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Get the most interesting and important stories from the University of Pittsburgh.Kati Csoman has been named the new director of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs at the University of Pittsburgh, effective Aug. 9, 2021.
Csoman (A&S ’89, GSPIA ’96) returns to Pitt from Pennsylvania State University, where she served as associate director for global program innovation and an assistant teaching professor.
As director, Csoman will lead and oversee the operations of Pitt’s beloved 31 museum-quality classrooms, renowned for promoting cross-cultural understanding and celebrating Western Pennsylvania’s ethnic diversity and immigrant heritage. The rooms, tours, student groups and scholarships, faculty grants, cultural and educational outreach programs and events play a distinctive role in the Pitt experience for the community and visitors alike.
“At a time when international education is reenvisioning the field, there is no doubt that Kati’s vision for a communal, creative and critical approach to advancing future projects, programs and activities of the Nationality Rooms will make critical interventions that align with Pitt’s mission and strategic priorities. Our team is excited to welcome Kati to the UCIS family,” said Ariel C. Armony, vice provost for global affairs and director of the University Center for International Studies (UCIS).
Prior to her tenure at Penn State, Csoman served as dean of the Center for International Education at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. She recently also completed a three-year term on the board of the Association of International Education Administrators. Csoman remains active in the Hungarian American community in the Pittsburgh region and has served as chair and secretary for the Hungarian Room Committee.
As a proud Pitt graduate and a past recipient of a Hungarian Room scholarship, Csoman brings a deep professional and personal commitment to her leadership of the Nationality Rooms, Armony noted. Csoman succeeds E. Maxine Bruhns, who had directed the Nationality Rooms program from 1965 until her death in 2020.
Founded in 1926, the Nationality Rooms were established as a way to partner with the many different ethnic communities in the region. The classrooms, which are designed by committees, are on the first and third floors of the Cathedral of Learning. Tours are currently being held virtually, but the University plans to reinstate in-person tours by appointment only beginning in September.