Back
No image description provided

Student Organization Newsletter!

SORC Staff - Wednesday, January 14
 Events 

SORC

*SPRING INVOLVEMENT FAIR*
The Student Organization Resource Center will be hosting the annual Spring Involvement Fair  over 2 days this year, Tuesday, January 20th and Wednesday, January 21st, inside the William Pitt Union.  Undergraduate student organizations will be represented on Tuesday, January 20th from 10-12, and also on Wednesday, January 21st from 10-12 and 1-3. We will have a session specifically for Club Sports and FSL organizations on Tuesday, January 20th from 1-3. Please stop by and visit some of the organizations on campus!

****NOTE: If you submitted flyers to be printed for the Involvement Fair, they must now be picked up by Friday, January 16th at 5pm due to the holiday. If you are not able to make it to get your flyers, they will be available at the check in tables at the fair itself. 

*SORC OFFICE OPERATIONS REGARDING HOLIDAY *

The SORC office will be closed on January 19th for MLK day. There will be no purchasing appointments or in office services. If you need to pick up your flyers for the Involvement Fair, please get them by January 16th at 5pm. If you cannot pick them up, we will bring them to check in at the fairs. 

*MESSAGE FROM SGB*

Student Government Board, SGB, provides financial assistance by equitably distributing a portion of the $3.5 million Student Activities Fund to student organizations in need. 

This is not guaranteed financing and is done through SGB, not SORC.  Student Organizations may request money through the "Allocation Supplemental Requests" on Experience Pitt.  

For questions or concerns, please reach out to your club's Allocation Liaison.  The role of the liaison is to assist student groups with the Allocations Process. They are available to answer questions, help with requests, and clarify policies and procedures. It is strongly encouraged that every organization consult with their liaison before putting in a request. 

Allocations | Student Government Board

*MESSAGE FROM GPSG*
Run for Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG)

Want to build leadership skills, meet people outside your program, and make real change? Consider running for GPSG. The call for candidates for the Academic Year 26-27 term is open from January 12 to February 9, 2026. All roles begin May 1.

All graduate and professional students enrolled in the next academic year are invited to run for all Executive Board officer positions (President, VP of Committees, VP of Communications, VP of Finance, and VP of Programming). 

Learn more and submit your candidacy at pittgpsg.com/elections. 
Visit the GPSG website for additional details or email gpsg@pitt.edu with questions. 
*STUDENT ORGANIZATION INSTAGRAM PAGE*

SORC is excited to announce a new opportunity for student organizations to showcase their events to a broader audience. We have created an instagram account, @PittStudentOrgs, where we will take submissions and post organizations' events to the page to spread the information to more students. The account is new, so be sure to give it a follow to stay up to date on what your fellow organizations are up to on campus! To submit a flyer to be posted, the group needs to fill out this link in a timely manner before they would like the post to be made. Pi.tt/studentorginsta

*Contract Consultations*
If your organization is planning on hosting an event (formal, guest speaker, live performance), travelling abroad for organization purposes, or acquiring any services that contain a contractual agreement within the coming months, we highly recommend that you reach out to SORC staff for a consultation. Whether you are in the first stages of planning your event, or close to finalizing, please reach out to efh32@pitt.edu who will guide you on what is required in order to adhere to university policies.

Additional Opportunities

*SORC/EXPERIENCE PITT TRAINING*

Join us on January 26th at 12pm for a fun, informative session about SORC and Experience Pitt. There will be a Q&A session at the end. This will be an overview of the services offered by SORC and will kick off a series of training sessions that will be taking place over the coming months. Food and drinks will be provided. With that, please rsvp using this link to help provide an idea of how many people to plan for. https://cglink.me/2kn/s1368 


*GRANT OPPORTUNITY*
Prevention at Pitt offers SORC organizations the opportunity to apply for and participate in our Sexual Violence Prevention Grant Program. Student organizations that participate in our offered educational opportunities through the grant program can receive up to $350 that will be added to their SORC accounts for them to use at their discretion. You can learn more about these grants at the bottom of this page: wellbeing.pitt.edu/prevention-pitt. Information can be found under the section, “Sexual Violence Prevention Grants.” 
Prevention at Pitt also invites student organizations to apply for funding to host events that promote healthy relationships and raise awareness of sexual violence on college campuses. This is separate from our educational programming grant described above. Funds received from our Prevention Programming Grant must be used to facilitate an event that focuses on sexual violence prevention and awareness. This grant program was created to reduce any financial burden that may prohibit student organization from engaging in these important topics. You can learn about our “Prevention Programming Grants” here: wellbeing.pitt.edu/prevention-pitt/prevention-programming-grants.  
*PITT DAY OF GIVING*

Want to boost support for your student organization? Pitt Day of Giving (PDoG) is the University’s 24-hour giving celebration, your chance to connect with the entire Pitt community and raise meaningful funds for your group!

