Pitt traces its roots to thePittsburgh Academy founded byHugh Henry Brackenridge in 1787. While the city was still on theedge of the American frontier at the time, Pittsburgh's rapid growth meant that a proper university was soon needed, and Pitt's charter was altered in 1819 to confer university status on it as theWestern University of Pennsylvania. After surviving two fires and several relocations, the university moved to its current location in Pittsburgh'sOakland neighborhood, and by act of the state legislature was renamed the University of Pittsburgh in 1908. Pitt was a private institution until 1966, when it became part of theCommonwealth System of Higher Education.
Founded byHugh Henry Brackenridge asPittsburgh Academy in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is one of the few universities and colleges established in the 18th century in the United States. It is the oldest continuously chartered institution of learning in the U.S. west of theAllegheny Mountains.[9] The school began as a preparatory school, presumably in alog cabin, possibly as early as 1770[10] in Western Pennsylvania, then a frontier.[11] Brackenridge obtained a charter for the school from the state legislature of theCommonwealth of Pennsylvania on February 28, 1787, just ten weeks before the opening of theConstitutional Convention in Philadelphia.[12][13] A brick building was erected in 1790 on the south side of Third Street and Cherry Alley for the Pittsburgh Academy.[14][15] The small two-story brick building, with a gable facing the alley, contained three rooms: one below and two above.[16]
The university in 1833 at its location on 3rd Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh
Within a short period, more advanced education in the area was needed, so in 1819 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania amended the school's 1787 charter to confer university status. The school was named theWestern University of Pennsylvania, or WUP, and was intended to be the western sister institution to theUniversity of Pennsylvania inPhiladelphia.[13][17] By 1830, WUP had moved into a new three-story, freestone-fronted building, with Ionic columns and a cupola, near its original buildings fronting the south side of Third Street, between Smithfield Street and Cherry Alley in downtown Pittsburgh. By the 1830s, the university faced severe financial pressure to abandon its traditional liberal education in favor of thestate legislature's desire for it to provide more vocational training. The decision to remain committed to liberal education nearly killed the university, but it persevered despite its abandonment by the city and state.[18]
The university's buildings, along with most of its records and files, were destroyed in theGreat Fire of 1845 that wiped out 20 square blocks of Pittsburgh. Classes were temporarily held inTrinity Church until a new building was constructed on Duquesne Way (on what was the site of the formerHorne's department store). Four years later, in 1849, this building also was destroyed by fire. Due to the catastrophic nature of these fires, operations were suspended for a few years to allow the university time to regroup and rebuild. By 1854, WUP had erected a new building on the corner of Ross and Diamond (now Forbes Avenue) streets (site of the present dayCity-County building) and classes resumed in 1855. It is during this era, in 1867, thatSamuel Pierpont Langley, astronomer, inventor, aviation pioneer and future Secretary of theSmithsonian Institution, was chosen as director of theAllegheny Observatory that was donated to WUP in 1865. Langley was professor of astronomy and physics and remained at WUP until 1891, when he was succeeded by another prominent astronomer,James Keeler. Growing quickly during this period, WUP outgrew its downtown facilities and the university moved its campus toAllegheny City (present-dayNorth Side).[19][14][15]
The university eventually found itself on a 10-acre (4.0 ha) site on the North Side'sObservatory Hill at the location of itsAllegheny Observatory. There, it constructed two new buildings, Science Hall and Main Hall, that were occupied by 1889 and 1890 respectively. During this era, the first collegiate football team was formed at Pitt in 1889. In 1892, the Western Pennsylvania Medical College was amalgamated into the university (now theUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine). By 1893, the university had graduated its first African-American,William Hunter Dammond.[20] In 1895 WUP established its School of Law, andAndrew Carnegie andGeorge Westinghouse were elected to the board of trustees, where they joinedAndrew Mellon, who had been elected in 1894. The Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy and Pittsburgh Dental School also joined the university in 1896. In 1898, the first women, sisters Margaret and Stella Stein, graduated from the university.[21] During this period, university engineering professorReginald Fessenden was conducting pioneering work in radio broadcasting. By 1904, playing atExposition Park, the university had its first undefeated football team.[19][14][15][22]
TheCathedral of Learning, the centerpiece of Pitt's campus and the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere
Citing a need to avoid confusion, distinguish itself from the University of Pennsylvania, and return to its roots by identifying itself with the city, the Western University of Pennsylvania, by act of the state legislature, was renamed theUniversity of Pittsburgh in the summer of 1908. During this time, the university had also outgrown its accommodations on what is now theNorth Side and its departments had been scattered throughout the city for years. To consolidate all of its components on one campus, WUP bought 43 acres (17 ha) of land in December 1907 in what is now the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh and began relocating departments there by 1909.[23] The initial campus plan for the new location centered on the winning submission from a national architectural contest that incorporated a Greek Acropolis design byHenry Hornbostel for 30 buildings.[24] However, due to financial and other constraints, only four of the buildings were constructed in this style, of which onlyThaw Hall remains today. In the fall of 1909, the university became the first college to adopt thepanther as its mascot.[25] It was also during this period that the university, led by ChancellorSamuel McCormick, again held off pressures to abandon the school's commitment to liberal education in favor of more technical-based training. During his administration, McCormick also led the university into a new level of national recognition, expansion, and growth, as well as beginning institutional support of athletics.[24]
In the 1920s, new university chancellorJohn Gabbert Bowman declared that he had a vision for a centerpiece "tall building" for the university. The 14-acre (5.7 ha) Frick Acres property in Oakland was soon purchased and plans for the campus shifted focus from the hillside to a neo-Gothic Revival plan that today comprises theCathedral of Learning,Heinz Memorial Chapel,Stephen Foster Memorial, andClapp Hall buildings. By 1925, Bowman had settled on a design byCharles Klauder for the "tall building": an attention-getting 535-foot (163 m) tower whose great height, with open spaces all around, would suggest the "character that ought to be in an educated man." The building's "parallel lines going up and up...would express courage [and] fearlessness" and it would "unify Pittsburgh into a community conscious of its character." The cathedral is "cut off" flat at the top to suggest that its lines, like education, have no ending. The building was financed by donors and by a campaign to collect dimes from local school children. Bowman was a persuasive leader and although theGreat Depression intervened, the Cathedral of Learning, on which construction was begun in 1926, began hosting classes in 1931 and was formally dedicated in 1937. Today, it remains the second tallest university building in the world and contains an equally impressive interior highlighted by a 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) Gothic hall Commons Room with 52-foot-tall (16 m) arches currently surrounded by 31 Nationality Rooms.
Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh.
In the early 20th century, epidemics ofpolio began to hit the United States and other industrialized countries. As hospitals filled with patients iniron lungs, and tens of thousands were left disabled, the fear of polio grew, leading to the closing of many public facilities. Meanwhile,Jonas Salk had set up the University of Pittsburgh's Virus Research Lab in the basement of what is nowSalk Hall. By 1951, Salk and his team had begun immunization experiments in monkeys using dead polio virus. Soon, however, Salk began to test inoculations in paralyzed polio patients and by 1953 human trials among the general population were initiated. By the spring of the following year, the largest controlled field trials in medical history were underway, and by 1955 thevaccine developed by Salk and his researchers was declared effective. By 1962, Salk's vaccine had reduced the incidence of polio in the United States by 95 percent. The breakthroughs in immunology and vaccine development at Pitt by Salk and his team are considered one of the most significant scientific and medical achievements in history.[26][27]
In 1966, Pitt was designated byPennsylvania as astate-related university. As such, Pitt receives public funds ($154.3 million in fiscal year 2016) covering about 7% of its operating budget,[28] and offers reduced tuition to Pennsylvania residents. Pitt retains independent control. Upon affiliation with the state, subsidized tuition led to a massive influx of new students and rapid expansion of Pitt's size and scope. In the 1970s, Pitt's football team returned to greatness with a national championship season in 1976 led byHall of Fame running backTony Dorsett and continued success in the 1980s with players such asHall of Fame quarterbackDan Marino. In the 1980s, significant medical research in the field oforgan transplantation was conducted byThomas Starzl, establishing Pitt as the world leader in the field of organ transplantation. In 1991, chancellorWesley Posvar retired after 24 years in office. His administration is best known for elimination of the university's debt from its 1960s financial crisis and for increasing the school's prestige and endowment. Under Posvar, Pitt's operating budget grew sevenfold to $630 million and its endowment tripled to $257 million.[29]
Mark Nordenberg was chancellor of the university from 1995 to 2014 and led Pitt through a period of substantial progress, including a $2-billion capital-raising campaign that is over three quarters of the way toward achieving its goal[30] and a $1-billion 12-year facilities plan.[31] Major initiatives and events that have occurred during his tenure include the construction of thePetersen Events Center, a major expansion of on-campus housing, the growth of theUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the restructuring of its relationship with the university, and a series ofdisruptive bomb threats that occurred in 2012.
