“The 2013-2014 PULSE participants are a wonderfully diverse group of gifted people.  Seeing and experiencing their passion only motivates me to work harder in my every pursuit, and to learn more from every person and scenario I encounter.”  – Alex Smith Alex Smith is a fan of all things Pittsburgh. Growing up in Greensburg, Pa,...Read More

Living in a city is not always what it seems. Before experiencing a new place, we can hardly predict what it will be like. Often times, we develop expectations based upon what we hear from others. Rebecca Dyck traveled to Pittsburgh after hearing about the PULSE program through a family friend. Not only is she...Read More

“PULSE is a great launching point into the rest of the city. It connects you to a work place and community who are full of inspired people, people who are looking to do exciting things and get involved with what is going on around them.”    -Abbie Miller Abbie Miller is someone who may be considered...Read More

Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) is a four-year-old organization that increases quality and access of after-school programs for children and youth. Nikita Zook, a current PULSE fellow, serves at APOST as co-coordinator of a pilot after-school program.  The after-school program brings five organizations together to better deliver after-school services. Mila Yochum, the director of...Read More

The transition from college to the “working world” can be tough.  It often leaves many in a position that they’ve never experienced. Empowered with a degree, new ideas, inspiration and (possibly) fear, recent college graduates are often filled with anxiety about what to do with it all. For Ruth Maust, PULSE provides a safe place...Read More

Encountering Self-Discovery: Jessica King “PULSE showed me that no matter your experience, you can engage in issues that matter to you, get your hands dirty, and make a difference.”  By the time Jessica King finished PULSE in 1997, she had discovered a whole world of vocational pursuits. As someone who chose to get a liberal...Read More

FINDING INSPIRATION: JUSTIN ROTHSHANK “PULSE helped create the environment for me to think my dreams were reachable.”  Justin Rothshank, a nationally renowned ceramics artist, arrived for his PULSE year in 2000, ready to discover what life after college would be. The opportunity to volunteer at I Design, a woodworking studio in the Strip District, and...Read More

Cultivating a Community: Susanna Meyer “I’m a rural girl by birthright, I love the country, but taking my interests from that setting and bringing them to the city has proved to be fulfilling,” said Susanna Meyer.  Susanna Meyer didn’t have to give up her love of nature when she moved to Pittsburgh–she brought nature with her...Read More

FRAMING COMMUNITY: JAMES EASH As James Eash cleared pigeon carcasses and abandoned trash from the dilapidated Union Project, he discovered what kind of career he wanted after his PULSE year. “I realized that I wanted to start working with organizations that help people do those kinds of community projects,” said James. When James started his...Read More

MAKING AN IMPACT: STEPHAN BONTRAGER Learning to live with seven people may not be the first thing you’d write on a resume for a job, but Stephan Bontrager, a 2001-02 PULSE alumnus, sees this lesson helping him in many facets of his life – from professional to community. “PULSE showed me that I could live...Read More