Famous Pitt affiliates gain recognition throughout history

The University of Pittsburgh has been turning college students into public figures since its… The University of Pittsburgh has been turning college students into public figures since its inception. Former Pitt students and faculty have become bestselling authors, movie stars, professional athletes and more, spreading Pitt’s reputation.

Here is a list of a few alumni and past faculty who excelled both at Pitt and in their later careers.

Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon studied English as an undergraduate at Pitt. He graduated in 1984 and received his MFA from the University of California at Irvine three years later.

Chabon’s debut novel, “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh,” a coming-of-age story set in Pittsburgh, propelled his career after it was published in 1988. He then wrote “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” which was published in 2000. This novel won Chabon a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2001 and now acts as his claim to fame.

Mike Ditka

Mike Ditka comes from a string of Pitt football players raised in the Pittsburgh area. Ditka played defensive end, tight end and linebacker for the Panthers, and he was named an All-American during his senior year in 1960.

One year later, the Chicago Bears drafted him in the first round, and that same year he was voted the NFL Rookie of the Year. During his 12-season career, Ditka was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and then to the Dallas Cowboys, which he helped to win a Super Bowl title.

After retiring from his playing career in 1972, Ditka began coaching in the NFL. First he was an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys, then he moved from head coach for the Chicago Bears to the New Orleans Saints. In 1988 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gene Kelly

Born in Pittsburgh on Aug. 23, 1912, Gene Kelly became well known for acting in movies, such as the 1952 comedic musical “Singin’ in the Rain.” But before Kelly hit the big screen, he wanted to be a baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates — a dream he never fulfilled.

In 1931, Kelly enrolled at Pitt to study economics. One year later, he opened the Gene Kelly Studio of the Dance, where he taught part time so he could continue his education at Pitt. He graduated in 1933.

Kelly wanted to study law at Pitt, but he was unable to because of the Great Depression. He taught dance until he received his first job on Broadway in 1938, which helped him start a long career in show business. He passed away in 1996 at the age of 83.

Jonas Salk

Jonas Salk was not a Pitt undergraduate, but he did work at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He studied at the City College of New York as an undergraduate and then attended medical school at New York University.

Salk accepted a position in Pittsburgh in 1947, beginning his successful career in the city. For eight years, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis funded his research in developing a polio vaccine.

On April 12, 1955, after eight years of research, Salk proudly announced that he had developed a vaccine that worked on human test subjects. Because of his achievement, Pitt has gained a reputation as a quality medical institution. Salk died in 1995 at the age of 80.

Rebecca Skloot

Before 2010, Rebecca Skloot was not the well-known author she is now. She worked as a journalist and a professor of creative writing and science journalism at various universities, including Pitt, where she received her MFA in creative nonfiction.

Today, Skloot is known for her book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” a New York Times best-seller which she published in 2010. Her debut book has received much acclaim and has even been taught in Pitt nonfiction writing courses.

John Woodruff

In 1936, John Woodruff, a Pitt freshman and track and field star, had a lot more to focus on than his exams. He was competing in the Berlin Olympics.

During the 800-meter final, other runners boxed Woodruff in and forced him to stop in his tracks. After halting in the middle of the race, he caught up with and passed all the other runners, making him the first African-American gold medalist of the games which was a slap in the face for Adolf Hitler.

Before he ran to Olympic victory, Woodruff began his education at Pitt in 1935. The University offered him an athletic scholarship to complete his studies. He graduated in 1939 with a degree in sociology, and continued his education at New York University to earn a master’s degree.

Woodruff passed away on October 30, 2007, at the age of 92, but he continues to serve as an important figure in the Pitt community. Last year, Pitt unveiled a new display in Hillman Library for Woodruff’s gold medal, which he donated to the school in 1990.