Packing up

I will take with me some great lessons from Pittsburgh

The boxes are almost packed and ready to ship. After nearly 12 years in Pittsburgh, I guess I never thought I would be where I am now, retiring as dean of Duquesne University’s School of Education.

I appreciate the many kind words and thanks I’ve received, but the faculty and staff deserve them most, as well as the community leaders and education advocates, not to mention the young people here who are successfully navigating educational challenges and focusing on their futures.

I have come to call this region my home. I have grown to love the wonderful things about our city. I have learned much from the people of Pittsburgh.

There are three key things I will take with me from the “classroom” called Pittsburgh when I return to my husband and children, who still live in Tennessee.

I marvel at the random acts of kindness of Pittsburghers. For example, while at the Point one day, my husband and I struggled to take a selfie. At least three people offered to take our picture. Pittsburgh is a town where people hold the door open for others, where runners say hello to others on the trail and where people, for the most part, say thank you.

In today’s society, when so many seek anonymity and avoid eye contact, this is unusual. It rarely happens elsewhere.

A second lesson is that the people of this region also embrace their history and try to preserve and learn from it. We know that history is not always pleasant and does not always make us proud. But here, there is a tradition of hard work, excellence, the preservation of all that is good, and the belief that everybody is important.

Recently, when Pulitzer Prize-winning author and local native David McCullough was in Pittsburgh to receive an honorary doctorate at Duquesne, we talked about this region’s rich tapestry and how it has helped shape the world. And Pittsburgh continues to contribute to history with research, creativity and, still, hard work.

Finally, Pittsburghers love their communities and have a sense of place. Community here is intrinsic, sacred and special. It goes beyond the fence lines and neighborhoods where we live and work.

Whether the Pirates and Penguins and Steelers win or lose, a sense of community keeps us coming back to cheer them on. There are fair-weather fans, but not many compared to other cities. Pittsburghers wear their black and gold no matter what the score.

Pittsburghers have an allegiance to their cultural figures, too. Fred Rogers remains an icon even in death. His lessons of life, love and learning knit us together from youth to adulthood.

Of course, Pittsburgh has many problems, not least educational inequities. We still need to fight racial and ethnic stereotypes and lift up the disabled and homeless. We need to be more collegial. Instead of inventing new ways of doing things, we need to replicate the successful work of others and adopt best educational practices.

It is not someone else’s job to improve education and make it fairer. It is everyone’s job. Every child who does not graduate or does not get a good education is everyone’s failure. Just watch the news and read this newspaper. Education is the foundation for opportunity and success. I urge you to become active in support of educational equity.

Two of the things I will pack as I prepare to leave Pittsburgh are the spirit and soul of its people. I will treasure my notebook of classroom lessons and leave Pittsburgh knowing it is capable of overcoming its challenges.