University of Pittsburgh School of Public & International Affairs

University of Pittsburgh School of Public & International Affairs Be a leader that shapes the world you want. Undergrad BA in Public Policy, minors in Public & Global Policy, certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Master's in Public Administration/Policy, International Affairs & International Development. We are a diverse community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni committed to making significant contributions to society through public service. As a part of the University of Pittsburgh, GSPIA is a leader in education, a pioneer in research, and an engaged partner in our region and around the world. For more than 60 years, our legacy has inspired graduates to make public institutions better, advance public interest, and realize a more equitable and inclusive society.

Some research deserves a much bigger conversation.SPIA and Pitt researchers recently brought work on online violence aga...
09/17/2026

Some research deserves a much bigger conversation.

SPIA and Pitt researchers recently brought work on online violence against women in politics to the Women & Girls’ Online Safety Conference in the UK, joining an international group of researchers, policymakers and advocates examining the challenges taking shape online — including the growing role of AI.

Important work, shared in the rooms where people are thinking seriously about what comes next.

🔗 Read the full story: https://www.spia.pitt.edu/news/spia-researchers-carry-pitts-work-online-violence-against-women-uk-conference.

Experience changes what you need from a graduate degree.Pitt’s Master of Public Policy & Management (MPPM) is designed f...
09/14/2026

Experience changes what you need from a graduate degree.

Pitt’s Master of Public Policy & Management (MPPM) is designed for professionals who are already building careers and want the flexibility, expertise and perspective to take them further.

The MPPM makes it possible to build new skills, strengthen leadership capacity or prepare for a career pivot without putting your professional life on hold.

On September 24, we’re hosting an in-person information session at SPIA to share more about the program, the experience and the opportunities it can open.

📅 Thursday, September 24 | Noon
📍 3903 Posvar Hall
🥪 Box lunch provided (RSVP required!)

Join us or share with someone in your network who should know about the MPPM.

Register here: https://pittforms.tfaforms.net/424210.

AI isn’t just changing how we work. It’s beginning to reshape how societies govern, communicate and participate in democ...
09/11/2026

AI isn’t just changing how we work. It’s beginning to reshape how societies govern, communicate and participate in democracy.

On Tuesday, SPIA’s Ford Institute for Human Security welcomes Dr. Sarah Lister, Director of Governance, Rule of Law and Peacebuilding at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for “Democracy, Reprogrammed? Democratic Governance in the Age of AI,” the 2026 Professor Saul M. Katz Lecture.

Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in democratic governance around the world, Dr. Lister will explore the implications of AI for democratic institutions, civic engagement, information integrity and public leadership — and the choices governments and citizens face as the technology continues to evolve.

For anyone interested in democracy, technology, public policy or the future of government, this is a conversation worth being in the room for.

📅 Tuesday, Sept. 15 | 1–3 p.m.
📍 University Club, Conference Room A
Refreshments provided.

Register → https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ifT5nqDg606HzDpSYRL9DeLLZqDws0dAk3s1oCQVsu5UMjUzTTdHTVk0TllGVktVNkQwU0RNWUVLVy4u&route=shorturl.

What does it look like to take a complex problem and turn it into something a client can actually solve?SPIA students go...
09/10/2026

What does it look like to take a complex problem and turn it into something a client can actually solve?

SPIA students got a firsthand look with Leah Pomerantz (MID ’22), managing consultant at Mathematica, who returned to Pitt to lead a workshop in our Governing Technology class on problem framing and working with clients.

Drawing from her experience supporting federal health clients, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Leah shared how the skills students build in the classroom translate to the realities of managing projects, navigating complex challenges and delivering meaningful work for clients.

Strategy, partnerships, creativity, and a SPIA education put to work. 🎆Brandon D’Alimonte (MPPM ’22) has helped transfor...
09/04/2026

Strategy, partnerships, creativity, and a SPIA education put to work. 🎆

Brandon D’Alimonte (MPPM ’22) has helped transform Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July celebration into more than a major event. Through his work with the City of Pittsburgh, he’s built partnerships that have generated $350K+ in private investment, supported veterans, elevated local businesses and artists, and helped create more than $2.2 million in annual economic impact.

And the strategic thinking behind it? Brandon traces part of it right back to the SPIA classroom.

🔗 Read Brandon’s Alumni Spotlight: https://www.spia.pitt.edu/news/alumni-spotlight-strategy-behind-nations-top-fourth-july-celebration.

We’re proud to celebrate five SPIA faculty members whose recent promotions recognize their contributions as scholars, te...
08/31/2026

We’re proud to celebrate five SPIA faculty members whose recent promotions recognize their contributions as scholars, teachers, practitioners and leaders:

Dr. Gary Hollibaugh, Professor
Dr. Lisa Nelson, Professor
Dr. Erica Owen, Professor
Julia Santucci, Professor of Practice
Dr. Kay Shimizu, Associate Professor

Across public policy, international affairs and the many issues shaping our world, our faculty bring deep expertise to their research, their classrooms and the broader public conversation.

Congratulations on this well-earned recognition!

The impact of a SPIA education can be hard to capture in words. Sometimes, two are enough.“Life changing.”That’s how gra...
08/25/2026

The impact of a SPIA education can be hard to capture in words. Sometimes, two are enough.

“Life changing.”

That’s how grad Courtney Davenport described her time at SPIA during last week’s graduate student Orientation.

Our alumni returned to share where their SPIA experiences have taken them, what they’ve learned along the way and the advice they would give to those just beginning their own journeys.

Pictured from left to right: Emmy Griffith, Director of Career and Professional Development, Laura Latini, Director of Development, Disha Patel (MPIA '26), Brandon D'Alimonte (MPPM '22), Courtney Davenport (MPA '23), and Interim Dean Dr. Marla Ripoll.

No better way to spend a Friday. 💙💛Our newest SPIA graduate students are on campus today for Orientation, meeting their ...
08/21/2026

No better way to spend a Friday. 💙💛

Our newest SPIA graduate students are on campus today for Orientation, meeting their classmates, getting to know the school and getting ready for the semester ahead.

There's a lot to learn, plenty of big questions to explore and an entire community ready to welcome them.

We're so glad you're here. Welcome to SPIA!

Jasmine Akoba got an inside look at how global gender equality work actually happens. 🌎A PhD student in Sociology at Pit...
08/17/2026

Jasmine Akoba got an inside look at how global gender equality work actually happens. 🌎

A PhD student in Sociology at Pitt and member of SPIA’s Ford Institute for Human Security's Gender Equality in Public Administration (GEPA) Working Group, Jasmine had the opportunity to intern with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

There, she analyzed assessment data from nearly 50 public institutions across multiple countries participating in the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions — then helped turn those findings into practical guidance institutions could use. “This experience gave me valuable insight into how data can inform institutional reform and public policy,” she shared.

Jasmine’s experience also highlights something important about the Ford Institute: its reach extends across Pitt. Students and scholars across disciplines can connect with its work, expertise and opportunities around human security and gender equality.

From Pitt to diplomacy around the world. 🌎Kevin Newak (MPIA ’09), a Political Officer with the U.S. Foreign Service, rec...
08/14/2026

From Pitt to diplomacy around the world. 🌎

Kevin Newak (MPIA ’09), a Political Officer with the U.S. Foreign Service, recently took the stage at the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for an “Inside the Embassy” conversation about careers in diplomacy and life as a U.S. diplomat abroad.

His path has taken him from Pitt to the U.S. Mission to NATO, the U.S. Government Accountability Office and, ultimately, the Foreign Service.

Proud to see SPIA alumni representing Pitt — and public service — around the world. 💙💛

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