Community Engagement

Community engagement opportunities allow you to make a meaningful contribution while enhancing your academic experience.

Dietrich College students are encouraged to get involved in the Pittsburgh community by connecting with nonprofit, civic and other agencies through courses, projects and activities that integrate academic learning while making a positive impact. This learning can occur both formally and informally, as long as the experience allows you to receive feedback and engage in critical reflection. 

For students looking to take their community involvement to the next level, Dietrich College offers the Community Engagement Fellowship Program. Students selected for the fellowship have the opportunity to connect their academic learning and goals to authentic engagement in the community for the purpose of social change.

Service Learning courses are those in which you engage in community service that directly connects with the academic content of that class. The Gelfand Center supports this type of experiential learning throughout campus and provides a list of service learning courses. Additionally, the Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics has some service learning courses, including an Alternative Break Project. 

Co-curricular opportunities, like those offered through Student Leadership, Involvement, and Civic Engagement, allow you to contribute to the community in meaningful ways. These experiences can help you gain skills and experiences that will be useful in the professional setting. They can also prepare you for future community engagement through structured service learning.