Whether you’re Black & Gold born and raised or your journey has brought you here for business, we are your resource for all things Penn State in Pittsburgh. Our Chapter was founded in 1898, making it the oldest in the Penn State Alumni Association. We’re also the largest Chapter in the network, and so are considered the “Alpha Chapter”.  We work hard to foster strong partnerships with other local Chapters, Societies, & Alumni Interest Groups, provide a variety of ways for our members to give back to the University, and support the diverse community of Alumni in our area.  

 

We try to provide a variety of ways for you to connect with your Penn State Family in Pittsburgh, whether in person or virtually, socially or through service.  During the hight of COVID precautions, the majority of our regular events were put on hold but we're glad to be getting back to seeing you all again!  Watch our calendar of events here and on our social media channels to learn about happy hours, networking events, and game watch parties as well as group outings to PSU and professional sporting events and joint ventures with other Alumni affiliate groups. We show appreciation for our place in the Pittsburgh community by supporting local organizations; we’ve answered phones for the WDVE Rocks for Children’s Telethon and WQED On-Air Pledge Drives, organized blood and food drives through Vitalant (formerly The Central Blood Bank) and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and collected supplies for other groups in need.  We're always open to suggestions for fun new events, speaking engagements, or community service opportunities so feel free to reach out with your ideas!

 

Our fundraising efforts support several worthy causes througout the year.  Our endowed Chappie Hill Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to two Pittsburgh-area Penn State students in need. We're in the process of establishing the first endowment in the country for the FastStart Mentorship Program, on track to be completed two full years ahead of schedule.  FastStart matches first-year underrepresented students at University Park with an Alumni Mentor and a Faculty/Staff Mentor to provide guidance and help get off to a "fast start"; our endowment will eventually help the program expand to our Commonwealth campuses and provide more resources to the students and mentors involved.  And, we of course support THON's mission year round thanks to the efforts of our THON Alumni Committee, who host small events and fundraisers throughout the year leading up to their annual Blue White Ball, now in it's 15^th year.  We have contributing nearly $140,000 to the fight against childhood cancer to date.

 

Becoming a member of our Chapter is easier than ever.  As long as you're a member of the Penn State Alumni Association, you're considered a member of our Chapter! Visit alumni.psu.edu for more information on how to join.  If you think you'd like to become more involved with us as an Alumni Volunteer, or if you have any questions or feedback about our Chapter, feel free to contact us directly at [email protected].  I look forward to seeing you soon!

 

For the Glory,

Kristen Conti, Class of 2005