MBA student's evolution at Alvernia mirrors university's growth

By Hailey Rohrer '25 MBA '27

In many ways, my time at Alvernia University grew alongside the campus itself. When I arrived as a first-year student, I hadn’t yet decided on a major. What I did know was that I wanted a place where I could explore my options while staying close to home. Alvernia’s small, close-knit environment made that decision easy and felt like a place where I could grow into who I wanted to be.

That sense of growth became clearer as I found my place on campus. After starting undecided, I chose to pursue marketing, allowing me to turn my creativity into something more meaningful. What once felt uncertain quickly became a path in which I was confident.

Starting college in 2021 also meant arriving as campus was still adjusting after COVID-19. While some precautions remained, the transition felt manageable. Living with multiple roommates in Clare Hall helped maintain a strong sense of connection, and campus life continued to open as the year went on. I was fortunate to stay with the same group of roommates all four years, which created consistency and made campus feel like home from the beginning.

As I progressed through my time at Alvernia, the campus evolved as well. Taking classes at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne became a defining part of my academic experience. When I started going there, the building was new and primarily open to business and communication students, with other floors still being completed. Taking the shuttle instead of walking across campus was an adjustment but quickly became something I appreciated. It added a sense of purpose to each day and introduced me to new resources, including the Bloomberg Terminal, that expanded my understanding of business beyond the classroom, along with a slight coffee habit thanks to the Starbucks café you pass on the way in.

That growth extended beyond my own experience and was reflected across the student body during a time of change. As early childhood education alum Josephine Lau ’26 shared, “Growing as a student while Alvernia was evolving made me feel like I was part of something uniquely special … while still maintaining a close-knit, supportive environment.”

Beyond academics, getting involved on campus played a major role in shaping my experience. Serving as a Golden Guide and an Orientation Weekend Leader allowed me to connect with incoming students and share what makes Alvernia unique.

After completing my undergraduate degree, staying at Alvernia for my MBA felt like a natural next step. Through my role as a graduate assistant in the marketing and communications department, I’ve been able to continue building real-world experience while advancing my education. The online MBA program has provided flexibility while still challenging me to grow, allowing me to balance hands-on work with coursework that directly applies to my field.

Now, as I look ahead, I will leave Alvernia having grown alongside a campus that continues to evolve, carrying with me the confidence, experiences and relationships that will shape what comes next.