Mary Bigante has served in this role at Pitt since 2015. She is a proud Pitt double graduate, having earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) and a Master of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Pittsburgh, and she is a licensed Social Worker with extensive experience in Behavioral Health and Care Management positions. Mary uses a strengths-based approach and motivational interviewing when working with students. Mary believes that it is important that students understand that a deviation from their original academic plan is not a failure, but rather, it is the natural process of life unfolding. Each student has their own unique and sometimes unexpected path to their aspirations, and deviations from “the plan” do not take away from the journey but can serve to strengthen a student’s resiliency as a human being. Mary wants students to know she is here to guide, support, and advocate for them to the best of her abilities.
