In October 2019 Alvernia received the US Department of Education’s Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions Grant that will provide nearly $2.5 million over the course of five years to increase student achievement, persistence, and retention.


Using a thoughtfully outlined plan, members of the campus community are working together to design, pilot, and evaluate revisions to new student onboarding, First Year Experience, and faculty development. Additionally, the project includes hiring Navigators who will provide individualized support to students and encourage their connection with a variety of campus resources.


Together we will work to improve student success, instructional innovation, institutional retention, and improved graduation rates.
 

Learn More About the Office

Success Navigation – What is a Navigator?

Navigators provide individualized support to guide, motivate, and inspire students towards personal and academic success. Students can meet as regularly as they would like with a Navigator or just drop in with a question. Navigators help students by:

  • Connecting them to campus resources
  • Promoting academic skills and strategies (time management, exam prep, goal setting, etc.)
  • Identifying roadblocks to academic success
  • Networking skill building
  • Planning your educational journey
  • Promoting self-reflection and advocacy
  • And more!
Who Meets with a Navigator?

All students are welcome to use our services!

However, First-Year students are assigned a Navigator through their SEARCH Seminar class. During this time, we assist them with their transition into college life at Alvernia! Once assigned, students remain assigned to their Navigator until they graduate.

The following student groups particularly benefit from working one-on-one with a Success Coach:

  • First-Year students
  • Academic Probation Students
  • Transfer students
  • Academic Alert Students
Meet the Navigation Team

Lee Ann Bieber, MBA
Activity Director
Bernardine Hall – 104E
610-796-8263
leeann.bieber@alvernia.edu


Tyler Kearney-Good, M.S.
Lead Navigator
Bernardine Hall – 104B
610-796-8287
tyler.kearney-good@alvernia.edu


Mikaileigh Baker
Navigator
Bernardine Hall – 104G
610.796.8266
mikaileigh.baker@alvernia.edu


Christine Benedict, MA
Navigator, Title III  
Bernardine Hall – 104A 
610-796-8481
christine.benedict@alvernia.edu


Ashley Brown
Navigator
Bernardine Hall – 104D
610-796-5025
ashley.brown@alvernia.edu


Sean W. Haines, MA
Navigator
Bernardine Hall - 104H
610-796-5633
Sean.Haines2@alvernia.edu

Academic Success Workshops

Our Academic Success Workshops are designed to prepare students for a successful semester. As you matriculate to each semester, the transition can become difficult. With some useful tips and tricks, you can handle any challenge you may run into. We provide a variety of tips ranging from time management skills to building your professional brand. Contact Tyler Kearney-Good, Lead Navigator, for more information at tyler.kearney-good@alvernia.edu or (610) 796-8287.

Academic Success Workshop topics include:

  • Time-Management Skills
  • Note Taking Tips
  • Exam Prep/Study Strategies
  • Managing Academic Anxiety
  • Taking Ownership of Your College Experience

 

Title III Information

Strengthening Institutional Programs

Purpose

SIP provides discretionary grants to eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to help them become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students, by providing funds to improve and strengthen the institution’s academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability. 

Five Year Goals & Measurable Objectives (2019 -2024)

Goal 1: Increase student engagement and retention through integrated student services. 

Goal 2: Increase retention through re-imagined and engaged Teaching and Learning.

Goal 3: Increase 4-year graduation rates through the combined impact of the project. 

Building Institutional Collaboration

Leadership Team:

Project Director: Dr. Elizabeth Matteo

Activity Director: Lee Ann Bieber

Task Force: 

More than 20 campus leaders serve on the Title III Task Force. The team consists of key leaders in student success, advising, enrollment, and faculty development. The Task Force is closely involved in the implementation of the project and ensuring objectives and milestones are met. The Task Force meets once a month to address projects task, challenges, and progress. 

Design Teams:

Design Teams have begun designing, piloting, implementing, and assessing key Title III project activities such as new student Onboarding, Navigation, First Year Experience, and Faculty Development. Each Design Team is assigned one of the grant activities to create/revise, pilot, and implement initiatives specified in the Title III Improving Institution Programs Grant with goals resulting in student and faculty success.

Faculty Instructional Innovation Grant

The Title III Instructional Innovation Grant awards annual support for Alvernia faculty of any rank for proposals implementing teaching and learning innovations that increase the engagement, learning, and persistence of low-income undergraduates through high impact instructional practices. Support for the process includes working collaboratively with an instructional designer to develop high impact instruction. Faculty Instructional Innovation Grants are awarded annually.   Proposed grants should be submitted during the “Call for Proposal” period which runs January through February.  Awards are announced each May.

2019-2020 Awards:

  • Ondra Kielbasa & Michelle Serapiglia, BIO 103
  • Danielle Saad, COM 101
  • Eric Rectenwald & Steven Dougherty, BIO 107/117
  • Alicia Sprow, Carol Schwanger & Scott Davidson, SRH 101
  • Erin Way, PSY 101

2020-2021 Awards:

  • Tracy Scheirer, NUR 209
  • Jodi Radosh, COM 342
  • Ryan Lange, COM 131
  • Jamie Becker, BIO 221
  • Matthew Prudente & David Shoup, Calculus Series

 

Other Helpful Resources

Academic Advising

You can find out who your advisor is through Self-Service on the Alvernia Login page. Their name will be located at the bottom left of your unofficial transcript.

Billing Questions & Answers

Student Financial Services offer information about tuition and fees, the billing process, and making payments. They’re located in Francis Hall, Room 203. They’re available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can call them at 610-796-8201.

Career Guidance

The Office of Career Development provides students with the support they need as they navigate all phases of occupational exploration, career planning and job seeking. Through intentional partnerships, programs, and services, you will be able to collect knowledge and experience about careers and confidently prepare for life beyond Alvernia.

Counseling Services

The Health & Wellness Center offers counseling support to Alvernia University’s students. Counseling Services is located at the Health & Wellness Center in the lower level of Veronica Hall.

Accessibility Services

The Office of Accessibility Services is located in Bernardine Hall, Room 105A. The Accessibility Services Director, Andrea Swift Ed.D., can be reached at accessibility.services@alvernia.edu or 610-568-1499. The fax number is 484-335-4486.

Housing

Questions regarding housing can be answered by the Office of Residence Life. Their office is located in Veronica Hall and can be reached at reslife@alvernia.edu or (610) 796-8320.

Scheduling for Classes

The Registrar Office provides the necessary paperwork and authorization to drop, add or withdrawal from a course. Official transcripts, enrollment verification, transfer credit information, and instructions for scheduling classes can be found here.

Additional Academic Support

The Academic Success Center (ASC) provides student advising and support services. Located on the first floor of Bernardine Hall, Room 105. They also provide tutoring services. Tutoring Services are available 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 4:30 p.m. Friday, and 4:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Sunday. To schedule an appointment with a tutor, call 610-568-1494, email academic.support@alvernia.edu, or go to https://alvernia.mywconline.com.

Student Health Services

The Health & Wellness Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM for sick visits, health screenings, select labs, and injections. Health Services is staffed by a board-certified Family Physician and a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Study Skills

Alongside the Academic Success Center (ASC), we offer one-hour workshops providing general information and techniques for study skills, time management, note taking, test anxiety and essay writing which can be applied to every program of study.

 

 

 

Academics