Dear Pitt students, faculty and staff,
It’s hard to believe that the fall semester has ended and that we welcomed nearly 700 of our students and their families to the Petersen Events Center on Sunday for our first University-wide December graduation ceremony. Commencement is always a special day for all involved, and we wish our graduates the very best.
The ceremony featured remarks from Raj Vinnakota, who leads the Institute for Citizens and Scholars and its work to promote the Campus Call for Free Expression, of which Pitt is a founding member. His was a message of finding and engaging people with different lived experiences and backgrounds, as well as leaning into the art of “arguing joyfully” to live a life of meaning and contribution. As he noted: “You build a meaningful life by connecting and empathizing with those you share space with at work, at school and in your neighborhood, and by working with them for the common good – even if they are very different from you.”
In this spirit of connection and with acknowledgment that our community has been through a lot, I hope we can look forward to the new year with a renewed sense of grace and understanding of each other and with the shared belief that "It’s Possible at Pitt.” Until then, I want to extend my best wishes to you for a happy and healthy holiday season and new year, and I look forward to all that we will do together to impact our university, Pittsburgh and the world in 2024.
With warm regards,
Joan Gabel
Chancellor