Fourth annual leadership retreat teaches women’s empowerment
By Mary Rose O'Donnell, Staff Writer
November 13, 2018
Ninety female undergraduate students will gather at Oglebay Resort on Saturday in Wheeling, West Virginia, for the third annual Pitt Women’s Leadership Experience. Over the course of two days, the participants, who were selected in October, will hear from speakers, connect with one another and enhance their leadership skills.
SGB addresses student voting issues, campus improvements
By Emily Wolfe, Senior Staff Writer
November 7, 2018
SGB members are in talks with Pitt about adding needle-disposal sites on campus, as well as blue lights to light the way home.
Volunteers encourage student voting on campus
By Janine Faust, Managing Editor
November 7, 2018
For many Pitt students, the midterm elections were the first vote they cast since the 2016 presidential election, when President Trump was elected.
Pitt students gather to support Jewish community
By Christian Snyder, Editor-in-Chief
November 6, 2018
In a combined effort on Monday afternoon, members of the Pitt community gathered in support of the Jewish community. The vigil featured words from Mayor Bill Peduto along with several musical performances from student a cappella groups.
Student Safety in a season of screams
By Andrew O'Brien, For the Pitt News
November 1, 2018
Pitt students who took to Oakland’s streets in costume this Halloween week had reason to think twice before donning a “Scream” mask. The masked killer from that cult classic horror film is fictional, but the “Scream bandit,” who committed at least three armed robberies in Shadyside in September...
City of steel is a city of scares
By Erica Guthrie, Staff Writer
October 31, 2018
Pitt students looking for a haunt don’t have to look far. Pittsburgh is home to several haunted locations for those looking for a scare all year long, including one of Pitt’s own Cathedral of Learning Nationality Rooms. The Early American Room, situated in room 328 of the Cathedral, is alleged...
Jewish Greek life honors Tree of Life victims
By Jon Moss, Staff Writer
October 31, 2018
After Saturday morning’s massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, some Jewish Pitt Greek life organizations are helping support their fellow Pittsburghers. A coalition of several historically Jewish Pitt fraternities and sororities — Alpha Epsilon Phi, Sigma Alpha Mu, Alpha Epsilon Pi...
Pitt community responds to synagogue shooting
By Emily Drzymalski, For the Pitt News
October 30, 2018
The sounds of sirens and phone alerts informed Pitt students of the active shooter situation happening a few neighborhoods over in Squirrel Hill at the Tree of Life Synagogue Saturday morning. In the wake of Saturday’s shooting, Pitt students and organizations are taking action. After the shooting that claimed the live...
Center for African American Poetry and Poetics hosts “Black Ecstatic” panel and showcase
By Dylan Giacobbe, For the Pitt News
October 26, 2018
Rickey Laurentiis — a poet from New Orleans currently serving as the inaugural fellow of the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics — took the stage at the Frick Fine Arts building on Thursday night and made clear what they came to see. “I wanted to see how a black filmmaker argues her body into a ...
SGB hears criticism of Sodexo, the University
By Emily Wolfe, Staff Writer
October 24, 2018
SGB will hold its second Eat and Greet meeting this Friday — the first public opportunity for students to question Sodexo officials since revelations last week that the Allegheny County Health Department cited Market Central for 14 health code violations.
Pitt, Sodexo address food safety concerns amid reinspection citations
By Hannah Schneider and Christian Snyder
October 23, 2018
Nearly 2,000 students have signed a petition demanding Pitt replace Sodexo as its food service provider. Pitt and Sodexo responded to the recent health department violations.
Market cited for 14 health violations
By Hannah Schneider, Assistant News Editor
October 18, 2018
Market Central, the main hub for student dining at Pitt, was cited for multiple health violations by the Allegheny County Health Department on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Out of the 25 Food Safety Assessment categories reviewed by ACHD, 14 categories were violated, with six deemed “high risk,” accordin...
Man sentenced to life in prison without parole for murder of Pitt student
By Janine Faust, Managing Editor
October 17, 2018
The DA’s office had originally sought the death penalty for Matthew Darby and withdrew it after he agreed to a sentence of life without parole.
‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ back on after meeting with SGB
By Christian Snyder, Editor in Chief
October 11, 2018
After a confusing last few days, those involved are confident “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will see the stage this year despite a surprise cancellation announced on Monday. The show, hosted annually by the Engineering Student Council, encountered funding dilemmas — which some interpreted as a ma...
Blue Sparrow food truck flocks to a new home
By Erica Guthrie, Staff Writer
October 10, 2018
One of its previous stops was outside of Redhawk Coffee on Meyran Avenue, but the owners have had to ease up on lunch service to devote time to developing the new bus.
Rocky Horror Picture Show suddenly cancelled, organizers blame SGB
By Sarah Connor and Christian Snyder
October 9, 2018
Organizers cited budget issues and blamed SGB for cutting funding and eliminating a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community – President Maggie Kennedy responded to the criticism in an interview.
PPC’s Homecoming Laser and Fireworks show lights the night
By Mario Cattabiani III, Staff Writer
October 8, 2018
Neon-colored lasers painted intricate, shifting figures — a face, then a horse, then a person dancing — against an ethereal canvas of fog. Fireworks exploded with thunderous booms. Pop hits like Jackie Chan by Post Malone and The Village People’s YMCA blared from massive speakers. This year...
Pitt’s homecoming festivities past and present
By Madeline Gavatorta, Staff Writer
October 4, 2018
Homecoming isn’t what it used to be. Pitt’s celebration evolved from a few frat-house parties to the football and alumni-focused week-long event it is today.
William Pitt Union celebrates 120 years
By Hannah Schneider and Grant Burgman
October 2, 2018
Built in 1898, Hotel Schenley was designed to reflect entrepreneur Franklin Nicola’s vision for the Oakland community to become a center for culture and education. Fast-forward 120 years and Nicola’s dream has manifested — now through the presence of student organizations, affairs and activities. The ...
Chancellor releases 30-year Campus Master Plan
By Sarah Shearer, Assistant News Editor
October 1, 2018
Pitt as we know it may look a lot different by the time the next generation of applications rolls in. The University released a Campus Master Plan in a Board of Trustees meeting Friday, including plans for new academic buildings, housing and rerouted transportation methods. The projected master plan has b...
Janet Dewart Bell debuts book at Barco Law
By Emily Wolfe, Staff Writer
September 28, 2018
Leah Chase can’t be found in most history textbooks; neither can June Jackson Christmas or Kathleen Cleavers. But Janet Dewart Bell is telling their stories in her debut book, “Lighting the Fires of Freedom,” about African American women in the Civil Rights Movement. Bell spoke at Pitt’s Barco Law Buil...
Bully PulPitt hosts discussion on gun violence
By Sam Weber, Staff Writer
September 27, 2018
Gun violence is one of the most divisive issues in American culture today, but the UPTV-based nonpartisan political television show “The Bully PulPitt” set out to investigate that issue through discussion on Wednesday night. The Bully PulPitt’s “Let’s Talk — Gun Violence” discussion in the William...
SGB unveils Town Hall to reach students
By Sid Lingala, Staff Writer
September 26, 2018
The Student Government Board announced the creation of a Town Hall at Tuesday night’s meeting, aimed at bringing more students into the conversation about various campus issues.
Pittsburgh, Denmark, Swanson: International energy initiatives come to campus
By Ashley Priore, For the Pitt News
September 25, 2018
Pittsburgh is a historically dirty city. The City was an industrial hub of metalworking, iron and steel factories for more than a century — but while these factories brought economic prosperity to the area, they also generated massive air pollution. After some time, Pittsburgh was known by nicknam...
Not a mirage: Oakland no longer food desert
By Hannah Schneider, Assistant News Editor
September 25, 2018
The Grocery Pop-Up opened yesterday in the old New Balance storefront on Forbes Avenue, marking the end of a drought on campus since the closing of the IGA.
