Founded in 1787, Pitt is one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education. Pitt people have defeated polio, unlocked the secrets of DNA, lead the world in organ transplantation, and pioneered television and heavier-than-air flight, among many other accomplishments. Ranked among the top 5 percent of 1,000 universities in 65 countries and in the top 100 most innovative universities in the world, Pitt is home to more than 5,300 full- and part-time faculty, more than 7,200 full and part-time staff, and nearly 800 research and post-doctoral associates. Over 25,200 undergraduate, 7,000 graduate, and 2,000 doctorate students study at our 5 campuses.
The Nationality Rooms were designed to represent and celebrate the cultures of various ethnic groups that settled in Allegheny County. The thirty-one Nationality Rooms located on the first and third floors of the Cathedral of Learning are a community space where visitors are invited to experience the rich heritage of the communities who inspired and supported their creation. The Nationality Rooms are also in use as university classrooms, giving students the opportunity to engage in learning in a unique setting that helps them to explore the historic diversity of the Pittsburgh region.
To this day, each Nationality Room Committee that designed, planned, and raised the funds to build a classroom remains an active partner on the Pitt campus and in the community. The Nationality Committees--comprised of community volunteers--organize educational and cultural programming and raise funds for scholarships to support intercultural learning opportunities for Pitt students to honor an ideal - education through cultural exchange.
The Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs Office oversees the ongoing maintenance of the museum quality classrooms and artifacts, the construction of new rooms, administers the scholarships, and collaborates with the Nationality Rooms Committees and with academic and other administrative units to advance intercultural learning and to foster an appreciation of diverse perspectives on the Pitt campus and in the community.
