Student Success Initiatives

Student Success Initiatives
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We're here to help you succeed.

The Office of Student Success Initiatives within the Division of Student Affairs aims to connect first-generation and income-eligible undergraduate students with opportunities and resources that will benefit their success during their time at Pitt and when they graduate.

Provost Academy

The Provost Academy a week-long opportunity for students to get a head start on the learning environment at Pitt through a project-based academic experience. Students get to move into their residence hall early, explore the campus and the city of Pittsburgh, participate in interdisciplinary team-based learning projects with faculty, and attend informational workshops and social events. The Provost Academy is designed to support students who are either first-generation, limited-income, or members of a group underrepresented in higher education.

Among a group of 250 students across the country, Provost Academy students will also get a sneak peek at the resources and services aimed for success. They will learn what Pitt classes are like, and they will build relationships with faculty, staff, the Provost Academy Leaders (student mentors), and most importantly, fellow incoming first-year students. 

Want to see the Provost Academy in action? Follow us on Instagram!

Provost Academy

Career Prep Academy

The Career Center has created a program specifically for Provost Academy students! The Provost Career Prep Academy is a career exploration support program to increase your career readiness. The program is for first-years to seniors, no matter where you are in your career journey. This program integrates years of experience from the Career Center staff to provide you with a series of topics that will help you prepare for life after Pitt. These topics include Interviewing, networking, resumes, finding your career path, and much more. Students that successfully complete a course will earn a $200 book award.

The Provost Career Prep Academy will run in the fall from September to November and in the spring from the end of January to March. Courses last 8 weeks and meet for an hour each week.

https://www.studentaffairs.pitt.edu/career-prep-academy
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PALs

The Provost Academy Leaders (PALs) program is housed within the Office of New Student Programs in the Division of Student Affairs. The PALs program is a peer-mentorship program for Provost Academy students. Provost Academy students will be able to serve in a leadership position during future Provost Academy summer programs, and for future Provost Academy students. The purpose of PALs would be to create peer-to-peer guidance, and to build belongingness at Pitt. We will intentionally match the Provost Academy students and Provost Academy Leaders using demographic, geographic and academic qualities, and place them in PAL Groups. PALs participate in spring and summer training, provide input with programming, plan social events, assist with the implementation and execution of the 8-day Provost Academy summer program, conduct outreach and check-in meetings with mentees during the first month of each the fall and spring terms.

PALs

Other University Student Success Initiatives
Students standing in Student Success Hub
Student Success Hub
The Student Success Hub exists as a space for students to collaborate with each other and with University resources.

With rooms available to reserve for group work, spaces to study, and on-demand academic resources and coaches, the Student Success Hub serves as a place for every student to feel like they belong and will succeed at Pitt.
Student sitting at a desk.
First at Pitt
Pitt defines a first-generation college student as a student who is the first in their immediate family to attend college.

The First at Pitt initiative identifies, supports, and celebrates our current first-generation students, as well as first-generation faculty, staff, and alumni. These individuals are considered part of the First at Pitt community.
Student sitting at a desk in a classroom.
Study PALs
The Study PALs program, via a partnership between the Student Success Team and Student Affairs, is an opportunity for students who need additional support in foundation level courses to study alongside a fellow student—a Provost Academy Leader—who excelled in that course or area prior.

Student Emergency/Meal Assistance Fund

This fund provides financial support for degree-seeking students of the University of Pittsburgh with unanticipated and insurmountable expenses related to emergency situations that may result in students facing financial hardship.

Student Emergency/Meal Assistance Fund
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