PITTSBURGH TECHNICAL COLLEGE SET FOR PUBLIC INSTALLATION OF PRESIDENT DR. ALICIA B. HARVEY-SMITH
On-Campus Ceremony will Highlight Inauguration Week of Events PITTSBURGH—June 13, 2022 – Pittsburgh Technical College (PTC) is set to host an Official Public Installation Ceremony for the inauguration of President Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith at its 185-acre Oakdale campus on June 17 at noon.
Dr. Harvey-Smith was appointed as PTC’s fourth President/CEO in July 2019 and is the first African American President in the college’s 75-year history. She is also the first President to lead PTC as a non Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and non-profit. Due to events pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Harvey-Smith’s public installation comes nearly three years into her tenure that has seen a transformation of the college.
The ceremony will include official greetings from local leaders, including City of Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Senator Devlin Robinson. Additional salutations and support of service will be provided by Bill Flanagan, Our Region’s Business – Allegheny Conference; Quintin Bullock DDS, President, Community College of Allegheny County and Roger Davis Ed.D., President, Community College of Beaver County.
“It has been an honor to lead Pittsburgh Technical College for the last three years, and I am excited to celebrate all of our achievements with so many distinguished guests on campus for the public installation ceremony,” said Dr. Harvey-Smith. “I’m so proud to be part of an institution that consistently strives toward organizational excellence and where students showcase their passion and excitement for learning each day.”
PTC has undergone a remarkable transformation over its 75-year history, moving from its downtown location to its 185-acre campus, officially changing its previous name of “Pittsburgh Technical Institute,” shifting to a non-profit institution and more. Just in the last three years alone under Dr. Harvey-Smith’s leadership, PTC went from never receiving a single dollar for grant funding, to earning a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant in excess of $1 million.
The college has also developed a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiative to make education accessible for all. PTC’s progress under Dr. Harvey-Smith’s leadership has been recognized, as PTC earned the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Tech 50 Innovator of the Year Award, with Dr. Harvey-Smith earning the distinction of 2021 CEO of the Year.
Dr. Harvey-Smith is also setting the course for PTC’s future with the college’s new five-year Strategic Plan. Along with Dr. Harvey-Smith, a Strategic Planning Taskforce composed of 70 individuals inclusive of all PTC departments developed six strategic directions to move PTC forward in areas such as expanding access, enabling success and skills for the future, elevating public and private partnerships and more.
The Public Installation ceremony highlights PTC’s inauguration week events. A Faculty and Staff Professional Achievement reception will take place on June 14, with a ‘Crafternoon’ event being held the following day. A student event sponsored by the Rainbow Alliance, Crafternoon will allow students to participate in a variety of fun crafting activities on campus.
June 16 features a Presidential Collegiate Luncheon with keynote speaker Yvonne Cook, President of the Highmark Foundation and Highmark Vice President of Community & Health Initiatives. The luncheon will be followed by the inaugural Alumni Wall of Honor unveiling and reception, where distinguished PTC alumni will be awarded plaques commemorating their accomplishments and contributions to the community.
The week of events concludes with the Presidential Inauguration Scholarship Gala at the Carnegie Music Hall on the evening of June 17. Every ticket purchased goes toward helping PTC students gain scholarships to help pursue higher education.
Under Dr. Harvey-Smith’s leadership, PTC has increased institutional advancement efforts, including sponsorships, grant acquisitions and gifts that include raising new fundraising and resources of over $23 million. She also successfully established the President’s Executive Advisory Council, comprised of regional business and education leaders to discuss post-pandemic solutions and launched the Pittsburgh Technical Corporate College to provide customized training and development.
A published author and researcher, Dr. Harvey-Smith published her most recent publication in February titled, “On the Brink: Reimagining Strategic Enrollment Management in Colleges and Universities.” During her tenure at PTC, she has been presented with the Woman of Excellence Award from the New Pittsburgh Courier, the Women of Achievement Award from Pittsburgh’s Cribs for Kids, the Women Who Mean Business Award from the Houston Business Journal and was selected by her peers to receive the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U/Cengage) Inclusion Scholarship.
Dr. Harvey-Smith brings 30 years of experience to PTC having worked as the Executive Vice Chancellor of Lone Star College in Houston, one of the largest community college systems in the country, as well as the President/CEO of River Valley Community College in Claremont, N.H.