The Penn State Center Pittsburgh recently concluded its eighth cohort of the City Semester Pittsburgh experience. Since 2017, City Semester Pittsburgh has matched 32 community partners with 60 students from 7 Penn State colleges and 20 different majors, including a growing number of students who are also pursuing the interdisciplinary Sustainability Leadership minor. The program gives Penn State students the opportunity to explore real-world issues in climate action, architectural design, clean energy, landscape architecture, urban equality, education, and much more.
City Semester students are placed with a prominent community partner to complete a virtual or in-person field experience that is worth 3–5 credits. This internship is typically 20 hours per week, but can be tailored to meet specific academic program requirements. Students are matched with community partners based on placement preferences, career interests, and applicable skills.
The program includes a 3-credit urban sustainability course (EARTH 412) that shares the relevance of sustainability across all disciplines and features readings and videos, prominent guest speakers, and field trips to build on students’ internship experiences. As part of their course work, students produce videos that showcase their City Semester experience.
Nonprofit Partners
- 412 Food Rescue
- Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
- The Brashear Association
- Breathe Project
- Center for Victims
- Green Building Alliance
- Grounded Strategies
- Just Harvest
- New Sun Rising
- Pennsylvania Environmental Council
- Pennsylvania Resources Council
- PA Solar Center
- Pittsburgh Food Policy Council
- Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
- Riverlife
- Tree Pittsburgh
- Sankofa Village Community Garden
- Sustainable Pittsburgh
- Upstream Pittsburgh
Corporate Partners
- Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
- Covestro
- Ethos Collaborative
- Fourth Economy
- J. Frank Studios
- LaQuatra Bonci Associates
- Pashek+MTR
- PPG Paints Arena
Public Sector Partners
- Allegheny County Conservation District
- Allegheny County Parks Department
- Pittsburgh Department of City Planning
- Urban Redevelopment Authority
Education Sector Partners
- PennTAP