Black Action Society hosts actress, activist Tatyana Ali
By Emily Wolfe, Staff Writer
September 24, 2018
When she was younger, Tatyana Ali wanted to be an astronaut. Her room was covered with posters of her hero — Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space. Ali never made it to space — instead she pursued another dream of becoming an actor, and landed the role of Ashley Bank...
Global issues localized at human rights panel
By Remy Samuels, Staff Writer
September 20, 2018
Panelists at the Human Rights in Pittsburgh and the World event Wednesday discussed current conflicts in human rights related to food insecurity and women's rights.
Panther Grille serves sustainability
By Madeline Gavatorta, Staff Writer
September 20, 2018
The truck can be used for special events, help serve areas on campus where less food options are present and also work as a “disaster kitchen” — meaning if one eatery on campus cannot run anymore for whatever reason, Panther Grille can be used as a backup.
SGB hosts bi-annual Safety Fair
By Ashley Priore and Janine Faust, The Pitt News Staff
September 19, 2018
Kevin Caruso, a fire safety specialist and emergency preparedness coordinator at Pitt, said people always get something out of the fire extinguisher training exercises, from how to properly use an extinguisher to how to react to a real fire.
Pitt Law hosts Constitution Day panel
By Noah Manalo, Staff Writer
September 18, 2018
In honor of Constitution Day on Monday, the University of Pittsburgh School of Law hosted a panel discussion about the promise, limits and ongoing challenges in realizing the rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
Pitt Progressives protest Maggie and Stella’s
By Christian Snyder and Janine Faust, The Pitt News Staff
September 16, 2018
Pitt Progressives organized a demonstration Friday to protest the absence of a grocery store on campus.
Students study and slumber in newly renovated Hillman Library
By Noah Manalo, Staff Writer
September 14, 2018
Students react to Hillman Library's new fourth floor, complete with group study spaces and expanded archives.
VIDEO: “Art for Change” with Marcel Walker
September 14, 2018
Marcel Walker, Pittsburgh-based illustrator and comic-book artist, visits the University of Pittsburgh at the "Art for Change" event.
In the Army: professional prospects for Pitt ROTC
By Grant Burgman, News Editor
September 13, 2018
In Pitt’s ROTC program, students receive a full-tuition scholarship as well as $600 a month to cover the cost of books and a $420 monthly stipend. Students who already have a full-tuition scholarship, through athletics or academics, can instead choose to accept a $10,000 room-and-board scholarship.
Q&A: Aurora Sharrard talks on sustainability
By Brian Salvato, Staff Writer
September 7, 2018
The University’s plan to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energy is a long one, spanning to 2030, but it’s one that students help propel forward every time they recycle a can or compost their food waste.
Pitt heats up, AC goes down
By Hannah Schneider, Assistant News Editor
September 6, 2018
The University didn’t come to the decision on its own. In an email to faculty and staff, the Facilities Management Division of the University cited Pennsylvania Act 129, which demands a response notification from their electricity supplier as the reason behind cutting back on electric usage.
Oakland community reacts to new security cameras
By Mario Cattabiani III, Staff Writer
September 4, 2018
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala announced the installation of the 60 cameras last week, 10 months after Pitt student Alina Sheykhet was found dead in her home on Cable Place.
Dear readers: The Pitt News takes Fridays online
By Christian Snyder, Editor-in-Chief
August 30, 2018
Dear readers, My tenure as editor-in-chief of The Pitt News began during a time of change at the paper. Over the summer we underwent a process of rebranding ourselves and focusing on new goals. Many of these changes are already implemented as part of our transition to a proactive digital-first mindset — one of the first things we did was launch a new website in June with the goal of providing you more comprehensive, immersive stories about the news around us.
Dean lifts ban on Greek life
By Grant Burgman, News Editor
August 30, 2018
Bonner announced in April that the modified probation would be lifted once the fall semester started and Pitt finished drafting a thorough community action plan.
Maggie and Stella’s new home on Fifth Ave.
By Grant Burgman, News Editor
August 30, 2018
The shop recently reopened Aug. 13 on Fifth Avenue in place of the Oakland Bakery and Market, months after an Amazon campus pick-up location moved into its former space on Oakland Avenue.
Cooking at the conservatory: Phipps offers cooking classes
By Sam Weber, Staff Writer
August 27, 2018
Phipps Conservatory has always offered its beautiful gardens to the public, but recently added a new attraction — cooking lessons. Throughout this culinary arts course, local chefs teach students about different cuisines to empower students to find their own talents in the kitchen.
Lantern night shines a light on women’s education
By Madeline Gavatorta, Staff Writer
August 27, 2018
Women at Pitt first began celebrating Lantern Night, the oldest tradition at Pitt, in 1920. This year, at the 98th annual celebration, alumnae passed the "light of learning" to first-year women.
Therapy dogs bring contentment and comfort to campus
By Kieran Mclean, Staff Writer
August 20, 2018
Marsha Robbins' therapy dog program has been bringing calming canines to Pitt for years.
Mark Nordenberg recalls late vice chancellor’s Pitt Pride
By Grant Burgman, News Editor
August 20, 2018
Jerome “Jerry” Cochran, former Pitt vice chancellor, died Wednesday, Aug. 5, at age 69.
International students adjust to American culture
By Madeline Gavatorta, Staff Writer
August 20, 2018
Student organizations and mentors on campus help Pitt students from abroad get used to their new surroundings — along with the daily struggles of being a college student.
Iranian, Finnish and Philippine rooms coming to the Cathedral
By Sarah Shearer, Assistant News Editor
August 20, 2018
Three new nationality rooms are set to open their doors in 2019 – rooms representing Iranian, Finnish and Philippine heritage.
Big Idea Center brings innovation to Pitt
By Brittany Zortman | For the Pitt News
July 11, 2018
Pitt students will soon have the opportunity to fit their big ideas into one space — a workplace that will harbor the tools and resources they need to make these ideas a reality. This year the University of Pittsburgh Innovation Institute, an organization focused on entrepreneurship and innovation...
Board of Trustees unanimously votes to rename Parran Hall
By Christian Snyder and Janine Faust | The Pitt News Staff
July 11, 2018
After a long campaign of ballots, petitions, special committees and a recommendation from the chancellor, the main building for Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health will no longer be named after Thomas Parran Jr., a former Pitt dean who presided over the infamous and racist Tuskegee and Guatema...
Pitt unveils statue of Dr. Thomas Starzl, transplant pioneer
By Samuel Weber | Staff Writer
June 27, 2018
Friends, family, university staff and members of the media gathered outside the Cathedral of Learning in full business attire Saturday to honor the memory of the late Dr. Thomas Starzl with a new bronze statue. Dr. Starzl passed away March 4, 2017, at age 90. Often referred to as “the father of t...
Chancellor recommends renaming Parran Hall
By Christian Snyder and Grant Burgman | The Pitt News Staff
June 25, 2018
The months-long campaign to rename Parran Hall, the primary home of Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health, reached a turning point Monday when Chancellor Patrick Gallagher issued a recommendation to University trustees that the building be renamed in light of Thomas Parran’s controversial record...
Athletics Department announces new mental health program
By Christian Snyder | Editor-in-Chief
June 20, 2018
Pitt’s Athletics Department announced a new partnership with Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC to add two full-time mental health counselors to the department’s staff to interact with student-athletes on a daily basis, according to a statement released Wednesday. Student-athletes were previously referred to WPIC for mental health treatment. The new program will include one-on-one counseling and focus on techniques for practi...
Pitt alums aim to simplify subletting
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
May 30, 2018
For students searching for the perfect summer or fall apartment to sublet, scrolling through pages and pages of listings on Facebook or Craigslist can be an exhausting and difficult process. And for those looking for someone to sublet their place while they are away, their posts are often pushed to the b...
Pitt professor hosts book launch in Oakland
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
May 30, 2018
In front of a crowd of about 50-60 people in the South Wing Reading Room of the Main Carnegie Library, Pitt theatre arts professor Kathleen George spoke to the audience as she held a release for her new book. “The Blues Walked In,” is a fictional story based life of the real-life famous jazz si...
