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Meggan Kerber ’96 MBA ’01 has spent most of her professional career thinking about others.
 

Even when she has been honored — receiving Alvernia’s Ellen Frei Gruber Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014 and having one of the county’s fundraising awards named after her — Alvernia’s associate vice president of institutional advancement remains humble.
 

She just notched another significant accolade, , a special program of the .
 

“I'm still shocked that I'm receiving this award,” said Kerber, who heads the ŷ��ƽ̨ Women's Council. “I think there are other women who are more deserving of it. It's recognition not only for the work that I do, but the work that other women and other community members do. We put ourselves behind the scenes intentionally so we can lift others up and advance others before we advance ourselves, mentoring others to show them their strengths. That's what others have done for me.”
 

According to GRCA, the ATHENA Leadership Award celebrates the exemplary leadership of a woman leader who demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in their profession, provides valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community and actively assists women in achieving their full leadership potential.
 

Along with her role as a fundraising virtuoso for the last quarter-century, Kerber is active on area boards and as a professional counsel for Pennsylvania nonprofits, with much of the work done pro bono.

“Meggan’s unwavering dedication and passion for making a difference are nothing short of inspiring,” said Thomas Minick ’98 MBA ’10, Alvernia’s vice president of advancement & government affairs. “Her recognition as the GRCA Athena Award recipient is a testament to the impact she has made not only within our institution but throughout the community. We are incredibly proud to have her on our team and deeply grateful for the work she does to positively impact our students.”
 

An unexpected journey

She credits serendipity for her unorthodox journey from psychology major to the fundraising world.
 

“I was always very much an introvert,” Kerber said. “I wanted to become a child psychologist. That's why I do volunteer work now. But as a student here, I needed financial support.”
 

That led her to a job with the Institutional Advancement office, where she took her first steps into the fundraising world. Those steps felt natural, and when Alvernia launched an MBA program a few years later, a professor called to let her know she should be a part of it.
 

“That's just how this network continues,” she said. “Even after you graduate, the faculty is still invested in you.”
 

After receiving her MBA with a focus on community service and economic leadership, Kerber navigated the nonprofit and corporate world, including a stint as executive director of Berks Arts Council. Her career came full circle in 2021, when she took a leadership role in the department that launched her career path.
 

So, how does a degree in psychology help to fundraise? In more ways than you might think, according to Kerber.
 

“When you're working in fundraising, it's all about relationship building,” she said. “You need to know how to read people, not just verbally but nonverbally. And that's the biggest asset of the psychology degree. It also helps to understand why people do what they do and why they want to do it.”
 

And when it comes to raising funds, Kerber is one of the best in the area.
 

In 2018, the — an organization Kerber played a significant role in launching — honored her by changing the name of its Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award to the Meggan Kerber Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award.
 

Along with her role at Alvernia, where she served on the Board of Trustees and as an Alumni Council member, Kerber maintains a busy schedule. She is active or was active on more than a dozen boards, including Riverfront Federal Credit Union, Greater Reading Visitors Bureau, Theron Cook Art Foundation, Dayspring Homes, Girls on the Run, John Paul II Center for Special Learning and Breast Cancer Support Services.
 

Despite the wide range of interests, it all comes back to the Franciscan values she learned about at Alvernia.
 

“To learn, to love, to serve,” said Kerber, reciting the university motto. “Literally, that's what I do.”