
The Office of New Student Programs is here to help you navigate college life.
Welcome to the University of Pittsburgh, and to the beginning of your college journey! You will find that the first year of college is one of change, excitement, and challenges. The Office of New Student Programs is responsible for creating a welcoming and engaging community for new students at Pitt. We provide experiences designed to help you acclimate to campus and connect with your peers. Through our extensive programs and services, we can help to ease your transition by providing plenty of opportunities for you to forge new friendships and feel at home in your new surroundings.
The office collaborates with each department within Student Affairs, as well as students, staff, and faculty campus wide, to develop and implement orientation and transition programs. Some of our major initiatives and events include Welcome Week, Panther Connect, and the Online Orientation. We are also the office that supports commuter students and transfer students.
If you are a new first-year student, we invite you to check out our First Year Student Information page. For parents and family members, head to the Office of Parent and Family Resources.
If you are a transfer student, information can be found at our Transfer Student Information page.
Mission Statements
- To increase first-year student retention and success.
- To accelerate and enhance students’ sense of belonging and connectedness to the Pitt community.
- To provide first-year and transfer students with appropriate resources and information critical to their transition to Pitt.
- To provide first-year and transfer students with opportunities to connect with other students.
- To provide informative and engaging Welcome Week experiences for first-year and transfer students.
- To adequately prepare students for future years on campus.
- To provide resources and guidance to first-year and transfer students.
- To improve students’ overall satisfaction with their first-year experience.
Meet our staff
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Breanne Donohue (she/her) |
Glen Edward (he/him) |
Sutton Stacey (she/her) |
Ellie Young (she/any) |
Associate Director | Program Coordinator | First Year Experience & Leadership Coordinator | Office Administrator |
Graduate Student Assistants
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Jace Garnick (she/her) | Matthew Whaley (he/him) |
Kailyn Lukaszewski (she/her) |
Graduate Student Assistant | Graduate Student Assistant | Graduate Student Intern |