In traditionally underserved neighborhoods surrounding Oakland, Pitt-affiliated organizations are working to provide free and equitable educational opportunities to community members.<\/p>\n
Educational outreach efforts help support the University\u2019s City-based Institutional Master Plan<\/a>. This Pitt document, last approved in 2021 by the Pittsburgh City Council, is created with input from the broader community to evaluate and advance Pitt\u2019s impact on the city. As inequalities<\/a> in local K-12 schools persist, Pitt\u2019s outreach has continued to grow.\u00a0<\/p>\n The IMP is a legally binding document addressing topics including city planning and zoning, building conditions and use, sustainability goals and Pitt\u2019s relationships with neighboring communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Crystal Couch, a higher education PhD student, said public education systems are being challenged<\/a> as the federal government works against \u201caccess<\/a> and equity<\/a> in education.\u201d She believes it is important for community members to have decision-making power in community outreach initiatives such as Community Engagement Centers<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cCreating a reciprocal partnership that puts the community and community members in the driver seat is important to meaningful outreach to me,\u201d Couch said. \u201cI do think that education outreach can toe a fine line between advancing access and equity and playing into a savior role.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Couch said as many universities<\/a> approach underserved communities, they should think about how to use an \u201casset\u201d mindset<\/a> to understand the existing values of a community.\u00a0<\/p>\n Historically, communities<\/a> with large Black and immigrant populations in Pittsburgh \u2014 including the Hill District and Hazelwood \u2014 have been segregated or redlined<\/a> as the Home Owners Loan Corporation<\/a> designated<\/a> residential areas as \u201cdefinitely declining\u201d or \u201chazardous.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen thinking about Pittsburgh\u2019s history and present of being a redlined and deeply racialized city and then having these large universities enter into the communities, what does it mean to conduct educational outreach?\u201d Couch said. \u201cWho gets to benefit from these relationships?\u201d<\/p>\n Alexandra Sabini, a junior teacher education major, said clubs at Pitt like Girls Inc.<\/a>, where Pitt students provide mentorship to local elementary school students, can help bridge achievement gaps<\/a>. Sabini collaborated with Girls Inc. through her service sorority.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSo many of the Pittsburgh Public Schools<\/a> are dealing with systemic inequalities<\/a> due to the impact of redlining in Black communities,\u201d Sabini said. \u201cBecause of this, our schools that serve larger populations of students of color are not receiving adequate resources.\u201d<\/p>\n According to University spokesperson Jared Stonesifer, the University has made \u201csignificant progress\u201d on goals set in 2021 in the IMP regarding \u201cNeighborhood Enhancement Strategies.\u201d<\/p>\n In January this year, the American Council on Education<\/a> and the Carnegie Foundation<\/a> recognized<\/a> Pitt once again as one of 277 institutions with the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement<\/a>, an award the University first earned in 2020. This classification recognizes universities with strong community engagement initiatives to improve research, teaching and learning and address societal issues, and is valid at Pitt through 2032.<\/p>\n The Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program<\/a> provides literacy and math tutoring, free science education to support \u201cSTEAM and digital equity<\/a>\u201d and homework help to elementary students. It also provides transportation for elementary school students to Pitt-run Community Engagement Centers in Homewood and the Hill District.<\/p>\n Stonesifer said programs like GNEP help improve partnerships with Oakland residents and members of other local communities.<\/p>\n \u201cGNEP\u2019s continued investments align with Pitt\u2019s aspiration to engage a growing set of young people that believe in their ability and are well-prepared to become future Panthers,\u201d Stonesifer said.<\/p>\n By the start of the summer, a new location for the Hill District Community Engagement Center<\/a> will debut with programming<\/a> such as adult coding classes and STEAM summer camps for elementary school students. According to Stonesifer, these efforts continue to support the IMP\u2019s goals to invest in local communities.<\/p>\n