On February 25th, the University of Pittsburgh held its annual Pitt Day of Giving.  As part of this, the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences selected five funds to highlight during the fund drive. The German Legacy Fund in Memory of Dr. Elizabeth Wylie-Ernst, which honors our dear colleague and supports study abroad, was selected as one of those funds.  The Dean issued a $2,000 challenge grant, telling us (and the four other funds) that if 50 supporters give to their cause, she would put an additional $2,000 into the Wylie-Ernst Legacy Fund.

We were, by most every measure, the smallest program among the five selected. Yet thanks to you and the community supporting the German Department, we were also the most successful. We were the first of all departments that day to reach the goal of 50 donors and ended up with 105 donors overall, more than any of the other programs, some of which were much larger than we are. We raised over $5,300 for the fund and unlocked the Dean’s challenge, so that the fund will increase by over $7,300! The funds from Pitt Day of Giving will significantly increase the amount that we can award to our students each year—it enables more students to have the life-changing experience of study abroad.

None of this would have been possible without your support. Special thanks go to Katy Wallander in the Development office who helped us organize this campaign, Prof. Benjamin Brand who championed the campaign on our departmental social media accounts and to the various members of the Pitt German community who rallied to make this possible: current students, alumni, current faculty, emeritus faculty, family and friends of Beth Wylie-Ernst, and many friends of the German Department. The flood of donations speaks to the powerful influence that Beth had on those who were fortunate enough to know her, as well as to the generosity and support that so many of you have worked to keep German at Pitt strong.