Internship prep program positions students for success
By Mario Cattabiani | For the Pitt News
May 30, 2018
One of the great stressors for college students is the pressure to secure an internship — and with good reason. A survey done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in 2012 found 60 percent of respondents in paid internships received to at least one job offer, making internships a v...
Pitt service workers to be affected by SCOTUS decision
By Christian Snyder | Editor in Chief
May 30, 2018
Aliyya Lee had just worked from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. before stopping to meet her coworker Pam Johnston at Panera on Forbes Avenue. After passionately describing to me what’s at stake over 200 miles away as nine Supreme Court justices debate a labor union case, the pair left to defend unionized employ...
Involved in Oakland: Volunteer organizations at Pitt
By Brittany Zortman | For the Pitt News
May 30, 2018
One of the first events new Pitt students are encouraged to attend every fall is the volunteer fair in the William Pitt Union. Volunteer organizations from around campus set up tables to distribute information about their missions to interested students. Wandering around the open ballroom as a firs...
Produce at Pitt: New grocery store comes to Oakland
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
May 30, 2018
As Pitt transitions into the fall semester, students can finally stop mourning the loss of 7-Eleven and welcome the new grocery store that is coming to Forbes Avenue. Although Slurpees will no longer be available, fresh fruits and vegetables will soon enter the Oakland scene. Jim Earle, Pitt’s a...
Pitt alums remember Peter’s Pub
By Samuel Weber | Staff Writer
May 23, 2018
At Peter’s Pub in Oakland this past weekend, the generally happy atmosphere of a normal Sunday night was nowhere to be found. Bar staff and friends sat around the bar reminiscing about their time working and hanging out at the Oakland staple, which will be closing its doors after 44 years. In a F...
2 injured in South Oakland apartment fire
By The Pitt News Staff
May 20, 2018
A three-alarm apartment fire struck an apartment building at 3315 Ward St. in South Oakland Sunday night around 10:30 p.m., sending two people to the hospital. According to Pitt spokesperson Kevin Zwick, neither victim is affiliated with the university. One victim is being treated at UPMC Presbyterian Ho...
Peter’s Pub announces upcoming closing
By Grant Burgman | News Editor
May 16, 2018
Peter’s Pub, a staple of the Oakland bar scene, will close its doors at the end of the month after 44 years of business. The popular bar on Oakland Avenue announced its upcoming closing on its Facebook page in a post Wednesday afternoon. “It is with heavy hearts, and tears in our eyes, that...
Allegheny County Health Department issues consumer alert at Popeyes
By Grant Burgman | News Editor
May 15, 2018
The Allegheny County Health Department issued a consumer alert Friday to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on Fifth Avenue for an infestation of mice. Inspectors reportedly found a live mouse in the office and another live mouse in the basement of the restaurant, and found dead mice in the kitchen and on ...
Gallagher’s senior year: State funding, unions, #MeToo
By Ashwini Sivaganesh
April 23, 2018
At this weekend’s graduation, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher will send off the first group of seniors he also witnessed start their first days of classes at Pitt four years ago. Like most of the graduating class, Gallagher’s fourth year was a busy one. The Pitt News talked with the chancellor l...
SGB reflects, looks ahead
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
April 23, 2018
As Student Government Board’s incoming president last year, Max Kneis said he wanted to improve collaboration and engagement with SGB. Now as outgoing president one year later, Kneis said the number of applications for SGB positions shows how he’s achieved this. “I think we continue to have more students...
Pitt remembers jazz professor Nathan Davis
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
April 20, 2018
Deane Root can easily recall how often Nathan Davis “worked the phones” to bring jazz studies to higher education. “You know, [like] they talk about members of Congress or lobbyists or other people working the phones for a campaign,” Root, chair of Pitt’s music department, said. “He w...
No hot food for thought: Hillman enforces food policy
By Sam Weber | For The Pitt News
April 19, 2018
After spending numerous hours on the ground floor of Hillman Library preparing for exams last week, Pitt junior psychology and chemistry major Geena Richards saw students getting turned away at the door by a new security guard. That’s when she remembered what her friends had told her the day before —...
