Reading, Pa., Nov. 17, 2009 -- Alvernia University and PNC Bank, N.A., announced today a new relationship, providing an emphasis on money management and financial responsibility for more than 4,000 students, faculty, and staff at the university.

The alliance school agreement will include financial education workshops for students and employees, hosted by PNC on Alvernia’s main campus, covering basic banking, credit management, and identity protection. These workshops will be part of the “First Year Experience” for students.

“PNC’s commitment to financial education and unique package of products and services, such as Virtual Wallet Student, will allow us to offer Alvernia students and employees convenient money management solutions, including the knowledge necessary to develop good financial habits,” said Dr. Joseph J. Cicala, vice president for university life.

Other features to be provided will include:
·        Personal banking products and services including Virtual Wallet Student (an online banking solution specially designed to help college students help themselves with money management).
·        Two on-campus PNC ATMs, including an advanced function ATM located in Bernardine Hall.
·        A co-branded PNC Bank Visa Check Card, emblazoned with the Alvernia Student Center and available to any PNC customer, to be used at ATMs and to make purchases anywhere Visa is accepted.
·        PNC AutoAlerts via e-mail and/or text message to help monitor spending and account balances.  
·        Customized web sites, hosted by PNC, where students and employees can complete account applications, manage their finances and find financial and educational information.

“We are ready to provide Alvernia students, faculty and staff with PNC resources proven to help colleges and universities make banking easier and more convenient for their campus communities,” said Nichole Hagan, assistant vice president and university banking relationship manager with PNC. “With the added convenience of ATMs and online banking, Alvernia customers will now be able to meet many of their personal banking needs right on campus.”

Alvernia is a private coeducational Franciscan University rooted in the Catholic and liberal arts traditions. It was founded in 1958 by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, a Catholic religious order.

The University enrolls 2,800 students including 1,400 traditional undergraduates, 620 continuing education students, and 780 graduate and doctoral students across three Pennsylvania locations – a 121-acre campus in Reading and two satellite facilities in Philadelphia and Pottsville, and offers 50 undergraduate programs of study including pre-professional programs in medicine, dentistry, law, and veterinary medicine. On the graduate level, it offers one doctoral program, six master’s degrees, graduate-level certification programs for education professionals, and a Seniors College for persons age 55 and over. Its mission is to provide a rigorous, caring, and inclusive learning community committed to academic excellence and to being and fostering broadly educated lifelong learners, reflective professionals and engaged citizens, and ethical learners with moral courage.

PNC has relationships with more than 100 schools across a 14-state region, including 19 alliance schools that have extensive relationships with PNC, including Penn State University, Marymount University and Seton Hall University.

PNC Bank is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com). PNC is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management and global fund services.