School Visits

The Center hosts visitors several times throughout the fall and spring semesters. The Center’s Engagement Coordinator accompanies visitors to local schools; however, educators can also inquire about bringing students to a talk at the University of Pittsburgh or engaging in a talk via video conference. Grants are available to assist educators in transportation to and from the University of Pittsburgh for Europe-related speaking engagements and events.

The Center is currently building a portfolio of VR presentations using 360° photos.  We also have a set of sanitizable VR headsets from RobotLab which can be requested for use in your classroom, either as a school visit or for a brief loan.

If you are interested in hosting an ESC visitor, planning a VR presentation, or signing up for our K-12 educator mailing list, please contact our Engagement Coordinator

2015-2016 School Visits:

  • Dr. Panayotis Tsakonas, a professor of International Relations, Security Studies and Foreign Policy Analysis at the Department of Mediterranean Studies, University of the Aegean in Rhodes, Greece visited Ms. Mina Levenson’s classroom at Allderdice High School for a talk on, “The Migration Crisis in Europe: Perspectives and Strategies of the EU and Southern European States.”
  • A group of speakers from the University of Pittsburgh (listed below) visited Mr. Josh Baringer’s classroom at Trinity High School to discuss economics and business in contemporary Germany. The entire visit was presented in German.
  • Dr. Katja Wezel, DAAD Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Pittsburgh
  • Jacqueline Saslawski, Managing Director, International Business Center, Katz Business School 
  • Lukas Langel, German American Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh
  • Adam Lough, Undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh
  • Ms. Joanna Skrzypiec, a Warsaw-based radio and TV journalist specializing in foreign affairs and the global economy, visited Ms. Kate Daher’s and Ms. Erin Breault’s classrooms at Pittsburgh’s CAPA to discuss her career, Poland, and politics--both at home and in the US.
  • ESC participated in the Barack Obama Academy of International Studies school’s International Festival hosting an EU trivia table.
     

2014-2015 School Visits:

  • Dr. Ioannis Stefanidis, a political science professor with the University of Thessaloniki in Greece, visited Ms. Debbie Reynold’s classroom at Baldwin High School for a talk on, “Modern Greece & the West: A Record of Ambivalence.”
  • Mr. Matthias Kolb, Additionally, a reporter for Süddeutsche.de (the news website of the Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung), visited Mr. Brian Hogan’s classroom at Community School West to discuss his role as a journalist, German and European politics, and his perspective on U.S. politics including current events related to privacy and media.