Alvernia University and Visions Federal Credit Union have unveiled the latest product of their partnership: A new financial wellness center.
The center, located in the university’s Bernardine Hall Commuter Lounge, marks an important step in the university’s efforts to enhance financial literacy and create a campus culture of care that provides vital resources for students, Alvernia said in a press release.
Students, guests and university officials celebrated the center’s opening with a ribbon cutting Thursday.
“At Alvernia, we strive to create an environment where every student has the tools they need to thrive, both inside and outside the classroom,” Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Alvernia University president, said in a press release. “This partnership with Visions, and the financial wellness center, perfectly align with our culture of care, empowering our students with critical financial knowledge.”
Establishment of Financial Wellness Center was made possible through a generous gift by Visions, Alvernia officials said.
“The new installation supports our focus on the community’s financial well-being, and it’s just a fraction of our impact here,” Tyrone Muse, Visions’ president and chief executive officer, said in the release. “We’re proud to have such a robust partnership that strengthens the students’ education at Alvernia and their lives post-grad.”
The center provides quick access to financial wellness tips and resources via a computerized kiosk, according to Alvernia.
Visions is working to establish an endowment that will fund financial education workshops and programming at the center, led by Alvernia’s Office of Career Development.
Their work on the center further strengthens the multi-year partnership between Alvernia and Visions, officials said.
The two previously announced a partnership in 2021 that allowed students to gain access to micro lending training to support local entrepreneurs through a multi-year sponsorship award to the university’s O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.
Visions has also become a matching gift partner for the university’s Council of Independent College’s Vocation Across the Academy Grant, in addition to supporting the university’s Hope Fund, Reading Collegiate Scholars Program and Athletics Department.
The kiosk is useable any time Bernadine Hall is open, officials said. The center is targeted primarily at students, but the kiosk is open to all Alvernia staff, faculty, and guests.
The center’s programming schedule is to be determined, with more details on the availability of financial workshops to come.
“Increasing our students’ financial literacy is essential to their personal and professional development,” said Dr. Leamor Kahanov, senior vice president and provost at Alvernia. “This partnership, and the installation of the financial wellness kiosk, exemplify our commitment to providing comprehensive support for our students, helping them grow as financially literate, confident individuals.”
