By CHUCK STARESINIC

Deborah Bial, a higher-ed strategist who founded one of the most comprehensive and well-regarded scholarship programs in the U.S., will address the University of Pittsburgh’s newest graduates at the winter commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Petersen Events Center.

Bial is the CEO and founder of the Posse Foundation, which supports students from varied backgrounds at selective colleges and universities. Since 1989, the foundation has recognized 15,000 scholars, who have received $2.65 billion in scholarships from partner colleges and universities. Posse Scholars boast a graduation rate of 90% and have won more than 600 prestigious national fellowships since 2001.

Bial’s work has gained her national recognition, including a prestigious “genius grant” from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2007. In recognizing her accomplishments, the foundation noted that traditional admissions metrics like grades and test scores are inadequate predictors of college success and that “Bial offers an alternative model for identifying promising young people from less advantaged, urban environments. Working with public high schools and other community organizations, Bial evaluates potential candidates using a rigorous assessment process based on qualities such as leadership, teamwork, communication skills, and motivation — qualities that are as critical to successful navigation of undergraduate education as academic track records. The most promising students are invited to join a “posse,” a small group that participates in an eight-month, pre-collegiate training program that builds individual and team skills and serves as an essential social support system once students arrive at college.”

“Deborah Bial is an excellent choice for commencement speaker, and I’m so excited to hear from her,” said Kris Kanthak, associate professor of political science and president of the University Senate. “I know firsthand how beneficial her Posse Scholars program is.  I’ve had the honor to get to know several of Pitt’s Posse Scholars through my involvement with the Provost Academy. These students not only deserve the opportunities the program affords them, but they make the University better because they are here.”

Bial earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in education with a focus on higher education administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University. 

In 2010, President Barack Obama named the Posse Foundation as one of 10 nonprofits to which he would donate his Nobel Peace Prize award money. In 2020, Posse expanded, using a new virtual recruitment and training model to double its outreach. Today, the nonprofit supports programs in multiple cities and regions across the United States. 

“Her Posse Foundation is representative of the kind of influence a single person can have,” Kanthak said about Bial. “I know many of our students have as their goals after graduation to build something as impactful as the Posse Foundation. They will appreciate getting some advice from someone who has achieved something close to their own objectives.”

New ceremony for doctoral candidates

This year, the University announced changes to its December commencement schedule, separating the University-wide commencement ceremony — which previously included all degrees earned — into two events. For the first time, Pitt will hold a dedicated doctoral hooding ceremony to honor doctoral graduates.

The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 9, in Victory Heights Arena. This new event will recognize students earning doctoral degrees (both professional doctoral degrees and PhD degrees) between May and December 2026.

The University-wide Commencement Ceremony, at 3 p.m. Dec. 13, in the Petersen Events Center, will celebrate all summer and winter graduates earning their bachelor’s and master's degrees.

Splitting commencement into two events is intended to allow the University-wide commencement ceremony to be more efficiently paced, shorter in duration and focused on the celebration of undergraduate and master’s graduates and their families.

Given that this is the first dedicated doctoral hooding ceremony, doctoral students who wish to attend the University-wide commencement ceremony may do so. Hooding of doctoral candidates will only take place at the Dec. 9 ceremony.

Further details for both events, including ticketing, guest information and livestream links, will be available in the coming weeks at commencement.pitt.edu. For additional information on either event, contact the Office of Special Events at 412-624-7100 or commencement@pitt.edu.

Commencement volunteers wanted

Anyone in the Pitt community can lend a hand at one or both ceremonies. For faculty and staff, it’s a chance to say farewell to the students they have helped on their educational journey. For students, it’s a time to celebrate their peers as they cross the stage and become alumni.

All volunteers will receive virtual training prior to the ceremonies, free parking, lunch and reserved seats for those who wish to stay and watch the celebrations.

Register and find more details on Pitt’s commencement website.

Chuck Staresinic is interim editor of the University Times. Reach him at chuck.s@pitt.edu.

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