Campus News
Spring Fling Students kicked off this year’s Spring Fling celebration with Quad 2012. A highlight of the spring semester, the event featured music, games, and a hotly contested battle to name Alvernia’s Ultimate Athlete.
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Kingman named Newman Civic Fellow Jennifer Kingman, a junior secondary education and biology major at Alvernia, was honored as a 2012 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact. The national award recognizes inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated a personal commitment to changing their communities. Kingman was among 162 college students from 32 states chosen by member college and university presidents. Kingman is a leader on campus and a peer tutor in the university’s Learning Center, where she helps other students with writing, statistics and chemistry. She also serves on committees and student groups on campus. She is the event planning chair for Students Teaching Others Peace, an Orientation Day of Service leader and Planning Committee member for the campus-wide Earth Day of Service. Kingman was also a leader for Eco Fun Day at Angelica Park, an annual event that brings sixth-grade Reading School District students into the field to learn about natural habitat. According to Campus Compact, Newman Civic Fellows make the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves and root causes of some of the most pressing social issues. “This is a tremendous honor for Alvernia and Jennifer,” said Joe Cicala, vice president for University Life and dean of students. “Jennifer demonstrates the type of civic engagement that sets an example for others, on our campus and within the community.”
Interfaith dialog: behind the veil
As the makeup of society continues to become increasingly diverse, interest in gaining a deeper understanding of different faiths and cultures has also grown. That’s been especially true of the Muslim faith and community. And one of the most misunderstood aspects of the Muslim faith tradition is the veil worn by some Muslim women. Veils range from the hijab, which covers the hair, to the burqua, which cloaks the entire face and body. Dr. Tiffenia Archie, a director in the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy and Leadership at Temple University, says the choice to wear a veil in the Muslim community is exactly that: a choice. Parents and husbands may encourage a woman to cover, but it is ultimately a decision made between that woman and God. Archie and her mother Karima were part of a “Voices in the Veil” panel discussion at Alvernia, sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Initiatives. Students and community members packed Bernardine Lecture Hall to hear their views and ask compelling questions. “It’s so interesting that for Muslim women, the veil is more than a piece of cloth, it’s a state of mind,” said Alvernia senior Allison Pierce. Archie explained that in ancient times, only women of high status were allowed to cover, and that the veil was a symbol of faith that protected them from molestation. Some researchers actually argue that Muslims adapted the practice of veiling from Christians. Today, the veil still symbolizes their religion, but it inspires more than it protects.
Alvernia University Magazine
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