The Big DIG: Funding Priorities

Your strong support of The Big DIG (Dietrich Inspirational Gifts: Promoting Research and Scholarships Initiative) will create an even more powerful school, producing uniquely skilled graduates and life-changing research. The Big DIG advances the University’s mission by focusing on four distinct yet interdependent priorities. Each priority of The Big DIG supports a particular hallmark of the Dietrich School that, when combined, creates the interdisciplinary scholarship that transforms our students, our region, and our world.

Need-Based Scholarships

Pitt is innovating and expanding the number and size of its scholarship offerings, changing how families pay for college. Scholarship awards of as little as $5,000 to $10,000 a year make all the difference to students for whom financial need is a barrier to accessing a Pitt education. Learn how you can make a Pitt education a reality for a deserving student »

Undergraduate Research

Pitt’s undergraduate research program is a model among academic institutions. More than 3,500 A&S students annually engage in research. Our goal is to have the resources to offer such an opportunity to every student who wants one. It only takes a few thousand dollars to create these experiences. Learn how you can support the A&S undergraduate research culture »

Fellowships and Graduate Support

The work of our graduate students keeps Pitt in the national spotlight and at the top of international rankings. Graduate fellowships exponentially increase a student’s chances of obtaining their degree by empowering them to fully-focus on groundbreaking research and writing. Learn how you can help a graduate student advance knowledge and achieve their dreams​»

Faculty Chairs and Professorships

Faculty chairs and professorships make it possible for the University to lead among top-ranked institutions. Endowed chairs drive recruitment and retention of esteemed faculty and enable their academic advances; their scholarship is an important catalyst of Pitt’s excellence. Learn how your gift can help attract and retain our most important scholars​ »