Pitt Communities are staff & faculty affinity groups linked by a common purpose, ideology, or interest, and they play a vital role in ensuring an inclusive environment where all are valued, included, and empowered to succeed.
Join a Pitt Community with those who share a common interest and enjoy these benefits:
- network with your peers as part of a staff and faculty affinity group and take advantage of professional development opportunities;
- collaborate on inclusion and equity initiatives;
- gain a collective voice and relationship with the Office for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion;
- help foster a community of support, respect and advancement;
- engage in recruitment and retention efforts; and
- broaden cultural awareness on campus.
Existing Pitt Communities
CAG (Chinese Affinity Group)
Chinese & Chinese American Employee Group at University of Pittsburgh. It provides a platform for social networking and career development, as well as work improvement and balance in life. The CAG enhances productivity and positivity, and helps attract and retain talented Chinese & Chinese American employees. Activities include social gatherings and sports, career and professional development, and Chinese culture preservation & expansion efforts, etc. If interested in joining, please email the co-chairs, Lihong Teng and Haihui Zhang at cagpitt@pitt.edu.
Equipoise (African/Black Affinity Group)
Equipoise is the University of Pittsburgh’s affinity group for Black/African American Faculty and Staff with the mission of moving Black Staff and Faculty toward a common agenda of building collectivism, connection, and career support. If you are interested in joining, please email Nena Ansari at Equipoise@pitt.edu
HLPA (Hispanic and Latino Professional Association)
The HLPA is a professional network for Hispanic Latino/a faculty, staff and allies at the University of Pittsburgh. As we continually work to serve as a resource for our community members, HLPA is committed to advancing three primary goals: Building Community; Advancing Professional Development; and Mentorship. If you are interested in joining, please email chair, Doreen Hernandez at HLPA@pitt.edu
PQP (Pitt Queer Professionals)
The mission of the LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group at the University of Pittsburgh is to promote the professional and social development of LGBTQIA+ staff and faculty and advocate for the needs of our community by hosting, or participating in various social events, educating the greater University of Pittsburgh community, fostering a climate of outreach and inclusion, and acting as an agent for the collective voices of the university's LGBTQIA+ professional community. If you are interested in joining, please email chair, Michael Campbell at PQP@pitt.edu
Veterans Affinity Group
The Veterans Affinity Group facilitates the inclusion of veterans, military members, and their families into the University Community by supporting recruitment, retention, comradery, and ongoing success in collaboration with like minded organizations. If you are interested in joining and being a part of the group, please email chair Commander Shawn Ellies at PittVeterans@pitt.edu
PittWomen
The Pitt women’s affinity community seeks to empower and support the development of women employed at the University through dynamic programming and community engagement. If you are interested in joining or have questions about the community, please email PittWomen co-chairs, Jess Townsend and Tanya Gonzales at Pittwomen@pitt.edu
Pitt Muslim Affinity Group
The Pitt Muslim Affinity Group aims to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for Muslim professionals and their allies as broader members of the Pitt community. If you are interested in joining or have questions about the community, please email Ahmed Ghuman.
Pitt Disability Community
Pitt professionals with disabilities have come together and formed a new Pitt staff and employee resource group - the Pitt Disability Community. The group hopes to influence out and to build community within. Broadly, the Pitt Disability Community has three main goals; be a voice, raise awareness, and create social connections. If you are interested in joining or have questions about the community, please email Chloe Shearer.
Pitt Adoption Community for Education
The Pitt Adoption Community of Education's mission is to:
- promote understanding of diverse experiences of adoption, including life as an adoptee and as a parent separated or joined by adoption. We will consider how all three relations to adoption, and also post-reunion relationships, might be affected by race, nation, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. We will draw on discussions of our own lives and readings and also arrange films and panels that could increase awareness in others as well.
- offer resources to encourage education about adoption across the Pitt curriculum.
- educate ourselves and others about adoption-related policy and legislative issues.
For more information contact: Liberty Ferda, Christina Newhill, Marianne Novy,Tim Ziaukas
We want our Pitt Communities to grow!
If you have an idea for a new Pitt Community please contact diversity@pitt.edu.