$3B campaign kickoff, Cathedral celebration and light show highlight Pitt Homecoming weekend

With additional remarks by John Verbanac (CGS ’90), chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, and campaign co-chair Debbi Gillotti (A&S ’77), who spoke on behalf of herself and co-chair Peter Varischetti (CGS ’92), the kickoff gathering included the announcement of two supporting goals for Proving Possible in addition to the $3 billion figure: 200,000 donors and 1 million moments of alumni engagement.

The event also debuted Proving Possible’s four key pillars: Accelerate Student Success; Advance Scholarship, Creativity and Innovation; Cultivate Community, Partnership and Impact; and It’s Possible at Pitt. Each were showcased via interactive displays that featured true stories of innovation, immersive experiences and life-altering research and discovery from Pitt students, alumni, faculty and staff. 

Michael Levin, set to graduate from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in 2027, shared how his own personal journey connected to the Accelerate Student Success pillar. 

Levin explained that as a leukemia survivor, “I came to Pitt wanting to change the field of oncology, joining a wide network of leading-edge researchers as a Rees-Chancellor’s Scholar,” as part of his experience within the David C. Frederick Honors College. “In just my second semester at Pitt, I joined a lab investigating the very disease I had survived just a few years ago.” 

Under the Advance Scholarship, Creativity and Innovation banner, Evan Facher (SPH ’97G), Pitt vice chancellor for innovation and entrepreneurship and associate dean for commercial translation in the School of Medicine, shared how the areas he helps guide work to make sure “that innovations created on campus translate off campus for the people to get benefit from them.” 

Just two years ago, Facher’s own life experience proved positive of those steps. 

“I was playing ball in my backyard, and a freak accident left me bleeding from my left eyebrow and with no vision in my left eye,” he said. 

That same Pitt-driven ecosystem was there for Facher. Today, he’s the recipient of Western Pennsylvania’s first artificial iris implantation, and Facher noted that his vision in that eye is now 20/25. 

David Okonkwo, professor of neurological surgery and executive vice president of UPMC Enterprises, who also spoke to the Advance Scholarship, Creativity and Innovation pillar. He shared how Pitt has helped support his longtime passion — a handheld device that needs just 15 minutes to detect brain trauma and concussions from a rapid blood test. 

Lina Dostilio, Pitt’s vice chancellor for external relations, and Simon Wang (A&S ’25), who co-founded the Pittsburgh Policy Initiative student-run think tank, spoke to the tenets of the Cultivate Community, Partnership and Impact pillar. Dostilio outlined the effect Pitt partnerships continue to have locally, across the commonwealth and nationwide on both the University and those communities served.  

Kaigham “Ken” Gabriel, president and CEO of BioForge, and Kate Rubins, founding director of Pitt’s Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine, rounded out the evening in representation of the It’s Possible at Pitt pillar. 

Gabriel outlined how the Pitt-hosted BioForge facility will be a key driver accelerating innovation and forging necessary breakthroughs in the manufacturing of precision medicine. 

“At the end of the day, research-driven results are important, but equally important is that we find ways to make those results have meaningful changes in people’s lives,” Gabriel said. 

Rubins, a microbiologist and retired astronaut, said that when she “left NASA after 16 years, I was ready for my next big adventure. I wanted a place where I could find others who wanted to dream big. 

“A place where researchers ask you what you're working on, not because they're being polite, but because they are thinking about how to combine their efforts with your efforts to make something that's even better. NASA is focused on exploration, but I believe there are opportunities to bring what we learn in space to help human health on Earth,” she said. “That place is the University of Pittsburgh.”

A sky-high look at Pitt history

On the gridiron, Fitzgerald’s 6-foot-3 stature certainly played a role in him becoming one of the greatest stars Pitt or professional football has seen. Yet on Friday night, the thousands gathered alongside him between the Cathedral and Heinz Chapel saw his likeness rise hundreds of feet high.

As part of a cinematic light show projected along the entirety of the east facade of Pitt’s beloved limestone-clad tower, an image of Fitzgerald from his turn as the University’s 2025 commencement speaker appeared among the hundreds of indelible Pitt-centric moments visible during the nearly 15-minute, sky-high display. Construction of the Cathedral itself was also showcased, as were numerous Pitt achievements in medicine, engineering, the arts and more from the last century. 

Versions of the cinematic light show wowed homecoming crowds gathered on the Cathedral lawn Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. See more photos of Friday night’s show.

Homecoming traditions 

A record number of Pitt alumni and other community members returned to campus to reconnect with friends and faculty, cheer on the Panthers and celebrate the University’s last 100 years. 

On Thursday, the Pitt Alumni Association honored seven distinguished alumni who have demonstrated to the world anything is possible when you build upon a University of Pittsburgh foundation. Among this year’s awardees were Trustee Emeritus Alfred L. Moyé (A&S ’68) and Trustee Emerita Martha Munch (A&S ’70), who were named Distinguished Alumni Fellows. See the full list of winners. 

