Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh Technical College hosts final commencement ceremony before August shutdown
OAKDALE, Pa. (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Technical College celebrated its final commencement ceremony on Saturday. The nearly 80-year-old Oakdale institution announced just weeks ago that it would close for good.
Pittsburgh Technical graduate Ryan Leichty told KDKA-TV that he’s most worried about his friends who haven’t graduated yet and all the instructors who are suddenly out of a job.
Leichty just got a welding degree. He says there are a lot of jobs open for things like welding.
Now, he says, one of the best places locally to learn those skills, and many others, is closing for good.
A college graduation is supposed to be about celebrating, but for the many students who graduated on Saturday from Pittsburgh Technical College, those feelings are complicated.
“I don’t know; it’s kind of bittersweet. It was nice graduating and everything,” Leichty said.
A cloud was hanging over the ceremony.
“I think this commencement is made even more special because it is our last,” president Alicia B. Harvey-Smith said.
The school says they are shutting down due to declining enrollment and financial challenges.
“It is a shame seeing the school was so badly managed,” Leichty said.
Instead of walking across the stage thinking about his accomplishments, Leichty says he was thinking about how poor the ceremony was.
“It felt like a backyard BBQ of a graduation ceremony, in my opinion. Like, it was very pieced together,” Leichty added.
On this hot day, he noted how graduates sat in the sun, while only the stage was covered. He says the loss of the school is a loss for a region rich with an industrial history.
“Instead of going to a four-year college where you’re paying $100,000 in student loans, someone like me, I went, I learned welding for a quarter of the cost, and I got a job right out of school,” Leichty added.
In her remarks, the school’s president told students that as leaders there are many things graduates will face that won’t be pleasant.
“There are many things that will be said about you, and those things will not be true. In closing, today, yes it is bittersweet, but because of you, PTC will live on forever.”
Leichty wants to think about his accomplishments, but it’s tough.
“The bitterness is really a large part of this day. I don’t know. It didn’t have to be this way if they had managed their money better, not lost all their money, and shut the school down.”
The school said they have attempted to raise revenue or merge, but all those attempts failed.
The official last day is set for Aug. 9, 2024.
PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz needs to have a great season for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026 and his strong Spring Training continued in their most recent victory.
Cruz hit a three-run home run off of Houston Astros right-handed pitcher Jayden Murray in the top of the fifth inning, playing a big role in the 5-2 victory at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Fla.
He waited on a changeup on the second pitch, 85.1 mph over the middle of the plate and sent it 106.4 mph off the bat and 368 feet, scoring both left fielder Billy Cook and third baseman Alika Williams with two outs.
That marks the first home run for Cruz in the Grapefruit League, who has had a great Spring Training so far, slashing .538/.600/.846 for an OPS of 1.446 in five games, with seven hits in 13 at-bats.
Pittsburgh got the win after the top of the sixth inning, after a rain delay ended the game.
Pirates Rookie Pitchers Have Up-And-Down Showing vs. Astros
Right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft made his second start for the Pirates in the Grapefruit League and dominated vs. the Astros.
Ashcraft threw three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and a walk, while posting two strikeouts for Pittsburgh.
Former Pirates pitcher, right-handed starter Mike Burrows, countered Ashcraft for the Astros. He threw three scoreless innings himself, allowed one hit and a walk and posted four strikeouts.
The Pirates traded Burrows to the Houston Astros in the three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 19, that landed them second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery.
Right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler made his second appearance for the Pirates in the Grapefruit League and threw two innings.
Chandler immediately loaded the bases, walking both third baseman Carlos Correa and first baseman Christian Walker, then giving up a single to center fielder Cam Smith.
He came back and struckout right fielder Taylor Trammell and got left fielder Zach Dezenzo to pop out, but gave up a single to second baseman Brice Matthews and a run to the Astros, before ending the inning with a strikeout.
Chandler also gave up a solo home run to Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, on a slider down in the zone.
He finished his outing with three hits, three walks and two earned runs allowed over 1.1 innings pitched, before left-handed pitcher Derek Diamond got the last two outs of the inning.
Chandler struggled in his first Spring Training start vs. the New York Yankees at LECOM Park in Bradenton on Feb. 23, where he allowed four earned runs over 1.2 innings of work.
The Pirates will need better showings from Chandler, who should serve as a key piece of their starting rotation in 2026.
Other Important Notes from Pirates Victory
The Pirates added two runs in the top of the sixth inning, as Cook hit a single that scored second baseman Nick Yorke and then Williams singled, scoring Cook to make it a 5-2 ball game.
Cook had just one hit in eight at-bats coming into this game and scored twice in the victory, as he walked before the Cruz home run.
Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna led the Pirates with two hits, a good sign for them, as they’ll rely on him greatly for his power and hitting in 2026.
The Pirates are now 7-2 in the Grapefruit League and tied with the Yankees for the top of the standings.
Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!
Pittsburg, PA
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