2025 University-wide Graduate Orientation Resources

Information on the following resources was shared during the Fall 2025 University-wide Graduate and Professional Student Orientation.

Office of the Provost Graduate Studies Contacts: View the Team Directory

Resources from "Navigating Your Future" Morning Session

Resources from Navigating Your Future: From Graduate Student to Professional
Hosted by Karen Chow, Graduate Career and Professional Development Manager​
Email: kac782@pitt.edu
Office of the Provost Graduate Professional Development

Graduate Global Ties

Peer Mentoring Program for Incoming International Graduate Students

Graduate Global Ties mentors will support you by:​

  • Answering questions before you arrive on campus​
  • Welcoming you to the campus community​
  • Encouraging you throughout your first year ​of graduate school​

Grab a bite with GGT!​

Join us for our first event on ​
Tuesday, September 2, 5 p.m. ​

Check your email for RSVP details!​

​All incoming graduate and professional students are welcome to participate!

Graduate Students of Excellence in Community Dinner Series​

Co-Sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University

Gather, network and focus on personal and professional development with other students, staff and faculty and build support networks to enhance your graduate experience.​

Save the Date for Upcoming Dinners!​

  • Mid-November at Duquesne University​
  • January 27 at University of Pittsburgh​
  • Mid-March at Carnegie Mellon ​
  • Mid-June in Schenley Park​

Check your email for RSVP details.

The dinner series is open to any graduate student who may benefit.

Ombudspersons

Do you have issues with:

  • University/school policies?
  • The grade appeal process?
  • Advisors/faculty?
  • Resolving conflicts?

Reach out to ombuds.

Unsure if we can help? Reach out anyway.

Use your ombudsperson:

  • Talk to a caring person
  • Helps YOU resolve school issues
  • Confidential (except by law or policy)
  • Sooner contact = more effective help
  • Specialist in each school

pi.tt/ombuds

Academic Support

​​Writing​

English Language Support ​

Statistics Consulting ​

Research​

School-based Tutoring and Support

Educational Opportunities across Pitt
PittFund$Me

PittFund$Me connects students with real, relevant scholarships. ​

Current students and new incoming students who have committed to Pitt have access to Pitt’s searchable scholarship database, PittFund$Me.​

Log into my.pitt.edu and click on the PittFund$Me link to access the tool.

Respond to questions in PittFund$Me to discover what you are eligible to apply for and unlock your scholarship matches!​

Fellowship Opportunities

We encourage students to apply for fellowships and grants available internally from Pitt, as well as from national, international, industrial or foundation sources.​

The Fellowship Opportunities webpage provides a list of some of the major national and internal fellowships available for graduate study.​

For questions or assistance ​regarding fellowships contact graduate@pitt.edu.

Fellowships Run Internally at Pitt

Some prestigious national fellowships and awards require students to apply through the University rather than directly. These fellowships are facilitated through the Graduate Studies Office: ​

  • Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund Fellowship​
  • Google PhD Fellowship Program​
  • CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award​

In recent years Pitt graduate students have been awarded the Liebmann and the CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award!

Fellowship Application Advising​

​​​​​The David C. Frederick Honors College advises graduate students preparing applications for nationally-competitive fellowships.​

​Recently, Pitt graduate students successfully acquired grants and fellowships, such as the Fulbright, Boren, Soros Fellowship for New Americans, Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellows, NSF-Graduate Research Fellows, and more!​

​For advising:​

  • Kelly J. Medley, National Fellowship Advisor​
  • Book one-on-one appointments via Handshake​
  • Attend group workshops, writing sessions, and info sessions​
Professional Development Support Ecosystem

Office of the Provost

  • Workshops
  • Training
  • Multi-year support

School or Department

  • Program-specific opportunities
  • Advising
  • Teaching opportunities

Career Center

  • Drop-in advising
  • Resume review
  • Interview resources
  • Career fair
Office of the Provost - Graduate Studies: Professional Development

Professional Development Webpages: Skill building, job preparation, resources

 

Career Design Workshop Series​
​
Multi-week series with hands-on activities. Topics include:​

  • ​Finding meaningful work​
  • Leveraging your strengths as a graduate degree holder​
  • Building your team and job search strategy​
  • Networking for newbies

​​Dr. Karen Chow​, series instructor

 

Graduate Career Foundations

Six competencies:

  • Research & Analytical Thinking
  • Communication & Networking
  • Leadership & Management
  • Teaching
  • Self-exploration & Personal Development
  • Cultural Awareness

 

Professional Development Resources for Graduate Students

Interstride

  • Jobs and internship search for International students by employer sponsorship history ​
  • Domestic students can use as well for opportunities abroad

Pitt Career Center

Other Resources

 

Meet the Pitt Police

University of Pittsburgh Police Department    
Officer Heather Walker, Community Programs Unit​
safety.pitt.edu/police​

