1. Running Head: ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE REFLECTION 1
ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE REFLECTION
MELISSA TOBIAS
ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY

2. ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE REFLECTION 2
ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE REFLECTION
“To Learn, To Love, To serve” is something I didn’t fully understand until I arrived at
Alvernia University. I have been to multiple college universities however I was never as
informed about such as motto as I was here. At Alvernia University that motto is instilled into
each individual that walks through the campus, whether they are a student, faculty member or
simply a guest. It is expected to be portrayed by everyone and it is not something that is taken
lightly. In all the other campuses I have visited over time, there is not a clear message like there
is at Alvernia University. When our community needs help, people rise to the occasion and when
people are suffering or grieving the entire campus is there to unite by prayers or condolences.
This place is more than just a university where students learn and teachers teach, this is a
community where people grow into human beings with good morals and values and grow into
better people spiritually and personally.
When I came to this campus, I only had one goal in mind and that was to finish my
degree and move forward. I did not realize I was entering a community of support as well as a
place I could turn to for help with anything I could possibly need. I went to meet with an advisor
and the next week I was attending classes, it happened so fast that I had no idea what I was
getting myself into. I hadn’t walked around the campus or knew where any of the buildings were,
and I’m still not sure I know where everything is on campus. However, my eyes were opened
very quickly on how much more Alvernia University is than just a place to obtain my degree.
I have met some of the best instructors that have ever taught at this university. They have
showed me how to be a better person and have challenged me to look deeper and expand my
vision both in the classroom and in life. I have been taught how to learn in a different way, since
this is one of my first experiences with multiple online classes. I have also been taught how to

3. ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE REFLECTION 3
love people’s differences and embrace that they visions and life challenges are not the same as
mine. I always thought I was pretty open to everyone and not quick to judge people, but coming
to Alvernia has opened my eyes even more to the diversity in every person, young and old.
Lastly, I never truly realized how important community service was until I got to give
back to my own personal community. We had a very unfortunate event happen last fall, where
my oldest son’s football teammate, at the age of seven, died in a car crash on the way home from
their football game. It is an event that shook me to my core, because I could relate so closely to
his mother since I had a child the same age. Our football community came together to raise
money for the little boy’s family and donated most of the money we made from the snack stand
to his parents. We attended his funeral where all the boys wore their football jerseys and sat in a
special section in the church. However, no action touched me more than when we held a lantern
vigil and set off approximately 90 paper lanterns in Cristian’s honor. To see the community
come together and watch as these little “lanterns of hope” were lifted in the sky is something that
still gives me goose bumps to this day. Alvernia has solidified this service for me, and has
pushed me to make it a permanent fixture in my life and hopefully something that I can pass on
to my children.
I do not ever get to give Cristian back to his mother, but I get to remind my children
every single day how short life can be and how important it is to live every day to the fullest and
tell the people you care about the most exactly what you want them to hear, because you never
know when today could be your last day. One of the most ethical issues right now I believe has
to do with life versus death. With the growing medical field, everyone is unsure about whether
one should be able to medically take their own life when faced with a terminal illness. It is
something that is becoming more popular throughout the United States and there are even some

4. ALVERNIA UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE REFLECTION 4
states that have already approved this behavior and promote it in their state. I think for each
person, they may feel some type of way about it, and it definitely doesn’t match what everyone
else is thinking. It is heavily debated and a lot of people feel very strongly about it.
We had this discussion in my medical moral ethics class, which is full of medical
personnel, regular students, adults, and many other working individuals. We all came from very
different backgrounds and have many different experiences to back up our beliefs. We had a long
discussion about ending one’s own life when faced with a terminal illness and everyone had very
different opinions on the matter. Some people have been faced with family members who have
died from terminal illnesses as well as people who have not come in contact with anyone that has
been dying. It was quite the discussion, with so many different opinions about one subject and it
really shows just have different people are and how based on their own personal experiences it
makes them look at it a specific way. However, what I loved was that we were able to have a
very open and honest conversation about it without anyone feeling disrespected or fighting.
What I have gained at Alvernia University is not something that can be measured it is
something that I feel inside of me. I have gained independence and confidence about myself and
my work. I have learned what hard work is and have met some really amazing people on this
journey. We do not know what our future holds or what will happen to us with the decisions that
we make but I think we all know that we always will have a place at Alvernia University and it
will always feel a little bit like home.