By Emily Struhala
College students from around the globe come to Pittsburgh to pursue a higher education. With the city’s 90 diverse neighborhoods, discovering the hidden gems as an out-of-towner can be overwhelming. To make the transitions easier, VisitPittsburgh has created BURGH101.
“This program is a great way to help students explore the city,” says Alex Soller, communications and public relations manager for VisitPITTSBURGH.
Many local businesses such as ASCEND Climbing, Arcade Comedy Theater and North Shore Tavern are offering discounts to students who present a free BURGH101 badge. Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is offering a discount of us to 50% for tickets to select shows and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has $15 tickets.
“We designed this offering to help Pittsburgh’s new and returning college students feel welcome and to encourage them to explore the region beyond campus to get to know everything our city has to offer,” says Soller.
Partners in the program include restaurants, hotels, theaters, retailers, outdoor recreation spots, museums — even the Pittsburgh Irish Festival on Sept. 8-10.
A complete list of participants (including Cobbler World, Clarissa Boutique, OnPar Now, The Westin Pittsburgh, Joinery Hotel Pittsburgh and Alihan’s Coffee and Breakfast) is available online. The list may grow as more businesses join the program.
“We hope to see this program resonate with students, families and our area businesses, so we can continue to bring it back for other timely moments throughout the semester, such as family weekends and graduation,” says Soller.
While VisitPITTSBURGH is the official tourism information center for the city, BURGH101 participants range from Cranberry and Moon townships to Monroeville and Bridgeville.
BURGH101 is open for free registration online until Sept. 30 for undergraduate and graduate students. The BURGH101 badge will be sent in the mail and must be presented to receive a discount.
Emily Struhala is a Greensburg-based writer. She has contributed to Ocean City Magazine in New Jersey and the Latrobe Bulletin. When not writing, she enjoys exploring new events in the area and attending her local Zumba class.
