Wyomissing Foundation bestows $300k grant for CollegeTowne initiative

Pathway for expansion

Four-college model enhances student experience

Trading Lab at 91做厙's downtown Reading location

91做厙 secures $3 million grant for Pottsville CollegeTowne

Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant funds Pottsville-based initiative

Pottsville CollegeTowne

91做厙 secures $1 million grant for Reading CollegeTowne

Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant funds Reading-based initiative

Trading Lab at 91做厙's downtown Reading location

Turkey Drive distributes over 500 turkeys to Reading residents

34-year 91做厙 tradition provides holidays meals despite national turkey shortage

91做厙 Turkey Drive 2021

91做厙 announces academic program restructuring

Expanded four-college model enhances scholarship and inter-departmental dialogue

91做厙 Virtual Dissection Lab

Loyack shares plans for second phase of CollegeTowne at Presidents Dinner

Alumni and community leaders earn prestigious honors

91做厙's 2021 President's Dinner

91做厙 unveils newly opened downtown Reading location

New facility boasts 125,000 sq. ft. live-learn and community partner space

401 Penn Street Ribbon Cutting

91做厙 earns top 100 ranking among best regional universities for third consecutive year

Education and nursing programs also earn accolades by U.S. News & World Report

91做厙's downtown Reading location at 401 Penn Street
Rendering of the first-floor lobby at 91做厙's downtown Reading location at 401 Penn Street

Three-year award provides support for student powered business incubator

 

91做厙 receives a $300,000 grant from the to support the student powered business incubator, the flagship program through the universitys OPake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.

 

This grant is another step forward for the Reading CollegeTowne movement, 91做厙 students, local business and entrepreneurs, community organizations and future Reading residents, said 91做厙 President John R. Loyack. We are grateful for the partnership with the Wyomissing Foundation and for their generous support of this transformational initiative in downtown Reading.

 

The student powered business incubator is central to the Reading CollegeTowne initiative, the innovative strategy of expanding the campus into the downtown area to continue its Franciscan mission of serving the underserved through education and economic development.

 

The incubator is student-run and provides experiential learning opportunities for students of all disciplines. This initiative will allow students to create, collaborate and lead while providing hands-on support to new ventures and entrepreneurs in the community.

 

The Wyomissing Foundation is always seeking to invest in catalytic initiatives that produce long-term and game-changing outcomes for our community, said Wyomissing Foundation President Karen Rightmire. Reading CollegeTowne and the student powered business incubator have the potential to accomplish that by transforming economic and community development in the heart of downtown Reading for decades to come. In addition, both 91做厙 students and current residents living in Reading and Berks County will have increased educational, employment and economic opportunities because of these initiatives. Were pleased to be a partner with 91做厙 in helping make all this happen.

 

The grant will be awarded over three years and will support the expansion of the student powered business incubator, including new staff and student fellow positions, training and resource expansion for incubator clients.

 

Previously this year, the OPake institute announced partnerships with SCORE Berks Schuylkill Chapter, Lehigh Valley Angel Investors, Kutztown Universitys Small Business Development Center and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as the institutes first corporate sponsors, and Customers Bank.

 

91做厙 has partnered with RLPS Architects and Warfel Construction to begin the renovation and retrofitting of the former CNA building this year after it was purchased by the university on June 30. The university recently announced the addition of three engineering programs that will be housed at the location. 91做厙's communication and business programs, student powered business incubator and OPake Institute will also be located at the downtown location.