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SENATOR SAYS HE'S "HUMBLED" BY THE NAMING OF A NEW, $9.3 MILLION SCIENCE CENTER AT ALVERNIA COLLEGE IN HIS HONOR Reading, September 27, 2006 -- The following is a copy of the Senator's prepared remarks during the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony: "Your Excellency Bishop Cullen, President Flynn, cabinet members, my fellow trustees, distinguished faculty, family and friends, it is an honor for me to join you here today at the dedication of Alvernia College’s new science center. It’s a bit ironic that my name will be associated with a science center because science was never my strong suit in school, unless you consider politics to be science. All kidding aside though, I am grateful and humbled that my family will be recognized on such an impressive and important structure, so essential as we prepare students to meet the challenges of the 21st century. "Alvernia College is very important to me and to our community. My mother, who passed away early this year, taught me that a good education could transform a life. And her sacrifice and that of my late brother Pat helped me attain my college education. Reflecting on their influence in my life, I am grateful to be part of Alvernia’s exciting future and for the opportunity to help students transform their lives through education. "As most of you know, I serve on the college Board of Trustees. This is actually my second tour of duty as a trustee—I was on the board from 1991-1999. How this college has grown in facilities, breadth of curriculum, and in stature and impact in this community! In early days, Alvernia was a quiet campus on the edge of the City of Reading. In the 1980s, this college began to blossom—an impressive physical education center was built. In the 1990’s, the gleaming Franco Library was built and new student housing was added, among many other exciting projects. The new millennium ushered in continued growth on the campus as the College reached middle age (the college will celebrate its 50th birthday in two years). But unlike some institutions that seem to calcify as they age, this institution bursts with energy and life—indeed it seems Alvernia has found the proverbial fountain of youth in the academic world. And the new science center is the latest expression of that vim and vigor. "Science and technology have changed the face of our economy and our educational system. If we don’t provide our young people, and more and more these days non-traditional adult students, with the best training opportunities possible in these disciplines, we have not done our jobs and other cities, states, and nations will surely leave us in their economic dust. Fortunately though, this new science center provides us a platform from which to train the next crop of doctors, scientists, researchers, and clinicians, who will not only be leaders in their respective disciplines, but leaders in their communities . . . Because in addition to top-of-line academic training, Alvernia’s educational philosophy cultivates in them a strong desire to serve others. "Programs that have been bellwethers at Alvernia College –Nursing and Occupational Therapy, among others--will have access to the latest technology in this building. Even the criminal justice field is no longer just about law enforcement, it has its own scientific discipline—forensic science--and that training will be offered right here. I have a sneaking suspicion that once word really gets out about the gem we have right here, the 415 students we currently have enrolled in science majors and allied health fields will grow exponentially.
"I pledge to continue to work with the
partners who helped make this science center possible, my fellow
trustees, Dr. Flynn and school administrators, and the faculty to
continue to help Alvernia College grow and prosper and make a difference
for good in our community and in our state. Thank you." |