19 Servant Leaders Recognized at Franciscan Servant Leader Commissioning

The Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement held the annual Franciscan Servant Leader Commissioning to present service awards and pins to students for their service accomplishments. The honorees all performed more than 100 hours of service in a variety of tracks during their time at Alvernia.

"The Franciscan Servant Leader Commissioning is truly a special event because it ties the students' service experiences together," said Alyssa Slade, senior director, Holleran Center for Community & Global Engagement. "Students are able to take a moment to reflect on what their service mindset was when they first stepped foot on campus and then really see all they have accomplished while a student at Alvernia. It is so amazing to hear the stories of those students who go from never having served to being a model of Servant Leadership in our community."

As Franciscan Servant Leaders, these students chose to engage in a holistic service journey, volunteering to meet the community's sustainability, vulnerable population, and educational needs while also serving with community partners through Alvernia coordinated experiences such as service-learning course projects and university-wide days of service.

"I am thrilled to be able to say that I now represent the Alvernia student with the most service hours in the university's history," said Erica L. Burch, SN-ALV, senior nursing major. "Community service is something that has been ingrained in me since I was a little girl...it is something I value because it has such a profound impact on the organization and the communities they support. I have had the most incredible support from everyone at the Holleran Center. Their amazing staff is passionate about giving back to not only the Alvernia Community but also to Berks County and beyond."

This year, the Holleran Center also launched the Service Corps where students can come together and collectively identify an area of social injustice or need within the community. They also come up with a way to address this need through a service event where the whole campus can get involved. This year, the group decided to host a Best Buddies carnival for the community. Best Buddies is an organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

"It was a great event where over 25 families had the opportunity to come to Alvernia's campus and participate in a variety of different games alongside family members and Alvernia buddies," said Slade. "I have always believed that students should be at the heart of the planning process in the Holleran Center. This Service Corps allows students to do just that. Each student has a unique story and set of skills that they bring to the table."