Irene Mena: A world of opportunities
By Brian Gentry, Staff Writer
April 19, 2018
When Irene Mena got her U.S. citizenship Feb. 28 at the Pittsburgh Courthouse, her colleague and friend Dan Budny brought her a cake adorned with an American flag and the words “Congratulations Irene!” written under it. She ate a piece and then drove right back to her office in Benedum Hall. ...
Pitt now accepting the Common Application
By Elise Lavallee | Contributing Editor
April 19, 2018
Students submitting an application to Pitt in the 2018-19 school year will be the first class that can use the Common Application, according to a statement Pitt released Tuesday. The Common App allows prospective students to apply to multiple colleges and universities simultaneously using one applica...
Anjali Kumar: A journey into faith
By Mariam Shalaby | Senior Staff Writer
April 19, 2018
Anjali Kumar has an infectiously bright presence. The corners of her eyes crinkle when she smiles and her curly teal hair bounces in rhythm with her steps. She said she has a lot to be happy about these days. She just joined a sorority and is making friends in her new faith community. Plus, she j...
Pitt announces commencement speakers
By Salina Pressimone | Assistant News Editor
April 17, 2018
Pitt graduates receiving their University diplomas this month will hear from two Pitt alumni who have led prominent careers in public service since their own commencement ceremonies. Pitt will host Pittsburgh Mayor and ex officio member of Pitt’s Board of Trustees, William Peduto, at the undergrad...
Students shimmy on Schenley at annual bash
By Zane Crowell | Staff Writer
April 16, 2018
Thousands crowded Schenley Drive on 2018’s hottest day yet to partake in food truck specialties and play lawn games — accompanied by a bass-heavy DJ set. Bigelow Bash — a one-day musical festival complemented by food trucks — is organized by the Pitt Program Council with help from WPTS, the st...
March for matter: Community comes together for science
By Kenan Meral | Staff Writer
April 16, 2018
Citing an “attack on science and science finding,” Dana Kellerman went to Washington, D.C., last April to join the first March for Science. One year later, Kellerman, a 52-year-old resident of Fox Chapel, came to the Pittsburgh march with a more specific demand. “I marched this year because I...
Pitt honors Holocaust victims in annual remembrance walk
By Thompson Wymard | Staff Writer
April 13, 2018
A procession of Pitt community members dressed in black marched from from Trees Hall to the Bigelow Lawn Wednesday night. The mourning colors were worn not just to remember one death, but millions. Pitt’s historically Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, held its second annual Walk to Remember ...
Backyard brewers: Students craft their own creations
By Cassidy Power and Samuel Ruppert | Staff Writers
April 13, 2018
Some students buy kegs for a good time. Others become amateaur mixologists for the night, concocting a batch of jungle juice in their backyards. But a few local college students find joy not in the consumption of the alcohol, but in the process of making the drink itself. They’ve taken it upon...
Environmental, economic issues merge at lecture
By Theresa Dickerson | For The Pitt News
April 12, 2018
Two student-led campus organizations at Pitt collaborated Wednesday evening, hoping to dispel the myth that advocacy for environment protection and advocacy for jobs are mutually exclusive. Free the Planet and United Students Against Sweatshops teamed up to bring in Veronica Coptis, the executive director o...
Students react to Schenley Quad renovations
By Samuel Ruppert | Staff Writer
April 11, 2018
Renovations will add more public space to Schenley Quadrangle this summer, but some students are concerned that the change will come at the expense of precious parking spots. The week before spring break, Pitt sent out an email to students notifying them of preparations for renovations in Schenley...
Pitt jazz professor dies at 81
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | News Editor
April 11, 2018
Nathan Davis, a former professor at Pitt’s department of music and renowned jazz musician, died on Sunday from natural causes. He was 81. Davis came to Pitt in 1969 as the director of the jazz studies program. During his time at Pitt, he founded and directed the University’s annual jazz seminar. He als...
