November 12, 2024
Dear Colleagues,
In January 2022, Daren Ellerbee joined the Office of the Provost (OTP) as the inaugural director of the University Educational Outreach Center (EOC), which is dedicated to building more equitable pathways for all students to gain the potential to enroll at the University of Pittsburgh or other selective colleges and universities.
Since then, she and her team have developed, implemented, and managed University-wide academic outreach programs—including Investing Now, Pitt Horizon Scholars, the Pittsburgh Admissions Collaborative and Pittsburgh Public Scholars—while also supporting discipline-focused programs and collaborating with University stakeholders on the development of future programs.
Daren, as you may know, came to her role in the OTP after opening and leading the Community Engagement Center in Homewood for a number of years—another highly successful effort.
While it is certainly bittersweet, it is not surprising that Daren’s abilities have been recognized—and sought after—by others. Daren has shared that she has decided to accept an exceptional opportunity with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation (BCPI) housed at Johns Hopkins University. As a BCPI i-Team Director, she will be working in the City of Pittsburgh's mayor’s office to engage constituents around advancing racial wealth equity and climate action with a focus on local Black communities.
Daren has advised me that she will transition from the University on Friday, November 15. In the time ahead, I will be working with the team in the EOC and with leadership in Undergraduate Studies to plan next steps for the center’s continued success.
Daren’s far-reaching accomplishments and dedicated service to Pitt and to the broader Pittsburgh community have made a deep impact, and undoubtedly, her leadership and vision will continue in her new assignment. Please join me in congratulating her and thanking her for her transformative work through the years.
Regards,
Joe
Joseph J. McCarthy
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor
William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Chemical Engineering
University of Pittsburgh