Faculty, Staff Finding Ways to Heal — and Help

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Pitt faculty and staff have given of mind, body and spirit in support of others as the community deals with the shooting that took place at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27.

The tragedy impacted many in the University community, both personally and professionally. At Monday’s tribute, Pitt Together: Stronger Than Hate, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said: “Our response to this tragedy must be to actively stand together, offer a helping hand, reject discrimination of any kind, seek to understand others, practice compassion and love.”

It’s a call to action that faculty and staff are heeding.

Pitt faculty and staff are encouraged to visit Pitt Cares, the institutional webpage set up as a central location for resources available to University employees, including 24/7 access to Life Solutions’ assistance programs, local and regional events and links for donating.

To help preschool and elementary school children with fears or questions about the tragedy, the Office of Child Development, led by director Shannon Wanless, organized an online book drive.

“We picked these books very carefully to help children process their fears and earn to embrace diversity,” said Wanless. “This is in response to the shooting in Squirrel Hill, but really reflects a broad need due to the large number of gun violence incidents in our society, particularly so many stemming from racism.”

The drive runs until Pitt’s winter recess. The goal is to collect 8,000 books which can be purchased directly via an Amazon Wish List to be distributed to schools, child care and day care facilities in Squirrel Hill and surrounding areas. As of Tuesday, Nov. 6, more than 1,600 books were purchased from a list of nearly 50 books curated by Pitt’s early childhood education professionals. When the books are delivered, staff will provide guidance to early childhood providers for using the books and talking to children about their fears.

Faculty members, too, have found themselves in unique positions of being able to offer support to students. Jeff Oaks, assistant director of the English department’s writing program and writing program teaching mentor, reached out to his colleagues with a note about teaching in the aftermath of the violence. “I knew that some of the MFAs I'm working with might never had had something happen like this and so might need a few words of guidance,” he explained.

“Your students might want to talk about it or not,” he wrote in his note. “Our classrooms can be places where certain kinds of conversations and behaviors can take place. But you certainly shouldn't feel at all forced to or encouraged to talk about the tragedy, either. You best know your own class.” He also encouraged colleagues to remain flexible with class planning in the coming days and weeks, and advised them that “you might have to improvise a bit more.”

Oaks’ note was one of many sent out across campus that touched on how faculty and staff can move forward as a community helping each other with healing. Gallagher and other leaders around campus also shared messages of support along with tributes to the victims with professional and personal ties and relationships with the University community.

In a memorial message posted to the School of Dental Medicine’s website, dental medicine Dean Bernard Costello wrote, “All of us will support those affected in many ways in the coming weeks — individually and collectively.”

Some drawn to Monday’s event were seeking out that collective support, as well as a call to action when they gathered on the Cathedral of Learning lawn.

Deborah Robinson, field education coordinator and director of the School of Social Work’s Home and School Visitor Program, said “I wanted to do something. This is a concrete way I can do something. Because I feel really out of control. These are out of control kinds of times. So to join a group, to be a participant, to do something, feels good.”

