ICYMI: Pitt picked up a plethora of national honors, awards and rankings this spring

Another academic year has wound to an end. Students are off to internships, summer jobs or simply a well-deserved recess. A fresh class of alumni are hitting the job market, heading to graduate school and giving back to their communities through volunteerism and military service — each success bolstering Pitt’s nationally competitive 96% post-graduation placement rate.

As we celebrate the conclusion of the spring semester, Pittwire is also looking back on some of the University’s biggest accomplishments  of the year so far — from rising U.S. News & World Report rankings to students and faculty earning nationally competitive honors.

Highlights from this spring include:

Rankings of note

Pitt once again earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, a national designation recognizing institutions with strong, long-term partnerships that benefit both universities and the communities they serve.

The University received $669.7 million in National Institutes of Health funding in 2025, making it the seventh highest recipient of NIH dollars.

Pitt continued its patent prowess, jumping to No. 26 globally and No. 17 nationally among universities granted utility patents in 2025.

Pitt’s philosophy program ranked No. 5 in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, extending a streak of top-five finishes stretching back 10 years.

In the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings: Nine Pitt programs cracked the top 10, the School of Public and International Affairs saw its highest placement yet at No. 31 and the Swanson School of Engineering rose to No. 42 nationally.

The School of Business’ part-time MBA and the School of Education made the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs list.

Pitt ranked in the top 100 worldwide in four Times Higher Education categories.

The David C. Frederick Honors College ranked No. 13 in the U.S., per Road2College.

The University placed in the top 50 for building job-ready technical talent, according to CodeSignal’s University Ranking Report.

Outstanding faculty

Jill E. Millstone and Ora A. Weisz — professors in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Medicine, respectively — were elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Karen Arndt, professor in the Dietrich School’s Department of Biology, was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Fang Peng, the RK Mellon Endowed Chair Professor in the Swanson School’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received a Medal in Power Engineering, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ highest honor.

Paula Kupfer and Michelle Granshaw, both faculty in the Dietrich School, were awarded American Council of Learned Societies fellowships.

Nathan Youngblood received a highly competitive Friedrich Wilhem Bessel Research Award from Germany’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Five School of Medicine faculty members were elected to the Association of American Physicians.

Stellar students 

Katelyn Chen and Alec Sciutto, both juniors in the Dietrich School and Frederick Honors College, were awarded Goldwater Scholarships.

Pitt-Greensburg senior Alanna Schill became the regional campus’ first Fulbright winner.

Twelve Pitt students were named to the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Four Pitt students earned scholarships to study at leading German universities and scientific institutes through the DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering program.

Frederick Honors College student Grace Osbourne, a junior in the School of Public Health, and Audrey Wang, a junior in the Dietrich School, were named finalists for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for their commitment to public service.

Pitt-Johnstown junior Kaylee Frederick finished second in the U.S. Track and Field 100-Mile National Championship.

And there’s more — explore all we make possible.