The University of Pittsburgh at Titusville (Pitt-Titusville or UPT) is a state-related college in Titusville, Pennsylvania. It is a two-year campus of the University of Pittsburgh that provides associate degrees and pre-professional tracks with the potential to transfer students to other programs for baccalaureate degrees. In the fall of 2020, Pitt-Titusville converted its academic programs into the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville Education and Training Hub. This program incorporates three entities into UPT: Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC), the university's Swanson School of Engineering, and Manchester Bidwell Corporation.
History
The University of Pittsburgh at Titusville was established in 1963 in response to a long-recognized need for higher educational opportunities in the Oil Creek Region. Following a successful fundraising campaign, UPT opened its doors in the fall of 1963 with classes being held in McKinney Hall. Joe M. Ball, a University of Pittsburgh administrator, was named the first president and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1983.
The first entering class numbered some 75 students. McKinney and the adjacent Carriage House were remodeled for classroom, office, and library space. By the end of the 1960s, the campus school had its own residence halls while the 1970s saw the library move into a dedicated facility, Haskell Memorial Library.
The 1980s saw the installation of the school's second president, Michael Worman, and construction of the 164-bed Spruce Hall dormitory. The 1990s saw the opening of the Barco Center, the initiation of the physical therapist assistant degree program, the first graduation ceremony, and the dedication of the Broadhourst Science Center. In the 2000s, the Titusville campus offered its first four-year degree program in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, dedicated the Barco-Duratz Plaza, initiated a two-year nursing program, and installed its third president, William A. Shields.
On May 7, 2012, the University of Pittsburgh announced that the administrative functions at Pitt-Titusville would be centralized at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and that the Titusville campus would report to the Pitt-Bradford President Livingston Alexander, who would effectively become president of Pitt-Titusville. On July 1, 2022, Richard Esch, Pitt-Bradford's Vice President for Business Affairs, assumed the role of president for both campuses.
Location
UPT is located in the city of Titusville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, a city of approximately 6,000 residents. The campus is two hours north of Pittsburgh, two hours south of Buffalo, and two hours east of Cleveland.
Campus
The Titusville Campus, located on and adjacent to the former McKinney Estate, offers modern comfort and convenience in a traditional residential setting. McKinney Hall, built in 1870 by John C. Bryan, houses administrative, faculty offices, and classrooms. In 1926, The McKinney's purchased the building and spent nearly a million dollars in renovations on the home and landscaping. Mrs. Charlotte McKinney Haskell would later donate the twenty-five room mansion to the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville.
The Bennett Davis Building, formerly the carriage house of the estate, now houses the offices of student accounts, registrar, financial aid, human resources, and business affairs.
The recently restored gazebo, now known as the Serenity House, serves as a quiet gathering place for students and as a location for special events.
Haskell Memorial Library, completed in 1975, is also located on land originally part of the McKinney Estate. It houses the campus collection of books (nearly 44,000) and periodicals, a 150-seat auditorium, the Pitt-Titusville Learning Center, classrooms, faculty offices, and the computer center with access to the latest hardware and software. The center is also linked to 27 other Pitt libraries through an online computer catalog called PITTCAT Plus.
The newer $5 million Broadhurst Science Center opened in 1998. The structure houses biology, chemistry, nursing, and computer laboratories, faculty offices, plus two demonstration/lecture halls and one general classroom, all with multi-media video and smart technology systems. The building also features a 417-seat theatre/auditorium, home to events that enrich the life of the campus and surrounding communities.