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This art installation turns a century of Nationality Rooms history into poetry and pattern

Before reaching Hillman Library’s front doors, passersby can look through the windows and see a phrase in bold blue letters running the length of the grand staircase inside. It reads: “I am made to leave I am made again to return.”

Kornelia Tancheva, director of Pitt’s University Library System (ULS), reads the line through her own experience as an immigrant from Bulgaria.

“Your past is always part of you, and you change all the time, but you don’t forget where you come from,” Tancheva said.

Pitt Stages 2026-2027 season is officially here!

From Pitt Stages:

Pitt Stages has officially announced their 2026-2027 season, comprised of compelling stories showcasing grit and inner strength that will reflect a common theme of Perseverance. The mix of mainstage productions, musicals, and one-act plays will consist of classical adaptations, modern-day abstraction, and a bohemian musical that celebrates the seasons of life.  

Environmental science professor dives into swimming, fishing potential of city's rivers

Among elements most associated with Pittsburgh — Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, a bevy of unique bridges, several universities, French fries on sandwiches — the scenically striking confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers to form the mighty Ohio might be the city’s key physical trademark.

As crucial as the three rivers are to the evolution and continued vitality to the city, however, when it comes their viability as far as fishing and human immersion, aka “swimmability,” well, it’s complicated.

Local high schoolers are soaking up the science at Gene Team 2026

Gene Team 2026 wrapped up this past week, with students presenting their projects last Thursday. The summer program began on June 22 and was open to all Pittsburgh-area high school students who completed at least one high school-level biology class. Becky Gonda, a teaching associate professor and Director of Outreach in the Department of Biological Sciences, is the head of the Gene Team.
 

This senior knows positive change starts with conversations

Sam Podnar knows if she’s going to make her city a better place, she can’t shy away from difficult conversations.

The Pittsburgh native and graduating senior is deeply invested in advocating for the interests of her neighbors, at the polls and on the national stage. Sometimes the best way to get to know someone, Podnar said, is by first knocking on their front door. She’s led canvassing efforts and voter registration drives in support of multiple campaigns.

A service dog opened doors for this senior

For Emma Levick, a dog made all the difference; in this case, a service dog named Zia.

In 2022, just a week before starting classes her first year at Pitt, Levick was paired with a golden retriever-Labrador mix from Canine Companions, a national nonprofit that trains and supplies service dogs at no cost to people with disabilities. Levick, who uses a wheelchair, described getting her first service dog as “life-changing” and the key to living independently from her family.

Dietrich School History Students Visit Monticello for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

This spring, The Dietrich School's Department of History faculty took 29 students to Monticello, Virginia — Thomas Jefferson's plantation home and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — for an immersive day of engaged learning tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Students enrolled in courses spanning the breadth of the department made the trip, including the Introductory Seminar on the Enlightenment, the Capstone Seminar on Slavery and Abolition in the Atlantic World, the American Revolution History Survey, African American History, and Introduction to Public History.