ACUI honors Joe Cavalla

While watching the Connecticut-Brigham Young basketball game, sports fan and former… While watching the Connecticut-Brigham Young basketball game, sports fan and former director of student activities at Pitt, Joe Cavalla, said he is still the same man he was just a few months ago.

Cavalla worked at Pitt for about 15 years before leaving last May because of realignments in Pitt’s student life offices following budget cuts. Since then Cavalla has dealt with several challenges including suffering from a stroke and having quadruple bypass heart surgery.

Despite the challenges, the 60-year-old said, “I am alive and well.”

The man who was known for his enthusiasm for Pitt and its students has continued to follow Pitt football and basketball, and has remained in contact with several people at Pitt.

“Pitt will always have a place in my heart,” he said. “I enjoyed every moment of [my time at Pitt], I’m sorry that I’m gone.”

Recently he was awarded an honorary lifetime membership to the Association of College Unions International in Chicago for 35 years in his profession. He split those years between Pitt and Rider University in New Jersey.

ACUI provides resources for individuals involved with running student activities and college unions in several countries.

Student Government Board President Kevin Washo Jr. said Cavalla was a “model administrator” while at Pitt and treated students as his equal.

While at Pitt, Cavalla was in charge of SGB, Pitt Program Council, Greek organizations and other student groups.

Washo was a freshman when he first met Cavalla at Night of the Panthers. He remembered being impressed that an administrator would take time to spend a night with students.

“Many students miss him extremely,” Washo said. “Him getting an award shows he made a impact on his peers as well.”

“It couldn’t have happened to a better person,” he added.

SGB is planning to do something to show how much Cavalla meant to current and past students, Washo said.

“The only agenda [he had] was making the best experience for students at Pitt,” Washo said.

He added, though, that Pitt would go far into the tournament. But he picked the University of Kentucky to win the championship.