UCTL leader Michael Bridges will retire from Pitt in June

Michael Bridges, executive director of the University Center for Teaching and Learning (UCTL), will retire from the University of Pittsburgh, effective June 30.

Bridges came to Pitt in 2020 to serve as the director of the Teaching Commons, bringing more than 25 years of experience in academic strategy, faculty development, assessment, educational technology and online learning. As director, he led initiatives in teaching innovation, consulting, course design and development, assessment, curriculum diversity and other teaching and learning advancements. With Bridges’ support and leadership, UCTL provided critical support for instructional continuity and emergency remote delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team’s other accomplishments under Bridges leadership include designing TEACH@Pitt and developing faculty support and resources for generative AI and teaching.

In 2023, Mike was named executive director of UCTL, further working with the center’s team to keep Pitt on the cutting-edge of best practices in educational information technologies, teaching and learning and professional development for faculty and others in the Pitt community. 

Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Joe McCarthy thanked Bridges for outstanding leadership in a Feb. 19 announcement. “Without doubt, his expertise in the scholarship of teaching and learning has been a guiding force behind the growth of the UCTL and its profound and ongoing contributions to the Pitt community,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy plans to name an interim executive director while timing is considered for a search for a permanent leader.