The 'University of Pittsburgh', commonly referred to as 'Pitt', is an independent,
state-related, doctoral/research
university in
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania,
United States.
Pitt is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in
1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt evolved into the Western University of Pennsylvania with an alteration to its charter in
1819. Upon relocating to its current campus in the
Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the school received its current moniker, the University of Pittsburgh, with a
1908 charter alteration. For most of its history, Pitt was a private institution until it became part of the
Commonwealth System of Higher Education in 1966.
[3]
Pitt has grown from its humble beginnings to a renowned leader in multiple academic disciplines. Along the way, Pitt's ability to withstand pressures to abandon its commitment to liberal education,
[3][3] has resulted in strong reputations in a myriad of disciplines including, among other fields, philosophy, physics, astronomy, history of science, creative writing, chemistry, business, biological sciences, jazz, engineering, education, international studies, and a variety of medical and health sciences
[1]. Pitt has been placed among the top seven U.S. public universities
[2], is ranked in
U.S. News & World Reports's top 20 public universities,
[6] and has also been recognized as one of the top universities in the world by multiple studies.
[7] [3][4] Pitt regularly produces internationally recognized scholarship and fellowship award winners.
[5]
Pitt, one of the 62 elected members of the
Association of American Universities, is among the top universities in total research expenditures. Pitt is a top 10 school in National Institute of Health research allocations
[6], bringing in over $430 million a year for biomedical and health science research alone. Pitt and its
medical school are also closely affiliated with the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a leading academic medical center and the most active organ transplant center in the
United States[7]. These resources have propelled Pitt to a leadership role in, among other fields,
stem cell science,
bioterrorism defense, and
tissue engineering.
Pitt is popularly recognized for its 535 feet high
National Landmark centerpiece building, the
Cathedral of Learning (the tallest educational building in the Western hemisphere), its central role in developing the first polio vaccine,
[3] and for fielding nationally competitive
NCAA Division 1 athletic programs.
The Fifth Avenue corner of the Cathedral lawn.
History of the University
The Founding
A restored log cabin in the shadows of the
Cathedral of Learning symbolizes the beginnings of the school in what was then the Western frontier.
Originally founded by
Hugh Henry Brackenridge as 'Pittsburgh Academy' in
1787, the University of Pittsburgh is among a select group of universities and colleges founded in the 18th century in the
United States. It is the oldest continuously chartered institution of learning in the United States west of the Allegheny Mountains
[8]. Beginning its life as a preparatory school as early as
1770 in the then frontier of Western Pennsylvania, Hugh Henry Brackenridge sought after and obtained a charter for the school from the state legislature of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that was passed by the assembly on February 28, 1787, just ten weeks before the opening of the
Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
[9] [10] A brick building was erected, on the south side of Third Street and Cherry Alley, in
1790 for the Pittsburgh Academy.
[11][12][13] The small two-story brick building, with a gable facing toward the alley, contained three rooms, one below and two above.
[14]
The Western University
Western University of Pennsylvania, the previous name of Pitt, is depicted in this 1833 oil painting at its location on 3rd Ave. between Smithfield St. and Cherry Alley in downtown Pittsburgh.
In short time, more advanced education in the area was needed, and in
1819, the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania amended the school's 1787 charter to confer university status on the school. The school took on the name the 'Western University of Pennsylvania', or WUP, and was intended to be the western sister institution to the
University of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia. By
1830, WUP had moved into a new three story freestone-fronted building with Ionic columns and a cupola close to its original buildings fronting the south side of Third Street, between Smithfield Street and Cherry Alley in downtown
Pittsburgh. It was in this era that
Thomas Mellon (Class of 1837) graduated and later taught at WUP. He went on to found
Mellon Bank.
[15][16][17]
The Great Fire of 1845 destroyed a third of Pittsburgh, including its University.
Western University of Pennsylvania's main building in downtown Pittsburgh from 1854 to 1882.
Fires
The University's buildings, along with most of the records and files of the university, were destroyed in the Great Fire of
1845 that wiped out twenty squares of the most valuable part of Pittsburgh. Classes were temporarily housed in Trinity Church until a new building was constructed on Duquesne Way (on what was the site of the former
Horne's department store). Only four years later in
1849, this building was likewise destroyed by fire. Due to the catastrophic nature of these fires, operations were suspended for a few years in order to regroup and rebuild. By
1854, WUP had erected a new 16-room brick with slate roof building that was directed to be made as nearly fireproof as possible. This building was located on the corner of Ross and Diamond (now Forbes Avenue) Streets (site of the present day
City-County building) and classes resumed in
1855. It is during this era, in
1867, that
Samuel Pierpoint Langley, inventor and aviation pioneer for which
Langley Air Force Base is named, was chosen as director of the
Allegheny Observatory that was gifted to WUP in
1865. Langley served as professor of astronomy and physics and remained at WUP until 1891, when he was succeeded by another prominent astronomer,
James Keeler. WUP was growing quickly and constructed a second building on Ross Street in
1877, but in
1882 the
Allegheny County courthouse was ruined in yet another fire. The University sold its buildings to the county for use as the county courthouse until a new one could be constructed. This action prompted the University to move its campus out of downtown.