Each participating organization receives a personalized fundraising page, making it easy to share your story and rally supporters. Last year, student organizations raised over $100,000, powered by social media outreach, word of mouth, and connections with alumni, friends, and family. Nearly 2,000 donors supported student organizations alone. Your involvement truly makes an impact.

Join us for Pitt Day of Giving on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, and help drive your organization’s mission forward. Applications are now open and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, January 16, 2026

*PANTHER LEADERSHIP SUMMIT*

Leadership Development and the Student Organization Resource Center are thrilled to announce the upcoming Panther Leadership Summit, taking place on Saturday, February 28th, 2026, on the University of Pittsburgh main campus.  

This all-day conference is an incredible opportunity for you to gain valuable leadership skills and connect with peers across campus. With sessions on navigating change, understanding your why, preventing burnout, and inclusivity, you will leave ready to Ignite Purpose and Inspire Change.  

Details at a Glance:  

  • Location: William Pitt Union  

  • Time: 10:00 am – 2:00pm  

Don’t miss out! Register now to secure your spot! 

For questions, please contact us at leadership@pitt.edu.  

*FORGE GALA AWARDS*

We’re excited to share that the Student Organization Resource Center and the Office of Leadership Development are gearing up for this year’s  FORGE Gala, taking place April 2, 2026! As part of the celebration, we are pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 Student Organization Awards.

These awards recognize the outstanding achievements, events, and leadership within our vibrant student organization community.

Award Nominations Are Now Open

Each student organization may submit one nomination per award category. We encourage you to highlight the work, events, and individuals who have made a meaningful impact on your organization and the Pitt community this year.

  • Nomination Deadline: March 1, 2026
  • Voting Period: March 2 – March 24, 2026
  • FORGE Gala: April 2, 2026 (Award winners will be recognized and honored at the event.)

👉 Nomination Form: https://cglink.me/2kn/s1405

Please take a moment to discuss these categories within your organization and submit your nominations before the deadline. Nominated organizations must attend the gala.

We look forward to celebrating your accomplishments and the incredible leadership shown across campus. Thank you for all you do to support Pitt’s student organization community!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact SORC at sorc@pitt.edu or stop by our office.

*EMS TIPS FOR STUDENT ORGS*
1. EMS Support & Troubleshooting
If you run into problems in EMS, reach out to ems-help@pitt.edu. Student staff don’t have the permissions to fix or diagnose issues. EMS Help typically responds within 1–3 business days. For something urgent, contact Taylor at trd101@pitt.edu.
2. Changes to Confirmed Events
If you need to make changes to a confirmed event, please contact the Reservations Office. They’ll connect your request with the appropriate pro-staff member to confirm whether the updates can be accommodated.
3. Event Setups & Timelines
Event setups are sent to Facilities 2–3 days in advance. To ensure your setup is guaranteed, events should be finalized at least 2 weeks before the event. Requests submitted between 13 and 3 days in advance may not be guaranteed, and any changes submitted fewer than 3 days before the event cannot be accepted. Submitting your event information early ensures that your setup can be processed smoothly. 
4. EMS Access & Late Requests
Only students with EMS access for their organization can book reservations via EMS. We are no longer able to process late requests at the window. Have your dedicated EMS user contact our professional staff for any late requests.
5. Using the Reservations Window
The reservations window is for day-of support, general planning questions, and urgent day-of requests. All other requests must be entered through EMS to avoid scheduling conflicts, which are more likely when events are manually input.
6. Cancellations & Early Departures
Please contact the Reservations Office if you need to cancel your event, arrive late, or leave early. As long as this is communicated and isn’t a recurring issue, no policy violations will be administered. Failure to notify the office can result in a policy violation.
Feel free to reach out to SORC@pitt.edu with any questions!