Patrick D. Gallagher was named the 18th chancellor of the university and assumed the office on August 1, 2014.[32]
The University of Pittsburgh's main campus comprises approximately 132 urban acres (0.53 km2) located in Pittsburgh's historicOakland neighborhood. Much of the campus, including its centerpiece 42-storyCathedral of Learning, falls within theOakland Civic Center/Schenley Farms National Historic District.[33] contains an eclectic mix of architecture that includes Greek revival, Neogothic, Italian Renaissance, and modern.[citation needed] It has been termed "a theme park of replica buildings, representing the architecture of the past speaking to the present."[34]
The University of Pittsburgh's main campus contains four contiguous sections: upper (sports complexes,residence halls); mid (Benedum,Chevron,Allen andThaw Halls); lower (Cathedral of Learning,Union,Posvar Hall); and on the west end of campus, themedical center complex. The campus is bordered by Darragh Street/McKee Place to the west and Bellefield Avenue/Dithridge Street to the east; Forbes and Fifth avenues traverse the campus from west to east. Although generally within walking distance, the university also runs abus and shuttle service between various campus locations and bordering neighborhoods.[35]
Regional campuses allow students to take preliminary courses and relocate to other regional campuses or the Oakland campus to complete their degrees. They offer several degrees and certificates:
The University of Pittsburgh has been noted for both its role in community outreach and its impact on the economy of the city and theWestern Pennsylvania region. In 2009, Pitt was ranked second overall, and the top public university in the nation, as a "Best Neighbor" for positive impact on its urban community, including both commercial and residential activities such as revitalization, cultural renewal, economics, and community service and development according to the "Saviors of Our Cities" ranking.[58] Pitt was also listed as a "best neighbor" in the previous ranking released in 2006.[59] These rankings reflect the statistics that each year Pitt spends more than $1.7 billion in the community and supports nearly 33,800 jobs inAllegheny County. The university is the Pittsburgh region's second largest non-government employer behind its affiliatedUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).[60] Pitt's research program alone imports more than $822 million into the region each year (more than $3.60 for each $1 of state appropriations), and supports some 23,100 local jobs.[61][14][23] Pitt students also spend more than $213 million on goods, services, and rental payments within the local economy.[62] Pitt ranked sixth in the number of startups spawned by technologies developed by its researchers according to Association of University Technology Managers.[63]
Pitt and itsmedical school are the academic partners of the closely affiliated the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. With over 1450 employees and $1 billion annual revenue, UPMC is the largest non-government employer in Pennsylvania.[64]
Through the Pitt Volunteer Pool, faculty and staff members donate more than 10,000 hours annually to community service projects for agencies such as the Salvation Army, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, and Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Pitt is a leading producer ofPeace Corps volunteers.[62][65] According to the Peace Corps' 2008 ranking of colleges and universities, only 14 schools in the nation produced more Peace Corps volunteers.[66] Pitt's graduate school also ranked tenth for most alumni Peace Corps volunteers.[67]
The University of Pittsburgh has undertaken programs to improvesustainability initiatives and practices. Pitt started programs in ecology and established biological field stations in 1926.[68] In 1990, Pitt was one of the first 22 signatories of theTalloires Declaration.[69] In 2003, Pitt founded its Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation.[70][71] In 2013, Pitt released its first sustainability report[72] and in 2014 celebrated a "Year of Sustainability"[73] by launching a Student Office of Sustainability that now has over 25 affiliated student organizations.[74] In 2018, Pitt published its first comprehensive "Pitt Sustainability Plan",[75] established the Office of Sustainability,[76] and hired its first director of sustainability.[77][78] In 2020, Pitt committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2037 (its 250th anniversary)[79] and its first climate action plan came out in 2022.[80]
In 2018, the university announced its intention to buy all of the electricity from a run-of-the-river hydro power facility to be built byRye Development at Allegheny Lock and Dam No. 2 on the Allegheny River in 2023.[87] In 2020, the university announced a second local renewable power purchasing agreement, for solar power to be built on the border ofBeaver and Allegheny counties near Pittsburgh International Airport.[88]
The university has been criticized for some of its financial investments, namely those in thefossil fuel industry.[89][90] In 2020, a Board report disclosed that endowment exposure to fossil fuels had decreased 42% between 2015 and 2020, with zero private investments in fossil fuels by the end of 2035.[91]
The university was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1787 and it operated as a fully private institution until an alteration to its charter in 1966 at which point it became part of theCommonwealth System of Higher Education. This conferred "state-related" status to the university making it a legal instrument of the Commonwealth which provides an annual financial appropriation, currently 7.7% of the university's total operating budget,[92] in exchange for the university offering tuition discounts to students who are residents of Pennsylvania. Legally, however, the university remains a private entity, operating under its nonprofit corporate charter, governed by its independent Board of Trustees, and with its assets under its own ownership and control. Therefore, it retains the freedom and individuality of a private institution, both administratively and academically, setting its own standards for admissions, awarding of degrees, faculty qualifications, teaching, and staff hiring.[b]
The university's board of trustees maintains ultimate legal authority, governance, and responsibility for the university but specifically reserves authority over selecting the university's chancellor; approval of major policies, particularly those related to the fiduciary responsibilities of the board; and the definition of the university's mission and goals. It is made up of 36 voting members: chancellor, 17 term trustees elected by the board, 6 alumni trustees elected by the board on nomination from the Alumni Association Board of directors, and 12 Commonwealth trustees. Thegovernor of Pennsylvania, the president pro tempore of thePennsylvania Senate, and the speaker of thePennsylvania House of Representatives each appoints four of the 12 Commonwealth trustees. Additional non-voting trustees include 14 special trustees and additional emeritus trustees selected by the board. Non-voting ex-officio members include the governor of Pennsylvania, thesecretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the chief executive ofAllegheny County, and themayor of Pittsburgh. There are three or more regular meetings of the Board of Trustees per year.[96]
