nationality rooms Archives

PolishFest 2022 spreads cultural knowledge and awareness on campus

By Gabriella Garvin, Staff Writer • November 14, 2022

Upon entering the Cathedral of Learning Commons Room on Sunday, a rich aroma of fried dough and pierogies, as well as the sounds of Lithuanian and Polish folk music, greeted around 150 visitors.

Witches, human bones, zombies and more: Student-run program hosts annual Halloween Nationality Room tour

By Madilyn Cianci, Staff Writer • October 23, 2022

Student-run program Quo Vadis hosted its annual Halloween tour of 10 Nationality Rooms on Friday and Saturday. Open to the public, these tours allowed the community to get a deeper understanding of Pitt’s historic Nationality Rooms.

Nationality Room tour guides gain cultural, educational experience

By Jessica McKenzie, Senior Staff Writer • March 1, 2022

Zach Hartman, a senior computer engineering and classics major, said he attended nationality room tour guide training sessions during his first year at Pitt, where he discovered his love for learning about the cultures the rooms represent.

Nationality Rooms Open House presents holiday traditions and culture

By Betul Tuncer, Senior Staff Writer • December 6, 2021

The Nationality Rooms Holiday Open House is an opportunity to share people’s culture and traditions with the Pitt community, and the themes for this year’s event are winter holiday traditions, cultural performances, traditional holiday crafts, and winter and holiday recipes.

Polishfest 2021 keeps tradition alive with informational videos

By Katelyn Kruszewski, Staff Writer • November 17, 2021

Pierogies, paper cuttings and polkas are only a small portion of Polish culture. To learn more about Polish heritage, students are invited to virtually attend Polishfest this week.

Between the world and E. Maxine Bruhns: Lessons from a life of advocacy

By Benjamin Nigrosh, News Editor • August 4, 2020

Despite Bruhns’ passing earlier this month at the age of 96, she continues to enrich the Pittsburgh community with the work she completed during her 54-year tenure as the director of Pitt’s Nationality Rooms.

E. Maxine Bruhns, former Nationality Rooms director, dies at 96

By Mary Rose O'Donnell, Acting Editor-in-Chief • July 18, 2020

E. Maxine Bruhns, the former director of Pitt's Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, passed away Friday at 96. Bruhns served as director for over 50 years and retired in January.

Pitt to revisit plans for Finnish, Iranian rooms

By Ashton Crawley, Staff Writer • March 3, 2020

The Finnish and Iranian rooms will most likely be due for a review of their progress with the University in August, according to Maryann Sivak, the assistant to the director of the Nationality Rooms.