Category:
Pitt People
  • Pitt Together: Stronger Than Hate, a tribute to honor the victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, was planned by University students, staff and faculty as a way to honor the lives of those lost in the Oct. 27 tragedy that took place less than two miles from the Pittsburgh campus. University Senate President Chris Bonneau noted that the tribute also provided Pitt community members a place “to grieve together and to move forward together.” (Alex Mowrey)
  • “This kind of thing isn’t supposed to happen in one of America’s friendliest cities,” said Chancellor Patrick Gallagher in his remarks. Gallagher called for Pitt community members’ response to the tragedy at the Tree of Life synagogue to be to “actively stand together, offer a helping hand, reject discrimination of any kind, seek to understand others, practice compassion and love.” (Alex Mowrey)
  • “There is an undeniable power in togetherness,” said Chancellor Patrick Gallagher to the Pitt students, faculty, staff and alumni and community members that gathered on the lawn between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Memorial Chapel. “And, for this very reason, our commitment to stand together must last.” (Tom Altany/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Ronald Linden, professor of political science at Pitt, spoke of the relationships he and his colleagues share with the Jewish community, Tree of Life synagogue, Squirrel Hill neighborhood and the city of Pittsburgh. He implored tribute attendees to stand up against hateful and oppressive speech. (Tom Altany/University of Pittsburgh)
  • “Pittsburghers reckon with the present with reference to the past,” said Ronald Linden, professor of political science at Pitt. “We cannot change the past — Lord knows we would like to — but we can act for a better present.” (Heather Mull/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Elizabeth Rangel, director of communications at Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC), worked closely with one of the victims of the Tree of Life tragedy, Joyce Fienberg, a longtime researcher at LRDC. Rangel said that despite “unspeakable grief,” the Pitt community is united in supporting each other. (Tom Altany/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Deborah Robinson, field education coordinator and director of the School of Social Work’s Home and School Visitor Program, said she came to the tribute because she wanted to do something. “To join a group, to be a participant feels good,” she said. “I feel really proud. It feels good on this beautiful fall day that really affirms life. And that’s what the speakers are talking about — an affirmation of life.” (Heather Mull/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Ann Cudd’s remarks focused on the actions of the first responders to the synagogue. “They encountered darkness and confronted it fearlessly, protecting the city, and helping many to safety.” Those involved in helping in the aftermath of the tragedy — from law enforcement, to doctors and nurses, and to bystanders — “Uniformly, you reflect the power of selfless service.” (Tom Altany/University of Pittsburgh)
  • “I always want my students to feel safe and hopeful about the future and have striven in several ways to make my classroom a welcoming space,” said Abdesalam Soudi, from the linguistics and family medicine departments. At Monday’s tribute, Soudi met Machiel Keestra, visiting fellow at the Center for Philosophy of Science. Soudi invited Keestra to his language, gender and society class that evening, where the pair led a conversation with students that focused on common sense, gender categorization and gender stereotypes. With Soudi (second from left) and Keestra (right) are Tony Novosel from the history department and Mercedes Zandwijken, a social activist. (Tom Altany/University of Pittsburgh)
  • In his address, Daniel Schiff, a rabbi and foundation scholar at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the founder and president of the Museum of Jewish Ideas, asked those gathered “How do we go about the task after such deep, grievous loss, of healing our minds, of healing our bodies, of healing our spirits? If you want to feel that the world might yet again be put back together, then be the support for another. Ask not, ‘What shall I do for myself?’ Ask rather, ‘What can I do for my neighbor?’” (Mike Drazdzinski/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Thousands of shirts were handed out of the Pitt community before the tribute event. Daniel Schiff, a rabbi and foundation scholar at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the founder and president of the Museum of Jewish Ideas, explained the significance behind the Star of David, which in Hebrew is the Magen — or shield — of David. “Look at that shield and resolve that in the weeks and months and years ahead, you will respond to this evil by being a shield. A shield again antisemitism, a shield to protect the vulnerable, a shield around the downtrodden, a shield for those that need you.” (Alex Mowrey)
  • John M. Wallace Jr. is the David E. Epperson Chair and Professor in the School of Social Work and has appointments in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and the Dietrich School. He noted that Pitt is known around the world for the impact of its research, the quality of its academics and the breadth of its service. He asked tribute attendees to “imagine with me for just a moment if for this day forward, the University of Pittsburgh were to become known for the depth of our love, our care and concern for one another.” (Alex Mowrey)
  • Wasi Mohamed, executive director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh and a 2017 graduate of the Dietrich School, impressed upon attendees the importance of acts of goodness such as some of those taking place at Pitt. “You donated something. You showed up for a vigil. You did something positive, and instead of one person’s darkness dominating the headlines, you had beautiful stories of 11 brothers and sisters that we lost,” Mohamed said. “You had images like of all of you here today, having vigils and coming together and praying for the victims. And that was so important. Because the world needs a little bit more of that.” (Heather Mull/University of Pittsburgh)
  • Thousands attended the tribute event, held on the lawn between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Memorial Chapel. Here, the crowd is seen from the 12th floor of the Cathedral. (Mike Drazdzinski/University of Pittsburgh)