[18][19][20]
Western University of Pennsylvania's campus on Observatory Hill on Pittsburgh's North Side from
1890 to
1909 prior to its move to Oakland and renaming of the university to the University of Pittsburgh.
A move North
WUP moved to two former theological seminary buildings on North Avenue in
Allegheny City (present-day
North Side). The University stayed there for eight years before moving to a ten acre North Side
Observatory Hill site at the location of its
Allegheny Observatory. There it constructed two new buildings, Science Hall and Main Hall, that were respectively occupied by
1889 and
1890. During this era, the first collegiate football team was formed at Pitt in
1889. In
1892, the Western Pennsylvania Medical College was amalgamated with the University. By 1893 the University had graduated its first African-American, William Dammond.
[21] In
1895, WUP established its school of Law and
Andrew Carnegie and
George Westinghouse were elected to the Board of Trustees where they joined
Andrew Mellon who was 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.
[22]. During this period University engineering professor
Reginald Fessenden was conducting pioneering work in radio broadcasting. By
1904, playing at
Exposition Park, the University had its first undefeated football team.
[23][24][25][26]
The only surviving building of the "Acropolis Plan" seen here relatively new about 1910.
A new name and home
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 the 'University of Pittsburgh' in the summer of
1908. During this time Pitt had also outgrown its accommodations on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Its departments had been scattered throughout the city for years. The Department of Medicine was in West Penn Hospital, the Departments of Dentistry and Pharmacy were in a building on a hilltop at Pride and Bluff Streets, and the Law School was in the former University building at Ross and Diamond Streets after having moved from the Orphan's Court in the Old Allegheny County Court House. In order to group all of its components on one campus, in December of
1907 WUP bought 43 acres of land in what is now the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh and began relocating there by
1909.
[27] The inital campus plan for the university centered on the winning submission from a national architectural contest that incorporated a Greek Acropolis design by
Henry Hornbostel for 30 buildings.
[9] However, due to financial and other constraints, only four of the buildings were constructed in this style of which only
Thaw Hall remains today.
World War I
When the
United States entered
World War I in
1917, by law of
Congress, all male college students were subject to military training. In the spring of
1918, Pitt began to train students for war-related industrial work. The
army built seven frame barracks for housing 1,000 men, a 2,000 seat mess hall, an administrative building and a
YMCA Hospitality House on the hillside campus. In September, the
federal government announced it was taking control of colleges and universities for the training of officers and technical specialists in the Student Army Training Corps (SATC), but by November 11th,
Germany had surrendered, and by December all student soldiers were out of service. The war activity had caused a huge influx of students to Pitt and an equally large shortage of space. The barracks, meant to be temporary, were used for some time to help alleviate the congestion, but it was apparent this was an inadequate solution and by
1920, Pitt alumni had begun a fund raising campaign to construct a sorely needed new building. The campaign was a smashing success, raising $670,000 ($70,000 more than was needed), due at least in part to both the excitement of alumni with the championship caliber play of the
Pitt football team (national champions or undefeated in 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1920) and by a $100,000 contribution directly from the Athletic Committee's football receipts. By 1921 Alumni Hall (now known as Eberly Hall), designed
Benno Janssen (the runner-up for the previous campus plan architectural competition), was dedicated and signified a departure from and end to the Acropolis Plan. This enthusiasm for football would also lead to the construction of
Pitt Stadium in 1925.
[3]
A National Landmark
In the
1920s, new university chancellor,
John Gabbert Bowman, declared he had a vision for a centerpiece "tall building" for the university. The 14-acre Frick Acres property in Oakland was soon purchased and campus plans shifted focus from the hillside to a neo
Gothic Revival plan that is today comprised of the
Cathedral of Learning,
Heinz Memorial Chapel, and the
Stephen Foster Memorial buildings. By
1925 Bowman had settled on a design by
Charles Klauder for the "tall building": an attention-getting 535' 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 its lines, like education, have no ending. The building was financed by university donors as well as a campaign to collect dimes from local school children. Bowman was a persuasive leader and even though the
Great Depression intervened, the
Cathedral of Learning, on which construction was begun in
1926, was finally finished in
1937. Today it remains the second tallest education building in the world, and contains an equally impressive inside that is highlighted by its collection of 26 nationality rooms. Adjacent to the
Cathedral of Learning, the
Stephen Foster Memorial designed by Klauder was also completed in
1937. It contains two theaters and the Center for American Music. The French gothic
Heinz Memorial Chapel was dedicated in
1938 and was also designed by Klauder. With
Heinz Memorial Chapel, the Heinz family chose to honor
Henry J. Heinz and his mother with a "great space" for worship, meditation, musical concerts and weddings. The transept windows (73' high) are among the tallest in the world and are the work of Charles Connick. Plans to continue building a traditional gothic quadrangle on the former Frick Acres parcel came to an end with the construction of
Clapp Hall in
1956. Originally intended to be built on the Cathedral lawn, the construction location of
Clapp Hall was moved across 5th Avenue to its current location due to opposition against further impinging on the open Cathedral lawn area.
Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh.
Pittsburghers line up for vaccinations with Salk's Polo vaccine in the
Cathedral of Learning Commons Room on February 26,1957.
The Pitt shot
Poliomyelitis is a disease that can attack motor neurons resulting in paralysis. In the early twentieth century, epidemics of polio began to hit the
United States and other industrialized countries. As hospital wards filled with
iron lungs and tens of thousands were left crippled, fear of contracting polio grew rampant and led to the closing of many public facilities. By
1952 polio epidemic reached new heights in the United States with 57,628 cases reported. Meanwhile, in
1947,
Jonas Salk had been recruited to Pitt where he set up Pitt's Virus Research Lab in the basement of what is now Pitt's
Salk Hall. By 1951 Salk and his team had begun immunization experiments in monkeys using killed polio virus. Soon Salk began to test inoculations in paralyzed polio patients and by
1953 human trials were initiated, the majority of whom were
Allegheny County residents. By the spring of the following year, the largest controlled field trials in medical history were underway and by
1955, the
vaccine developed by
Jonas Salk and his team of Pitt researchers was declared to be effective. Before
1962 and the use of Albert Sabin's oral live polio virus vaccine, Pitt's Salk vaccine had reduced the incidence of polio in the United States by 95%. Together, these two vaccines eradicated naturally occurring poliomyelitis from
North and
South America and
Western Europe. In
1999, the U.S.
Office of Public Health and Science recommended a return of the use of the Salk killed Polio vaccine for routine vaccination. 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.
[28][29]
State relations
In
1966 Pitt was designated by
Pennsylvania as a
state-related university. As such, Pitt receives public funds (currently more than $200 million per annum) and offers reduced tuition to Pennsylvania residents, but is under independent control. It is generally considered a public university.
[11] Upon affiliation with the state, the subsidized tuition led to a massive influx of new students and rapid expansion of Pitt's size and scope. In 1970s, Pitt's football team returned to greatness with a national championship season in
1976 lead by
Hall of Fame running back
Tony Dorsett and continued success in the 1980s with players such as
Hall of Fame quarterback
Dan Marino. In the 1980s, significant medical research in the field of
organ transplantation was conducted by
Thomas Starzl that established Pitt as the world leader in the field of organ transplantation. In
1991, long time chancellor
Wesley Posvar retired after 24 years in office. While his term in office ended with controversy, overall his term was considered very positive for the university.
[3]
In 2000, Pitt completed a $16 million renovation to
Alumni Hall, the former Masonic Temple originally constructed in 1915.
Into the 21st century
In
1999,
Pitt Stadium, the long time home of the Pitt Panthers was torn down. The football team, returned to the days of playing in
Exposition Park by moving to their new downtown home of
Heinz Field in
2001. A new 12,508 seat multipurpose arena, the
Petersen Events Center, is home to the university's basketball teams and convocation ceremonies and also contains a 40,000-square-foot student recreation center. Other substantial building has happened on campus, including the renovation of the former Masonic Temple into
Alumni Hall, construction of several new residence halls in the upper and lower campus, and construction of the Sennott Square building.
Mark Nordenberg has served as chancellor of the university since 1995 and is currently leading Pitt through a period of substantial progress, including a $2 billion capital campaign that is over half-way toward achieving it goal
[30] and a $1 billion 12-year facilities plan.
[13] Pitt's endowment in 2006 reached $1.802 billion, a 17.8% increase from 2005, and ranks 28th among all college endowments and 12th nationally among public universities in endowment per student.
[31]
Location and campus
The University of Pittsburgh campus is located in the
Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, adjacent to the Carnegie
Library, Music Hall, and
Museums of Natural History and Art.
Carlow University is just west of campus, adjacent to the university's medical center complexes.
Carnegie Mellon University and historic
Schenley Park, site of the
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, lie across
Junction Hollow on the east end. Some Pitt professors also hold adjunct professorships at Carnegie Mellon and vice versa.
The main campus is 132 acres and is generally 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. The campus can be thought to be loosely composed of four parts: upper (sports complexes,
residence halls, etc.), mid (
Benedum,
Chevron,
Allen and
Thaw Halls, etc.), lower (
Cathedral of Learning,
Union,
Posvar Hall, etc.), and on the west end of campus, the
medical center complex.
The focal point of the main campus is the 42 story
Cathedral of Learning. This and other University buildings sit in the Oakland Civic Center/Schenley Farms Historic District (listed on the
National Register of Historic Places) of Pittsburgh.
[32] The University of Pittsburgh campus contains an eclectic mix of architecture from Greek revival to Neogothic to Italian Renaissance to modern institutional structures and has been termed "a theme park of replica buildings, representing the architecture of the past speaking to the present."
