On Feb. 9, Joseph Bertz of Kennett Square volunteered at Tim Tebow Foundation's Night to Shine. For the first time since 2020, the event returned to Berks County and was hosted by Community Evangelical Church, in partnership with Alvernia University. Night to Shine is designed to be an unforgettable prom night that is hosted globally for people with special needs aged 14 and older. Bertz was one of over 400 Alvernia volunteers who celebrated the individuals by providing them with a night of joy and recognition.

“Alvernia is committed to personal and social transformation through integrated, community-based, inclusive, and ethical learning,” said Andrea Swift, Ed.D. the director of accessibility services. “The university holds to the ideal of "knowledge joined with love. “Night to Shine is focused on love for the honored guests and their families. Our students had the pleasure of sharing an incredible night celebrating unique individuals and ensuring that they know how valuable they are. Alvernia students also had the opportunity to put the knowledge they have learned in the classroom into practice as they helped with this community event.”

On the night, 160 in-person and 15 virtual guests enjoyed the royal treatment with a red carpet entrance with paparazzi, hair and make-up stations, karaoke, dancing, a catered dinner, and more. Bertz assisted in the Local Security Team. The Holleran Center's Education and Service Corps planned, organized, and facilitated the night. 

Across all Holleran Corps branches, the center hopes to instill a lifelong commitment to service in each member and fellow students. In addition to the Corps, occupational therapy students organized and ran a sensory room, physical therapy and health science students assisted anyone with balance and mobility concerns, and criminal justice students ran the security for the event. At the end of the night, Alvernia University president Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., and City of Reading Mayor Eddie Moran crowned everyone as prom king or queen.

“I am volunteering at the Night to Shine for the honored guests,” said occupational therapy student Lauren Janson. “I want the men and women to feel so loved and empowered by the community of people surrounding them. Night to Shine is an incredibly special event, and the fact that it is taking place right on campus this year makes it accessible to such a large body of eager volunteers. Alvernia's occupational therapy students have volunteered to manage the sensory room at Night to Shine. This will allow the students to receive real-world experience working with individuals in a therapeutic setting.”

By putting on an enjoyable night for individuals with special needs, Holleran Corps volunteers shared their passions with others while making a difference in the community, garnered leadership skills, and became problem solvers. The hard work and dedication of Alvernia's students, staff, faculty, and the members of the Community Evangelical Church to make this event a night to remember is in alignment with the Franciscan tradition and commitment to experiential learning at Alvernia University.