The Board of Trustees selects the university's chancellor, who doubles as the chief academic officer and the chief executive of the university as well as serving as an ex officio voting member of the board of trustees. The chancellor is delegated with general administrative, academic, and management authority over the university. Under the chancellor are the provost and senior vice chancellor, the senior vice chancellor for health sciences, the deans of the various schools, the presidents of the regional campuses, department chairs, and the directors of university centers and institutes.[96] The university is accredited by theMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools.[97]
Throughout its history, Pitt has been committed to a liberal arts education with a curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities.[18] Pitt also has emphasized undergraduate research experience and opportunities such as co-ops and internships.[98] Undergraduate degrees can be earned as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Philosophy. Along with providing certificate programs, graduate level master's, professional, and doctoral degrees are also awarded. Pitt has also initiated a university-wide Outside the Classroom Curriculum (OCC) that includes a structured series of extracurricular programs and experiences designed to complement students' academic studies and help develop personal attributes and professional skills.[99] Students who complete the OCC requirements receive an OCC "transcript" and a green cord of distinction to wear at commencement.[100] Pitt offers free workshops and certification programs such as a pedagogy certification badge[101] and a semester-long public education mentorship program.[102] Distinguished undergraduate programs are offered through the David C. Frederick Honors College.[103]
The 2022 annual ranking ofU.S. News & World Report categorizes University of Pittsburgh as "more selective".[105] For the Class of 2026 (enrolled fall 2022), Pitt received 53,062 applications and accepted 26,077 (49.1%). Of those accepted, 4,399 enrolled, ayield rate (the percentage of accepted students who choose to attend the university) of 16.8%.[104][106] Pitt's freshmanretention rate is 93.4%, with 84.3% going on to graduate within six years.[104]
The university started test-optional admissions with the Fall 2021 incoming class in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has extended this through Fall 2025. Of the 49% of enrolled freshmen in 2021 who submittedSAT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite scores were 1250–1470.[104] Of the 16% of the incoming freshman class who submittedACT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 28 and 33.[104]
Pitt is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored 3 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 10 freshman students wereNational Merit Scholars.[107]
The Indian Classroom, one of 31Nationality Rooms in the Cathedral of Learning
The university's historic emphasis on international studies is physically present in its collection of 31Nationality Rooms on the first and third floors of theCathedral of Learning. Pitt is also one of the country's leading producers of both Fulbright scholars and Peace Corps volunteers,[62][116] and one of fewer than 20 American universities to claim five or more area studies programs that have been competitively designated as National Resource Centers by theU.S. Department of Education.[117]
Pitt's National Resource Centers include Asian, European, Latin American, Russian and East European, and Global studies,[118] as well as Pitt's International Business Center.[117] In addition, Pitt's Asian Studies Center has been awarded status as aConfucius Institute by the Chinese Ministry of Education.[119][120] Further, Pitt is home to one of just tenEuropean Union Centers of Excellence in the U.S., funded by theEuropean Commission.[121]
TheUniversity Center for International Studies (UCIS) coordinates international education curricula, centers on topical specializations in international studies, and the centers for area studies, including the National Resource Centers, among existing faculty and departments throughout the university. It does not confer degrees, but awards certificates of attainment to degree candidates in the university's schools and also operates certificate programs in African Studies (undergraduate) and in Global Studies (undergraduate & graduate).[122] UCIS also operates the Study Abroad Office,[123] Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs.[124]
Pitt's study abroad program, under the auspices of UCIS, helps to facilitate student study in over a hundred different countries, and oversees a variety of programs including the Panther Programs, which are course taught abroad that have been developed and are accompanied by faculty of the university; two-way exchange agreements with foreign institutions; and Pitt-recognized, third-party exchange programs.[125] The university also offers several study abroad scholarships, including those through the Nationality Rooms program.[126] In addition, following the decision to end a 24-year sponsorship of theSemester at Sea program due to academic, administrative and safety concerns,[127] Pitt has created a Multi-region Academic Program (PittMAP) that involves international travel, accompanied by university faculty, to three different continents for the comparative study of one of six rotating global study themes.[128][129] Further, Pitt'sSwanson School of Engineering has also established a joint engineering institute and program withSichuan University inChengdu,[130] and Pitt'sSchool of Medicine has established an exchange program for biomedical research students withTsinghua University inBeijing, China.[131]
The 2025Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education college rankings of World Universities ranked Pitt 141st overall.[141] Pitt ranked 75th worldwide in the 2024 Center for World University Rankings.[142] Pitt also ranked 90th worldwide in the 2024Academic Ranking of World Universities.[143] Pitt ranked 275th globally in the 2025QS World University Rankings.[144]
Pitt ranks 25th of all universities in the world for the impact and performance of its 2016 scientific public publications according to the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities produced by theHigher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT).[145] Pitt ranks as the 42nd best higher education research institution worldwide according toSCImago Institutions Rankings' 2016 World Report.[146]
The 52 ft (16 m) high, half acre (2,000 m2)Commons Room of the Cathedral of Learning serves as a major study and event space for the university and its students.
