Dear Class of 2019:

Congratulations!

It is hard to believe that, not too long ago, you traveled across city and country borders to begin your journey at the University of Pittsburgh.

You arrived as strangers, though many of you—600 or so—were following in familiar footsteps; the latest members of your family to pursue a Pitt education.  

Together, you carved your own path, earning more than 40 national awards—including Fulbright, Boren and Beinecke scholarships.

Your interests expanded, ultimately evolving into 291 different combinations of majors.

And your record of community service grew, topping 90,000 hours over the course of your academic career. 

During this time, you also sought out learning opportunities beyond the classroom, interning at places like Amazon, Walt Disney World and the Naval Nuclear Laboratory.

And your quest to leverage knowledge for society’s gain pushed you beyond Pittsburgh—and beyond the United States—carrying you to an incredible 63 countries in 2019. 

With graduation day just around the corner, it’s safe to say you’ve made it (while making our Pitt community very proud).

Thank you for all the incredible memories—and for representing the best of our blue-and-gold network as you set out to make a powerful and positive difference in this world. You’re off to an incredible start, and I can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish next.   

Hail to Pitt!

Patrick Gallagher