[33]
Historic Buildings
There are two University buildings listed separately on the
National Register of Historic Places:
Allegheny Observatory (located in Pittsburgh's Riverview Park on
Northside) and the
Cathedral of Learning.
[34] Many of Pitt's buildings (see below) are contributing buildings to the Schenley Farms-Oakland Civic Center Historic District that has been designated a National Historic District.
[35]
Due to the historical nature of various sites in or around Pitt's buildings, the state of
Pennsylvania has placed historical markers outside of the
Allegheny Observatory[36],
Cathedral of Learning [37],
Posvar Hall[38],
Salk Hall[39],
Stephen Foster Memorial[40], and the
William Pitt Union[41]. Moreover, the significance of Pitt's involvement in the archaeological excavation at the
Meadowcroft Rockshelter in
Avella, Pennsylvania has been marked
[42].
In addition, the
Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation has designated the following Pitt buildings as Pittsburgh Historic Landmarks:
Allegheny Observatory,
Allen Hall,
Alumni Hall,
Bellefield Hall,
Cathedral of Learning, the
Cathedral of Learning interior rooms,
Gardner Steel Conference Center,
Heinz Memorial Chapel,
Thaw Hall,
Salk Hall,
Schenley Quadrangle residence halls,
Stephen Foster Memorial, and the
William Pitt Union[43][44].
Other Pitt buildings not designated individually as landmarks, but that are contributing buildings to the Schenley Farms Historic District include
Clapp Hall,
Ruskin Hall,
Thackeray Hall,
Frick Fine Arts Building,
Music Building,
University Club, and
University Place Office Building.
[45]
Buildings not belonging to Pitt, but are historic structures about or adjacent to Pitt's campus include the
Carnegie Museum buildings,
Frick School,
Forbes Field wall remnant, Magee Estate iron fence, the
Schenley Fountain,
Mellon Institute,
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, the
Pittsburgh Athletic Association,
St. Paul's Cathedral, and
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall.
Pitt Buildings
The following major structures are located on Pitt's
Oakland campus:
★
Allen Hall (home to the Department of Physics and Astronomy)
★
Alumni Hall (home to the Pitt Alumni Association)
★
Barco Law Building (home of the
University of Pittsburgh School of Law)
★
Bellefield Hall
★
Benedum Hall (home of the
School of Engineering)
★
BST 3 Biomedical Science Tower 3. Houses molecular genetics, cellular biology, and biochemistry
★
BST South Biomedical Science Tower South. A skyscraper interconnected with the Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower
★
Cathedral of Learning (home to a variety of departments in the
School of Arts and Sciences)
★
Chevron Science Center (home to the Department of Chemistry)
★
Clapp Hall (home to the Department of Biological Sciences)
★ Craig Hall
★
Crabtree Hall
★
Crawford Hall (home to the Department of Neuroscience)
★
David Lawrence Hall
★
Eberly Hall
★
Falk Clinic
★
Falk School
★
Frick Fine Arts Building (home to the Departments of Studio Arts and History of Art & Architecture)
★
Gardner Steel Conference Center
★
Heinz Memorial Chapel
★
Hillman Library
★
Information Sciences Building
★
Langley Hall
★
Learning Research and Development Center
★
Mervis Hall (Home of the
Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business)
★
Music Building
★
Old Engineering Hall
★
Parren Hall (home of the
Graduate School of Public Health)
★
Salk Hall (home to the Schools of
Dental Medicine and
Pharmacy)
★
Scaife Hall (Home of the
School of Medicine)
★
Stephen Foster Memorial
★
Sennott Square (home to the Departments of Psychology and Computer Science)
★
Space Research Coordination Center (home to the Department of Geology and Planetary Sciences)
★
Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower
★
Thackeray Hall (home to the Department of Mathematics)
★
Thaw Hall
★
University Club
★
University Place Office Building
★
Van de Graaff Building
★
Victoria Building (home of the
School of Nursing)
★
Wesley W. Posvar Hall (home to a variety of schools and departments)
★
William Pitt Union
The University of Pittsburgh student residences consist of the following buildings:
★
Apartment-style housing consisting of
Bouquet Gardens,
Center Plaza Apartments,
Darragh Street Medical Student Housing,
Forbes-Craig Apartments, and
Oakwood Apartments.
★
Forbes Hall
★
Litchfield Towers
★
Lothrop Hall
★
Ruskin Hall
★
Schenley Quadrangle, which is made up of
Amos Hall,
Brackenridge Hall,
Bruce Hall,
Holland Hall, and
McCormick Hall
★
Upper Campus Residence Halls consisting of
Panther Hall,
Pennsylvania Hall,
Sutherland Hall, and the
Fraternity Complexes.
University of Pittsburgh Panthers athletic facilities include:
★
Charles L Cost Sports Center
★
Fitzgerald Field House
★
The John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center
★
Trees Hall
★
Trees Field
A major upgrade of on-campus facilities, including a new soccer, baseball, softball, track and field, and band complex, was announced in 2007.
