Student Life

Community Service

Purpose

Community service has its roots deeply embedded in the foundation of Alvernia University and is central to the mission of our Catholic, Franciscan institution.  Service provides students the opportunity to use their gifts and talents to help those in need and to support local non-profit organizations.  Additionally, community service is an integral part of students’ learning experiences, contributing to their intellectual, social, and spiritual growth and development and providing a framework for students’ roles as members of local, regional and global communities.

Definition

Community service is an unpaid, voluntary act performed by a student or group of students with an approved non-profit agency that benefits the local community.  As a Franciscan institution, Alvernia University puts special emphasis on the relational aspect of community service, and therefore asks students to partner with non-profit organizations. A listing of approved local non-profit organizations can be found at www.alvernia.edu/hollerancenter  Individual projects that do not require some amount of collaboration with an approved non-profit organization will not be counted as community service.

Requirement

All Alvernia students must perform 40 hours of community service before being certified for graduation.  Students are strongly encouraged to try to complete their requirements before the end of their sophomore year, and then to exceed them.  Students who transfer into Alvernia must perform 10 hours per year enrolled at Alvernia. 

Guidelines

1.    Students must work with an approved non-profit organization.
2.    Direct service to people who are most vulnerable is consistent with Alvernia’s Franciscan mission and encouraged.  Alvernia recognizes the importance of supporting all non-profit organizations in their efforts to fulfill their missions. 
3.    Community service that is not performed with an approved Community Partner or is not on the Weekly Service Opportunities List must be pre-approved by Campus Ministry.  The official list of community partners is available in both Campus Ministry and the Holleran Center for Community Engagement.
4.    Community service can be done with approved community partners or with preapproved non-profit organizations in a student’s home community.
5.    Students may not perform their community service under direct supervision of a relative or close family friend.
6.    Preapproval of community service and questions may be directed to Campus Ministry at 610-796-8300.
7.    Students must turn in completed community service forms to Campus Ministry before the end of the semester in which the hours were completed.  Forms from previous semesters will not be accepted.
8.    Forms will not be valid unless they have the name and contact information of a supervisor at the non-profit organization. Non-profit organizations will be assessed by Alvernia University’s Office of Institutional Research in a yearly survey.
9.    Upon the completion of a student’s 40 hour requirement, each student must submit to Campus Ministry a 1-2 page reflection paper about what he/she learned from his/her service experiences.  This step is essential; clearance for graduation certification will not be issued without it.
10.    Community service is a hallmark of an Alvernia University education.  Community service, along with service - learning incorporated into individual class curriculum, form the basis for a lifelong dedication and commitment for contributions to an Alvernian’s community. Service-learning courses designated by the Holleran Center qualify for 10 hours of community service, to be approved by the Professor and the Holleran Center.

Click here for Weekly Service Opportunities

See the complete list of Alvernia University Community Partners     

Please contact Daniel Flynn at daniel.flynn@alvernia.edu or 610-796-8300 with additional questions.