Local University Gifts $3 Million to Pittsburgh, Supporting Education and Infrastructure
The funding supplements existing programs throughout the city.
PHOTO FROM PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES
One of Pittsburgh’s longstanding universities just gifted the city $3 million to support education and infrastructure initiatives.
Carnegie Mellon University has been a longtime partner of the City of Pittsburgh, and the commitment will provide resources to support the vision the university shares with Mayor Corey O’Connor’s administration, according to officials .
Part of the funding will support the city’s Rec2Tech program, which operates at city recreation centers and allows youth to learn tech skills in their own communities. Additionally, the donation will be invested in neighborhood infrastructure projects, which will improve green spaces and expand pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle access on city streets.
“Carnegie Mellon’s success has always been deeply intertwined with the story of Pittsburgh. For generations, our faculty, students, staff and partners across this great city have come together at pivotal moments to solve challenges, expand economic opportunities, and realize what comes next,” CMU president Farnam Jahanian says in a statement. “We’re excited to extend CMU’s record of supporting communities across the City of Pittsburgh and to continue doing our part to build an even brighter future together.”
Currently, CMU provides support to K-12 students, including tutoring, online learning platforms, pre-college programs, summer camps and continuing education credits and training for local teachers in areas like AI and robotics. Connor says the university has been a good partner — and a good neighbor.
“The university contributes vibrancy to our neighborhoods, fosters our technology and innovation ecosystem and creates new jobs, businesses and opportunities,” the mayor says in a statement. “This gift is an extension of the work that they’re already doing and will allow us to invest in Rec2Tech opportunities for our young people and maintain infrastructure in our communities.”
The $3 million gift will be spent over the next five years, officials say.
