University faculty and staff are invited to join the celebration when Pitt opens its first Community Engagement Center (CEC) in Homewood.

The grand opening is set for Thursday, Oct. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 622 North Homewood Ave. Brief remarks and a ribbon cutting will take place at 6:15 p.m.

Attendees will have opportunities to tour the center; enjoy food, drinks and fun; and learn about the services and programs that will further connect Pitt with Homewood and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Community Engagement Centers are part of Pitt’s Neighborhood Commitments, an effort to build stronger communities and a stronger University by committing to long-term partnerships in select city neighborhoods. These commitments are guided and shaped by a network of collaborators that includes neighborhood advisory councils and longtime University and community partners who work in the neighborhood.

The centers anchor the commitment, creating a front door to Pitt right in the community and house services, programs and collaboration spaces for neighborhood residents.

“The CEC and its outstanding staff facilitate collaborations between community members and Pitt partners. They help connect Pitt’s teaching and research to the community, providing support for new partnerships and opportunities to learn from and with community members,” said Lina Dostilio, assistant vice chancellor for community engagement.  

“This is a unique opportunity for our faculty to have additional outlets for teaching, for conducting research and for helping our school to recruit outstanding faculty and students,” said Valerie Kinloch, the Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the School of Education. “As a matter of fact, this also improves student learning and it helps us to build collaborations that can strengthen our local communities.”

As the first CEC opens in the Homewood community, plans are underway for a second CEC in the Hill District.