Pitt is also a leading producer ofFulbright scholars, placing in the top 20 among all universities for total number of student Fulbright scholars.[158]
Pitt is a member of theAssociation of American Universities. TheNational Science Foundation ranked Pitt 18th among American universities for research and development expenditures in 2021 with $1.13 billion.[160][161] Pitt ranked in the top 25 of all universities in the world for the impact and performance of its scientific public publications, including in the top ten for clinical medicine, according to the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities produced by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan.[145] Pitt is also ranked 29th in the world based on Essential Science Indicators according to the Research Center for Chinese Science Evaluation ofWuhan University.[162] Pitt places much emphasis on undergraduate research and has integrated such research experience as a key component of its undergraduate experience.[98]
Pitt is a major center of biomedical research; in FY 2013, it ranked sixth in the nation in competitive peer-reviewedNIH funding allocations,[163] and theUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center ranked tenth among hospitals nationwide byUSNews in 2013.[164]
Pitt neighbors the campus ofCarnegie Mellon University (CMU), and in some cases, buildings of the two universities are intermingled. This helps to facilitate a myriad of academic and research collaborations between the two schools,[165] including such projects as thePittsburgh Supercomputing Center, thePittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, the Immune Modeling Center, the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, theUniversity of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, as well as the National Science Foundation-supported Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center.[166][167] Further, the universities also offer multiple dual and joint degree programs such as theMedical Scientist Training Program, the Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology Graduate Program, and the Law and Business Administration program. Some professors hold joint professorships between the two schools, and students at each university may take classes at the other (with appropriate approvals).[168] Pitt students and faculty also have access to the CMU library system, as well as theCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh, through the Oakland Library Consortium.[169] The two universities also co-host academic conferences, such as the 2012 Second Language Research Forum.[170]
Undergraduate student housing comprises both traditional residence halls and apartment style housing. On the lower campus, the three cylindrical towers of theLitchfield Towers complex houses the most students on campus and contains the primary dining facility for the university. TheSchenley Quadrangle, originally serving as one of city's most desirably luxury apartment complexes, comprises five separate residence halls: Amos, Brackenridge, Bruce, Holland, and McCormick. Bruce Hall houses many Honors College and Living and Learning Community (LLC) students, Holland Hall formerly served as an all female residence, and Amos Hall serves as the primary home of the university's sororities with each floor being occupied by a different Greek organization.Ruskin Hall is located nearClapp Hall and thebiological complex. Completed in 2013,Nordenberg Hall is the newest residence hall houses freshmen.Forbes Hall, located on Forbes Avenue, houses mainly freshmen involved in LLCs (Living Learning Communities).Lothrop Hall, originally built as a nursing student residence, houses students on themedical center complex.Bouquet Gardens offers garden style apartments mostly to upperclassmen. The Forbes Craig Apartments serve as the primary residence for Honors College students.
Sutherland Hall on the upper campus is named for legendary Pitt football coachJock Sutherland.
The upper campus housesSutherland Hall, home of several Living Learning Communities, as well asPanther Hall andIrvis Hall, which mainly house upperclassmen. Various fraternity housing is also found on the upper campus, as well as the Darragh Street Apartments which house medical students within a short walk to medical school'sScaife Hall.
Many students, especially upperclassmen, also choose to live off campus in the nearbySouth Oakland neighborhood in both university and non-university owned apartments.
Several traditions have become part of student life at Pitt over the years. One of the oldest traditions is "Lantern Night", an annual ceremony that serves as a formal induction for freshman women to university life.[92][59] The tradition of sliding or stepping on the former home plate ofForbes Field embedded in the floor ofPosvar Hall is performed by students in search of some good luck.[172][173][174][175] Another good luck tradition involves rubbing the nose of theMillennium Panther outside theWilliam Pitt Union prior to exams.[176] Originated by students seeking good luck on exams, this tradition has further grown into one that is used by the wider university community when seeking general good fortune, particularly prior to football games or other athletic contests, and was featured in a national television advertisement for the 2012Hyundai Tucson automobile.[177] A romantic tradition involves the legend stating that if lovers kiss on the steps ofHeinz Memorial Chapel, they are then destined to be married there.[178] Perhaps the most prestigious tradition involves the Omicron Delta Kappa Walk, a stone walkway between theCathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel that contains the engraved names of Pitt'sOmicron Delta Kappa Senior of the Year award winners.[179]
Annual traditional events include "Fall Fest",[19] and in the spring, "Bigelow Bash". These festivals are held by the Pitt Program Council between theWilliam Pitt Union and the Cathedral of Learning and involve a range of activities, novelties, and bands.[180] Related to graduation, there is Honors Convocation, where awards and recognition are bestowed upon students, faculty, alumni, and staff throughout the schools and departments of the university.[48] Also, the "Panther Sendoff" is a free annual reception typically held inAlumni Hall to congratulate each year's graduating class and wish them well.[181] A free event open to the public, theNationality Rooms Open House occurs on a Sunday in early December each year in the Cathedral of Learning and involves the presentation of the rooms decorated in traditional holiday styles, day-long performances of dance and song by various ethnic groups, and food and crafts from many of the nationality room's committees.[182]
Varsity Walk
