Lyons: Reasons to remain proud of Pitt

Needless to say, it’s been a rough year. From an unexpectedly poor basketball season to the… Needless to say, it’s been a rough year. From an unexpectedly poor basketball season to the recent bomb threats to the budget cuts, Pitt students have contended with challenge after seemingly endless challenge.

But fear not — the following is a list of reasons why you should maintain your Pitt pride and stay here through finals week, regardless of how high your or your parents’ anxiety level is right now.

Cathedral of Learning

The Cathedral is easily Pitt’s most distinctive landmark. Listed as the fifth-tallest educational building in the world (this is a Pathfinder fact), the monument perfectly embodies the courage and resilience of its students. Some of my fondest memories involve looking up at the victory lights after a difficult Pitt Panthers win. Granted, this hasn’t happened since last year, but I’m confident it will happen again.

Prestige

US News recently named Pitt the 58th best college in America. So basically, the bomb threats don’t even matter that much because we’re all so smart that we don’t have to go to class anyway! Graduating here with a degree in biology, chemistry, philosophy, psychology or political science will indisputably raise graduate school admissions counselors’ eyes in your direction, as these programs are all ranked at the top of their respective fields. In other words, you can rest easy knowing that no matter how much our budget is cut, you’re still getting a high-quality, top-tier education.

Services Provided

Unlike at many colleges, your student ID is essentially your key to the city. Many schools charge for gym services or expect you to pay for public transportation, but as a Pitt student, you can get your swell on and ride Port Authority buses for free. Additionally, the free Carnegie Library and museums allow Pitt students to experience the natural and artistic history of the world gratis, making us more well-rounded and enlightened people. So before you lament that you should have gone to Penn State, think about how you can go to the gym or a museum without spending anything, instead of sneaking into the nearest farm to cow tip.

An Administration that Fights for Us

Despite facing drastically reduced state funding, Nordenberg stood strong and managed to raise tuition by an acceptable amount. Both he and Dean Kathy Humphrey have been phenomenal in their support of the student body throughout the past few weeks, both during the bomb threats and the shooting at Western Psych. Regardless of your feelings about how the threats are being handled or how little information is released to students, you have to acknowledge that it’s clear these high-level University employees care about us. I’m happy knowing that, no matter how sizable the threat or funding cut, Nordy will do his best to ensure tuition remains reasonable so as many people as possible can experience higher education.

Socialization

This happens at any college, but I only recognize Pitt because it’s the only school I’ve attended. Think about the person you were when you graduated from high school. Now think about the person you are. Lastly, think about the type of person you think you would’ve become had you not attended Pitt. This school has done so much for me, and no number of bomb threats or Pitt sports losses can take that away. Since setting foot on campus, I’ve academically excelled, developed a more tolerant and warm personality, cultivated oratorical skills after being involved in clubs and organizations, increased my writing ability by contributing to The Pitt News and, most importantly of all, grown into a man ready to take on the challenges of the “real world” after leaving Oakland’s safe haven. We all owe Pitt for the service it’s provided us, regardless of how much it charges for tuition or how unsafe it feels.

Although this year has been rough, I still love the school and appreciate all it’s done. Moreover, I don’t regret for a second my decision to attend Pitt and will continue to stand by it through these tough times. Like a struggling family member, we must support the University and ride this wave of bad luck out. After everything this school has done for us, it’s the least we can do. No matter how much tuition is raised, how many threats to our security are made or how many games the basketball and football teams lose next year, you cannot take away my Pitt pride.

Contact Kel at kjl27@pitt.edu