Collaborating With Our Downtown Pittsburgh Community
Point Park University's Center for Civic and Community Engagement serves as a hub to support collaboration and social innovation between the campus and the community. The Center supports Point Park's faculty, staff and students in partnerships with local nonprofit and community members who are involved with engaged scholarship, service-learning and community-based projects by mobilizing university-community partnerships to address societal challenges. The Center's primary focus is on our nonprofit partners and urban renewal in our Downtown Pittsburgh communities.
iLab at Point Park University
The iLab, located on the first floor of 101 Wood Street, is a social innovation collaborative space for trainings, meetings, design thinking sessions, strategic planning and community events.
Nonprofit Outreach and Storytelling
Wood Street Communications is an on-campus agency operated in partnership with the School of Communication that connects nonprofits seeking assistance with communications services with Point Park students.Sustainable Cities Research and Programming
Downtown Pittsburgh stands as a crossroads, with a clear need for revitalization to restore its role as the vibrant heart of the city. Once a bustling hub of commerce, culture and community, the area has seen a decline in foot traffic and business activity, accelerated by changing work patterns and the lingering effects of the pandemic. Revitalizing downtown is essential not only to boost the local economy but also to reestablish it as a welcome, dynamic space where people want to live, work and gather.
Two research projects completed by PhD students in the Community Engagement and Leadership program include:
- Where Can We Go? How Improving Restroom Facilities in Downtown Pittsburgh Will Create Positive Outcomes for Businesses, Tourism and all Residents
- Taking Out the Trash: Reimagining Pittsburgh's Alleyways
Project Impact Volunteer & Civic Engagement
The Center serves as a hub for faculty, staff, students and alumni to serve our community through volunteering, service learning and civic engagement opportunities. Project Impact engages students from middle school through graduate programs to collaborate to serve their communities.
Engaging young people in service and civic engagement is crucial for building a more inclusive, vibrant and resilient society. When youth are empowered to participate in their communities, they develop a sense of ownership, responsibility, and connection to the world around them. Early involvement in civic life helps cultivate leadership skills, critical thinking, and empathy — qualities that are essential for shaping thoughtful, active citizens. Moreover, young voices bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to longstanding challenges. By fostering a culture of service and civic participation, we not only strengthen democratic values but also ensure that future generations are equipped and inspired to carry the torch to positive change.
- The Bonner Leaders Program is a national, four-year, undergraduate civic-engagement program providing leadership programming, academic support, engagement opportunities, and a social network. The founding mission for the Bonner Program is to provide diverse low-income, under-represented, and first-generation students with the opportunity to attend college while engaging their talents and education in building and supporting communities.
- 412 Impact Service Learning Camp is a youth and high school summer program through which attendees work with nonprofit organizations on volunteer projects both on- and off-campus and develop their own ideas to help the community.
- Pioneer Partners is a volunteer program that brings together Point Park students, faculty, staff and alumni to serve nonprofit organizations in our region.
Student Basic Needs Support
Point Park is committed to serving students' basic needs, including food, clothing and other financial supports. Students are served through the Pioneer Pantry and Point Park Community Garden, as well as through cooking classes and SNAP benefits education. The CCCE also partners with student clothing initiatives, including the Bison Exchange on-campus thrift store.
Community Engagement Support & Recognition
- Excellence in Community Engagement Awards recognize students, faculty and community partners for their dedication to service, research, engagement and community partnerships.
- Community Engagement Badges provide an opportunity for students to be recognized for their work with area nonprofits and community organizations.
- Social Impact Grants Program funds interdisciplinary social impact projects connecting Point Park to organizations in the region to effect social change.