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Artificial Intelligence (AI) 101: How does it work? How do I use it?


Program: Technology Learning, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: J.D. Wright, Teaching and Learning Consultant
Center for Teaching and Learning
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 5/21/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 11:30AM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

ChatGPT and other emerging generative-AI technologies are recharting the learning and work landscapes. After starting with the fundamentals of AI—What is it? How does it work? How do I use it? Why is it a big deal?—you’ll have an opportunity to experiment with ChatGPT, and learn how to best use this resource while understanding its risks. Please visit OpenAI.com before attending and create a free ChatGPT account so that you can get the maximum benefit from this introductory workshop.
After completing this workshop, you will be able to…

1. Describe some important background about generative AI

2. Generate content with ChatGPT

3. Start using ChatGPT to streamline your work and enhance your output




Customer Service for Success


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Malia Lazor, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 4/17/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

In any position we hold, our personal success has much to do with our orientation and commitment to serving others. This workshop guides and empowers participants in exploring exactly who their customers are, discovering what “customer service” means in their roles, and identifying opportunities to meet customer needs through listening, empathy, adaptability, and a cooperative, solution-focused approach. Participants will grow in their individual understanding of the value and impacts of customer service best practices and identify opportunities to apply customer-facing strategies to their own roles to increase personal professional success.




Customer Service for Success


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Jordan Miller, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 6/5/2025
Time: 1:00PM - 3:00PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

In any position we hold, our personal success has much to do with our orientation and commitment to serving others. This workshop guides and empowers participants in exploring exactly who their customers are, discovering what “customer service” means in their roles, and identifying opportunities to meet customer needs through listening, empathy, adaptability, and a cooperative, solution-focused approach. Participants will grow in their individual understanding of the value and impacts of customer service best practices and identify opportunities to apply customer-facing strategies to their own roles to increase personal professional success.




(New!) Data Literacy for the Workplace 101


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Technology Learning, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Sarah Vinski, Director of Data and Analytics
Office of the Dean, Pitt Business
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 6/4/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 11:30AM
Who Should Attend: Staff who want to start using data to evaluate and direct decisions in their current role. Staff who are considering a career in data.

Do you believe you have what it takes to use data? You might be surprised to discover that you do! This beginner-friendly workshop is designed to show you that harnessing the power of data doesn’t require technical expertise. We’ll go through why it’s important to use data, the types of data you may work with, examples of simple analysis, and some of the resources available at Pitt.




Effective Interpersonal Communication


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Jordan Miller, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 4/30/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

Communicating and listening effectively in the workplace is critical to your organization’s success. Participants will review different ways to communicate with and actively listen to any individual. Participants will learn their preferred way to communicate and how to adjust it based on the other person.




Effective Interpersonal Communication


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Malia Lazor, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 6/11/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

Communicating and listening effectively in the workplace is critical to your organization’s success. Participants will review different ways to communicate with and actively listen to any individual. Participants will learn their preferred way to communicate and how to adjust it based on the other person.




Grammar, Punctuation, and Proofreading: Ensuring Professional Presentation


Program: Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Patrick Manning, Outreach Coordinator
The Writing Center
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 4/29/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

This workshop will address common questions about proper grammar and punctuation, with emphasis on how such mechanics are essential to effective business communications. Strategies for identifying and resolving grammar and punctuation errors will be discussed and practiced, as will effective proofreading skills. Participants will have an opportunity to have their grammar and punctuation questions answered and will leave the workshop with handouts and a list of resources for ongoing support of excellence in the mechanics of business writing.




Introduction to Financial Management for Administrators


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, University Business, Human Resources, and Financial Services, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Cassie Brenner, ESVC/CFO Project Director
Brenda Hussey, Assistant Controller
Heather Lego, Senior Business Specialist, PittIT
Melissa Frisiras, Assistant Director, Purchasing Services
Tammy Murray, Payroll Operations Manager
Christine Comulada, Risk & Insurance Analyst
William Watkins, Operations and Compliance Specialist, Payment Processing & Compliance
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 5/15/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

How does the university fund its operations? What does Pitt’s budget look like? What is the role of a financial administrator/manager in the university’s budget process and monitoring the use of funds? This course will answer these questions and provide a unique glimpse of how money moves and the budget process at the University of Pittsburgh.
This course is designed for financial administrators, business managers, Directors of Administration, and other staff and faculty who have budget and financial responsibilities and want to learn more about how their role fits into the university’s budget process. The training will provide an overview of:
1.) Key elements of the university’s budget
2.) The budget formulation process, including how to request new resources and an overview of the university’s Budget ReSTART model
3.) The budget execution process, including how to monitor budget results, how to utilize the various financial systems, and an overview of critical financial operations such as Purchase, Pay & Travel, and Payroll
4.) Enterprise Risk Management functions and Resources

This course will provide attendees with an introduction to financial management and resources to find additional information.




