Student Affairs Campus Connections: Finals Week, Career Shadow and more!

TOMORROW from 10 p.m.-midnight, at the WPU porch and driveway, Vice Provost and Dean of Students, Kenyon Bonner, will host an outdoor meet-and-greet featuring food trucks, live music, and more! Do not miss the opportunity to mingle with other students and Dean Bonner before the semester ends!

May 1 | 2 p.m. | Peterson Events Center

The 2016 Commencement speaker for the University of Pittsburgh played a role in allowing you to access this newsletter today. Vint Cerf, Google Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, is one of the founding fathers of the Internet. The University of Pittsburgh is honored to welcome him to campus to give a final farewell to our graduates.

Please note the Pittsburgh Marathon is taking place on May 1 as well. Plan ahead and view road closures here. Additionally, don't forget that Commencement will be live streamed beginning at 1 p.m. and a video will be posted following the ceremony.

By Joelle Smith

Matt Sykes understands that significant impact is made through seemingly small changes. After co-organizing “Mental Health Awareness Week,” a campus-wide mental wellness campaign that’s part of the University’s Talk About It initiative, alongside his fellow Student Government Board (SGB) member Meghan Murphy, Sykes’ biggest takeaway was learning about how a handful of students had benefited from the programs.

“I was talking to my friends who are Resident Assistants and they told me some of their freshmen residents came up to them and said, ‘I think it’s really great people are talking about this issue,’” Sykes said. “Knowing that the campaign affected at least one person — that’s all I could ever ask for.”

However, Sykes has likely inspired more than one student during his four years on campus. As an industrial engineering and sociology major with three Pittsburgh-based internships under his belt, the SGB vice president has made the city of Pittsburgh more than just his home.

Sykes helped enhance the University’s link to the city, as the vice president of corporate development of Pitt’s Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO). Over two years, Sykes connected SCNO with the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership and Forbes Fund to produce a client base of more than 400 nonprofit organizations.

Sykes’ bond to the University and Pittsburgh is so strong he intends to remain here after graduating in December — however he did not always plan on coming to Pitt. In fact, Sykes had just committed to Penn State when he visited Pitt for the first time. After his campus tour, Sykes decided to pull his deposit and moved to Pittsburgh.

“I said, ‘Mom cancel that trip to Penn State,’” Sykes said. “I just love the atmosphere here.”

From there, Sykes joined SGB as a member of the Allocations Committee, where he helped distribute money in the Student Activities Fee budget. After a year serving on the committee, he was elected as a board member.

Sykes used his platform to further connect Pitt’s long-withstanding mental wellness programs to the student body. In October, he collaborated with Murphy to form a mental health task force of student organizations and University groups — together they orchestrated nine programs for mental health week.

“From Pitt Athletics to Student Health to the School of Engineering and Arts and Sciences, everyone came together and really showed their support for this cause that affects so many,” Sykes said. “It was so moving and inspiring to see so many different facets of campus collaborate for one common cause.”

The issue of mental illness is personal for Sykes. In seventh grade, Sykes lost his Boy Scout troop mate and mentor to suicide, and after attending Pitt, he lost two friends from back home to suicide.

“While it’s been an unfortunate part of my life,” Sykes said, “it was nice to try to channel some of these feelings and experiences to do good — to put on programs that hopefully help students here and people at large. If they were feeling like my late friends did, I want them to know there’s hope and that other people are struggling with these things.”

Sykes also stressed that, if it wasn't for his involvement early on, he never would have understood the level of agency Pitt students have to enact change.

“If you were to ask me four years ago if I’d be working with so many people doing things like Mental Health Awareness Week, I would’ve said there’s no way. I’m just this kid sitting here in Towers. So take that first step and work your way up. You can really amaze yourself.”

Hesselbein Global Academy for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement aims to educate campus leaders and prepare them to address critical issues throughout the world.

Through dynamic global mentorship, training, and service opportunities, student leaders of today will become the business, community, and government leaders of tomorrow.

The eighth annual Hesselbein Student Leadership Summit will be held July 23-July 26 at Pitt. Apply by May 15.

The newly elected members of Student Government Board were honored at their inauguration last Thursday!

Board members include (from left to right – front row) Sydney Harper (Executive Vice President), Natalie Dall (President), Alyssa Laguerta, Samantha Jankowitz, (from left to right – back row) Rohit Anand (Vice President and Chief of Cabinet), Arlind Karpuzi, Justin Horowitz, Joseph Kannarkat, and Max Kneis (Vice President and Chief of Finance).

The board members are photographed with Patrick Gallagher (Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer), Patricia E. Beeson (Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor) and Kenyon Bonner (Vice Provost and Dean of Students).

Do not miss the last day of free fitness classes TOMORROW!

Kickboxing led by Jessica Murray
Baierl Dance Studio | 11 a.m. - Noon

Pilates led by Kira Good
WPU Aerobics Room | 4-5 p.m.

Zumba Circuit led by Cassidy Davis
WPU Aerobics Room | 5:15-6:15 p.m.

QVC
May 3 | 8:45-11:45 a.m.
QVC is the world’s leading video and ecommerce retailler. The visit is open to undergraduate Computer Science, Information Science and Computer Engineering students and freshman and sophomore marketing and business analytics majors. US citizenship/Green Card Required.

Vanguard
May 6 | 10:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment companies. Open to all undergraduate majors. US citizenship/Green Card Required.

New York City

Macy's & Bloomingdale's
May 2 | 10 a.m.-Noon & 2-4 p.m.
If you have an interest in the fashion retail world whether it's buying, planning, merchandising or running a store, these shadow opportunities are for you!

Siemens Healthcare and Diagnostics
May 5 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Siemens is looking for students specifically for the Business Leadership program - rising sophomore and junior candidates who have an interest in operations. They are looking for students majoring in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Global Management, Finance and Accounting.

New York State Department
May 3 | 1-3 p.m.
Hear from a representative from the Division of Licensing Services and the Office for New Americans!

Google NYC

May 6 | 3-5 p.m.
Come see Google’s New York City office, meet some Googlers, and learn more about the company, its culture and internship and full-time opportunities. Open to students in Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Information Science only!

Late Night Dean's Hour Tomorrow Night

2016 Commencement

From Student Government Board to Student Health:

Sykes’ Impact on Campus

Congratulations to the Incoming
Student Government Board

Do not miss the last day of free fitness classes TOMORROW!

Philadelphia

New York City

Thriftsburgh Gets Recognized

Grab Lunch and Groceries at
the Next Farmer's Market

The Stress Free Zone is Open for the Summer!

Late Night Dean's Hour Tomorrow Night

2016 Commencement

From Student Government Board to Student Health:

Sykes’ Impact on Campus

Congratulations to the Incoming Student Government Board

Do not miss the last day of free fitness classes TOMORROW!

Philadelphia

New York City

Thriftsburgh Gets Recognized

Grab Lunch and Groceries at the Next Farmer's Market

The Stress Free Zone is Open for the Summer!

Congratulations to the Incoming
Student Government Board

Grab Lunch and Groceries at
the Next Farmer's Market