The ninth annual Pitt Day of Giving (PDoG) is just around the corner, and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs is once again looking forward to the impact this day will have.
“Last year, the GSPIA community demonstrated its commitment to our school and students by helping us far surpass our donor goal on Pitt Day of Giving, but the impact of those contributions goes beyond just one day,” shared Director of Development Nicole Madden ahead of this year’s event. “The nearly $45,000 raised from over 200 donors during PDoG 2024 helped us fund student scholarships, experiences, and research opportunities over the last year. We are continually grateful for donor support and look forward to reaching our goals once again this year.”
The 2025 Pitt Day of Giving will take place on Tuesday, February 25th, bringing alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends, and families together to give back to Pitt. Funds raised during the event support academic programs, athletics, student organizations, and other vital initiatives across the University.
The GSPIA Scholarship Fund, Internship Resource Fund, and Dean’s Fund continue to be priority funds for the School, along with the new International Experiences Fund. Established last March by alumnus Tony Fratto (A&S ’88), this fund aims to support graduate students seeking educational, internship, and research opportunities abroad and facilitated the international experiences of six students in its first year.
Bailee Hassen (MPIA ’25) is one of the students whose international studies were made possible through the International Experiences Fund and generous donors who gave during last year’s PDoG. Hassen studied six weeks of Slovak through the Slavic Department’s Summer Language Institute here at Pitt before traveling to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava for another month of intensive coursework. The experience not only significantly developed her language skills, but also gave her a firsthand understanding of how international policies unfold on a local level.
“It’s one thing to read about a policy, but it’s completely different to see that impact on the ground and from the perspective of people being most affected by it,” Hassen shared. "I want to thank donors for helping me pursue this opportunity," she added, “It was truly an experience of a lifetime."
Busy on the 25th but still want to make an impact? The event website will be live beginning February 18th, giving donors a chance to make their contributions ahead of the big day. All funds pledged before the 25th will count toward final totals as well as any bonuses offered for surpassing goals set by the School.
Learn more about PDoG and its impact on the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs by visiting our page on the event website and stay tuned to our social media channels for updates as we prepare for the big day.