Community Impact
Lebanon Valley College has been an integral partner with the residents, businesses, and organizations of Annville, greater Lebanon Valley, and Pennsylvania for more than 155 years. The people of LVC make a positive daily impact on Annville and the broader community through their volunteer service, financial support of local business and charitable organizations, and taxes paid to local and state governments—a more than $165 million impact statewide according to a 2018 analysis (conducted every five years) by the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (AICUP). The study noted that LVC supports 1,167 jobs throughout the state through purchase of goods and services and generates $7.1 million in tax revenue annually for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and local governments. A 2019 AICUP report noted that LVC represents 14% of total jobs in Annville.
LVC students, faculty, employees, and alumni volunteer thousands of service hours each year for numerous area organizations. They buy goods and services that create jobs and support local businesses. LVC employees purchase homes in the community and are active as charitable board members, volunteer firefighters, and nonprofit volunteers.
In addition to being Lebanon County’s 13th largest employer, the College’s engaged involvement in the region positively affects all areas of society, ranging from partnerships with local schools to the many free campus-based benefits shared with the community. Here is a sampling of how LVC has been involved with the local community in recent years.
Faculty and students engage in numerous high-impact academic experiences in partnership with local schools and non-profits and provide thousands of hours of work through internships.
Faculty, students, and staff volunteer for numerous organizations and events, including serving on boards, assisting with fundraising, and conducting research and other academic projects.
The College understands the community’s financial needs. Since the 2001–2002 academic year, the College has made more than $1.4 million in voluntary contributions to the Annville Community (Annville Township, Annville-Cleona School District, Annville Free Library, Union Hose Fire Co., Union Hose Fire Truck, Downtown Project, Streetscape Project, other). In addition to outright donations, the College provides additional financial value to the local community through:
- The financial value of the volunteer services provided by College faculty, staff, and students.
- Taxes paid by College employees for goods and services, including home ownership, and for local and state earned income.
- Dollars spent by faculty, staff, and students in the community.
- The academic and volunteer services provided by faculty, students, and staff to non-profits.
- The value of free and/or low-cost events and facilities made available to the local community.
Education
Lebanon Valley College provides Annville-Cleona School District students 26 scholarship classes each semester (worth more than $357,000 dating back to July 2001). The College also has agreements with two Lebanon County school districts for their students to be dually enrolled at LVC. Finally, the College is offering business and criminal justice classes at the Milton Hershey School (MHS) this year, as well as hosting MHS students on campus for classes.
In fall 2021, LVC enrolled 224 full-time students from Lebanon County. Of these students, 86% were awarded $5,249,139 in grants and scholarships directly from LVC. As of August 31, this percentage and amount was expected to increase as the other 14% complete their paperwork.
Payroll
Lebanon Valley College employed 255 full-time faculty, part-time faculty, and administrative staff in 2020 who reside in the greater Annville area representing a payroll of $3 million. LVC’s total payroll for all employees in that same year totaled $24.2 million.
Taxes
The College has traditionally kept properties on the local tax rolls except when they have a direct educational purpose. At present, the College maintains 13 Annville/North Annville properties on the tax rolls. Since 2012, the College has paid more than $643,234 in township, county, and school taxes.
Voluntary Contributions to the Annville Community (since 2001–2002)
- Annville Township ($443,900)
- Annville-Cleona School District ($333,700)
- Annville Free Library ($4,000)
- Union Hose Fire Company ($58,600)
- Union Hose Fire Truck ($50,000)
- Downtown Project ($250,000)
- Streetscape Project ($250,000)
- Other ($34,050)
Total = $1,424,250
All Dutchmen athletic teams support at least one charity, ranging from volunteering and hosting games dedicated to awareness and fundraising, to hosting children afflicted by a disease to running educational awareness events. All LVC student-athletes have adopted a stretch of Route 934, and support community-wide programs such as Step Up! and It’s on Us! The College’s athletic facilities are also used by numerous area organizations ranging from events such as military recruitment to high school graduations to PIAA high school playoff contest.
Lebanon Valley College students annually volunteered more than 20,000 hours of their time during the five years before the pandemic, equaling $533,868 worth of service for the Lebanon County community and beyond. The students served in partnership with more than 80 community service organizations and initiatives.
The College values its close relationship with the Annville community. A healthy and vibrant town benefits the community and Lebanon Valley College. As such, the College is an open campus and invites community members to numerous free, or low cost, events each year and offers campus facilities for community use throughout each academic year. Here is a sampling of additional community benefits provided by the College:
LVC Sports Center
The Edward H. Arnold Sports Center and Heilman Center provide recreational activities and fitness programs that are available to area residents for an affordable fee. Also, the College is a planned evacuation site for the American Red Cross and the Milton Hershey School. It also hosts public events, such as the 2015 U.S. Army Soldier Show. Moreover, local and regional schools use our award-winning athletic fields for interscholastic competition and practice.
Alumni
More than 2,297 LVC alumni live in Lebanon County (2,131 households), and 349 LVC alumni live in the greater Annville (315 households).
Local Schools
The Lebanon Valley Education Partnership (LVEP) was established in 1989 between LVC and the Lebanon School District to encourage children to study, stay in school, and aspire to attend college. Currently, there are 12 LVEP scholars pursuing an LVC degree, and 58 have graduated, receiving free tuition. The College also hosts the graduation ceremonies for Annville-Cleona High School and Palmyra High School, as well as their post-graduation and post-prom parties.
LVC has a reverse transfer agreement with HACC that provides a pathway for students, currently enrolled at Lebanon Valley College, to transfer credits achieved at Lebanon Valley College back to HACC to earn an associate degree from HACC. The two partner colleges also have a Dual Admission Program that enables students to receive administrative support as they work toward earning degrees from two regionally recognized institutions. LVC also has an articulation agreement with Reading Area Community College.
Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation Clinic
The Lebanon Valley College Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation Clinic provides physical therapy care to the LVC community and public. Licensed physical therapists provide treatment, and most insurance plans are accepted. The College’s upper-level physical therapy students and the department also provide free physical therapy treatment for referred patients of the Lebanon Free Clinic and Volunteers in Medicine Free Health Clinic through the CURE (Compassion Undenied Rehabilitation Experience) program.
Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic
The College’s new Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders (opened fall 2020 virtually) is a free clinic available to children and adults with communication and swallowing disorders. Evaluations and interventions are provided by graduate student clinicians supervised by highly trained clinical educators with years of clinical experience.
The Arts
Many LVC educational events and programs are open and free to the community. These include an annual free performance by the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, ValleyFest, Christmas at The Valley, concerts, recitals, student theater, and art shows. Each year, the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery features several exhibits ranging from local artists to historical masters. Moreover, Gallery faculty and art majors conduct free projects in the community and local schools, including at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Also, the student-run theater group—Wig and Buckle—stage low-cost plays and musicals to which the public is warmly invited each year.
Faculty and students in our Art & Visual Culture and Creative Writing programs partner with the Lebanon VA Medical Center to work with veterans toward using art and creative writing as therapeutic tools.
Vernon and Doris Bishop Library Vernon and Doris Bishop Library
Residents can borrow from the more than 143,000 items in the Vernon and Doris Bishop Library print monograph collection. Also, from within the library, visitors can access more than 457,000 electronic books, 123,000 electronic journals, and 200 online databases.
We are proud of the deep and mutually beneficial relationship between the College and its neighbors and are grateful for the connections that make the Lebanon Valley such a beautiful place to live.
September 3, 2021