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By Nikki M. Murry

The fifth anniversary of marriage is symbolized by wood, signifying strength and durability. Those at the heart of ������Ƶ’s CollegeTowne Initiative would likely echo that sentiment as the concept brought to Reading by former President John R. Loyack celebrates five years.

There were three objectives at the outset, explained Rodney S. Ridley, Sr., ������Ƶ’s vice president of research, economic development and strategic initiatives. They included asking the senior leadership team:
 

• “Can we change how the university operates and grows?”
• “Can you affect the community around you and spur economic development?”
• “Can we get noticed as an innovative force in higher education?”

The answer to all three? A resounding “Yes!”

The initial goal was to secure $45 million in investments from philanthropic and government sources to purchase and renovate existing vacant properties in downtown Reading and Pottsville to enhance the student experience, explained Thomas Minick ’98 MBA ’10, vice president for advancement and government affairs.

“The majority of my time the past five years has been spent on fundraising for CollegeTowne through the Partners in Progress Campaign, a $70 million campaign focused enhancing the student experience,” he said.

President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., is fully invested in CollegeTowne as an avenue for enhancing the student experience.

“My role is as an ambassador for the students,” Fitzgerald said. “I want them to have the greatest experience here at ������Ƶ that they possibly can. With CollegeTowne, we’re able to offer top-notch facilities without having to build or interrupt the environment up on the hill. It’s a way for us to expand our academic offerings and space in a unique way. We work with underutilized space, thereby making an impact at a lower cost. And student money is never used.”
 

PHOTO: ������Ƶ's nursing programs benefit from the new interprofessional Healthcare Simulation Center at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne.
 

The student experience

������Ƶ’s first John R. Post School of Engineering majors will graduate in May. The program was born from the CollegeTowne Initiative, which led to the purchase of a building in downtown Reading now known as the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, a living and learning facility that houses the program and much more.

“It took a risk to come here with it being a brand-new program, but it’s paying off,” said mechanical engineering major Faith Bentz ’25, who landed a job with Brentwood Industries following graduation after interning with the company, which manufactures parts for industrial grade batteries. “We have this brand-new lab equipment, and with it being a small program, you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. It is catered toward you, which is so helpful. You’re not in a classroom with 200 students, you’re in a classroom of eight, nine, 10.”

Several other majors – including cybersecurity, data science and data analytics – were added since CollegeTowne came to Reading, and the John and Karen Arnold School of Nursing programs have taken off in Reading and in an offshoot CollegeTowne location in Pottsville, Schuylkill County.

“It’s like a mini version of Reading CollegeTowne,” said Cynthia Mensch, director and student success coordinator of the site, which opened in January 2023.
 

PHOTO: A state-of-the art biology lab at Pottsville CollegeTowne.
 

Once an abandoned Giant grocery store, the facility now boasts a state-of-the-art biology lab and other features. Nearly a dozen undergraduate and multiple graduate programs are offered, as well as certification programs to strengthen workforce skills. The location is also a popular event space for community groups. Mensch says that while there were just three community events a month on campus when the location opened, there are now three each week.

Nursing is not only thriving in Pottsville. In 2024, ������Ƶ’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for its pre-licensure nursing students.

������Ƶ also extended its successful partnership with the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Schuylkill through 2028. The collaboration enables nursing students to benefit from ������Ƶ’s academic resources while completing clinical training at one of the region’s leading health care facilities.

It all comes back to CollegeTowne’s heartbeat: partnerships. This is particularly evident in the O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. The O’Pake Fellows Program allows undergraduate and graduate students to work directly with entrepreneurs, small-business owners, faculty researchers and local industry leaders for mutually beneficial experiential learning opportunities. O’Pake Fellows have served over 300 clients and completed over 250 projects since the birth of CollegeTowne.

What’s next? Despite all that the initiative achieved in its first five years, CollegeTowne’s second phase “will perhaps be the most impactful thing we do for the community,” according to Minick.

The university’s new American House at Reading CollegeTowne facility, located across the street from the Post Center at 354 Penn St., will see ������Ƶ and the Berks Community Health Center (BCHC) partner to expand health care access for nearly 3,000 Reading residents, developing a state-of-the-art community-based health center. It will house a café run by John Paul II Center for Special Learning students. And ������Ƶ students will work alongside both organizations.

Partners in Progress, the public phase of ������Ƶ’s largest comprehensive fundraising campaign, continues to restock the university’s arsenal. Launched in late 2023, the campaign has raised nearly $69 million of its ambitious $70 million goal.

Last year, City of Reading leaders learned they will get some additional help to change the face of downtown Reading. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration approved Reading’s application to participate in the state’s City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) program. CRIZ helps cities that have faced economic challenges revitalize their downtown areas by renovating vacant or rundown spaces with the goal of attracting new businesses and creating jobs.

“It’s brain gain versus brain drain,” Ridley said.