Athletic facilities located elsewhere include:
★
Heinz Field
★
UPMC Sports Performance Complex
A number of University facilities are located in other locations:
★
Allegheny Observatory,
Riverview Park, Pittsburgh
★
Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, along the
Monongahela River in
South Oakland, Pittsburgh
★ University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center (U-PARC), Harmarville, PA.
★
McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, East Carson Street, Pittsburgh
★
Allen L. Cook Spring Creek Preserve, Spring Creek,
Wyoming[46][47]
★
Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology,
Linesville, Pennsylvania, the field research station of the Department of Biological Sciences.
[48]
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
The
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center consists of the following
Oakland area hospitals and facilities:
UPMC Presbyterian Hospital,
UPMC Montefiore Hospital,
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC,
Magee-Women's Hospital of UPMC,
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in
Thomas Detre Hall,
Eye and Ear Institute,
Forbes Tower (home to the
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences),
Kaufman Medical Building,
Medical Arts Building, and
UPMC University Center
Panthers
Main articles: Panthers of Pittsburgh
In the fall of 1909, the University of Pittsburgh was the first college or university to adopt the panther (''
Puma concolor'') as mascot.
[49] Often serving as popular photo spots, there are ten representations of the Panther scattered throughout the city and Pitt campus.
Education
Throughout its history, Pitt has been committed to a liberal arts education with a well-rounded curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities.
[3] Pitt has an increasing emphasis on undergraduate research experience and for providing real-world opportunities such as co-ops and internships.
[50] Undergraduate degrees can be earned as Bachelor's of Arts, Bachelor's of Science, and Bachelor's of Philosophy. Along with providing certificate programs, graduate level masters, professional, and doctoral degrees are also awarded.
Schools
Bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional programs are offered through the following academic units:
★
School of Arts and Sciences
★
College of Business Administration
★
Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
★
School of Dental Medicine
★
School of Education
★
School of Engineering
★
College of General Studies
★
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
★
University Honors College
★
School of Information Sciences
★
School of Law
★
School of Medicine
★
School of Nursing
★
School of Pharmacy
★
Graduate School of Public & International Affairs (GSPIA)
★
Graduate School of Public Health
★
School of Social Work
Global Studies
The
University Center for International Studies (UCIS) coordinates international education curricula, centers for area studies and centers on topical specializations in international studies. It does not give degrees but awards certificates of attainment to degree candidates in the university's schools.
Pitt is one of only 17 American universities to claim four or more area studies programs that have been competitively designated National Resource Centers by the
U.S. Department of Education. National Resource Centers designated at Pitt include the Asian, Latin American, Russian and East European, and European study centers as well as Pitt's International Business Center. In addition, Pitt's Asian Studies Center has been awarded one of only 22
Confucius Institutes in the United States by the Chinese Ministry of Education.
[51] Furthermore, Pitt is home to one of just ten European Union Centers of Excellence in the United States funded by the
European Commission.
Pitt’s history of commitment to international education is symbolized by its unique collection of 26 working classrooms known as the Nationality Rooms that reside on the first and third floors of the
Cathedral of Learning. The products of that commitment are evidenced by the fact that Pitt is one of the country’s leading producers of both Fulbright scholars and Peace Corps volunteers.
[52][53]
Rankings
The Center for Measuring University Performance
[54] has ranked Pitt, along with only six other schools, in the top tier of U.S. public research universities and in the 6th tier (or top 26) among all universities according to its 2006 annual report.
[55]
In 2007
U.S. News & World Report ranked Pitt #19 among
public universities in the United States and #57 among all national universities.
[6]
Newsweek ranks Pitt 37th in its "The Top 100 Global Universities."
[7] Pitt is ranked 48th worldwide in the
Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities.
[56]
Pitt's Department of Philosophy has long been renowned in the United States and the world, and is especially strong in the areas of mathematical and philosophical logic, metaphysics, history and philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of mind and psychology, and semantics.
[57][58]
The University of Pittsburgh is also a leader in the field of business. The
Joseph M. Katz School of Business MBA program is ranked 1st in the US in "Value for Money," overall 51st in the nation, and its faculty research is ranked 47th in the world by the 2007
Financial Times ranking.
[17] The Joseph Katz Graduate School also consistently ranks among the top ten public business schools in the United States according to
The Wall Street Journal.
Pitt is home to the Gertrude E. and John M. Petersen Institute of
NanoScience and Engineering which was ranked 2nd in the nation in 2006 for microscale and nanoscale research by the leading global trade publication,
Small Times. Pitt is also a global leader in
Radio-frequency identification device (RFID) technology, with its research program being identified as among the top three programs in the world along with MIT and the University of Cambridge in England.
[18]
Scholars
Pitt is only one of nine universities, in addition to the three national service academies, and the only public university, to claim both Rhodes and Marshall Scholars in 2007. Since 1995, Pitt undergraduates have won two
Rhodes Scholarships, six
Marshall Scholarships, four
Truman Scholarships, four
Udall Scholarships, a
Churchill Scholarship, 29
Goldwater Scholarships, and three Mellon Humanities Fellowships.
