Our Crowdfunding Groups
What is United Pittsburgh?
United Pittsburgh is a ground-breaking academic-community collaboration that combines college classes with community forums to address social justice issues that concern the Pittsburgh community such as:
Launching this spring, undergraduate and graduate courses will be team-taught by Duquesne faculty and prominent community advocates. In addition to the classroom component, the initiative includes 10 weeks of live TED-Talk style presentations, Monday evenings from Feb. 4 through April 15, by government, faith-based and community leaders. This public speaker series gives students, along with members of the general public and the campus community, an opportunity to engage with local leaders—and each other—to discuss the region’s most pressing challenges and explore meaningful solutions to advance the common good.
What is our goal?
United Pittsburgh brings together diverse participants who can identify the root causes of community challenges with those who have an interest in understanding and addressing those issues. Our goal is to develop authentic, mutually beneficial alliances with external stakeholders, impart new insights into principles of Catholic social teaching, and promote civic awareness among students, faculty, staff and members of the public.
How will your donation be used?
United Pittsburgh, an initiative of the Catholicism and the Common Good grant, is underwritten by the Henry Luce Foundation which helped to fund the academic courses and materials, instructors and speakers. The speaker series is part of the curriculum and is also open to the general public. To enhance our students’ learning experience, demonstrate our community engagement commitment and expand our outreach and impact, we plan to offer some of the presentations in neighboring Hill District. Your donations will be used to fund transportation for students and registered guests to and from presentations, refreshments, and public promotion efforts.
Some of the ways your generosity could help make an impact on our event:
What is the United Pittsburgh Speaker Series schedule?
These community forums are open to the public and are free of charge. The presentations will be held on the Duquesne University campus in College Hall, Room 104, unless otherwise noted, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
*Presentation held at the Hill House Association's Kaufmann Center, 1825 Centre Ave, Pgh 15219
Donate Now
Simply hit the “Give Now!” button on this page. Your donation will appear on our Donor Wall or you can choose to remain anonymous. A gift of any amount will help make this project successful!
Spread the Word
Another major way you can support this effort is by helping to spread the word about the campaign. Share this link – www.spirit.duq.edu/unitedpittsburgh – on social media with colleagues, family, friends and others who might be interested in attending a speaker presentation and/or supporting our students. Stay connected by visiting duq.edu/united-pgh and following us on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!
Questions?
Contact Sharnay Hearn Davis, Networking Strategist, at hearns@duq.edu.
Dr. Darlene Fozard Weaver
Dr. Darlene Fozard Weaver holds multi-faceted roles at Duquesne University. She serves as director of the Center for Catholic Faith and Culture, director of the University Core Curriculum, and professor of Theology. Darlene is also the principal investigator for a Luce Foundation-supported project, Catholicism and the Common Good, and the guiding force behind the project’s United Pittsburgh initiative. In Darlene’s words, “The goal of United Pittsburgh is to bring together local leaders, students, faculty, staff and citizens of Pittsburgh to grapple with the challenges Pittsburgh confronts and to envision ways to forge a future that is beneficial to all.”
Sharnay Hearn Davis
Sharnay Hearn Davis is the Networking Strategist for the Center for Catholic Faith and Culture. She plays a key role in facilitating partnerships between Duquesne University and stakeholders in the Pittsburgh region. She holds degrees in social work and community leadership, and is currently enrolled in the University doctoral program in Educational Leadership. Over the past 10 years, Sharnay has served as a community affairs liaison for the Mayor’s office, a child welfare case manager, and a Director of Workforce Development. She has received numerous awards recognizing her leadership skills, including being named to The New Pittsburgh Courier's 2018 FAB 40 list. As the project manager for United Pittsburgh, Sharnay continues to champion efforts to develop authentic, mutually beneficial alliances that improve communities and the lives of their residents.