IT Fundamentals for Administrators


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Technology Learning, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Mark Mercier
Pitt IT
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 4/17/2025
Time: 1:00PM - 2:30PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

Navigating the world of information technology can seem overwhelming without a foundation of core understandings. This course focuses on three key areas: hardware, software, and security practices. In the hardware portion of the workshop, participants will become familiar with the ports of a computer and associated cables. An overview of the Microsoft Office 365 suite will provide the basis of the software portion of the workshop. Our final topic, information security, will give an overview of best practices for protecting yourself and your data against cyber security threats.




(New!) Kindness, Respect, and Workplace Etiquette


Program: Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Alicia Fairman
LifeSolutions
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 5/12/2025
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

In this training, we will discuss kindness and respect, why they are so important, and how to prioritize them. We will also cover some unwritten workplace etiquette rules for office environments that are often forgotten about.




Managing Up


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Jordan Miller, Learning and Development Specialist
Malia Lazor, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 5/21/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

The ability to partner with supervisors to develop mutual goals can help individual employees, their supervisor, and their organizations become productive and successful. An employee’s relationship with their supervisor is the most important relationship in the workplace. “Managing up” is a skill that helps an employee influence their supervisor to create positive change in the workplace and affect organizational goals and outcomes. This interactive workshop will provide tips and tools to support a constructive relationship with supervisor even when that effort may be challenging. Participants will leave the session with an action plan for “managing up.”




Problem Solving Skills for the Workplace


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Malia Lazor, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 5/14/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

This workshop will provide participants with an overview of how to identify, approach and, solve problems creatively and effectively in the workplace. The facilitator will use interactive skill-building exercises to guide participants through the stages of the problem-solving process using specific examples of problems. Participants will learn the process from defining the problem through making an appropriate recommendation to solve the problem. The objective of this workshop is to allow participants to feel prepared to find their own solutions to problems they uncover in their work environment.




Project Management Basics in Higher Education


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Rebecca Roadman, Chief of Staff
SVC Business and Operations
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 5/6/2025
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

Projects are temporary endeavors undertaken to create unique products or services. Many of us participate in project-based work, but we do not always utilize valuable project management methods and tools in the higher education environment. In a condensed format, we will address selected foundations of project management, including: project manager roles, project scope, project charters, triple constraints in projects, communication, roles & responsibilities, stakeholders, risk, and project closing. Participants will receive resources that can be used and adapted to their project work.




Public Speaking in a Nutshell


Program: Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Michael Bannon, Director
Communication Lab
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 4/16/2025
Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: Faculty and staff who speak in public, discussion groups, press conferences, or other forms as part of their professional positions

This workshop is designed to teach participants how to improve their public speaking skills and gain confidence in their ability to make presentations in front of large and small audiences. Facilitated by the Communication Lab, this session will introduce you to the skills necessary to better organize ideas, relate to audiences with greater ease, deliver more effective presentations, and deal with speaking anxiety. Participants will leave this session with a list of resources for ongoing development of public speaking and communication skills.




Strategies for Success in Professional Correspondence


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Patrick Manning, Outreach Coordinator
The Writing Center
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 5/15/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

Do you want to make sure the recipients of your professional correspondence understand--and efficiently act on--requests or instructions within an email, letter, or memo?" This workshop is designed to provide faculty and staff with strategies for writing effective emails, letters, and memos. The session will cover email etiquette, how best to address correspondence to various audiences, and how to most effectively include information and instructions within correspondence. Participants will leave this session with a list of useful references and other handouts to use towards best outcomes when corresponding with faculty, students, supervisors, applicants, customers, and colleagues.




Time Management


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Malia Lazor, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: In-person
Date: 4/25/2025
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Location Name: 342 Craig Hall
Location Address: 200 S Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for better time management. What works for one, may never work for another. This workshop provides time management techniques, helps participants identify priorities, and instructs how to remove obstacles to managing time. Through pre-work, participants will identify the tools most effective to their individual style.




Time Management


Program: Administrative Professionals Certificate Program, Workplace Knowledge and Skills
Presenter: Jordan Miller, Learning and Development Specialist
Organization Development
Workshop Type: Virtual
Date: 5/8/2025
Time: 1:00PM - 3:00PM
Who Should Attend: All Faculty and Staff

There is not a one size fits all solution for better time management. What works for one, may never work for another. This workshop provides time management techniques, helps participants identify priorities, and instructs how to remove obstacles to managing time. Through pre-work, participants will identify the tools most effective to their individual style.