Health Sciences programs rooted in Alvernia core value celebrate significant anniversaries

Service has been synonymous with Alvernia University since the school’s founding in 1958. Two programs rooted in the core value marked significant anniversaries in 2026: nursing celebrated 50 years, while occupational therapy turned 30. The programs have evolved in both scope and impact over time, reflecting a strong commitment to innovation, collaboration and student success, said Patricia Reger, Ph.D., PT, dean of the College of Health Sciences, which houses the nursing and occupational therapy programs.

“One of the most visible milestones has been our transition into state-of-the-art [laboratory] facilities at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, which now houses our nursing, physician associate (PA) and occupational therapy programs,” she said. “This move has significantly enhanced our teaching and learning environment, allowing us to better integrate simulation, hands-on training and collaborative learning.”

Reger notes that the impressive 55,000 square feet of facilities – funded in part by the largest-ever trustee gift in the university’s history, bestowed by John and Karen Arnold – have had a transformative impact on student learning, particularly in the lab spaces.

“The environments were intentionally designed to mirror real-world clinical settings, which allows students to move beyond theory and fully immerse themselves in hands-on, experiential learning,” she said. “Our lab spaces integrate high-fidelity simulation, standardized patient encounters and discipline-specific equipment that closely reproduces what students will encounter in practice. This level of realism enhances clinical reasoning, builds confidence, and allows students to safely practice and refine their skills before entering clinical placements. The ability to make mistakes, receive immediate
feedback and repeat procedures in a controlled environment is invaluable to skill development.”

Nationally Recognized

Starting as an associate degree program, the nursing program transitioned to a bachelor’s degree. After that, it expanded further to offer an RN to BSN option and an MSN in nursing education and nursing administration, explained Linda Roy, chief nursing officer of the John and Karen Arnold School of
Nursing.

“There has been a growth in faculty, both part time and full time, along with student growth – not so much in numbers, but in opportunities for learning in the skills lab, simulation lab and working with other disciplines,” she said.

Alvernia’s American House Project, in partnership with Berks Community Health Center, will expand student learning and real-world practice opportunities even further.

“It will allow students to work closely with members of the community, providing health teaching and health promotion activities,” Roy explained. “The goal is to improve the health of the overall community and the student experience in helping others, which is part of the university mission.”

Another new aspect of the nursing major is the Clinical Judgment Support Program.

“It offers students the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member to improve their skills, increase their clinical judgment and critical thinking, which increases their confidence,” Roy said. “Students who have participated in the program describe how much it helped them to feel confident in the clinical area. We are looking to expand this program and to increase our ability to offer students ongoing support.”

It’s no wonder that the nursing program has been nationally recognized for its strong NCLEX scores: 100 percent in 2024 and 2025, for quality education and strong job placement.

OT: From the Ground Up

Occupational Therapy Assistant Professor Catherine Emenheiser started her career at Alvernia in the 1999-2000 academic year and was part of a group of four faculty members who came aboard full time that fall. She helped develop the occupational therapy major into one of the signature programs for
which Alvernia is recognized.

Emenheiser recalls the days that OT majors and staff worked in a one-size-fits-all lab space, to renovations being made in Bernardine Hall to expand to three labs focused on varying practice sites (i.e., pediatrics, in-patient rehabilitation, and lowamp, high-tech).

“We were early adopters of 3-D printing thanks to Dr. Gregory Chown, and international service learning by providing splints to clients across the globe,” she said.

Today’s students can take advantage of the combined lab spaces in the Post Center.

“Here we can move a lecture discussion into a lab demonstration without the need to reserve another space,” explained Emenheiser. “It allows us to follow the flow of the teaching and learning; as students ask questions or show confusion, we can demonstrate the concept in real time. We have more equipment to allow all students to get hands-on practice more efficiently.”

The lab space isn’t the only thing that sets Alvernia’s OT program apart.

MSOT Program Director Amanda Stilianos, OTD, OTR/L, CDP, an alum of the 2010 OT class, said the faculty is first-rate.

“The faculty are a close-knit group who get to know their students not only as students, but on a personal level as well,” she said. “This is something I highly valued when I was a student and I continue to value it highly as a faculty member.”

A Look to the Future

Employers hiring Alvernia grads report that students are quick to make the transition to real-world positions, and many students secure jobs prior to graduation.

As for what lies ahead for the nursing and OT majors, Reger said, “The future of our majors is one of thoughtful evolution: adapting to change while staying firmly rooted in the values and competencies that make for truly outstanding healthcare professionals.”