Center for Urban Education Celebrates Opening of New Offices at Pitt

Issue Date: 
November 11, 2013

The University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Urban Education will hold an open house during the week of Nov. 11-15 to mark the opening of its new on-campus headquarters.

The week’s events kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 11, with remarks  given by H. Richard Milner IV, who became center director and the Dr. Helen S. Faison Chair in Urban Education in August 2013, and Alan Lesgold, dean of the School of Education.

Highlights of the remainder of this week will include a showcase of art by local secondary-school students and a series of sessions offering information on the center to students and faculty across disciplines. The weeklong celebration will conclude Nov. 15 with the lecture “Building the Capacity of Schools to Meet Students’ Needs” by Pedro Noguera, a sociologist and the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University.

Part of the School of Education, the Center for Urban Education researches and disseminates evidence-based methods for improving urban education in the Pittsburgh region and nationally. Its main objectives are research and practice, regional service, and the institutional advancement of the schools working with the Center. 

"Urban schools and communities are rich in untapped human capital and culture,” said Milner. “Our Center will work to build and disseminate knowledge, drawing from the many assets in urban environments as we serve and work with those in these contexts to improve them."

The new location of the Center will be 4118 Posvar Hall. It had previously been spread between the fifth floor of Posvar Hall and a remote site.

Dean Lesgold, commenting on the center, said, “Just as the need for strengthening urban education keeps growing, we at Pitt have been working to strengthen our urban education efforts. With Rich Milner here to lead our efforts, we are able to do more both to help our region and to contribute to improving education across America’s cities.”

A schedule of open house events follows. 

November 12
3 p.m., information session and interest meeting for undergraduate students, 4119 Posvar Hall 

6 p.m. Pittsburgh Milliones 6-12, University Preparatory School Student Art Showcase, 4118 Posvar Hall 

November 14
3 p.m., information session and interest meeting for masters and doctoral students, 4119 Posvar Hall

November 15
3:30 p.m., “Building the Capacity of Schools to Meet Students’ Needs,” inaugural lecture by Pedro Noguera, 121 David Lawrence Hall

5 p.m., reception with community organization representatives, lobby, David Lawrence Hall 

For more information, visit the Center for Urban Education’s Web site or contact Center administrator Gretchen Hilderbrand at grh25@pitt.edu or 412-648-2633.