Traditions related to athletics include the "Victory Lights", where golden flood lights illuminate the top of the Cathedral of Learning after every football victory and select other athletic achievements.[183][184][185] The Annual Bonfire and Pep Rally which is hosted by the Pitt Program Council and is held prior to a select football game. Held on the lawn of theCathedral of Learning, it often involves the band, cheerleaders, football team, visiting dignitaries, and giveaways.[183][186] Homecoming, which revolves around another home football game each year, includes a traditional fireworks and a laser-light display between theWilliam Pitt Union and theCathedral of Learning.[187] The Varsity Walk, a walkway between theCathedral of Learning andHeinz Memorial Chapel, is carved each year the names of former Pitt athletes (each year since 1950) who have promoted the university through their athletic (Panther Award) or academic (Blue-Gold Award) achievements.[188]
"Greek Week" is a yearlong initiative for the Greek organizations on campus to raise money for different charitable organizations through different events. The two biggest events each year are the Pitt Dance Marathon and Greek Sing. Yearlong fundraising activities are also held to support such charitable organizations such as theRonald McDonald House,Make a Wish Foundation,University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and the Pittsburgh Food Bank.[189] "E-Week" is a spring celebration organized by the Engineer Student Council for a week-long series of activities and competitions to demonstrate engineering skills and foster a spirit of camaraderie. Activities include games such as Monopoly, Ingenuity, Jeopardy, Assassins, and include a talent show, relay race, mini-Olympics, and blood drive. The festivities reach climax with a parade on Friday, a soapbox derby on Saturday, and the "e-ball finale" on Saturday evening. Each year, a unique theme is chosen. Each engineering department competes against the others, while some smaller departments join forces.[190][191]
Pitt Arts is a program founded by the university in 1997 to encourage students to explore and connect to the art and cultural opportunities of the City of Pittsburgh via three programs. Art Encounters provides trips to arts events for undergrads that include free tickets, transportation, a catered reception, and encounters with international artists and thinkers. Free Visits grants undergrad and grad students free admission using their Pitt IDs to theCarnegie Museum of Art,Carnegie Museum of Natural History,Senator John Heinz History Center,Phipps Conservatory,Mattress Factory, and theAndy Warhol Museum.[192][193]
Various student theater groups convene at Pitt.University of Pittsburgh Stages is the production company of the Department of Theatre Arts which puts public student performances of classic masterpieces, contemporary productions, and student-directed labs. It also runs the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools which tours classic theater for K-12 students throughout the Pittsburgh area.[194]Friday Nite Improvs, Pittsburgh's longest-running theatre show, was started in 1989 by graduate theatre students. It takes place weekly inside theCathedral of Learning's studio theatre.[195] The Redeye Theatre Project is a festival of one-act plays cast, written, and rehearsed in 24 hours.[196] Pitt Musical Theater Club provides undergraduates the opportunity to perform in student-directed variety shows and musicals. The club was founded in 2009.[197]
The University of Pittsburgh Women's Choral Ensemble, founded in 1927,[199] is open to all women of the university including undergraduates, graduate students, and staff. The ensemble leads the traditional lamplighter processional each fall and performs repertory ranging from traditional sacred and secular classics to international folk songs, popular music, and show tunes.[200]
Heinz Chapel Choir is an accomplished and internationally known[201]a cappella choir consisting entirely of Pitt students that has been performing for over 70 years.[202]
Pitt Pendulums, founded in 1996, is a co-ed a cappella group, the oldest a cappella group on campus. Other a cappella groups on campus include C Flat Run, a co-ed group; Pittch Please, an all-male group; Pitches and Tones, a co-ed group; The Songburghs, a co-ed group; and Sounds Like Treble, an all-female group. All groups on campus regularly perform in various on and off-campus functions and are regular competitors in the ICCA's, theInternational Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. Most recently, The Songburghs won first place at the ICCA Central Quarterfinal on February 2, 2019. They also went on to place third at the next round, the ICCA Central Semifinal at the University at Buffalo on March 30, 2019.[203][204] Carpathian Ensemble, founded within the Department of Music in 1786, performsGypsy,Klezmer,Armenian,Moldavian,Ukrainian, andMacedonian music.[205] The University Gamelan, established in 1995, is the largest Sundanese gamelan program in the U.S. and has sponsored an artist-in-residency program each year since 1998.[206]
The University of Pittsburgh Orchestra performs several concerts and consists of music students, students from the university at large, faculty, staff, and members of the metropolitan community. The orchestra performs not only works of the standard art music literature, but also new works of student composers.[207] Pitt Jazz Ensemble, founded in 1969 by saxophonistDr. Davis, has performed internationally.[208] Pitt African Music and Dance Ensemble, founded in 1983 by a Ghanaian ethnomusicologist Willie O. Anku, specializes in music and dances from Africa.[209]Pitt Band, founded in 1911, is the varsity marching band of the University of Pittsburgh.[210]
WPTS-FM is a non-commercial radio station owned by the University of Pittsburgh, and offers a mix of student-run programming. The station operates at 92.1MHz with anERP of 16 watts, and is licensed to Pittsburgh.[211]
Jurist is the world's only law-school-based, comprehensive, legal news and research service staffed by a mostly volunteer team. It is led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at theUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Law.[212]
The Pitt News is an independent, student-written, and student-managed newspaper for the university's Oakland (main) campus. It was founded in 1908.[213]
The Pittiful News is an independent, student-founded, student-written, student-managed, and student-produced satirical and humor newspaper. It comes out on during the school year in print and throughout the entire calendar year online.[214]
UPTV (University of Pittsburgh Television) is a student-managed, student-produced, closed-circuit television station. Students living in campus residence halls or university operated-housing can view programming on Channel 21.[215]
Three Rivers Review andCollision are undergraduate, bi-annual, literary journals publishing both poetry and prose.[216]
The Pittsburgh Undergraduate Review is a multidisciplinary journal showcasing undergraduate research.,[217]Pitt Tonight earned the university its first College Emmy nominations in 2016.
Pitt Political Review is a student-created, student-written publication of the David C. Frederick Honors College. PPR, as it is called, provides a venue for serious discussion of politics and policy issues in a nonpartisan way.[218]
Blackline is a student-created, student-written publication of the Black Action Society. Blackline features both news articles and creative pieces such as poetry to call attention to problems, programs, and activities that affect Black students at Pitt.[219]
The Original Magazine is a nonprofit, semiannual arts and culture publication based at, and partially funded by, the University of Pittsburgh, that aims to both bring and publicize accessible art and creative writing to Pittsburgh.[220]
The Pitt Maverick is an independent paper founded by conservative students.[221]
Pitt Tonight is an American collegelate-night talk show on the University of Pittsburgh campus.[222] The show premiered on December 14, 2015, and is produced entirely by students. It is the first large-scale late night production on the school's campus – consisting of more than 70 staff members – with its creator Jesse Irwin serving as the firsthost.[223][224] The program is taped once per month in front of a livestudio audience. The show has been nominated for twoMid-Atlantic Emmy Awards,[225][226] and won one College Broadcasters Inc. award for Best General Entertainment Program.
There are over 350 student clubs and organizations at the University of Pittsburgh.[227] Some of the organizations are:
Black Action Society is the recognized student organization for promoting the cultural, educational, political, and social needs of black students at the university. It comprises nine committees including the publication of the student-run publicationBlackLine as well as community outreach, political action, and programing.[228] BAS has hosted lectures by such figures asCornel West,[229]Spike Lee,[230] andCarol Moseley Braun.[231]
Blue and Gold Society, founded in 1991, is a group of undergraduate student leaders chosen as liaisons between the student community and the Pitt Alumni Association.[232]
Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) is the student government that represents the interests of all graduate and professional students and serves as the umbrella organization for all of the graduate/professional school student governments. GPSG's mission is to ensure that the concerns of these students are heard and also provides services and programs such travel grants, legal and financial consulting, and social functions.[235]
Hillel is a pluralistic Jewish community that serves all Pitt undergraduates. Programs take place on campus and at the Hillel Jewish University Center at 4607 Forbes Avenue. Events include holiday, interfaith, Jewish education, social action, arts and cultural programming as well as no-fee weekly Shabbat services and dinner every Friday night.[236]
Oakland Zoo, the student athletic cheering section, is an officially recognized student club. At over 2,000 members, it is the largest such group at the university. The group helps participate with the Athletic Department and Pitt Student Government Board in setting student ticket policy as well as organizing special student events.[237]
The Pitt Pathfinders, student recruiters employed by the Office of Admissions of Financial Aid. They recruit prospective students by giving campus tours, attending on-and-off campus recruitment programs, and by contacting admitted students through phone and the Internet. While Pathfinder is a paid position, it is also a student organization.[238]
Pitt Program Council is the all-campus programming organization at the university. Comprising eight student committees, a variety of programs and festivities are planned and sponsored including Fall Fest, Bigelow Bash, Homecoming Laser and Fireworks Show, as well as trips to New York City, Cedar Point, Spring break in Panama City Beach, FL. Other activities include art gallery exhibits, films, horseback riding, sports tournaments, lectures, fitness and dance classes, and Black and White Ball.[239]
Student Government Board (SGB) is the governing body that provides undergraduate students with representation to the university administration, presenting their needs, interests, and concerns. An important aspect of the SGB is allocation of a portion of the student activities fee, which provides money to over 500 student organizations at the University of Pittsburgh. SGB has three standing committees, 6 conditional committees, and one internal committee that address various aspects of campus life, including diversity, first-year involvement, wellness, and governmental relations.[240][241]
Rainbow Alliance is a student advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied students. Among other activities, the group holds an annual drag show to raise money for Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.[243]
William Pitt Debating Union is a co-curricular program and hub for a wide range of debating activities, including intercollegiate policy debate, public debate, and debate outreach. The program was 1981National Debate Tournament champions,[244] has qualified for the National Debate Tournament 40 times,[245] and is one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the nation, growing from the university's Division of Public Speaking in 1912.[246]Hillman Library
In April 2024, Pittsburgh University students joined other campuses in encampments and protests against the Israel–Hamas war.[247][248] The protestors called for an end to thegenocide in Gaza, for the university todivest financially from the "Israeli apartheid regime" and cut ties with all Israeli universities.[249][250]CAIR-Pittsburgh called on the University of Pittsburgh to drop charges against students who protested against Israel's genocide inGaza.[251]
The protests continued into the next academic year, with faculty accusing the administration of racism because of the difference in response to thewars in Ukraine and Gaza.[252]
There are presently over 40 general, or social fraternities and sororities on campus. The oldest men's fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta first held events in 1863, while the oldest women's group, Kappa Alpha Theta, was established in 1915. Additionally, a similar number of professional, service, and honor societies are present on campus. The oldest are the medical fraternityPhi Beta Pi, entering in 1891, and the dental fraternityPsi Omega, entering in 1897. The historically black fraternitiesAlpha Phi Alpha (1913) andAlpha Kappa Alpha (1918) came later.[253][254]
Cheering on thePitt football team has traditionally been one of the most celebrated activities at the university, as depicted in this cover art from a 1915 game program.
Varsity men's sports sponsored by the university arebaseball,basketball, cross country,football,soccer, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, andwrestling; while sponsored women's varsity sports includebasketball, cross country, gymnastics, lacrosse,soccer,softball, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, andvolleyball.[256] All varsity sports teams compete as members of theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since the 2013–14 season, with the exception of the gymnastics team which moved to the ACC when the conference began sponsoring the sport in 2023.[257] The university also maintains membership in theEastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).[258] Pitt athletes have received a total offive Olympic medals.
Scholastically, during 2012 calendar year, out of approximately 450 Pitt varsity student athletes, 350 had term grade point averages exceeding 3.0, including 16 that had a perfect average of 4.0, and 174 were namedBig East Conference Academic All-Stars or placed on the all-academic Big East football team.[259]
There are approximately 28 additional athletic teams that compete at the non-varsity club sports level.[260]
In the fall of 1909, the University of Pittsburgh was the first college or university to adopt the panther (Puma concolor) as its mascot.[25] Popular as photo sites, there areten representations of Panthers in and about Pitt's campus, and ten more painted fiberglass panthers placed around the campus by the Pitt Student Government. These fiberglass panther structures are given to a campus group for a year and painted by the group to reflect their interests.[266] The oldest representations are four panthers that guard each corner of the Panther Hollow bridge.[267] Other Oakland locations include both inside and in front of the William Pitt Union,[268][269] outside the Petersen Events Center,[270] "Pitt the Panther" on the carousel in Schenley Plaza,[271] the Panther head fountain on the front of the Cathedral of Learning, and the Pitt Panther statue outsideAcrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh's North Side.[272]
Pitt first sponsored varsitymen's basketball in 1905 and became an early national power after winning two Helms Foundation National Championships in 1927–28 and 1929–30. Those teams, coached by the innovative and legendaryNaismith Hall of Fame inductee"Doc" Carlson, were led by National Player of the Year and Hall of FamerCharlie Hyatt. Following aFinal Four appearance in 1941, Pitt appeared in a handful of NCAA tournaments throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1974 led by All-AmericanBilly Knight. Pitt joined the Big East Conference in 1982, and by the end of the decade had secured a pair of Big East regular season championships led by All-AmericansCharles Smith andJerome Lane. In the 2000s (decade), led by coachJamie Dixon, an era of consistent national and conference competitiveness has been achieved, including reaching the number one ranking in various national polls. Since 2002, Pitt has appeared in eleven NCAA tournaments advancing to five Sweet Sixteens and an Elite Eight. During this time, prior to joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013, Pitt and has won three Big East regular season championships, two Big East Tournament Championships, and has advanced to six Big East Tournament Championship games.[276]
ThePittsburgh Panthers women's varsity basketball program started during the 1914–1915 school year and lasted until 1927 before going on hiatus until 1970. Pitt's women's team has posted several NCAA, NWIT, and EAIAW tournament appearances. Led head coachAgnus Berenato, Pitt has played in post-season tournaments each of the last five seasons,[when?] including threeNCAA Tournaments appearances where it advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2008 and 2009.[277] The head coach of the men's basketball team is Jeff Capel.
The "Pitt script" logo is the primary logo of the university's athletics department. Since 1939, Pitt has used stylized versions of the signature of the City of Pittsburgh's namesake,William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, as logos in various capacities.[278]
Pitt has a long history of success in other intercollegiate athletic events. InTrack and Field, Pitt has produced several Olympic and NCAA champions such as 800 m Olympic gold medalistJohn Woodruff, two-time 110 m hurdle Olympic gold medalistRoger Kingdom, and seven-time NCAA champion and 2005 World Championtriple jumperTrecia-Kaye Smith.[279] Thewrestling program has a rich history and is among the leaders in producing individual national champions with 16.[280] Pitt'swomen's volleyball team, one of the winningest program in the nation,[281] won 11 conference championships while a member of theBig East, and 6 ACC championships and appeared in 20 NCAA tournaments and four final fours since the program began in 1974.[282] Pitt'sswimming and diving teams have produced several Olympians and won 19 men's and nine women's Big East Championships while a member of that conference. Pittwomen's gymnastics is a regular qualifier for the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship.[283]Baseball, Pitt's oldest varsity sport, has produced several major league players and has reached the national 25 repeatedly, including in 2013.[284] Other varsity sports have also competed at national and conference championships and includecross country,soccer,softball, andtennis.[256][285]
There have been31 university heads for the University of Pittsburgh. Beginning in the institution's academy days, the head of the school was referred to as Principal, a title that was retained until 1872 when it was changed to Chancellor by an alteration to the university's charter. This title of Chancellor has lasted except for a brief change during Wesley Posvar's administration when it was switched to president.[288]
As of 2019,[update] the University of Pittsburgh has over 330,000 living alumni[289] who are supported by the Pitt Alumni Association, founded in 1866,[290] and over 50 regionally-based Pitt Clubs located throughout the world.[291]
^All graduate students are at the Pittsburgh Campus
^Upon joining theCommonwealth System of Higher Education in 1966, the University of Pittsburgh legally remained a private entity and in practice, retained the administrative and academic freedom of a private institution. It sets its own standards for student admission and retention, faculty, and teaching. Its assets remain in the hands of the corporation, its employees are employed by the corporation, and its affairs are governed by an independent Board of Trustees.[93] In-state tuition is subsidized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state provides approximately 11% of its operating budget.[94] The University of Pittsburgh is categorized as apublic university in theCarnegie Foundation Classifications[8] and is typically listed as a public university in third party publications.[95] For simplicity, Pitt sometimes refers to itself a "public university".
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