Lawmakers propose more transparency at state-related universities
By Christian Snyder and John Hamilton / TPN Staff
April 10, 2018
State representatives unveiled legislation Tuesday that would expand transparency and public access to records at Pennsylvania’s state-related universities. Pitt, Penn State, Temple and Lincoln — Pennsylvania’s four state-related universities — are currently exempt from the Right-to-Know Law, whic...
Panelists discuss intersectionality in sexual assault
By Zane Crowell | Staff Writer
April 10, 2018
Students gathered Monday night to listen as six panelists discussed how intersectionality plays a role in sexual assault. The panel consisted of Krithika Pennathur, president of Pitt Unmuted; Rose Barone — who prefers to go by Sawyer — executive assistant of Rainbow Alliance; Albert Tanjaya, ad...
Baklava and belly dancers: students experience Beirut culture
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
April 10, 2018
The sweet smell of baklava wafted in the air as gentle Arabic music welcomed Pitt students of different ethnicities and cultures for a Middle Eastern experience. Students wandered the room, chatting with their friends, dipping pita bread into hummus and getting henna tattoos. According to Amani Attia ...
Sugar-coated: donuts out, Insomnia in
By Salina Pressimone | Assistant News Editor
April 10, 2018
Meyran Avenue’s sweet spot is shutting down — but “donut” worry, something else is coming along to make that late night insomnia manageable. Insomnia Cookies is set to move in across from the now-closed Peace, Love and Little Donuts in the near future as Meyran’s newest eatery. The donu...
Drag queens and kings strut past boundaries
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
April 9, 2018
Performers lip-synched, danced and seductively plucked money from people’s hands with their mouths while pop song remixes played in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room Friday evening. “Drag is about pushing boundaries,” the emcee for the first half of the night, drag queen Anne T. Christ, ...
Pitt dancers marathon for kids
By Briana Canady and Sam Weber | The Pitt News Staff
April 9, 2018
Students in the Cost Sports Center spent most of Saturday sweating — but not from running laps or drills. Instead, about 1,450 people danced to top-40 hits over a period of 16 hours under neon lights. These people were participants in the Pitt Dance Marathon, one of several fundraising events held durin...
Greek life action plan proposes changes
By Christian Snyder | Contributing Editor
April 9, 2018
Following a nearly semester-long social probation, fraternities and sororities will be permitted to resume normal operations in the fall 2018 semester, but with a few changes. Pitt released a working action plan for Greek life last Monday in response to two off-campus events which occurred during the spring 2018 semester. The first, a student hospitalization following a Sigm...
Feminists march for inclusivity
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
April 6, 2018
Marchers waving signs made out of cardboard, paper and pizza boxes drew the attention of passersby as they wove their way through Pitt’s campus and Oakland Thursday evening — chanting in support of women of all sexualities and races. One of the pizza boxes read “Injustice anywhere is a threat to...
TPN earns 17 awards at College Media Business and Advertising Managers
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | News Editor
April 6, 2018
College Media Business and Advertising Managers presented The Pitt News with 17 awards for excellence in business operations, marketing and promotions during the organization’s 46th annual Advertising Awards Competition Saturday. According to the CMBAM website, the awards ceremony recognizes excel...
Cecile Richards reflects on life of activism
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
April 5, 2018
Cecile Richards has been politically active since seventh grade, when she wore a black armband to school to protest the Vietnam War. When she was called to the principal’s office and asked if her mother knew what she was doing, she replied, “Probably.” Since then, she’s grown to become a lea...
Lance Bass in sync with LGBTQ+ community
By Sam Weber | For The Pitt News
April 4, 2018
When Lance Bass looks back on his time in NSYNC, he can’t help but laugh — both at his antics and the crowds often confused by them. “I found it funny,” Bass said. “Before anyone knew I was gay, I was just Lance from NSYNC and I just humped the stage a lot.” Bass, a 38-year-old mus...
Students report on community work in Homewood
By Zane Crowell | Staff Writer
April 3, 2018
Students, Homewood residents and members of the Community Engagement Center filled the Homewood-Brushton Branch YMCA’s meeting room, waiting for their chance to hear how the community workers had been spending their time. Residents of Homewood attended the Pitt CEC’s Community Assistant Report Out e...
