With spring right around the corner, now is the time for prospective students to schedule their campus tours and find the right college fit.
Pennsylvania’s Americana Region offers a wide range of excellent higher education institutions to choose from, and each campus offers unique academic, cultural, and financial opportunities to help students begin building their career tracks. To celebrate the area’s impressive academic offerings, our list below describes just a few of the benefits the region’s colleges and universities offer their communities.
Albright College
As the very first institution for higher learning established within Berks County, Albright has a storied history of helping students across generations become independent, inquisitive, and creative leaders. Founded in 1856, Albright College offers a collaborative and diverse learning community with affordable, versatile degree programs that help students cross discipline boundaries and combine majors to get the most out of their education. Albright offers bachelor of arts and science degrees for learners of all ages, master of arts and science degrees in education, and several national-ranking certificate programs.
Alvernia University
Alvernia is a rapidly-expanding Franciscan university, with a strong Catholic and liberal arts history. They are committed to combining the campus’s diverse academic degree programs with personal mentorship between faculty and students. With an unrivaled dedication to community service, the university is located on a scenic 121-acre suburban campus and provides more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors and a wide selection of master’s and doctoral-level programs via the School of Graduate and Adult Education.
Alvernia’s inclusive and warm-hearted communities on campus are perfect for international students. The University's specialized International Admissions team offers the support and guidance needed to match the specific needs of international admission. Alvernia also provides The Presidential Hope Fund, a financial support initiative designed to help students and families struggling to fund education during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Kutztown University
Founded in 1866, Kutztown University is a spirited and bustling institution hosting almost 10, 000 students. The University provides over 100 areas of academic study and at least 160 cultural and student organizations, with 21 NCAA Division II Athletic programs that help bring the whole campus together with celebration and cheer.
Kutztown’s campus is located between Reading and Allentown, about 20 miles from each, and it's an easy 90 minute drive from Philadelphia. The University offers 130 undergraduate programs in the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Visual and Performing Arts, Business, and Education. There are also a whopping 31 graduate fields of study, including two doctoral programs. More generally, Kutztown’s undergraduate honors program, study abroad program, internships, student/faculty research, and experiential learning communities define the campus’s collaborative and rigorous academic experience.
Penn State Berks
Photo credit: @psuberks
Penn State Berks is the commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University based in Spring Township, Berks County, PA. As a publicly-funded research university in the top 1 percent of higher-ed institutions worldwide, Penn State Berks delivers a top-rated experience with access to expert faculty and campus initiatives. Boasting an impressive 70,000 undergraduates at 20 campuses across Pennsylvania, the sheer scope of its PennState’s programs provide thousands of academic and extracurricular opportunities.
Despite its size, there are plenty of individual resources at PennState Berks to help students navigate those opportunities toward making both passionate and informed choices. Regardless of if you need practical advice, like tutoring for a particular course, or more general assistance, as with preparing for an exciting job interview, PennState has the resources that can deliver the support to help you make the most of the Penn State experience.
Reading Area Community College
Reading Area Community College (RACC) is a great alternative to a traditional four-year college. The school opened to the community in 1970 and provides area residents with an accredited, comprehensive, open-enrollment education institution. Academics offered include everything from associate degrees, to certificate and diploma programs; to career-focused training and so much more. Sponsored by Berks County, RACC is an affordable way to meet the area’s educational needs.
The student body is a mix of people from every age, race, religion as well as countries. For many, RACC’s programs are a way to brush up on a skill or interest, or pursue certification in a variety of subjects. It is an affordable stepping stone to a four-year degree program. The College also has a Community Education/Workforce Development division with programs like dental assisting, home health aide and GED preparation.
The College plays an important part in the business community as well. The Schmidt Training and Technology Center provides training in senior leadership, manufacturing technology, information technology, workplace readiness and workplace literacy. RACC partners with other community organizations to enhance the economic vitality of the city and county.
Take time to visit the educational institutions found in Pennsylvania’s Americana Region. One might be the perfect fit for you.