By SARAH McMULLEN

Professional development for staff is at the core of Staff Council’s mission, and we believe it’s important to always be curious and grow.

For the past decade, Staff Council has championed staff professional development, offering opportunities through the Frisch Staff Professional Development Award.

Over the life of the award, Staff Council has invested more than $7,700 in the futures of 19 staff members who pursued degrees and professional certifications, attended conferences and workshops, and completed trainings in the pursuit of advancement and personal growth.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Frisch Staff Professional Development Award!

Applications will be accepted through July 13, 2026.

We look forward to supporting your personal and professional growth!

The history of the award

The Frisch Staff Professional Development Award, named in honor of former Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resource Ronald W. Frisch, supports eligible Pitt staff members by defraying the costs of approved professional development opportunities that directly contribute to the staff member’s career advancement and professional growth within Pitt.

View the list of past recipients.

This award is funded through the generosity of community members. We appreciate and celebrate our donors as partners in sustaining and expanding professional development opportunities for staff.

Staff Council is especially grateful for the 43 donors who participated in the 2026 Pitt Day of Giving, contributing more than $2,400 to the fund!

To give a gift to support the Frisch Staff Professional Development Fund, please email sc@pitt.edu for more information.

How to apply

Criteria

The Frisch Professional Development Award is available to eligible Pitt staff members to defray the costs of approved professional development opportunities that directly contribute to the staff member’s career advancement and professional growth within Pitt. Potential uses of the award include, but are not limited to:

University of Pittsburgh tuition

Attendance at professional conferences

Participation in workshops, courses, or obtaining credit

Training sessions beneficial to professional growth

Recipients of the award must use it within one year of receiving it. Awards cannot apply to organizational memberships, subscription fees, parking expenses or ancillary charges. Awards are non-transferable.

Eligibility

Applicants must be benefits-eligible, part-time or full-time professional employees across any of the University of Pittsburgh’s five campuses. Applicants must have maintained continuous employment with the University of Pittsburgh for at least one year and secure supervisor approval as part of their application process.

Individuals currently under a performance improvement plan or who previously received the award within the last five years are ineligible.

Current officers of the Staff Council are not eligible to apply.

Applications will be facilitated through an electronic form accessible via a provided link. Applicants can request awards up to but not exceeding $1,000.

Application deadline is Monday, July 13, 2026

Committee review begins on July 20

Winner(s) selected and notified week of Aug. 10

Visit the Staff Council website to apply

Selection process and disbursement  

A committee consisting of rotating Staff Council members.

After undergoing a review process, recipients will receive notification in August. Upon accepting the award, recipients are required to submit a testimonial.

Questions?

Please email sc@pitt.edu with any questions on applying for this award.

 

Staff Council serves as a center for input and dissemination of information, provides a means of communication between staff and other members of the Pitt community, and provides opportunities for professional development.  

Staff Council has historically represented the interests of Pitt staff not covered under a collective bargaining agreement and continues to participate in shared governance on campus to advocate for the interests of staff members on issues not addressed by collective bargaining. Additionally, the Council continues its mission to advocate for unrepresented staff members.   

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Sarah McMullen is Staff Council’s vice president for public relations and senior director for campaign initiatives for Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement.