The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg: A Comprehensive Overview

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (Pitt-Greensburg or UPG) stands as a baccalaureate degree-granting regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh, offering a blend of liberal arts and sciences with selected pre-professional programs. Located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, it provides educational opportunities to both traditional and nontraditional students.

Accreditation and Mission

The University of Pittsburgh is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a testament to its commitment to maintaining high educational standards. Pitt-Greensburg's mission is to welcome students from all backgrounds and provide them with a high-quality, affordable education, preparing them to be skilled, responsible, adaptable professionals and global citizens. This mission is reflected in the campus's focus on educational excellence, good citizenship, civic leadership, and full participation in an information-based, global society.

A Brief History

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg opened its doors on September 3, 1963, in downtown Greensburg’s Vogel Building. This followed a request from area school superintendents for a branch campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Initially, it was a two-year institution. In 1964, the Charles Lynch Estate was purchased. A proposal to change the program from lower to upper division was submitted to the State Department of Education. In 1988, the Board of Trustees awarded degree-granting status to Pitt-Greensburg, marking a significant milestone in its development.

For more than 60 years, the campus has evolved from an institution offering two-year degrees to a four-year liberal arts college. Pitt-Greensburg was authorized to offer four-year (baccalaureate) degrees. Over the years, it has expanded its academic offerings to include 31 baccalaureate degree programs, 30 minors, and four certificate programs. In collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pitt-Greensburg became the first college in Westmoreland County to offer an accredited Bachelor of Nursing degree. This expansion reflects the institution's commitment to meeting the evolving needs of its students and the community it serves.

Campus and Location

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is situated on a 219-acre campus in suburban Hempfield Township, three miles southeast of the city of Greensburg and approximately 40 miles southeast of the City of Pittsburgh. The campus is nestled in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands, surrounded by outdoor recreation venues, dining establishments, shopping plazas, and the region’s rich history. Nearby recreational opportunities abound via the Five Star Trail, The Palace Theatre, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, and AMC Classic Westmoreland 15 Movie Theater.

The campus itself has experienced significant physical growth since its establishment. In 1964, the Charles Lynch Estate was purchased, and classes and offices were established in the family mansion, now known as Lynch Hall. Since 1976, the university has been centralized at its current location on the former estate of Charles McKenna Lynch in suburban Hempfield. During the decades that followed, new construction added 27 structures, including multi-use buildings, classroom buildings, residence halls, and a modern library. Frank A. Cassell Hall, the campus’ first sustainable building with Gold LEED certification, opened for use in 2012 and houses IT and the computer center along with faculty offices and classrooms. The award-winning Life Sciences Building is the campus’ second sustainable LEED-certified building.

Pitt-Greensburg is an official stop on the Westmoreland Transit System, making it possible for students to visit Westmoreland Mall, the downtown Greensburg Shopping District, and the Greensburg Cultural District. Grocery stores and other shopping centers dot the Route 30 corridor. Students and local businesses both benefit from the Pitt-Plus program, sponsored by the campus Student Government Association (SGA). Students receive discounts by showing their student ID at participating locations.

Campus Facilities

Pitt-Greensburg offers a variety of facilities designed to support the academic, social, and recreational needs of its students. These include:

Academic Buildings: Powers Hall (the major classroom building with 13 classrooms and faculty offices), Albert B. Smith Hall (containing eight classrooms, science laboratories, and the 266-seat Ferguson Theater).
Library: Frank A. Millstein Library, provides research support for faculty, staff, and students. One of many libraries of the University Library System, the Millstein Library maintains a collection of books, journals, microfilm, videotapes, DVDs, and compact discs designed to enhance the undergraduate curriculum. Currently the library houses more than 75,000 print volumes and more than 25,000 non-print items in various formats. The UPG Archives, detailing the history of the Pitt Greensburg campus, is also maintained on-site with an accompanying online image database hosted by the University Library System, UPG Visual History.
Student Center: Chambers Hall is the major social and recreational hub for the Pitt-Greensburg campus. The information desk, just inside the main doors, is where students sign up for events, purchase tickets, borrow athletic equipment, etc. Recreational facilities include the Ronnie Andrews Fitness Center, gymnasium, game room, and running track. Dining facilities include a cafeteria (Wagner Dining Hall) and a snack bar (Bobcat Station). The Fireside Lounge and the Hempfield Room provide spaces for formal and informal meetings. The Campus Bookstore is also on the first floor. The second floor of Chambers Hall is home to the Office of the Dean of Student Services, the Office of Housing and Residence Life, the Health Center, the Counseling Center, the Career Service Center, and the Athletic Department.
Residence Halls: Pitt-Greensburg offers a variety of housing options for its students, including traditional-style residence halls like College Hall and Robertshaw Hall, as well as apartment-style residences like University Court and Westmoreland Hall. The Academic Village is comprised of six buildings (Apollo House, Athena House, Franklin House, Marshall House, Mead House, and Selene House). Each building contains eight apartments and each apartment houses four students. Each apartment contains four single bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. The newest residential space built at Pitt-Greensburg opened in fall 2005. All the residence halls are within easy walking distance of other campus facilities and each has its own character and advantages. Each room or apartment offers appropriate furnishings and amenities that include a cable TV service, laundry facilities, and parking.
Athletic Facilities: Ridilla Athletic Fields, baseball field located behind Millstein Library, and a $1 million state-of-the-art softball field.
Other: Kenneth E. Bell Memorial Nature Trail, Frank A. Cassell Hall (campus computer center), Rossetti House (Office of Admissions), Village Hall (shared meeting and programming space for the Academic Village).

Academic Environment

Pitt-Greensburg prides itself on providing a safe, close-knit academic environment that offers personalized guidance from faculty. With a 16-to-1 student to faculty ratio and an average of 17.5 students per class, the academic environment provides personalized guidance from faculty who help students to see the connection between the skills they are learning and the abilities they will need as working professionals. Undergraduate research opportunities are available and encouraged, further preparing students for graduate and professional school or careers.

The teaching faculty at Pitt-Greensburg consists of 60 full-time and 15 part-time members. The faculty on the Greensburg campus compare very favorably to the faculties in the undergraduate schools on the Pittsburgh campus and other liberal arts colleges. On a percentage basis, Pitt- Greensburg has more winners of the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Teaching than any other school or campus of the University of Pittsburgh. More than 85 percent of the full-time faculty has achieved the highest degree in their fields (usually a PhD). Additional faculty members are close to completing the requirements for a doctoral degree. One clear advantage of a small campus is the opportunity for closer interaction between faculty and students.

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Student Life

Living on campus provides students with new opportunities for personal and social growth through participation in campus life and interaction with a diverse group of people. The friends made in college are often some of the closest and most long-lasting of one’s life. All the residence halls are within easy walking distance of other campus facilities and each has its own character and advantages. Each room or apartment offers appropriate furnishings and amenities that include a cable TV service, laundry facilities, and parking. Wireless Internet is available throughout all residential facilities.

More than 50 clubs and organizations exist at Pitt-Greensburg, including the Student Government Association and the Student Activities Board. Pitt-Greensburg students learn first-hand that community service does good-and feels good. Students attending Pitt-Greensburg may take advantage of the wide range of programs available through the University of Pittsburgh Global Experiences Office, including study abroad and study away. Scholarship opportunities are available, including through the prestigious Vira I. Heinz Program. Students are encouraged to excel academically as evidenced by the national honor societies with chapters at Pitt-Greensburg. Throughout the year, Pitt-Greensburg offers a wide range of lectures, musical performances, and theatrical performances to the community-frequently at no charge to the public.

Honors Program and Academic Village

The Honors Program at Pitt-Greensburg was established to further enhance the student intellectual experience by giving its members the opportunity to learn and grow through honors projects in selected classes and enrichment projects outside of the classroom. The program also provides opportunities to visit area attractions and to socialize or work with other student members.

Pitt-Greensburg’s Academic Village offers a unique living and learning experience to high-achieving students with interests ranging from the sciences and technology to the arts, politics, history, and foreign cultures. The Academic Village allows students to become an integral part of a thriving community of students and faculty members who share common interests and academic drive. The application process for admission to the Academic Village is highly competitive, and residents are expected to remain in good academic standing and to participate in the Greensburg Experience More (GEM) Outside the Classroom Curriculum (OCC).

Computing Resources

Pitt-Greensburg provides its students with easy access to a rich array of computing and networked information resources. The primary, state-of-the-art computing lab in Frank A. Cassell Hall features seventy-eight machines, each Energy Star compliant to the highest possible level. In this, and the other four computing labs available for students, students have access to a variety of software for document processing, programming, data management, statistical analysis, second language study, and mathematical and scientific exploration, as well as facilities for printing. Cassell Hall also houses a computing services suite where students can go for technology support. This ranges from walk-in requests to connect devices to the network through to complete system (hardware and software) rebuilds and repairs.

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Community Engagement

For 60 years, Pitt-Greensburg has provided support and services to the greater Greensburg Community. From community service projects done by our students, faculty, and staff to lectures and performances that are open to the public, Pitt-Greensburg is a regional resource. That strong relationship with the community is also illustrated by the variety of internships through local businesses and organizations as well as the annual career fairs in which our students participate.

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