University Prize for Strategic, Inclusive, & Diverse Excellence
Since 2016, the University Prize for Strategic, Inclusive, and Diverse Excellence, or “UPSIDE”, has been presented each year to a University of Pittsburgh school, division, initiative, or program area that has made an outstanding effort toward increasing diversity and inclusion. The award includes a $10,000 prize.
Factors for consideration include a consistent, multi-year effort to increase diversity and inclusion; innovative approaches to diversity and inclusion in areas such as recruitment, retention, and promotion in academic programming and business activities; and programs that have developed creative and innovative approaches that can serve as models for other University business units.
For more information about the UPSIDE Award please email diversity@pitt.edu.
Nominations
Pitt’s diversity awards are presented annually every January. Check back in the fall to submit your nominations for 2025.
Past Award Winners
- 2023 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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Office of Faculty Diversity & Development and Office of Health Sciences Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
These offices were honored for their leadership of “Race & ...,” an intensive, multidisciplinary effort to increase participation, education, research, and outreach to, and by, minorities, women, and other underrepresented groups. The work has included strong progress in recruitment and retention of Black, Hispanic, and Latinx faculty and staff, as well as the organization of the ongoing “Race & ... ” Lecture Series, the “Race & ... ” Research Collaboratories, the annual Race@Work summer retreat, and the “Race & ...” Conference.
- 2022 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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The University of Pittsburgh recognized the University Art Gallery and Gina A. Garcia in 2022 for creating a more just, equitable and inclusive community.
Read the 2022 PittWire article.
- 2021 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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Pitt’s Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP) received the 2021 University Prize for Strategic, Inclusive and Diverse Excellence or UPSIDE Award.
- 2019 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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Pitt STRIVE
The Swanson School of Engineering’s Pitt Success, Transition, Representation, Innovation, Vision and Education (STRIVE) Program was recognized with the 2019 University Prize for Strategic, Inclusive and Diverse Excellence (UPSIDE) Award by the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
The goal of the Pitt STRIVE Program is to improve transitions of underrepresented minority (URM) students into doctoral engineering programs at the University. Using evidence-based strategies, the program aims to foster student and faculty engagement to ensure students’ successful completion of the PhD in engineering.
- 2018 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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OHR's Career Transition Project
The Career Transition Project—namely, through the Veterans and Individuals with disABILITIES programs —encourages a welcoming and inclusive workplace environment for the entire University of Pittsburgh community.
These programs, led by Tom Armstrong, aim to hire veterans and individuals with disabilities, as well as actively provide outreach services to the University community, including assisting with job searches, attending career fairs, and creating referral resources for those who have been hired at the University.
- 2017 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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The Office of Child Development
The selection of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development (OCD), a program of the School of Education for the UPSIDE Award, is based on the breath of programming and services developed, but also their significant community outreach efforts. The OCD, brings people together both in and out of the University to work on student academic and social development, educator preparation and development, and community engagement focused on diversity.
The work of OCD not only impacts communities that it serves, but the research and partnerships that are created and developed by OCD show a consistent record of commitment and success in diversity and inclusion efforts within the University community.
- 2016 UPSIDE AWARD WINNER
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The selection committee recommended the BRIDGES Program because it utilizes a robust peer-mentoring model to retain and support high-achieving, diverse freshman scholarship students in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. The BRIDGES motto of “Building Relationships, Inspiring Diversity and Generating Excellence in Scholarship” illuminates the purpose for this program. In the last 3 years, it has evolved into a comprehensive program that aids scholars in building relationships, inspiring diversity and generating excellence in scholarship. Simply put: The program’s results are impressive. Its graduation rates, particularly for African American students, are a major accomplishment—as is BRIDGES’s track record in boosting the retention of scholarships among participating students.
The selection committee commended the Center’s community-driven outreach, programming and services as a result of their evidence-based research modeling. These efforts are designed to identify relevant societal issues in the Pittsburgh community at large, and offer solutions that will have both immediate and long-term positive impacts in our community. Other programming such as: Mentoring in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Brown Bag Lunches to discuss issues in urban education, and the Visiting Lecture Series that brings leading researchers to campus set the Center apart from others. These programs address persistent societal issues by empowering faculty members to engage in research projects and partnerships. As a result, it has shaped discussions on urban education, especially as they relate to race and class.