Alvernia’s Four Under Forty Award was developed in 2019 by the Alvernia Young Alumni Committee to recognize the achievements of young alumni. The alumni chosen for this award exhibit high levels of success in their career, a commitment to community service, dedication to the advancement and growth of Alvernia and demonstrate Alvernia’s core values in their personal, spiritual and professional life. The following Alvernia alumni received the award in 2023. All biographical information current at the time of the award.
Andrew Angstadt is a 2008 graduate with a degree in Elementary Education. Andrew is the Director of Religious Education, Music Teacher, and Middle School Religion Teacher for Holy Guardian Angels Regional School. He also serves as an organist at Immaculate Conception in Douglassville and throughout the Allentown Diocese.
Andrew has previously served as a 2nd-grade teacher at St. Peter’s School in Reading. During his tenure, he had the opportunity to teach the sacraments of First Penance and Holy Communion and to start a children’s choir.
For nearly 17 years Andrew served the parish of St. Benedict through liturgical music by being the organist, the director of adult, children, and bell choirs, and the liturgical planner. He provided spiritual guidance through prayer services, retreats, workshops, and simply being there for all the parishioners.
Andrew is a member of the Knights of Columbus; and serves on the Board of Directors for Reading Civic Theatre and 1st Street Players, Birdsboro. He also served on the ACRE board- a professional association for religious educators and administrators representing Berks County. Andrew is active in the theatre arts as a performer and director throughout Berks County.
Junior R. Bernard
Junior Bernard received his Communications degree from Alvernia in 2014, and he’s the founder of Pranzel Group. Born and raised in Haiti, Junior dreamed of obtaining an education in America from a young age. As one of five children, he grew up witnessing many in his community, including children, die due to starvation and preventable
diseases.
As a teenager, these tragedies motivated Junior to take matters into his own hands when he taught himself English from a dictionary he’d found in a trash can. In 2010, Junior survived the devastating Haiti earthquake that took the lives of over 200,000 Haitians. Junior would later meet an American volunteer, Billy Barr, who offered to bring him to America, after which Alvernia granted him a scholarship to help make his dream of obtaining an education come true.
Since graduating in 2014, Junior’s relentless fight against economic disparities has grown stronger than ever. In 2021, Junior and his childhood friend, Philippe William created the Pranzel Group as a one-stop solution that tackles the education crisis in Haiti with one big goal in mind: To spread education across the entire country.
Katie M. Griffith ‘05
Katie Griffith is a United States Border Patrol Agent with the Department of Homeland Security. Katie graduated from Alvernia with a criminal justice degree in 2005. After graduation, she entered the entered the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in January 2007.
In her 16-year career, Katie has served as a Border Community Liaison, Welfare and Recreation Association Officer, Peer Support Member, Certified Vessel Crewman and Personal Watercraft Operator, and a member of a northern border undercover unit. She is also a legacy member of the San Diego Sector Horse Patrol Unit. On the Horse Patrol Unit, she was able to put her extensive experience with horses to use and last year, she was selected to represent San Diego Sector Horse Patrol in Lexington, Kentucky at the National Mounted Officers Colloquium.
For the past 14 months, Katie has been acting as the San Diego Sector Resiliency Supervisor and Program Coordinator. In that position, she oversaw San Diego Sector’s Peer Support, Chaplaincy, Veteran Support, and Honor Guard teams. Katie also volunteers at Therapy Ranch, where she uses equine-assisted therapy to aid veterans and first responders who are struggling with mental illnesses.
She recently accepted a promotion as an Interior Recruiter for Customs and Border Protection where she will operate an aggressive recruiting program to bring new Border Patrol Agents into the government.
Mylen Morales ‘15
Mylen graduated from Alvernia University in December 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education. Upon graduation, Mylen served as an elementary school teacher in the Reading School District. Mylen started her military career in October 2016 by serving as the Squadron Adjutant, Legal Officer and Headquarters and Service Company Executive Officer for the Marine Wing Support Squadron 272.
In this squadron, she rose to a Senior Administrative Officer for numerous exercises in Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. Mylen has also served as the Casualty Assistance Call Officer for two fallen Marines.
In October 2018, Mylen served as the Regimental Adjutant and Legal Officer to the Combat Logistics Regiment 27 and the Marine Logistics Regiment. After two years of service, Mylen was promoted to Watch Officer for Task Force Resolve and assumed the duties of the Battalion Adjutant. In February 2022, Mylen was assigned to the Recruit Training Regiment, where she served as Series Commander, Executive Officer, and Commanding Officer. She also supervised and was directly responsible for the first female integrated training companies within the First and Second Recruit Training Battalion.
She earned her California real estate agent license in May 2021 and earned her Master of Science degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word in December 2021. Currently, Mylen is serving as a resident student at Expeditionary Warfare School, a top-level school for Marine Corps Captains. During her free time, Captain Morales is an avid long-distance runner and volunteers in her local community.
