Neighborhood Commitments
Pitt’s Neighborhood Commitments are the University’s flagship place-based community partnerships. The commitments, focused on the Oakland, Homewood, Hill District, and Greater Hazelwood neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, provide long-term commitments of staffing, infrastructure, and coordination to facilitate mutually beneficial collaborations between Pitt and the local community.
The Oakland neighborhood commitment is anchored by the Pittsburgh campus. The Homewood and Hill District neighborhood commitments are anchored by Community Engagement Centers—vibrant, welcoming facilities that facilitate engaged scholarship, engaged learning, capacity-building, and economic inclusion. The Greater Hazelwood neighborhood commitment has a priority focus on harnessing the nearby life sciences corridor (and BioForge) for community-scale opportunities in education, workforce development, and inclusive community development.
Homewood
Homewood is a neighborhood of deep roots, strong family ties, and a common bond based on decades of shared efforts to renew. Pitt’s commitment to Homewood builds on a history of partnership between the University and a network of community collaborators, with the Community Engagement Center in Homewood acting as a front door to the University of Pittsburgh. Together, we’re building a sustainable foundation for the community’s future.
Hill District
The Hill District is the center of the city. A historic community at the crossroads of Pittsburgh’s past and future. Pitt’s commitment to the Hill District is rooted in the space the University and the neighborhood share in the center of the city, with the Community Engagement Center in the Hill District acting as a front door to the University of Pittsburgh. Together, we’re building bridges of exchange and opportunity.
Greater Hazelwood
Pitt has been a collaborator in the Greater Hazelwood community for 25 years and is a powerhouse in the life sciences. The next phase of Pitt’s community commitment will support community-led efforts to identify educational and economic benefits for the people of Greater Hazelwood in the emerging life sciences industry.
Oakland
The University is proud to be part of the Oakland neighborhood and is committed to being a valuable partner. ECA leads and a facilitates a series of institutional level commitments as part of an effort to increase community access to Pitt programs and facility resources while enhancing Pitt's support of the community's agenda.
Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program
The Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program, which is made possible by a generous gift from The Gismondi Foundation, is a collection of education programs and services provided to elementary-aged students in neighborhoods where Pitt has made a long-term commitment to community engagement: Homewood, the Hill District, Greater Hazelwood, and Oakland.