Tony and Grammy Award- winning performer, Leslie Odom, Jr., has taken the entertainment world by storm across a variety of media – spanning Broadway, television, film, and music. A Grammy Award- winning recording artist, Odom, Jr.’s self-titled debut album was part-funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign and released in 2014 by Borderlight Entertainment, Inc. In June 2016, the album was re-released with additional material and charted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart. In winter 2017, he re-released Simply Christmas as a deluxe edition with new arrangements and new songs. The holiday album hit #1 on iTunes and Billboard Jazz Charts. Best known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the smash hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, Odom Jr. received a 2015 Drama Desk Award nomination and won the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical” for his performance. He also won a Grammy Award as a principal soloist on the original cast recording. He made his Broadway debut in Rent and starred in the stage adaption of Leap of Faith. Off-Broadway he appeared in Venice and the original staging of Hamilton, both at the Public Theater. He also starred opposite Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo in a 2014 City Center Encores! revival of Jonathan Larson’s Tick, Tick … Boom!. Odom Jr. was most recently seen on the big screen starring alongside Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Judi Dench in Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express for Twentieth Century Fox. Previous film work includes the 2012 historical drama, Red Tails, executive produced by George Lucas and co-starring Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and David Oyelowo, among others. On the small screen, Odom, Jr. starred on the cult-classic musical drama series, Smash, created by Theresa Rebeck. He had recurring roles on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and CBS’ Persons of Interest and CSI: Miami and made guest appearances on such shows as The Good Wife, Gotham, and Showtime’s House of Lies. In December 2017, Odom, Jr. returned to the New York City stage in a solo concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The cabaret-style performance was crafted around signature songs and music that shaped this artist’s journey, all performed with a world-class band in front of a live audience. The show was filmed for broadcast as an hour-long PBS special as part of the 17-time Emmy Award-winning series, Live From Lincoln Center, and will premiere April 24, 2018. This spring, Odom, Jr. added the title of “Author” to his resume with the release of his book – FAILING UP: HOW TO TAKE RISKS, AIM HIGHER, and NEVER STOP LEARNING. Written in the style of a commencement speech, the book brings together what Odom, Jr. has learned in life so far, tapping into universal themes of starting something new, following your passions, discovering your own potential, and surrounding yourself with the right people. FAILING UP is about unlocking your true potential and making your dreams come true even when it seems impossible. Odom Jr. currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, fellow actress Nicolette Robinson, and newborn daughter.
We are deeply grateful to our event sponsors for their support. Presenting Sponsor F.N.B. Corporation $100,000 Sponsors Franco Harris’ Super Bakery $50,000 Sponsors Debbie Demchak $25,000 Sponsors Carnegie Mellon University Lamar Advertising (In-Kind) Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation PIttsburgh Steelers UPMC $10,000 Sponsors A Friend of The Promise American Textile Company Anonymous (2) AT&T Babst Calland Bakery Square Burke Family Covestro EXUS Management Partners Saleem and Patti Ghubril Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. Koppers Oxford Development Company Pittsburgh Pirates PNC University of Pittsburgh Weiss Burkardt Kramer LLC $5,000 Sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Inc. Ann and Paul Bridges Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC Campbell Durrant PC Clarion University Dickie, McCamey, & Chilcote The Duckworth Haggerty Group Duquesne University Eat’n Park Edinboro University Goehring Rutter & Boehm Highmark Janet and Bill Hunt Indiana University of Pennsylvania JPMorgan Chase La Roche University Anne Lewis MSA, The Safety Company The Pennsylvania State University Pittsburgh Business Times Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Point Park University Mardi and Jim Royston Rugby Realty Rycon Construction, Inc. Seton Hill University Pat and Alan Siger Thiel College Turner Dairy Farms Wabtec A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Marsha Kolbe with questions.
Thank you for investing in FNB Presents: A Night of Promise we look forward to celebrating with you! Wyndham Grand Downtown Pittsburgh 600 Commonwealth Place, 15222 Saturday, November 2, 2019 Cocktails: 6:0 pm ~ Dinner: 7:00 pm Black-Tie Optional Registration will occur on the ground floor of the Wyndham Grand Downtown Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Promise is seeking candidates for a project-based internship to help our organization better track and document alumni data. The intern will be tasked with making phone calls, online research, and various data entry and administrative support tasks. Promise Scholars and/or Alumni are encouraged to apply. Skills/Expectations: Excellent communication skills (phone, oral and written) Solid organizational skills Interest in research Self-motivated with the ability to stay on task Positive attitude, timeliness, and passion for The Pittsburgh Promise mission Position Requirements: Sophomore level of post-secondary, or 2nd year of two-year programs, or higher 2.5 GPA or higher Any field of study is acceptable Applicants should be available to work approximately 10 hours weekly February start date preferred, March would also be considered Internship runs through May Work will take place in The Promise office located in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh The internship pays $12/hour and is available for course credit upon request and school approval. Applicants should submit a resume to jobs@pittsburghpromise.org by February 6th. If you are a Promise Scholar, please make a note on your resume. Please place “Internship” in the subject line of the email.
