BACK TO SCHOOL IDEAS

Improving Chances for Success in College

Research shows that getting off to a good start during students' first few weeks at college will have a positive impact on their success throughout their college career. Robert Gallagher, interim vice chancellor for student affairs, has spent more than 30 years helping students begin on the right foot. He can talk about strategies for a successful start including: imitating a successful student to become one, leading a balanced life, the importance of volunteering, and developing a first year "success plan."

CONTACT: Ken Service, 412-624-4238

Pre-school Jitters

As young children go off to school for the first time, it's sometimes hard to say who is more nervous -- the children or their parents. Sherry Cleary, director of the Pitt Child Development Center, can offer tips for parents to help reduce the anxieties that their children face as well as helping the parents themselves cope with this new situation.

CONTACT: Sharon Blake, 412-624-4364

Learning About Others

In today's global society, learning to appreciate the diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds of others -- whether they live around the corner or around the world -- is becoming critical. Joe Makarewicz, head of the Ethnic Heritage Studies Center at Pitt, brings students and teachers face-to-face with the benefits of diversity through workshops which he conducts for school districts throughout the region.

CONTACT: Sharon Blake, 412-624-4364

High Tech Classroom of the Future

More and more, traditional classrooms are being replaced with state-of-the-art facilities featuring built-in computers and an array of multimedia options. Such is the case with the Frank Mosier Chemical Engineering Learning Center, one of three traditional classrooms being renovated in Pitt's Benedum Engineering Hall. Alan Russell, chairman of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, can discuss this new learning technology and its impact on engineering education.

CONTACT: Kevin Roark, 412-624-4148