University continues search for Counseling Center director
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
April 3, 2018
The search for a University Counseling Center director is still ongoing, according to University spokesperson Kevin Zwick — who also did not comment on whether there will be a new director by the start of the 2018-19 academic year. Pitt has been without a full-time UCC director since Allegheny C...
Students rethink society at annual TedX event
By Briana Canady and Zane Crowell | The Pitt News Staff
April 2, 2018
Growing up in the South Side of Chicago, Jasiri Oronde Smith’s childhood was “100 percent black.” His friends, his neighbors and his family were all African-American. Then his family moved to Pittsburgh in the ’80s while he was still in high school. He met with racism and discrimination as...
Pitt Innovation Institute announces Big Idea Center
By Salina Pressimone | Assistant News Editor
April 2, 2018
The University Innovation Institute announced Thursday it will establish a Big Idea Center set to open for the 2018-2019 academic year. The announcement was part of last week’s annual Randall Family Big Idea Competition, where three current and former Pitt students won $25,000 to develop their autom...
Protest on campus combines Black Lives Matter and Never Again
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
March 31, 2018
"What do we want? Gun control! When do we want it? Now!" "No justice, no peace. No racist police." Both of those chants are common refrains heard in countless protests across the country — the former at gatherings calling for stricter gun laws and the latter at rallies condemning police brutal...
Breaking grounds with big ideas: four growers for the win
By Anandhini Narayanan | Staff Writer
March 30, 2018
In the future, the tomatoes in your salad, on your sandwich and in your pasta may be gathered by harvesters who can not only tell whether a tomato is ripe or unripe in just a few seconds, but also provide metrics and data analytics. This idea could become a reality through the work of 2016 Pitt a...
Pitt debates presence of Parran’s past
By Thompson Wymard | Staff Writer, Contributed reporting by Cassidy Power
March 30, 2018
Pitt graduate student union organizers have garnered more than 870 signatures to rename Parran Hall — the Pitt Public Health building named after the school’s founding dean who was involved in unethical medical experiments. But Thursday at a University-organized symposium discussing the legacy...
Panelists consider social media’s impact
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
March 29, 2018
When David Hickton addressed the concept of social media Wednesday night, he said users are reaching a tipping point of outrage with it that will lead to social change. “We’re recognizing that we’re being deceived and diluted by this nonsense,” the former U.S. Attorney said. The University ...
Sutherland student treated for possible meningitis
By Janine Faust / Assistant News Editor
March 28, 2018
A Pitt student-athlete living in Sutherland Hall is currently being treated for a potential case of bacterial meningitis, according to a statement released by the University Wednesday morning. The statement said the student was tested for the illness Tuesday, meaning the infection cannot be confi...
University Senate discusses teaching innovations
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
March 28, 2018
Pitt faculty, staff and administrators gathered Tuesday afternoon to discuss innovation in teaching and making higher education more accessible to all. About 50 Pitt faculty, staff and administrators attended the University Senate’s 2018 plenary meeting — an annual event held to discuss a pressing to...
Actor Justin Baldoni talks ‘Being Man Enough’
By Salina Pressimone | Assistant News Editor
March 28, 2018
Justin Baldoni is a self-proclaimed feminist of the 21st century. The actor — best known for his role on “Jane the Virgin” — said he knows he is a straight, white, privileged man with a platform, but is using that advantage to rewrite history into a new “herstory.” “We view the world ...
NAACP speaker discusses overlapping injustices
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
March 27, 2018
Environmental injustice can affect anyone, whether they are an African-American with asthma living in the South Side of Chicago or a low-income white family living near a toxic waste plant. But according to Jacqueline Patterson, director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, some ...
Students share global empowerment stories
By Zane Crowell | Staff Writer
March 27, 2018
As the doors of the William Pitt Union lower lounge opened at 8 p.m., about 150 students poured in to learn about the experiences of women in other countries. The event, Who Run the World?, was part of Pitt’s annual Women’s Empowerment Week hosted by Student Government Board. The week will see several event...