As I go through some late night tranquility, I thought this would be a fun idea to discuss as many of you on here are graduates of Pitt, have children or relatives that attended Pitt, or otherwise care for the university.
What does Pitt mean to you?
For me, it means being able to have opportunities that weren’t imaginable for generations before me. My father was the greatest man I knew. Born to a steel mill worker and a waitress in Johnstown, life was very difficult for him growing up. He had to work three jobs from the time he was a teenager in order to help make ends meet with his father constantly being laid off. No one had gone to college in his family before, but he saved up enough money that he became the first person in his family not to work in the mills (they emigrated from Germany in the late 1800’s), was able to put himself through college with no outside help, land a good job, and create a great life for the rest of our family. He was a very selfless man and I loved him. He passed away a little over two years ago and his birthday is coming up soon, so it made me think of the many sacrifices he made in order for my brother and I to have a better life than him. Pitt certainly has something to do with that.
My grandfather was also the first in his family to attend college and was able to create a great life for my mother (also a Pitt grad) and her family because of the degree he earned at Pitt.
I think it goes to show that many, if not most of us, care so much about Pitt not because of the football or basketball teams, but because of what the university represents to ourselves and our families. A lot of us, myself included, wouldn’t be where we are today and would have completely different life trajectories if it weren’t for the University of Pittsburgh. I’d love to hear other stories from proud Pitt Men and Women about what it means to them.
Hope everyone is having a good summer, and Hail to Pitt.
What does Pitt mean to you?
For me, it means being able to have opportunities that weren’t imaginable for generations before me. My father was the greatest man I knew. Born to a steel mill worker and a waitress in Johnstown, life was very difficult for him growing up. He had to work three jobs from the time he was a teenager in order to help make ends meet with his father constantly being laid off. No one had gone to college in his family before, but he saved up enough money that he became the first person in his family not to work in the mills (they emigrated from Germany in the late 1800’s), was able to put himself through college with no outside help, land a good job, and create a great life for the rest of our family. He was a very selfless man and I loved him. He passed away a little over two years ago and his birthday is coming up soon, so it made me think of the many sacrifices he made in order for my brother and I to have a better life than him. Pitt certainly has something to do with that.
My grandfather was also the first in his family to attend college and was able to create a great life for my mother (also a Pitt grad) and her family because of the degree he earned at Pitt.
I think it goes to show that many, if not most of us, care so much about Pitt not because of the football or basketball teams, but because of what the university represents to ourselves and our families. A lot of us, myself included, wouldn’t be where we are today and would have completely different life trajectories if it weren’t for the University of Pittsburgh. I’d love to hear other stories from proud Pitt Men and Women about what it means to them.
Hope everyone is having a good summer, and Hail to Pitt.
