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Inauguration Week Events

April 4: Pottsville CollegeTowne Event

• Location: Pottsville CollegeTowne
• Description: Students, faculty, alumni, and community members gathered at Pottsville CollegeTowne to officially welcome Glynis Fitzgerald, Ph.D., as Alvernia's new president. After a brief presentation, attendees enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and drinks during a fun-filled social hour.
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April 5: Casino Night

• Location: Francis Hall Atrium
• Description: The Francis Hall Atrium was transformed into a casino filled with games such as blackjack, poker and roulette. Poker chips earned by Alvernia students were traded in for chances to win raffle prizes.
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April 6: HECBC Conference

• Location: Albright College
• Description: The annual HECBC Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference allowed students to share their research and creativity with each other and the community.

April 6: Mass and Dinner with Bernardine Sisters

• Locations: Sacred Heart Chapel and Motherhouse
• Description: The Bernardine Franciscan Sisters held a private Mass where they celebrated with and communed with President Fitzgerald. At a dinner following the Mass, the Sisters commissioned Fitzgerald as president of the university they founded 65 years ago.
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April 8: Alvernia Community Interfaith Commissioning

• Location: McGlinn Conference Center
• Description: Interfaith leaders from Berks County and beyond commissioned President Fitzgerald and offered blessings on her presidency from their own faith traditions.
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April 9: Philadelphia Alumni Event

• Location: , 4120 Main St., Philadelphia
• Description: Philadelphia alumni reconnected with each other and got the opportunity to meet and congratulate President Fitzgerald at this event. Dan Hartzman, Alvernia's director of external engagement, welcomed guests with opening remarks. Melissa Ulmer '09 provided a mission moment quote from professor, social worker and author Brene Brown. President Fitzgerald then spoke about how far Alvernia has come and how much more the university can achieve.
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April 10: Campus Happy Hour

• Location: Holleran Patio
• Description: Dozens of Alvernia faculty and staff members gathered on the Holleran Patio for a backyard BBQ happy hour.
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April 10: Women in Leadership Panel

• Location: Francis Hall Theatre
• Description: Provost and Senior Vice President Leamor Kahanov, Ed.D., one of four women holding top positions at Alvernia, moderated a panel composed of women leaders in academia and beyond. Joining Kahanov were Dr. Laurie L. Shanderson, owner of Accreditation Insights and the former chancellor of Methodist College; Lucine Sihelnik, President and CEO of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance; and Ginger Kunkel, president of Tompkins Financial Corp. Topics included challenges the leaders have faced and how they overcame them, attributes for leadership, gender stereotypes, what parts mentored played in their success, work/life balance, equitable workplaces and trends in leadership.
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April 10: Faculty/Staff Art Show

• Location: Miller Gallery
• Description: The wide-ranging talents of Alvernia's faculty and staff were celebrated at this opening reception, which allowed attendees to meet the artists. More than two dozen pieces are featured in the exhibit. Some of the works — which include paintings, photographs, and clay and porcelain pieces — are for sale. The exhibit runs through April 26.
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April 10: Alvernia Theatre Opening Night

• Location: Francis Hall Theatre
• Description: The Department of Fine and Performing Arts presented "Opening Night." Enthusiastically emceed by Communication and Theatre major Hector Malave, the variety show including music, dance and acting by Alvernia students and alumni.
  • Alvernia Dance Company (Sara Baker, Makenzie Lane, Aubrey Ciucci, Tahlia Wasserman and Cristal Paez) opened and closed the event with performances.
  • Theatre major Dylan Smith sang "Being Alive" from the musical "Company."
  • Biology major Autumn Wolf performed "After the Rain" on the marimba.
  • Alumni Cady Monasmith performed Ceres from "Dark Adaptation," choreographed by Fine & Performing Arts lecturer Jessica Warchal-King.
  • Theatre minor Ethan Boyce performed a monologue from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."
  • Theater alumna Fajir Khan performed "A Trip to the Library" from the musical "She Loves Me" followed by an original song accompanied by Bill Yazian on guitar.
  • Nursing major Youyi Ma performed "Other Side of the River" on the piano.
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April 11: Donor/VIP Event

• Location: Reading Public Museum
• Description: Alvernia’s major philanthropic supporters and other university and community leaders joined to enjoy hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and music by the Reading Symphony Orchestra string quartet.
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April 12: Mass

• Location: Sacred Heart Chapel
• Description: A Mass was held prior to Dr. Fitzgerald's inauguration.
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April 12: Inauguration Ceremony

• Location: PEC
• Live Stream Link:
• Program: .
• Description: The ceremony in the Physical Education Center featured over 300 in attendance, including elected officials, college officials, Alvernia students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni and personal friends of Fitzgerald. A reception followed the event.
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April 12: Inauguration Formal

• Location: PEC
• Description: As part of Inauguration Week events, Alvernia hosted a free Inauguration Formal for students, featuring food, drinks, dancing, raffle prizes and lots of fun.
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April 20: Day of Service

• Locations: Berks County Parks Department and City of Reading
• Description: To celebrate Earth Day, volunteers served throughout the City of Reading and in Berks County Parks Department locations, concluding with a tree dedication at City Park.
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Congratulations Roundup

Institutions of higher education and local officials offered congratulations and certificates of recognition to Dr. Fitzgerald.