Alvernia earns recognition for empowering women

Lehigh Valley Business and Central Penn Business Journal names university as 2024 Empowering Women Award recipient

Alvernia University's Office of Graduate and Adult Education earns the 2024 Empowering Women Award from Lehigh Valley Business and Central Penn Business Journal.

"Alvernia University is dedicated to offering personalized and flexible educational and professional development programs that empower working adults to create their educational comeback and reach their professional goals," said Alvernia University President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. "This award highlights our commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for lifelong learning, personal growth, and professional growth for our students, faculty, and staff."

The Empowering Women Awards shine a light on companies and organizations that have demonstrated tangible efforts and documented results in supporting and empowering women in Central Pennsylvania and in the Lehigh Valley. Applications were judged based on documented hiring and promoting of women; leadership positions held by women; advocacy for the cause of women internally and externally; and efforts to cultivate the next generation of women professionals. The honorees were selected by a panel of judges made up of the Lehigh Valley Business and Central Penn Business Journal leadership teams.

"The 2024 Empowering Women honorees are inspiring organizations that advance women in the workplace. These businesses are committed to creating change, breaking barriers, charting new territory and encouraging future generations of women leaders," said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of BridgeTower Media/Lehigh Valley Business and Central Penn Business Journal. "We are pleased to honor these incredible businesses that are role models for others."

The Alvernia University Women's Council highlights the university's commitment to building the future generation of women leaders. The program, established in 2018, fosters the personal and professional development of Alvernia women at all life stages, strengthens their connection to the university and each other and educates and inspires them to pursue and grow in leadership roles both in their chosen profession and the greater community. This includes numerous professional development events, including an annual luncheon in which an exceptional women leader is recognized with the Bernardine Legacy Award, and an adult woman returning to education is presented with the Newcombe Scholarship to help fund her educational pursuit.

In addition, Alvernia's Office of Graduate and Adult Education has a longstanding partnership with the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance's Women2Women program by offering tuition discounts to members and providing professional development opportunities to Alvernia staff members.

The Empowering Women Awards was held in conjunction with the Women's Leadership Summit on August 8 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, 701 Penn Street in Reading. Registration, networking, exhibits and breakfast began at 9 a.m., followed by a keynote speaker and panel discussion, each with a Q&A session, followed by the Empowering Women Awards program and concluding with networking and exhibits.

Honorees will be profiled in a special publication that will be inserted into the August 12 issue of Lehigh Valley Business and August 16 issue of Central Penn Business Journal and will be available online at LVB.com and CPBJ.com

For more information and updated sponsorship information about the Empowering Women Awards, visit lvb.com/event/empowering-women/ or cpbj.com/event/empowering-women/.

Those interested in Alvernia's graduate and adult education programs can create their comeback at Alvernia.edu/GradandAdult.