PITTSBURGH, November 14, 2018 – Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University, founding college partners of The Pittsburgh Promise, are extending their support of Promise scholarship recipients to graduate school offerings. Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is offering scholarships equal to 30% of tuition per semester to Pittsburgh Promise Alumni who apply and enroll in one of its professional master’s programs, which prepare students to solve societal challenges in areas converging at the intersection of people, policy, and technology. These include nationally-ranked programs in public policy, information technology, health care, cybersecurity, and arts & entertainment. “We are committed to our local community, and we want to do all that we can to help contribute in every way – including financially – to what will ultimately be one of the most valuable investments our students will ever make,” said David Eber, Heinz College Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. “Through our partnership with The Pittsburgh Promise, we hope to shape young minds, train local students to be future leaders in the Pittsburgh region, and remove any financial barriers that may prevent them from considering earning their master’s degree.” Duquesne University is offering a 30% tuition scholarship per semester to Promise alumni to pursue graduate degrees in more than 25 graduate programs in business, education, liberal arts and environmental sciences. Duquesne is nationally ranked and recognized for high-quality academic and research opportunities. Additional information can be found at http://duq.edu/pghpromisealum. “The Pittsburgh Promise has had an incredibly positive impact in supporting Pittsburgh Public School students, and we’re proud to be a founding preferred college partner,” said Duquesne University President Ken Gormley. “As part of our mission and our strategic plan, we continue to identify ways to support the region; and expanding our Pittsburgh Promise partnership to graduate programs is a wonderful way to do that.” The graduate school awards are in addition to the schools’ commitment to Promise Scholars who pursue undergraduate degrees at their institutions. As founding Preferred College Partners, Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne have committed to providing grants for room and board to Promise-eligible undergraduate students who are accepted to the institutions and targeted transition and academic support services to ensure student retention and success. “We are incredibly grateful to our partners Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University for extending their support to Promise Alumni. The commitments of these institutions to advance the success of Pittsburgh’s students is clear. These graduate school offerings will provide even more incentive to our young people to stay in the region and contribute to our workforce,” said Pittsburgh Promise Executive Director, Saleem Ghubril. About Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is home to two internationally recognized graduate-level institutions at Carnegie Mellon University: the School of Information Systems and Management and the School of Public Policy and Management. This unique colocation combined with its expertise in analytics set Heinz College apart in the areas of cybersecurity, health care, the future of work, smart cities, and arts & entertainment. In 2016, INFORMS named Heinz College the #1 academic program for Analytics Education. For more information, please visit www.heinz.cmu.edu. About Duquesne University Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation’s top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. Duquesne, a campus of nearly 9,500 graduate and undergraduate students, has been nationally recognized for its academic programs, community service and commitment to sustainability. Follow Duquesne University on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more information visit www.duq.edu. About The Pittsburgh Promise The Pittsburgh Promise promotes high educational aspirations among urban youth, funds scholarships for post-secondary access, and fuels a prepared and diverse regional workforce. To date, The Promise has invested more than $120 million in scholarships to send more than 8,400 urban youth to a post-secondary institution. Nearly 3,000 Promise Scholars have graduated, and many are now working, and giving back, in the Pittsburgh region. Pittsburgh has the largest Promise program in the United States. For more information visit The Promise impact dashboard. # # # #
Upon hearing the news of the dreadful attack on Jewish worshipers at the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday, October 27, we joined Pittsburghers, and perhaps all Americans, in reaching out to friends who belonged to that faith community, checking on other Squirrel Hill residents, and seeking ways to support and be helpful. Some of us attended the Saturday evening vigil that was organized by students at Taylor Allderdice high school. Others joined the Sunday afternoon event hosted by religious, governmental, and other community leaders. Both events brought comfort, healing, inspiration, and a call to action. Each was attended by some 3,000 people. The Pittsburgh Promise’s mantra is, “we will not rest until the promise that lives within all of Pittsburgh’s children can be brought to full life.” That promise was made visible at Saturday’s student-led vigil in the words and actions, tears and songs, and anger and resolve that was displayed by our young people. In their grief, they brought a message of healing. Despite their anger and fear, they called us to work for a loving and courageous justice. Our students are impressive today, and they are full of even greater promise for tomorrow. We agree with our young leaders when they call for good policy, laws, and enforcement. In addition, we hope for a change in minds, habits, and hearts. We believe that education is critical to that kind of transformation. We are glad to play a small part in making higher education accessible to thousands of Pittsburgh’s youth. We will also lock arms with those who nurture emotional and spiritual intelligence so that anti-Semitic, racist, sexist, supremacist, ageist, homophobic, or any other oppressive behavior can not only be regulated, but also rebutted and transformed. The Pittsburgh Promise grieves and stands in solidarity with our city’s Jewish community as they heal and restore. We also stand with our young people as they wrestle with their feelings and vision, as they seek the place where they can make a difference in this world, and as they work to build what Dr. King called “the beloved community.”
Hosted by Promise Legacy: The Alumni Group of The Pittsburgh Promise On November 29th at 7 pm, enjoy a fun night as we celebrate 10 years of Promise Scholars. Anyone 21 or over who has received a Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship is invited to attend and bring a guest. How: Register ahead of time for a discounted price of $25 per person ($30 At the Door). Click here to register for this event. Please be sure to type “Reunion” into the memo line. Attire: Business Casual – Feel free to rep your high school colors. All registrants will receive a raffle ticket toward fabulous prizes to be awarded at the event. Also included: Drinks and Appetizers Games and Prizes DJ Digibooths will be providing a gif booth for you to snap a few fun pics and post to your feeds. So make sure you come to hang out in our photo booth thanks to Digibooths! In conjunction with this event, Promise Legacy will launch a fundraising initiative to fund one Promise Scholarship so we can “pay forward” the generosity that was shared with us.
The Spring 2019 issue of The Promise magazine is here! Learn about Student Services, Preferred College Partners, TeenBloc, and more. Click through article features or download the whole magazine.