Before the light show on Friday, Ale to Pitt attendees raised a glass to the Cathedral of Learning with drinks from four alumni-owned breweries. Alumni also had the opportunity to tour the renovated Hillman Library as well as Victory Heights, the brand-new 240,000-square-foot home for Pitt’s volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics programs. 

Pitt football fans gathered from far and wide on Saturday to watch the Panthers take on Bucknell at Acrisure Stadium. A sea of blue and gold sang “Sweet Caroline” and the University fight song in the stands as the Panthers crushed the Bison 59-0. Pitt is undefeated so far this season, with a 4-0 record. 

This year’s Spirit of Pitt awardees were also announced during halftime: Senior Abby Diamond, junior Resa Lascek and PharmD candidate Leia Millan were recognized for their commitment to academic excellence, community service and the values of the Pitt Alumni Association.  

Have your Cathy cake, and eat it too

A rainbow of blue and gold balloons arched near the Cathedral of Learning’s entrance, welcoming visitors to Cathy-palooza, a three-hour celebration Sunday that capped a weekend of festivities. 

On the lawn between Heinz Chapel and the Cathedral, a carnival of games, bouncy-house slides, popcorn and cotton candy greeted students, alumni, families and Pitt supporters. Cheerleaders mingled, Roc roamed the lawn and a stilt walker strutted about in a glittering red topcoat. 

Jackie Honkus (BUS ’24), an event manager with the Pitt Alumni Association (PAA), had been on site since 5 a.m. She was up early to meet the balloon vendors before deliveries could be interrupted by the Great Race. 

“This is wonderful and emotional. I’m proud to be a part,” said Honkus, who had marshaled 50 volunteers to help manage the festivities.

Wearing blue jeans, a T-shirt bearing an image of the Cathedral and a foam Cathedral hat, Honkus said “Cathy-palooza is a fun way for the Pitt community and the larger community to celebrate the Cathedral’s previous 100 years and the next one hundred." 

“What we want people to take away is that at the Cathedral, there’s so much opportunity within this building. For years, people have created legacy here. But also, this is just fun.” 

One of the afternoon’s highlights came just after 2 p.m., when it was finally time to cut Cathy’s birthday cake. 

Roc joined the celebration, Pitt cheerleaders led the crowd in “Sweet Caroline,” and Pitt’s Treble Chorale Ensemble offered a soaring rendition of “Happy Birthday dear Cathy.” 

The centennial cake — a culinary tribute to 100 years of the Cathedral — was created by Pitt alum Tara Michelle Jones (CGS ’13), chef of Tara-Peri, known for her Southern- and African-influenced cooking. The Southern almond cake featured sweet tea imbibage, roasted blueberry-lemon confit, Creole cream cheese buttercream and toasted coconut-almond praline. 

“It was delicious,” said Trustee Emerita and former PAA President Valerie T. Njie (EDUC ’71), who stopped by to join the celebration. PAA also honored Njie over the weekend with the Bill Baierl Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

In a corner of the first-floor Commons Room, Allen Howard (SCI ’17), an information technology worker and member of the Steel City LUG, or Lego User Group, showed off his miniature Roc, Pitt cheerleader and Cathedral, all created with colorful building blocks. He was there with his mother, Chris, and father, Bruce, helping to run a station where Cathy-palooza participants could create miniatures of their own. 

A line formed even before the festivities officially began. 

Shine Sun, a Pitt mechanical engineering graduate student from Washington state, powered through the blocks, assembling a blue-and-yellow, 4-inch-tall Cathedral of Learning in less than nine minutes. 

While visitors built their own versions of Cathy, another table offered a look at how the real Cathedral came to be. 

Hillman Library archivists Zach Brodt (A&S ’07, SCI ’08G) and Ben Snyder (SCI ’22G) displayed documents reaching back to the Cathedral’s beginnings. There was correspondence between Chancellor John G. Bowman, who advocated for the skyscraper, and architect Charles Klauder, who designed and led its construction. Also on display were yearbooks, the diary of a soldier who camped with his troops at the Cathedral in 1943, a certificate honoring a schoolchild who donated a dime and a screen of historic photographs highlighting the building’s construction. 

Together, the materials offered a way “to show how the Cathedral became such an icon,” Brodt said. 

Across the room from the archives table, artist Kait Schoeb was putting the finishing touches on an Art Deco-style painting of the Cathedral. 

She stood Pittsburgh proud in a Steelers cap and Pitt sweatshirt, adding blue, yellow, gold and tan acrylic paint in just the right places. Passersby slowed to watch as the Cathedral emerged on her canvas. 

Just outside the Commons Room, Maymouna Konte (SOC WK ’23) stood smiling beside a glowing inflatable Roc. Originally from Senegal before studying at Pitt, Konte was beaming over what she called a “great party.” 

She showed off the day’s haul: a foam Cathedral hat, T-shirts, a Cathedral poster, stickers, magnets, candy and more. 

But the best part of Cathy-palooza, she said, wasn’t something she could carry home. She had crossed paths with former classmates and met new friends. 

“I am so happy to be here,” Konte said. “This brings me joy. I love Pitt.” 

Photography by Michael Will; Larry Fitzgerald and Chancellor Joan Gabel at Friday’s Proving Possible launch event