Following graduation, Pitt alumni have won such awards as the
Nobel Peace Prize, the
Nobel Prize in medicine, the
Pulitzer Prize for fiction, the
Shaw Prize in medicine, the Albany Prize in medicine, the
Fritz Medal in engineering, the
Templeton Prize, and the Grainger Challenge Prize for sustainability.
[59][60]
Pitt is also a leading producer of
Fulbright scholars.
[61][62]
Research
Pitt, one of 62 elected members of the
Association of American Universities, has a strong research presence, ranking among the top 25 universities in the country in terms of total research expenditures.
[63][64] and 13th in the U.S. in Federal Research allocations
[65][66]. Pitt places much emphasis on undergraduate research.
[67]
Pitt is a major center of biomedical research; in FY 2004, it ranked 7th in the nation in competitive peer-reviewed
NIH funding allocations
[68] and the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center ranked 13th among hospitals nationwide by USNews in 2006.
[19]
Community
Pitt was also one of just seven
AAU-member research universities included in a list of "best neighbor" urban colleges and universities released by the President of the New England Board of Higher Education in 2006 citing these schools as "dramatically strengthening the economy and quality of life in their neighboring communities."
[69] Each year Pitt spends more than $1.5 billion in the community and supports more than 32,000 jobs in
Allegheny County. (Pitt's research program alone imports more than $600 million into the region each year and supports more than 17,000 local jobs.) Its students also spend more than $213 million on goods, services, and rental payments.
[70] Pitt ranked sixth in the number of start-ups spawned by technologies developed by Pitt researchers according to Association of University Technology Managers.
[71]
Pitt and its
medical school are closely affiliated with the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, that with over 40,000 employees and more than $5 billion in revenue, makes it the biggest employer in western Pennsylvania.
[72]
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 also a leading producer of
Peace Corps volunteers.
[73][74]
Athletics
The primary logo of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers.
Pittsburgh's sports teams are called the "Pitt Panthers". The Panthers participate in
NCAA Division I (Division I-A for
football) and in the
Big East Conference.
In intercollegiate athletics, Pitt’s highest-profile programs—football and men’s basketball—are consistently competitive. Recently, ESPN.com used the Sagarin system to rate universities based on the strength of their performance in football and men’s basketball over the course of the last five years. Pitt was tied for 10th as one of the nation’s top two-sport schools. In another recent ranking, an all-sports ranking done by ''Sports Illustrated on Campus'', Pitt was ranked 17th among all of the country’s universities in terms of the overall strength of its athletic program.
Scholar Athletes
During 2006, out of approximately 450 Pitt student-athletes, 311 had term grade point averages exceeding 3.0, 23 had a perfect term grade point average of 4.0, and 124 were named Big East Academic All-Stars.
Football
Main articles: Pittsburgh Panthers football
The Pitt football team lays claim to nine NCAA National Championships, in 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937 and 1976.
[75] The Panthers have twice won the AP national championship by topping the media polls in 1937 and 1976.
[76]
The "script Pitt" logo served as the primary logo from the early 1970s until 1997.
Pitt Football has a long and glorious history.
Pop Warner,
Jimmy DeHart,
Jock Sutherland,
Tony Dorsett,
Mike Ditka,
Joe Schmidt,
Marshall Goldberg,
Dan Marino,
Hugh Green,
Mark May,
Russ Grimm,
Jimbo Covert,
Bill Fralic,
Rickey Jackson,
Craig "Ironhead" Heyward,
Chris Doleman,
Tony Siragusa,
Mark May,
Johnny Majors,
Jackie Sherrill,
Jimmy Johnson and
Dave Wannstedt are just some of the alumni, coaches, and staff that have achieved prominence. Current
NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include
Kevan Barlow (Pittsburgh Steelers),
Curtis Martin (Jets),
Shawntae Spencer (San Francisco 49ers),
Antonio Bryant (49ers),
Andy Lee (49ers),
Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals),
Greg Lee (Cardinals), Gerald Hayes (Cardinals),
Nick Goings (Carolina Panthers),
Darnell Dinkins (Cleveland Browns),
Brandon Miree (Green Bay Packers),
Ramon Walker (Houston Texans),
Kris Wilson (Kansas City Chiefs),
Hank Poteat (New England Patriots),
Torrie Cox (Tampa Bay Buccaneers),
Matt Morgan (St. Louis Rams),
Rob Petitti (New Orleans Saints),
Lousaka Polite (Cowboys),
Ruben Brown (Chicago Bears), former Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers coach
Marty Schottenheimer, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach
Jon Gruden.
The football team moved into
Heinz Field in 2001 from their longtime home at
Pitt Stadium, built in the 1920s. The upper section of the
Cathedral of Learning is still illuminated with blue and gold lights on campus after each football team victory.
Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum
Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach. Although Pitt had a lot of success the previous five years under former head coach
Walt Harris, many fans hoped Wannstedt's pedigree and resume as a coach in both the pro and college game would be a catalyst to rekindle the glory days of the football program during the 1970s and early 1980s. Although Wannstedt's team did go 5-6 in his first year and narrowly missed a sixth straight bowl bid, the coaching staff also was able to put together one of the best incoming high school recruiting classes in the country.
Basketball
''Main articles:''
''Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball'' and
''Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball''
The secondary logo of Pitt athletics is a stylized Panther head, modified in 2007 from an early 1997 version.
has also won national championships in 1928 and 1930. From 2001–2007, the Panthers (under first
Ben Howland and then
Jamie Dixon) have been one of the most successful programs in major college basketball, winning three straight Big East regular season titles, and the Big East Tournament in 2003. They have also had success in the NCAA Tournament as well, advancing to three straight Sweet 16 appearances from 2002–2004. Pitt basketball also compiled one of the nation's three best winning percentages (.846 with an 88-16 record) from 2001–2004.
The Ben Howland/Jamie Dixon era has produced many fantastic and memorable players at Pitt, though only one (Chris Taft of the Golden State Warriors) played so much as one game in the NBA (though Brandin Knight was briefly on the Houston Rockets' roster).
During the 2006–2007, Pitt reaching a ranking as high as number 2 and was invited to its 6th straight NCAA tournament appearance and reached the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time in six years.
Women's basketball at Pitt has reached new heights under head coach Agnus Benerato, reaching the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2006–2007 before falling to eventual national champion Tennessee.
Olympic Sports
Pitt has had a long history of success in other intercollegiate athletic events. In
Track and Field, Pitt has produced several
Olympic and NCAA champions such as 800m Olympic gold medalist
John Woodruff, two-time 110m hurdle Olympic gold medalist
Roger Kingdom, and 7-time NCAA champion and 2005 World Champion
triple jumper Trecia-Kaye Smith.
[77] The wrestling program has a rich history and is among the leaders in producing individual national champions with 15.
[78] Pitt's women's
volleyball team is the 12th winningest program in the nation
[79] and has won 11
Big East Championships and appeared in 11 NCAA tournaments since the program began in 1974.
[80] Pitt's Swimming and Diving teams have produced several Olympians and won 19 men's and 9 women's Big East Championships since joining the conference in 1983. Pitt women's gymnastics has qualified for the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship all but two years in the last ten seasons.
[81] Baseball, Pitt's oldest sport, has produced multiple major league baseball players and has become on common presence in the Big East post-season championship.
[82] Other sports have also found success.
Support Groups
The history rich
Pitt Band was founded in 1911 and performs at athletic and other events. The Pitt Cheerleaders have won multiple
cheerleading national championships, including three straight from 1992–1994. The Pitt Dance Team has also been competitive in national competitions.
[83][84]
Heads of the University of Pittsburgh
[85][86][87]
Notable alumni
Main articles: List of notable University of Pittsburgh people
Pitt alumni have won everything from the
Academy Award to the
Super Bowl to the
Nobel and
Pulitzer Prizes to the
National Medal of Arts,
National Medal of Science, and
National Medal of Technology.
[88][89][90]
Student life
Traditions
'Annual Bonfire and Pep Rally' is hosted annually prior to, or during select games, during football season. Held on the lawn of the
Cathedral of Learning, it often involves the band, cheerleaders, football team, various dignitaries and free giveaways.
'Forbes Field Home Plate Slide' is a tradition for good luck on midterm and finals in which students slide into or step on the former home plate from
Forbes Field that is on display inside
Posvar Hall near where it was originally located.
'Homecoming', like at many other universities, revolves around a selected home football game each year. Pitt's homecoming involves many activities highlighted by an annual fireworks and laser display between the
William Pitt Union and the
Cathedral of Learning. This is followed by Casino Night in the union, football game, and homecoming cruise on a
Gateway Clipper Party Liner.
'Lantern Night' is an annual ceremony initiated in 1921 and is one of the University’s longest standing traditions. It serves as a formal induction for freshman women to University life and unites them as they begin their education at Pitt. Traditionally held on the evening before the first day of classes, the ceremony today takes place in
Heinz Chapel. Part of the Lantern Night tradition is for a distinguished alumna to give the Freshman Address, while other distinguished alumnae serve as flame bearers to light the lanterns given to each freshman woman as a keepsake.
'Night of the Panther' is an annual ceremony for welcoming freshman men that corresponds to Lantern Night. The ceremony typically takes place in
Alumni Hall where men are presented with pins, which symbolize strength.
'Omicron Delta Kappa Walk' is a stone walkway between the
Cathedral of Learning and
Heinz Memorial Chapel that has engraved the names of Pitt's
Omicron Delta Kappa Senior of the Year award winners. The walk is the only one of its kind in the country.
[91]
'Panther Sendoff' is an annual free reception typically held in
Alumni Hall to congratulate and wish well that year's graduating class.
