Alvernia honors Olivets Boys & Girls Club at President's Dinner

READING, PA (10/18/2013)(readMedia)-- At its annual Presidents Dinner in October, Alvernia University honored Olivet Boys & Girls Club with Pro Urbe Award.

The Pro Urbe award, literally meaning "for the city," was established by Alvernia in 2003 to recognize a business or other organization for significant service to the community and for contribution to the betterment of lives in Reading and Berks County through the mission of the organization or because of its commitment to outreach and community-mindedness.

Since first opening its doors in Reading in 1898, the Olivet Boys & Girls Club has served thousands of children and provided them with opportunities to dream and grow in a safe environment. In 2012, 584 adult volunteers and 558 youth volunteers served the club at seven different locations in Reading and at one location in Pottstown. The club's impact has been great.

• 88% of elementary Olivet members improved or maintained academic performance.

• 90% of club members expect to graduate from high school

• 92% of club members enrolled for all four years with their original freshman class

graduated from high school, compared to only 52% for students in similar cities.

"In a city struggling to support our youth and help them develop as future leaders, these statistics give cause for confidence in our young people and hope for our future," said Alvernia President Thomas F. Flynn, Ph.D. "All too often we hear good people despair of improvement in the educational attainment of our children. Or we hear sincere, high-minded talk about how to move ahead. The Olivet Boys & Girls Club acts. Through devoted staff and committed volunteers, this organization walks the talk."

Also announced at the President's Dinner, the Olivet Club has entered into a new partnership with the university to work with at-risk youth in a more robust high school and college program - designed to help students prepare for and succeed in college. The Reading Collegiate Scholarship Program involves a $10 million commitment from Alvernia University over the first four years, as well as new programming to help kids from poverty-stricken neighborhoods succeed in life.

ALVERNIA is a thriving university that empowers students through real-world learning to discover their passion for life, while providing the education to turn what they love into lifetimes of career success and personal fulfillment, helping them make the world a better place.

Situated on a scenic 121-acre suburban campus in historic Berks County, Pa., the university of more than 3,000 students is conveniently located near Philadelphia (60 miles) and within an easy drive of New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. With a College of Arts and Sciences and College of Professional Studies, Alvernia today offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors and a range of graduate programs at the master's and doctoral levels through its School of Graduate and Adult Education. Satellite sites are located in Philadelphia and Schuylkill County. As one of only 22 Franciscan institutions in the country, Alvernia's focus on caring for each other, the environment and the community are joined with a challenging educational experience to provide an unparalleled environment to grow, develop and mature as a person and professional.