The Plan for Pitt: Promote Diversity and Inclusion

Justin LeWinter in a blue face mask standing next to a truck and a pile of cardboard boxes
In Pittsburgh’s Hill District, local organizations are connecting through weekly phone calls to help people and businesses in need. From delivering lunch boxes to a mask donation program, the spirit of community is alive, even while residents are apart.
Rory Cooper (left) with friend David Gifford (right) just before the 2020 virtual Pittsburgh Marathon
Last October, Rory Cooper crashed his handcycle during the early miles of a marathon. The director of Pitt’s Human Engineering Research Laboratories would go on to finish the remaining 23.2 miles, then spend four days in a coma. Read about his incredible recovery, and his long history of working to improve wheelchair users’ lives.
A dancer in for the Philippine Nationality Room Dedication
Pitt’s Nationality Rooms are offering a series of ethnic and cultural videos on the program’s Facebook page. An effort that’s...
Alex “Red” Bittner in a blue sweater
Veterans and Pitt-Greensburg staff members Alex “Red” Bittner and Lisa Reffner are drawing on personal experience to make sure student-veterans feel supported the moment they step on campus. Learn about their program’s efforts.
Vernell Lillie in a pink suit
Vernell A. Lillie, a former associate professor of Africana Studies, founder of Pitt’s Kuntu Repertory Theatre and vanguard member of the Black Arts Movement at Pitt and beyond, has died at 89.
A depiction of a safety net
From the very beginning of the pandemic, Pitt students jumped into action to support communities on and off campus through a group called Pitt Mutual Aid.
People running on treadmills in athletic clothes
Timothy Grebeck in a blue "Pitt Education" Tshirt.
Timothy Grebeck (EDUC ’19) has a message to share about life with an autism spectrum disorder. He's taking it to audiences in boardrooms, classrooms and beyond.