'University of Pittsburgh Annual Jazz Seminar and Concert' is an annual fall lecture and concert series founded by
Dr. Nathan Davis, professor in the Music Department, and University officials in
1970. Renowned jazz musicians, critics, and historians lead seminar sessions for students at the University and those in the local jazz community. These sessions are free and open to the public and deal with topics ranging from entering the music business to practice techniques, composing, arranging, and individual instrument mastery. Previous musicians that have attending include
Dizzy Gillespie,
Kenny Clarke,
Sonny Rollins,
Dexter Gordon, and
Max Roach.
[92]
'Varsity Walk' is a walkway between the
Cathedral of Learning and
Heinz Memorial Chapel on which each year since 1950 is carved the names of former Pitt athletes who have promoted the University through their athletic (Panther Award) or academic (Blue-Gold Award) achievements.
[93]
'Victory Lights' is a tradition where golden flood lights illuminate the top of the Cathedral of Learning after every home Pitt football victory.
'E-Week' is a week-long celebration in the spring that is organized by the Engineer Student Council for fun-spirited time to creatively exploit the engineering skills, while fostering a community of camaraderie along with competition. Each day activities are hosted such as Monopoly, Ingenuity, Jeopardy, Assassins, talent show, relay race, Olympics, blood drive, and reaches climax on Friday’s parade, the 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 are joined with others.
Student Programs
'Bigelow Bash' is a spring party held between the
William Pitt Union and the
Cathedral of Learning and involves many different activities, novelties, bands.
'Fall Fest' is an annual festival held between the
William Pitt Union and the
Cathedral of Learning and involves many activities, novelties, and bands.
'Pitt Arts' is a program started by the University to encourage students to explore and connect to the art and cultural opportunities of the City of Pittsburgh with three programs. ''Art Encounters'' provides trips to arts events for Pitt undergrads that include free tickets, transportation, a catered reception, and encounters with international artists and thinkers. ''Free Visits'' grants Pitt undergrad and grad students free admission using their Pitt IDs to the
Carnegie Museum of Art,
Carnegie Museum of Natural History,
Senator John Heinz History Center,
Phipps Conservatory,
Mattress Factory, and the
Andy Warhol Museum. ''Cheap Seats'' is a program that everybody at Pitt can use to take advantage of deeply discounted tickets to the most sought-after arts events in Pittsburgh including the Pittsburgh
ballet,
opera,
symphony, theater, concerts, and other
cultural district activities.
[94]
Student Organizations
'Blue and Gold Society', founded in
1991, is a group of undergraduate student leaders who have been chosen to act as liaisons between the student community and the Pitt Alumni Association.
[95]
'Pitt Pathfinders' is a student-run University of Pittsburgh organization that hosts campus tours, assists prospective students in making well-informed college decisions, and promotes Pitt Pride.
[96]
'Quo Vidas' is a student organization that conducts guided tours and interpretations of the
Cathedral of Learning's 26 nationality rooms.
[97]
'William Pitt Debating Union' is a co-curricular program that serves as a hub for a wide range of debating activities, including intercollegiate policy debate, public debate, and debate outreach.
1981 National Debate Tournament champions
[98], it has qualified for the National Debate Tournament forty times
[99] and is one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the nation, originally growing out of the University of Pittsburgh’s Division of Public Speaking in
1912.
[100]
Student theater
★ '
Friday Nite Improvs', Pittsburgh's longest-running theatre show, was started in 1989 by graduate theatre students. It takes place weekly inside the
Cathedral of Learning's studio theatre.
★ '
Kuntu Repertory Theatre', founded in
1974, is the second oldest African American performing arts organization affiliated with a major research university. It promotes and encourages participation in theater arts centered on the African heritage and experiences.
[101]
★ The 'Redeye Theatre Project' is a festival of one-act plays cast, written, and rehearsed in 24 hours.
RTP's website
Student Music
'Heinz Chapel Choir' is a well-noted and well known a cappella choir consisting of University of Pittsburgh students.
[102]
'Pitt Men's Glee Club', founded in
1890, is the oldest extracurricular club on campus. The club is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as staff members from throughout the University. Traditionally, the Glee Club has sung for a variety of campus-wide and community functions, including graduations, receptions, alumni gatherings, sporting events, and Chancellor's events.
[103]
'Pitt Jazz Ensemble', founded in
1969, has been recognized internationally as one of the best collegiate Jazz groups. Under the direction of
Dr. Davis, the ensemble has performed around the globe.
[104]
Student media
★ '
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 92.1
MHz with an
ERP of 16 watts, and is licensed to Pittsburgh. Their
web site allows visitors to listen online.
★ '
JURIST' is the world's only law school-based comprehensive legal news and research service staffed by a mostly-volunteer team of part-time law student reporters, editors and Web developers led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at the
University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
★ '
The Pitt News' is an independent, student-written, and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland (main) campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1908, it is now published Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer.
www.pittnews.com
★ 'Telefact' is an informational telephone service run by University of Pittsburgh students that researches and answers callers' questions.
★ 'UPTV' is a student-managed, student-produced, closed-circuit television station. As of June 2006, only students living in on
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