Name: Pete Zheng
Year: Sophomore
Major: Political Science, Economics, Business, Psychology and Bachelor in Philosophy (Global Studies)
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Pete Zheng, the most motivated and charming student on campus, is full of excitement for this year. By starting a big educational project for kids in need, he is improving our world and campus for the better. Service is very close to his heart, and he hopes to inspire all of us to feel the same!
HC: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
Pete: I’m definitely involved in as many things as I can. I am the secretary of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Global Human Rights Brigade, and Rotaract International. I am also an Honors College Program Coordinator, Honors College Peer Mentor, Blue and Gold Honorary Society student ambassador, and Office of Pitt Serves student ambassador. I love my work as an outreach coordinator for the Pitt Pantry, chair for the Student Civic Engagement Council, Student Athlete Tutor, and also a volunteer at UPMC.
HC: Out of all those organizations, which is your favorite? Why?
Pete: Pitt Serves and Blue and Gold Society. While working on the council of both, I am able to promote the concept of service and try to inspire other students to commit civic engagement. I really enjoy volunteer work because I love to see people happy! We should all take a moment to give back to the community.
HC: What is Pitt Serves?
Pete: It is a newly created office on campus that promotes civic engagement amongst students. We help connect interested volunteers to nonprofits who seek their assistance. It’s basically the hubble of volunteering on campus. Our biggest events right now are PMADD, MLK Day, and Pitt Be a Good Neighbor Day.
HC: How can we get involved?
Pete: We are on the 9th floor of the WPU, and you can stop by whenever you’d like. We can answer any questions you have about volunteering.
HC: Can you describe Blue and Gold Society more in depth?
Pete: Basically, we are student ambassadors for the University of Pittsburgh campus and we foster the bridge between alumni and the current students. We participate and create numerous traditional events, such as lantern night, homecoming, and convocation.
HC: Is membership selective?
Pete: Yes, we currently have 33 members within our society and we usually only take 9-10 new members every year. We look for hard-working, energetic, personable, and down-to-earth human beings.
HC: I heard you are working on a pretty big project on campus?
Pete: Yes, I am! I am creating a big service project between Pathfinders, Blue and Gold Society, and Office of Pitt Serves. We are creating a video of Pitt campus that will eventually be sent to an elementary school in Texas. The program is called “No Excuses University”, so different institutions nationwide can participate in this program for students who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds who do not have the incentive or motivation to attend college. Different colleges are paired with these institutions to act as cheerleaders to motivate these students to want to go to college. We do this by writing postcards, sending trinkets, and creating this video. I think educational empowerment is very important, and I want more students to get involved.
HC: What will the video feature?
Pete: We are shooting the video in three parts. The first part will be in Heinz Field with the Blue and Gold Society and Roc the Panther and we are trying to demonstrate school spirit by running down the field. The second part will be featuring executive vice chancellor Kathy Humphrey. The third part will be with every single member of Pathfinders, Blue and Gold Society, and Students Civic Engagement Council in front of the Cathedral of Learning to shout inspirational phrases into the camera. The last part will be the executive board of each organization showing a tour of Pitt’s campus. This video will be shown to empower kids and shown by Pitt as recruitment.
HC: That’s awesome! I heard you inspire a lot of students on campus, how can we stay up to date with you?
Pete: Thanks! Follow my Instagram @peteey27.
HC: What is your favorite experience at Pitt?
Pete: My favorite experience is meeting all the amazing individuals at Pitt who inspire me to become a better person!
HC: Lastly, tell us your favorite quote.
Pete: “No one has ever become poor by giving.” –Anne Frank
Image credit: provided by Celeb.