The Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association (PGAA) will present its 2023 Young Alumni Leadership Award to Scott Szypulski ’14, MBA, at the Alumni Award Celebration Dinner on Saturday, Sept. 30, as part of Blue & Gold Celebration 2023: Homecoming and Family Weekend. Registration for the dinner is available here.
The PGAA Young Alumni Leadership Award, initiated in 2015, recognizes established and future leaders among Pitt-Greensburg’s young alumni who are age 35 and younger. The winners of this award have distinguished themselves as leaders among their peers and in their profession, community, and/or at the University.
"As the Pitt Greensburg Alumni Association President, it is my honor to be part of a university that produces the level of impressive distinction, volunteers, and leadership among our winners," said Michel Keller.
Szypulski, a native of Penn Township who resides in Oakland, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in 2014 with a BS in management-accounting and minors in actuarial science and theatre. His first job after graduating was as a financial assistant in the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Critical Care, and he currently serves as a sponsored projects financial administrator with the School of Public Health’s Human Genetics Department. Part of the grants administration, he monitors more than $6 million in research expenditures and ensures that grant funding is being spent appropriately for more than 18 faculty members spread across 87 grant accounts. In addition to this work, he also assists with submitting research grants to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In 2018, Szypulski earned a master’s of business administration (MBA) with a concentration in organizational behavior/human resources (OB/HR) from Pitt’s Katz Business School.
Szypulski started developing his leadership credentials while still a student at Pitt-Greensburg, serving as president of the Student Government Association, Resident Student Council, and the Presidential Ambassadors program. He received several awards in recognition of his contributions, including the 2014 Community Assistant of the Year award, the Senior of the Year award, the Dean’s Leadership award, and the PGAA Community Service Award. He also was active with the Student Activities Board, Habitat for Humanity, Judicial Board, Peer Leader Program, and Phi Eta Sigma.
“Pitt-Greensburg was the place where I began emerging as a leader and building my interpersonal skills through clubs and activities on campus,” said Szypulski. “What I learned in those roles stayed with me into my career and helped me in getting where I am today. To be recognized by the PGAA for my leadership is an honor and truly a full-circle moment.”
He remains involved with the campus through his participation as a member of the Pitt-Greensburg Alumni Association (PGAA) and its board, where he has served as secretary, treasurer, and events chair. Szypulski has assisted in organizing alumni events, including the Merry Mingle, Welcome Back Picnic, and the annual Pirates Game Tailgate. He also continues to volunteer with the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity and served as a chaperone for the 2017, 2018, and 2020 Alternative Spring Break Collegiate Challenge trips to Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
A member of Pitt’s Staff Council since 2015, Szypulski has assisted with the establishment of the Frisch Professional Development Award, which provides University staff with financial assistance for professional development. For the past seven years, he has also served as chair of the committee for Pitt Day at Kennywood, which brings more than 2,000 members of the Pitt community together for a day at the park. Most recently, in July 2023, he was elected vice president of public relations for the Staff Council, which advocates for more than 7,000 staff at the University and is responsible for advertising and issuing communications for the group.
When not working or volunteering with Pitt and Pitt-Greensburg, Szypulski works for Live Nation, the world’s leading entertainment company, at the Pavilion at Star Lake (Burgettstown). Since 2016, as a guest ambassador, he has assisted guests with customer service issues, transportation of guests with ADA accommodations, and selling up-sale items with the ancillary sales team. The recipient of Rock Star of the Show Recognition, his experience includes filling in as the guest experience manager. In 2022, he was promoted to supervisor of his department and is responsible for responding to and resolving higher-level issues during concerts. He also assists with the training of new team members.
About Pitt-Greensburg:
Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pitt-Greensburg offers 31 baccalaureate degree programs, including new majors in data analytics, nursing, and healthcare management, as well as 30 minors and four certificate programs. With nearly 1,400 students, more than 10,000 alumni, and faculty and staff numbering 260, Pitt-Greensburg provides a vibrant, diverse community that is a dynamic model of a 21st-century liberal arts education. As part of the University of Pittsburgh system, Pitt-Greensburg offers the resources of a world-renowned university combined with the individualized and immersive experiences of a small liberal arts college. Creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit permeate the campus and extend into its many collaborative projects with the Westmoreland County community. Nestled in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands, the campus is surrounded by the region’s outdoor recreation venues and rich history. It is a five-minute drive from uptown Greensburg and less than an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh.