Serving Communities Beyond Campus

Community service and engagement are central to Pitt’s mission. Each year, students, faculty and staff collaborate with community members to solve challenges and improve the lives of children and families. These efforts include supporting K-12 success, providing training to minority business owners, offering free dentaland mental health services and enrolling high school students in college-level courses.

The University contributes substantial and sustained resources that strengthen neighborhoods in and around its campuses. Consider Homewood — a diverse area of Pittsburgh that is home to steep health, education and employment challenges. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Homewood residents partnered with Pitt’s Community Engagement Center, which is embedded in their neighborhood and serves as a convening space and trusted source for information, expertise and support.

During the pandemic — because of the Community Engagement Center — Pitt partnered with our neighbors in Homewood in real time. Whether it was answering questions about COVID-19 vaccines or equipping schoolchildren with the tools to learn remotely, we were ready to do our part. - Daren Ellerbee, director, University Educational Outreach Center