The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) empowers students to expand their perspectives through their studies at Pitt, as well as through remarkable experiences beyond campus. Thanks to generous supporters on the 2023 Pitt Day of Giving (PDoG), students Ryan Druffner and Erin Zehr received an important boost that made it possible for them study in Washington, D.C., and Kenya, respectively.

PDoG 2023 donors directly supported the GSPIA Internship Resource Fund, which provides grants to students like Druffner and Zehr pursuing in-the-field opportunities.

Druffner participated in GSPIA’s D.C. Semester Program during fall 2023. “The D.C. semester has been an incredible opportunity,” he said. “As good education does, it has widened my boundaries and ideas on what is possible and what a future career path would look like.”

While in the nation’s capital, he completed an internship with the federal government while also taking courses. An Economic Statecraft class, in particular, piqued Druffner’s interest in a career with the Department of Treasury—a possibility he hadn’t previously considered. Through networking events, Druffner also built connections with D.C.-area professionals working in a wide range of fields.

“To the donors who support GSPIA students like me, I want to offer my sincere words of gratitude,” Druffner said.

“Scholarships and donations allow me the breathing space to take advantage of these opportunities. Had it not been for the housing stipend, I would not have been able to attend the D.C. semester.”

In summer 2023, Zehr traveled to Kenya to conduct research on community-managed water systems, an opportunity she discovered through the University’s Center for African Studies. Working with a Ph.D. student at St. Paul’s University, Zehr traveled to nine sites with borehole-drilled water projects and met with the committees managing them.

Community-managed systems play a critical role in supplying water to residents in areas where a typical utility isn’t commercially viable. “Sometimes those projects work really well, but sometimes they are nonfunctional several years after being drilled,” she said. Zehr and fellow researchers studied factors that led to successes and challenges in operating the systems.

Studying in Kenya gave Zehr a firsthand look at the importance of implementing and sustaining localized projects. The internship also solidified her ambition to make an impact in international development through effective governance and management.

“The fact that so many internships are unpaid can be a stumbling block and hurdle for a lot of students,” Zehr said. “I'm extremely grateful that this experience was made feasible for me because of the funding provided by donors.”

In the WonderLab, Falk Laboratory School’s unique makerspace, Middle School students are sawing and sanding wood. Soon they’ll assemble the pieces according to designs they created after interviewing Kindergarteners about the kinds of play objects they’d like to see in their play space.

It’s part of a tradition of Middle School students making objects for younger students. Someday the Kindergarteners who use these items will interview younger students, then design and craft new objects—right here in WonderLab.

This cycle of giving exemplifies Falk’s “Wonder, Care, Act” ethos: Falk’s principles distilled into three simple words underscoring community members’ commitment to care for the people and the world around them.

And it’s all made possible by generous donations to the WonderLab during last year’s Pitt Day of Giving campaign.

The WonderLab raised $4,730 during the 2023 Pitt Day of Giving. Those funds have been used to purchase the wood and other materials that Middle School students are using today.

Donations made this year will help WonderLab teachers Tim Wagner and Derek Werderitch update furniture and maintain tools and equipment, which range from hammers and X-Acto knives to 3-D printers and servo motors.

“The experiences children have in the WonderLab go far beyond more traditional make and take spaces,” says Dr. Jill Sarada, Falk’s director. “The students learn skills for authentic problem-solving and meaningful creative exploration. This space, this class, these teachers truly exemplify Falk's goal to teach children how to think.”

Established in 2015 with the help of a crowdfunding campaign that raised over $50,000, the WonderLab’s curriculum supports and complements other teachers’ lessons, from empowering students with practical applications of what they learned in math class to helping develop younger students’ fine motor skills. And Wagner and Werderitch provide frequent, tangible support by serving as a one-stop repair shop, sewing buttons back onto coats and fixing teachers’ pencil sharpeners.

“We’re not working in isolation,” says WonderLab instructor Tim Wagner. “We’re committed to being good neighbors.”

Every Pitt Day of Giving, Anthony Delitto, dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) and professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, challenges friends and alumni of the school’s nine departments to compete for the Tony Award. Delitto rewards the department with the highest percentage of donor increase from the previous Pitt Day of Giving with a $1,000 prize. This year, the Department of Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) crushed the competition on Feb. 21, 2023, increasing their donor count by 54 percent! Interim Department Chair Catherine Palmer gladly accepted the Tony Award on behalf of the department and was excited to apply the challenge funds towards future programming.

Nancy Gauvin, faculty advisor, assistant professor and associate dean of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement and other faculty members from the department used funds from the award to support the SHRS Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) affinity group, which was

originally created in the CSD department but has now become inclusive of all BIPOC SHRS students.

“The variety of fields within the health sciences are meant to be inclusive and representative of the population we live in. As that is still a work in progress, we do our best to provide guidance, support and mentoring for students that are currently in SHRS programs that will one day be future health care providers,” said Gauvin.

Gifts made to SHRS on Pitt Day of Giving help students today. Plus, gifts made on Pitt Day of Giving will go further than any other day—thanks to special challenges like the Tony Award that amplify the rewards of generous donors. Regardless of who wins friendly inter-school challenge competitions, all students win when donors give back.

With support from a Brackenridge Fellowship last summer, Pitt senior Richa Desai investigated the production, interpretation, and politicization of public health data during the 1896 bubonic plague outbreak in colonial India.

In the study, Desai integrated concepts from her majors—anthropology and computational biology—and her certificate in global health. But she also saw the tremendous power of learning from, and with, other Brackenridge Fellows from a broad range of academic fields at Pitt.

“Working with someone in a different discipline can help you reframe your question or re-interpret your problem,” Desai said. “It allows you to think creatively.”

By supporting the David C. Frederick Honors College on Pitt Day of Giving 2023, donors provided Brackenridge Fellows like Desai with a gift of time—and perspective.

The first interdisciplinary research program of its kind in the nation, the Brackenridge Fellowship provides $4,000 to Pitt undergraduate students for any form of research, scholarship or creative work. That funding allows fellows to devote their concentration to their research and limit the need for part-time employment.

Under the guidance of a faculty or graduate student mentor, fellows pursue an individual project. They also meet weekly with a cohort of fellows from different disciplines to discuss and present their work. Those interactions help students develop communication skills and expand their horizons.

“I found working with other students in a cohort incredibly generative, and I can't imagine it any other way,” Desai said. “Having conversations about my work with other scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds helped me realize the translational potential of my work.”

Collaboration and scholarly growth are at the heart of the Brackenridge Fellowship.

“The Brackenridge Fellowship is truly remarkable because it empowers emerging scholars to explore their potential and advance knowledge across disciplines,” said Nicola Foote, PhD, dean of the David C. Frederick Honors College. “Alumni and friends who support the fellowship are playing a vital role in helping us prepare students to confront and solve problems in innovative ways to improve society.”

The Pink Panthers+ Mentorship Program in the Swanson School of Engineering gives admitted women students an insider’s look at life at the University of Pittsburgh—and empowers them to envision a promising future in engineering. Gifts from alumni and friends on the annual Pitt Day of Giving (PDoG) provided support that paved the way for the program’s success in 2023.

The Pink Panthers+ Mentorship Program helped to cement Kristin Bindas’ decision to enroll at Pitt as she was considering college options in high school. Bindas—now a senior bioengineering major in the Swanson School—is paying that experience forward by serving as a mentor in the program.

“As a woman in the engineering field, it's not always easy to feel like you fit in. It's not always easy to feel like you're being supported. And I wanted to help other students know that if they chose to come here, they would have that community and sense of belonging,” Bindas said.

The daylong Pink Panther Program immerses students in the culture of the Swanson School and Pitt. Along with one-on-one mentorship from a student and meetings with faculty and staff, the schedule includes group activities and tours of Benedum Hall and the Engineering Living-Learning Community in Forbes Hall.

Contributions made on last year’s PDoG funded everything from materials used by Pink Panthers+ Mentorship participants completing hands-on projects in the Pitt Makerspace to their meals in the dining hall.

Beth Peters, co-director of First Year Recruitment and Women’s Programs in the Swanson School, said that the Pink Panthers+ Mentorship Program enables aspiring women engineers to see themselves at Pitt and begin building a network.

“Participants meet people who have the same goals and the same ambitions as them,” Peters said. “They make those connections early on and are one step ahead when they enroll at Pitt. And ultimately, those connections will help them continue in their engineering career.”

The Pink Panthers+ Mentorship Program is part of the Women in Engineering Program (WEP@Pitt), which provides comprehensive educational, social and professional development opportunities for students throughout their studies in the Swanson School. PDoG gifts to WEP@Pitt help provide the sense of community and belonging that empowers young women students at the Swanson School.

“Donors are giving power and opportunity to students that allow them to be successful and then impact others as well,” said Bindas, a member of the WEP committee. “Their support inspires me to bring more students into our programs, conferences and workshops so that everyone is getting the most of out of their experiences here.”

Every journey begins with a first step. For college students looking to study internationally, applying for a passport is a crucial bridge to cross at the outset—but one that can be challenging.

With support from 2023 Pitt Day of Giving (PDoG) donors, the Swanson School of Engineering helped to eliminate barriers for students taking that first step toward global education.

Last fall, the University of Pittsburgh’s Global Experiences Office sponsored a Passport Fair on campus. U.S. Postal Service personnel were on hand to provide students with a one-stop-shop for their passport applications, from reviewing required documentation to having a photo taken.

The Passport Fair makes the process more convenient for busy college students, said Alicia Olalde, director of Global Experiences and Engagement in the Swanson School. “With a rigorous curriculum, there's not a lot of time in the day to spend a few hours going downtown during business hours and back for an appointment to apply for a passport,” she said.

But the Swanson School didn’t stop there. Staff members recognized that the $165 cost for a first-time passport applicant could prevent students from even considering the opportunity, closing a door to study abroad. With funding from PDoG gifts and other sources, the school offered a random drawing to reimburse the application fees for 12 students who met eligibility criteria.

“It’s a relatively small amount of money, but it has a tremendous impact in opening up the possibility of studying away,” Olalde said. “It’s pretty amazing.”

Students receiving the support for their passport fees wholeheartedly agree.

In a thank-you letter, one of those students wrote that: “As someone who comes from a background where money is not readily available, a passport was the last thing on my mind. Your donations have enabled me to finally obtain my very first passport and ... travel outside of the U.S. for the very first time.”

Another student recipient shared that: “This generous gesture really showed me how the [Swanson School] community supports their students who are striving to overcome financial challenges. I promise to make the most of this opportunity and treasure the lessons and experiences gained throughout my travels.”

Ongoing donor support plays a key role in ensuring that global experiences can continue to have a profound impact on Swanson School students.

“Global programs for our students are truly experiential learning opportunities. They encompass engineering courses that fulfill degree requirements and are professional development opportunities,” Olalde said. “Through these programs, students are better prepared to become global engineers. They develop perspective and insight from situations they may not encounter in daily life here in the U.S., which will influence how they create engineering solutions in the future. The ripple effect of that learning is lifelong.”