Congratulations to Justin Merriman (Class of 2000).  Justin was selected as the 2009 Alumnus of Distinction.  PGAA President, Dr. Brian Moreland presented Justin with the award at the commencement ceremony. Justin graduated from Pitt Greensburg with a degree in English Writing. He is a Greensburg native has worked as a photojournalist since 1999 and has covered stories across the United States and the world, including the events of September 11th and the crash of United Flight 93, the Sago mine disaster in Sago, West Virginia, the 2004 and the 2008 U.S. Presidential elections, polio in India, life in Cuba, the 2008 Parliamentary Elections in Pakistan, and the war in Afghanistan. Mr. Merriman’s photography has been recognized and honored with local and national awards. His work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, The Washington Post, Popular Science, Time Magazine’s “Pictures of the Week,” USA Today’s “Day in Sports, ” MSNBC’s “Week in Pictures,” Sports Illustrated’s SI.com, CBS’s CBS Sportsline.com, Golfweek Magazine, and newspapers across the country. Mr. Merriman continues his work in photojournalism striving to make images that reveal humanity and document the world around him.

Congratulations to Dr. Melissa J. Marks, associate professor of education, for receiving the 2009 PGAA Outstanding Faculty Award. Dr. Marks was selected for this award based on her excellence in the classroom and her devotion to the development of students and programs at Pitt-Greensburg. Dr. Marks is currently working on a proposal for the development of an education major at the University. She is the co-advisor for the University’s chapter of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association, which was recognized as the most outstanding student chapter for overall professional development opportunities and the most creative and innovating programming in the state of Pennsylvania in 2004 05. Dr. Marks co-created the “Early College Experience” pilot program with Westmoreland Intermediate Unit and local schools for college-bound high school students with disabilities. She supervises and manages the annual College Day for Pitt-Greensburg students and Clelian Heights School for exceptional Children. In addition, she has assisted with a variety of programs for other local schools including Jeannette, Hempfield, and Greater Latrobe.

Congratulations to Ashley Smith, a junior psychology major from Carnegie, Pennsylvania. Ashley received the 2009 PGAA Community Service Award.  Ms. Smith volunteers her time to many initiatives in the community and on campus. During the fall semester of her freshman year and continuing throughout her junior year, Ms. Smith served as volunteer tutor for a school-based tutoring program “First Base” and is a volunteer mentor for the Lunch Buddy Program, which matches a Pitt-Greensburg student with at-risk children at a local elementary school. She also serves as a reading tutor for Pitt-Greensburg’s Read for LIFElong Learning Program. She is currently the President of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (SPSEA). She also served as elementary chairperson during her freshman and sophomore years and was a member of the House of Delegates and the region’s vice-president at the state level of the SPSEA. Other volunteer activities include Bowl for Kids Sake, Into the Streets, and Reading is Fun Night.

Calling All Graduates

The University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and Pitt-Greensburg have teamed together to offer the new Katz Immersion MBA (KIMBA) at the Greensburg campus beginning September 2009. That program, designed for working professionals, will assemble students from diverse experiences and provide an intensive MBA education by immersing students in coursework for three days a month over a two-year period. Admission requirements, total credits, and the curriculum design are consistent with the existing Katz School part-time MBA program. 

Kevin Conlon (Class of 2005) is a former Pitt-Greensburg basketball player with a degree in communications.  After graduation, Kevin served as the Sports Information Director on campus, and now, he has landed his "dream job" at ESPN. To read more visit http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/517999.html?nav=751

Student Emergency Fund at Pitt-Greensburg

The Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association recently established a Student Emergency Fund.  This fund will be used to help students who need immediate financial assistance.  If faculty or staff members are aware of a situation, they can access the information online and apply for funds on behalf of a student in need.  The PGAA realizes that times are tough and the students need our support.  This is a new program so funds are limited.  To help us offer even more assistance to our students, you can make a donation to the Student Emergency Fund by contacting Nancy Murphy at upgalum@pitt.edu.

We know money is tight.  That’s why we were thrilled to find out about a company that allows people to support nonprofit organizations, like the Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association (PGAA) without spending any additional money.  Most of us search the Internet on a daily basis, and more and more of us are also making purchases online.  Now, thanks to a company called GoodSearch, the PGAA can earn money every time you search the Internet!  And, if you use the www.GoodShop.com site to purchase items from popular stores like Target, Macys, Best Buy, etc. they will also donate a percentage of those sales to the PGAA!  It’s that easy!  All you have to do is begin your searches using the www.GoodSearch.com Web site—or just add the toolbar to your internet homepage, and you’re ready to go,

 √   Make sure you select the Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association as your “Designated Charity”  

Students are always curious about who our alumni are, and what they are doing now…so let’s show them!  We are looking for Pitt-Greensburg alumni who are willing to talk for a few minutes on camera about their college experience, what they are doing now, and why it is important to stay connected to Pitt-Greensburg—a  mini-commercial, so to speak. We will be shooting some of the segments on campus and some may be shot “on location” (at your place of employment).  The video will be used on the Web site and at various events.   

Too shy for the camera….we are also looking for written testimonials from our alumni that we can use on the Web site and in various marketing materials.  Please send us your testimonial at upgalum@pitt.edu.

Weddings at Pitt-Greensburg