​About Pitt Police

  • Fully functioning police department (24/7/365)​
  • Third largest in Allegheny County​
  • Share jurisdiction with Zone 4​
  • 89 commissioned officers​
  • Jurisdiction within 500 yards of any Pitt-owned or leased building ​
  • 4 substations: Hillman Library, Sutherland Hall, Bouquet Gardens – Building J, and Ruskin Hall​

​Safety on Campus​

  • Have situational awareness​
  • Pay attention to your surroundings​
  • Avoid distractions (e.g., cell phones, earbuds, reading, etc.)​
  • Walk in groups​
  • Use the buddy system​
  • Call a friend and have a plan in place​
  • Taking back alleys at night is not the best option​
  • Download and use the Rave Guardian app
    • Safety timer​
    • Connect with guardians​
    •  Contact safety officials

​See Something,​ Say Something

  • If you SEE something, SAY something.​ Trust your gut!​
  • Report all suspicious activity.​
  • Don’t carry more than you can (e.g., credit cards, cash, etc.)​
    • If someone wants what you have, give it to them and call police immediately!​
    • Get a good description​
      • Clothing, tattoos, height, race, gender, etc.​
      • Direction of flight (did they get in a car or bus?)​
  • Time is of the essence. ​

​Blue Light Emergency Phones / Cameras

  • There are over 500 in, on, and around buildings on campus​
  • Press the red emergency button to connect with a dispatcher​
  • These can also be used to call any campus phone​
  • There are over 1,400 cameras around campus​
  • Learn the phone locations: map.pitt.edu​

Additional Services & Resources​

  • Walking Escort Program​
  • SafeRider​
  • SAFE Self-Defense Class​
    • 2-hour long beginner self-defense with no prior training required​
    • Classes are held on campus and limited to 14 participants​
    • Contact Officer Heather Walker at HLC33@pitt.edu to sign up​

Contact

 

Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office

in the Office of Institutional Engagement & Wellbeing​

​​​The Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office (Prevention at Pitt) works to promote ongoing dialogues with faculty, staff, and students around issues of consent, bystander intervention, harassment, and healthy relationships with the goal of eradicating sexual misconduct on Pitt’s campus. ​

  • Awareness Building
  • Cultural Change
  • Survivor/Victim Support

Creating a culture of consent and empowering survivors through ​

  • Education​
  • Programming​
  • Support ​

​Contact us at pittprevention@pitt.edu

 

​Division of Student Affairs​

Marlin Nabors
Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students​
Reach out: ​​​​deanofstudents@pitt.edu

How We Can Assist

Student Experience Team​

Student Wellness Team​

Student Culture & Community Team​

  • Office of Inclusion & Belonging​
  • PittServes​
    • Signature Days of Service​
    • Civic Action Week ​

Student Engagement Team​

  • Career Center​
    • CV & resume review​
    • Alumni networking​
    • Career & internship fairs​
  • Student Involvement ​
    • 700+ organizations ​
    • Experience Pitt

Recreation and Wellness

 

Graduate & Professional Student Government (GPSG)

GPSG represents graduate and professional students.​​

Assembly Board

  • Shares information about school activities and makes decisions on funding, priorities, etc.​
  • ~27 Representatives from:​
    • Graduate student governments​
    • Non-academic student groups​

Executive Board

  • Coordinates GPSG activities, interfaces with University administration, executes priorities of the Assembly Board​
  • ​5 elected officers and 1 Executive Administrator (non-voting)

Half of the graduate activity fee goes to GPSG, the other half goes to individual school graduate student governments.

​​GPSG advocates for graduate student resources​ at Pitt and at the local, state, and federal levels on topics like well-being, academics, housing, affordability, and health.

GPSG provides important services:​

  • Travel Grants​
    • Opportunity for reimbursement for presenting at conferences​
  • Supplemental Funding​
    • Grants to organizations planning events​
  • Legal Aid​
    • Free access to a consultation with an attorney​
  • PITT ARTS​
    • Free museum entrance and discounted show tickets​

Want to help distribute funding? Join our Finance Committee!​

GPSG creates community:

  • Riverhounds Soccer Hangout​
  • Spring Fling​
  • Graduate Student Appreciate Week Snack Boxes​
  • Fall Happy Hour​
  • Penguins Hockey Game​
  • Stress-Free Studio​
  • Leadership and Service Awards

​Want to get involved in planning an event?​ Join our Events Committee!

​Let’s get started!

  • Via linktr.ee/pittgpsg:
    • Join our mailing list​
    • Download our guide to Pittsburgh​
    • Follow us on social media​
    • Sign up for a committee​
  • Listen to an AB meeting
  • ​Become an AB representative​
  • Run for EB office

​Recognize your Executive Board on campus? Say hi!​

Stay connected: