Panther Post
June 2020 - Volume #6
A Message from Heather Lyke
Dear Panthers,
With the recent Juneteenth celebration and all the events that continue to occur in our nation, I wanted to take an opportunity to continue the conversations that we have started within our Department regarding the problems of racism and social injustice in this country. Not only have I learned that words do matter and that we do need to say out loud that we care, but I am excited to say that we are taking actions now to fix these inequities and to show that we care deeply about our Black student-athletes, coaches, and staff members and that our Department will be an ally in this fight.
As an initial step, we formed a task force, Panthers United, to thoughtfully and collectively plan our action steps to combat racism. This group, led by Penny Semaia, includes 42 people: 15 student-athletes; four assistant coaches; Sheila Velez, our Faculty Athletic Representative; our two mental health specialists; Justin Carter, our community Director at the Bridge on Forbes; and 19 Department staff members. After just a few meetings, the group has identified five focus areas: 1) support, 2) education, 3) communication, 4) taking action, and 5) branding. They have several ideas planned in each area, and we look forward to the rollout of these initiatives as the year progresses.
Secondly, you may have seen the Voting Matters campaign that was launched just a few days ago in collaboration with the University’s Office of Student Affairs. This important initiative will provide voter registration and education sessions for all 19 of our varsity sports. Not only will this assist our student-athletes in submitting absentee ballots in advance of the national election, but also, as part of this initiative, we are exploring potential adjustments to athletic schedules to allow student-athletes to go home to vote.
Finally, in an act of solidarity and solemnity, last week our football team took a knee on the Cathedral lawn in remembrance of George Floyd. While participating in this peaceful demonstration, our football student-athletes, coaches, and staff members wore a t-shirt, emblazoned with the phrase, Black Lives Matter. As a further act of unity, we will be distributing these shirts to every one of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff members upon their return to campus. While this shirt will unify our Department, we are also working in collaboration with our ACC colleagues to develop a mark or logo that will transcend this University and demonstrate a deeper commitment across all ACC schools.
Thanks to everyone for your contributions as we continue to turned our conversations into action. My hope is that we are not just developing a plan for the here and now to respond to the most recent in a tragic string of events. Rather, we expect that we are all taking steps to embed this into the culture of our Athletic Department, University, and larger Pittsburgh community. I hope you all know that we care deeply about and are dedicated to you, no matter your background, race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex, or socioeconomic background. That’s the beauty of athletics – it unifies people of all different backgrounds to work towards one common goal. I am so thankful to be in this with each and every one of you.
Stay safe, love one another and HAIL TO PITT!
Heather
Diversity & Inclusion
Black Lives Matter
We are committed to listening, learning and uniting to do our part in creating a better Pitt and a better world. Together, we have a significant opportunity and responsibility to listen more, understand more and to unite as Panthers. We want to show that Black Lives Matter through our words and, more importantly, our actions.
Click the image below: our weekly student-athlete newsletter provided helpful tips and resources for how to get involved and support our Black community, especially our student-athletes, coaches and staff.
Congratulations Corner
Announcements
Return to Work Protocols
Community Support
COVID-19 Resources
MyHealth@Work
If you or a family member are sick, we encourage you to call MyHealth@Work at 412-647-4949, your primary care physician, or visit the UPMC website to set-up a UPMC Anywhere Care virtual appointment.
United Way 2-1-1
Our 2-1-1 resource navigators are prepared to offer general health information and are referring people who need further evaluation to the Allegheny County Health Department. We are also working with county leadership and public safety in our suburban counties to provide similar and county-specific resources. Our 2-1-1 team is taking calls from throughout the region to help people who are struggling to buy food, pay rent or utilities, and meet other basic needs.
If you need immediate assistance, please dial 2-1-1, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit http://pa211sw.org/.
Staff Spotlight
10-Song Challenge - Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance Adam Soles
1. A song with a color in the title
Little Red Corvette - Prince
2. A song that reminds you of summertime
Fishin’ In The Dark – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3. A song that needs to be played loud
Back in Black – AC/DC
4. A song from your first concert
Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
5. A song with a person’s name in the title
A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
6. A song by an artist no longer living
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
7. A song you remember from your childhood
One Headlight – The Wallflowers
8. A song you know all the words to
Amarillo By Morning – George Strait
9. A song from a movie soundtrack
My Hero – Foo Fighters (Varsity Blues Soundtrack)
10. A song that best describes you
Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Pitt Is Fit
Create Your Own At-Home Workout!
The Pitt Strength & Conditioning team has created a helpful guide for creating your own at-home workouts, involving bodyweight and cardiovascular exercises!
Recipe of the Month: Pantry Edition
