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June 25, 2015

Why They Give: Michael Spring

Through the Faculty and Staff Campaign, University employees can help Pitt thrive by contributing to any of more than 2,000 scholarship, fellowship and professorship funds. Payroll deductions are available, and donors of $1,000 or more are recognized through the Chancellor’s Circle program.

Annually, nearly 3,000 Pitt employees take part in the campaign, from every part of the University. Their backgrounds, and reasons for giving, are as diverse as the Pitt community.

The University Times is profiling some Faculty and Staff Campaign donors.

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MikeSpringThe desire to give back has long been evident in Michael Spring, School of Information Science faculty member and outgoing University Senate president.

“My parents believed in contributing to church, to community, to country, to the less fortunate,” he says. “A little of that sense of responsibility has rubbed off on me. Pitt is one of the places that has played a big role in my life and for which I am ever so grateful.”

His 29 years of contributions to the Faculty and Staff Campaign have honored his mentor and friend James G. Williams through his scholarship, the late G. Alec Stewart and the honors college, as well as Chancellor Emeritus Mark A. Nordenberg through his scholarship fund.

“It is honestly hard to choose where to have the money go each year,” Spring says. “What is never in doubt is the debt that I owe to this great institution which has done so much for me and my family.”

His children chose Pitt — happily for him, Spring says — “after a tour of 10 other schools.”

As Spring concludes: “I am proud to be a small part of such a great institution and honored to be able to make a small contribution to its future.”

—Marty Levine