For Bryan Schultz, director of global experiences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Business, the adventures he usually takes students on span the globe. Little did he know that the most impactful project he leads would be in the University of Pittsburgh’s backyard.
Community Jumpstart
A federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Schultz and three Pitt colleagues received in 2021 is making an impact in Fayette County by combining students and faculty from different disciplines to take a multi-pronged approach to improve the region’s overall economic outlook.
The primary focus is to reduce the outward migration (formerly known as “brain drain”) of skilled workers from the Appalachian region. Over the span of 10 years, students and faculty have committed to studying the issues, providing hands-on community work, and securing ongoing grants to help the county.
During the fall semester, 12-15 students from different disciplines participate in a credit-bearing, project-based consulting course to create deliverables towards the goal of economic elevation. During the spring semester, a subset of the fall student cohort participates in 10-hr per week internships with the community. Finally, year-round, the faculty write grants to secure dollars for the county economic development efforts, support locally written grants and make connections to other resources from the University of Pittsburgh.
Five Years of Growth
Since its inception, Pitt’s Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI) project has completed many deliverables that have and will greatly impact those living and working in Fayette County. Key deliverables include, but are not limited to, a countywide Asset Map to guide economic development, a digital platform (“Celebrate Uniontown”) to promote local engagement, targeted business training programs, and research supporting tourism, governance, and workforce development in Fayette County.
According to Michael Edwards, president of the Fayette County Cultural Trust (FCCT), these deliverables have given Fayette County a unified framework for action.
“The asset map helps community leaders, investors, and residents visualize opportunities and identify local strengths. The targeted business training programs are building capacity among entrepreneurs and small business owners, helping them scale up, collaborate, and reinvest locally,” says Edwards. “Together, these tools are fostering a stronger sense of ownership and optimism across the county.”
The Impact of Business
Impact is a two-way street. Those who lead and participate in the project are just as impacted as the region they are trying to elevate.
Impact may be clearest for community members in Fayette County.
“Our partnership has already led to measurable progress,” says Edwards. “We’ve strengthened coordination among municipalities, nonprofits, and local businesses; engaged new voices in community planning; and sparked momentum for new investment in downtown Connellsville and surrounding areas. Most importantly, the collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh has helped us demonstrate that rural and small-town communities can chart their own future when given access to the right tools, data, and partnerships. “
For student participants, this project goes beyond an addition to their professional resumes. “My work with ACRI has helped me feel more connected to the greater Pittsburgh area,” says Franny Adams (BSBA ’26). “As an out-of-state student, learning directly from Fayette County residents allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Pittsburgh’s culture—its strengths, challenges, and community values—in a way I never could have experienced in a traditional classroom.”
The School of Business’s guiding pillars encourage faculty, staff, students, and alumni to use business for social good.
“At Pitt Business, we pride ourselves on creating positive impact both globally and in our neighborhoods. At a time when other schools and organizations are abandoning these in-need communities, Pitt has locked in to help,” says Gene Anderson, Henry E. Haller Jr. Dean of the School of Business. “We are incredibly proud of the work this team has completed so far and eagerly await to applaud future successes.”
The cause is truly fulfilling for Schultz, whose background and education are rooted in nonprofit organizations, societal impact, and community development. “Community engagement provides a particularly strong platform for research, education, and impact,” he says.
Future Plans
Where does Schultz see the project going in its back-half?
“We would like to continue what we have been doing while adding on. We will continue to produce research and projects identified by the community toward their economic development goals through student-work, faculty research and writing,” he says. “Our large-scale goals are to win a large grant ($500,000+) in partnership with the community to directly fund major economic development initiatives and to work toward creating an externally funded Pitt-sponsored Community Engagement Center (CEC) in Fayette County.” CECs currently exist in Homewood, Hazelwood and the Hill District.
The project has won the University of Pittsburgh Partnership of Distinction Award in 2024 and the Climate Luminary Honors Award in 2025. The project will be referenced in a chapter authored by Schultz and his Pitt faculty colleagues in an upcoming book titled “Democracy in Higher Education – Advancing Civic-Minded Student Learning,” published by Routledge.
Get Involved!
The School of Business would like to thank this project’s Pitt partners: Michael Glass; Kristen Kanthak; David Sanchez; the Frederick Honors College; the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences Departments of Political Science, Urban Studies, and Sociology; the Swanson School of Engineering; the Office of the Provost; and the Office of Engagement and Community Affairs. The positive impact of this project would not be possible without these supports, the idea-executing student participants, and the openness of the Fayette County community.
Interested community members who would like to get involved can contact Schultz at bryan.schultz@pitt.edu.