The end of August always signals the beginning of a new school year, and with that comes the energy, anticipation, and genuine excitement of having students back on campus for the start of fall classes.

This August also signals a shift in my perspective about the arrival of students on campus. My own daughter starts her first semester as a student at the University of Vermont. That means I’m seeing college life through a new lens—through the eyes of a parent of a first-year college student. That perspective has reinforced and strengthened my appreciation for the importance of the work we all do to help design, develop, and deliver the very best opportunities for our students to learn and grow.

Why? Because our core mission at the Teaching Center is to inspire and support excellence and innovation in teaching at Pitt. When the Teaching Center enhances the classroom experience through collaborations with faculty, we’re improving the teaching and learning experience for our students. Recognizing that impact as a parent while in Vermont has deepened my commitment to that mission.

I invite you to learn about what’s new at our Center, particularly as it relates to ChatGPT resources and teaching workshops. Our programming to support mentoring and equitable and inclusive teaching will provide new opportunities for thoughtful reflection and the development of meaningful practice. And we’ve just published our online annual report, a comprehensive look at how we contribute to the success of the University of Pittsburgh.

As always, we are here as an advocate, ally, and resource for your success in the classroom, laboratory, studio, clinic, or wherever you teach. Whether you would like to redesign your course, create digital assets for your course, develop new assessment strategies, experiment with immersive video technology, attend a workshop, or simply borrow a laptop, we are here to help you make your teaching environment the best that it can be.

We look forward to working with you soon.

Michael Bridges, PhD
Executive Director
University Center for Teaching and Learning