Carnegie Mellon University, a private research institution, offers more than 75 distinct opportunities to improve the education process, and to increase content and skills knowledge for teachers and students in southwestern Pennsylvania. Although the university does not have a school or department of education, Carnegie Mellon has unique resources, perspectives and expertise to help our society revitalize education by providing experiences that lead to enhanced in-depth content knowledge for teachers and students.

Here, individuals and groups with innovative ideas and strong commitment have sparked an intellectual revolution among thousands of children – from pre-school students through high school seniors. Carnegie Mellon students tutor primary, middle and secondary school students in academic subjects and the fine arts, and mentor young children seeking a successful future through education. Teachers work alongside campus researchers who are solving modern-day problems such as how to create new tissue to repair a damaged organ, or how to safely intervene when biological hazards threaten to harm thousands. Elementary, middle and high school students are made aware of cutting-edge technology in the fields of chemistry, computer science, robotics, engineering and mathematics. Individuals complete requirements for Pennsylvania certification in Music Education, Educational Leadership, and Educational Technology Management.

The dedication of human and technological resources to create and disseminate knowledge through research, artistic expression, teaching and learning, and to transfer this new knowledge to society is the mission of our institution.

Hundreds of Carnegie Mellon graduate and undergraduate students participate each year in school outreach initiatives, serving as tutors, mentors, lab assistants, group leaders and instructors. They testify that experiences in outreach programs are often their most meaningful educational experiences on campus.

Our institution is proud to report about so many worthwhile pre-K –12 programs and to be able to highlight the numerous ways these efforts can improve the educational experience for so many children and adults in the region. The benefits of these programs are mutual. Not only do we see important advancements for our school partners, but we enjoy rewards from these efforts as well. We benefit by:

• Helping Carnegie Mellon students serve their community, develop interpersonal and leadership skills, and learn from the experiences of people from different environments and cultures;
• Allowing many Carnegie Mellon staff and faculty members to find new perspectives and insights into their own disciplines and explore new ways to transfer knowledge to today’s society in real and meaningful ways;
• Preparing future college students for the types of challenges they will face studying at universities like ours;
• Attracting prospective undergraduate students through participation in pre-college and other demanding programs;
• Enabling the university to prepare minority students for more successful college careers and helping enrich Carnegie Mellon’s diverse campus community.

Without the generous funding provided by numerous organizations, such significant work would not be possible. Carnegie Mellon school outreach efforts are supported through the generosity of:

• Local and national foundations
• Corporations
• Local, state and federal government
• School Districts
• Individual contributors

This website highlights some of the programs that are currently serving teachers and students in the region. Each entry contains contact information for the project director or coordinator, and Internet addresses where available.