Alvernia honors alumnus George Rice at President's Dinner

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George Rice, Alvernia Class of 1985

READING, PA (10/18/2013)(readMedia)-- Alvernia University honored George Rice (Class of 1985) at its annual Presidents Dinner in October with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Introduced to law enforcement by his father, who patrolled post-World War II Europe as a member of the U.S. Air Force Police, and nurtured during his time in the Alvernia criminal justice program as one of the legendary Sr. Pacelli's boys, George has been involved in public safety since graduating from Alvernia in 1985. He has battled an international heroin ring, persuaded doctors to promote gun control, and led an agency to train search and rescue dogs. Currently, as Executive Director of Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies (iCert), Rice is working to ensure first responders have up-to-date, in-the-moment knowledge when they arrive on the scene at a crisis.

John Wanner (Class of 1982), president of Wanner Associates, Inc., Alvernia board member and chair of Alvernia's Alumni Council presented the award to Rice. "George's professional background is diverse, including public policy, community & youth development, media relations, information and communications technology management, economic development, international relations, and a decade of law enforcement experience," he said. "George has planned and directed local, state, federal and international public policy and public service efforts; designed and implemented strategies for organizational effectiveness and technology development; authored or co-authored publications and articles; and conducted workshops and lectures including national television and radio appearances."

Active in the community, Rice serves as a member of Alvernia's Board of Trustees and is a member of the Police Executive Research Forum, and co-founder of Rage for Peace - an anti-violence and suicide prevention organization.

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.