inspiration of individuals and the university community
• Continuing reflection on the light of faith and the growing treasury of human knowledge
• Faithfulness to the Christian message
• Institutional commitment to service of the people of God and human community
• Intellectual understanding of core catholic beliefs
• Worship
• Social action
• Promotion of justice, peace, economic opportunity, human dignity

Civil Dialogue & Freedom of Expression

ŷ��ƽ̨ Statement of Commitment–August 2018

As a “Distinctive Franciscan University in the Catholic and liberal arts traditions,” Alvernia welcomes all who seek to promote the common good, while both respecting our differences and yet celebrating what unites us as members of a democratic society and a global community.
 

As a Catholic university, Alvernia values the education of the whole person and the formation of one’s character within the framework of Christian values and Catholic Social Thought;
 

As a Franciscan university, Alvernia celebrates the ideal of a caring, inclusive, interfaith community built around “right relationships” in which we are “brother and sister” to all;
 

As a university founded by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, Alvernia is especially dedicated to “serving the underserved” and to fostering dialogue on issues of justice in contemporary society;
 

As a university committed to the ideals of liberal arts education, Alvernia promotes the open exchange of ideas and diverse perspectives in an academic community in which all individuals are respected and valued;
 

And as a university with faculty, staff, and students devoted to our core values and the Franciscan ideal of “knowledge joined with love,” Alvernia champions charity and civility in all that we do.

 

NOTE: the quoted phrases come either from the Alvernia Vision and Mission Statements or from documents of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters.

 

Accordingly, we espouse the following “Guiding Principles” to frame the expression of views by members of the ŷ��ƽ̨ community and all guests:  

• We believe our inclusive Franciscan core values provide a positive framework for speech and dialogue, both in substance and style, though we are open to perspectives that may run counter to these values, if expressed responsibly and respectfully;
   
• We believe in allowing broad latitude for speakers and speech, confident our Franciscan culture will contextualize and mitigate much that could be offensive or contrary to our stated values;
   
• We also agree that, given our values, and because we assert the dignity of each person and any group of people, we will not tolerate speech that espouses hate, harm, or bigotry or that provokes violence, even if such speech is constitutionally protected;
   
• We recognize that the experience of feeling threatened or harmed varies among individuals, so sensitivity should be shown by all;
   
• We respect and support the right and expression of peaceful protest as long as it does not prevent an event from proceeding or infringes unduly on the rights of others;
   
• We think it essential that, when guest speakers are invited, Alvernia faculty and staff have a professional responsibility to frame the occasion in a way that respects both the speaker and the audience;
   
• We recognize that the opinions of any speaker are not intended to represent any institutional position.

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