title
WHEREAS, Paula K. Davis was born and raised in the North Side, graduated from Gateway High School in Monroeville and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in communications from the University of Pittsburgh; and,
body
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis has worked tirelessly to support Pitt students for 30 years in academic advising, admissions, and alumni relations, guiding and inspiring generations of pre-college, undergraduate, graduate, and medical students; and,
WHEREAS, in her role as Associate Vice Chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion for the health sciences, she has coordinated the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, students, and staff in the health sciences schools; and,
WHEREAS, in this role Associate Vice Chancellor Davis has provided education on cultural competence to create an inclusive environment and eliminate structural and implicit bias, and led a number of initiatives that examine the intersection of health sciences, racism, and marginalized populations; and,
WHEREAS, her critical work and fierce leadership not only serves the University of Pittsburgh, but also the broader Pittsburgh community, as we all benefit from a more diverse, inclusive and equitable city; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis’s extraordinary work was recognized in 2003 when she was honored with the Chancellor’s Affirmative Action Award, and in 2023 when she won the Tracy Soska and John Wilds Outreach and Engagement Leadership Award for her contributions to community collaborations and strengthening institutional knowledge; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis’s colleagues noted that her special strengths include strategizing, de-escalation, ensuring that shared governance practices include those who do not always have a seat at the table; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis's commitment to diversity in education extends beyond campus, and is reflected in her roles as director of the northeast region of the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, vice president of the board of the FISA Foundation and vice president of the Greater Pittsburgh Higher Education Diversity Consortium; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis’s dedication to serving youth and marginalized populations is also evident in her long support of the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, and her membership on the board of M-PowerHouse, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting underserved youth and adults to careers and educational opportunities; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, where she lends her keen understanding and skills in technology to a regional committee; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis’s family describes her as open-minded, trustworthy, and dependable; as well as a voice of reason, and the first person to call in a crisis because of her calm demeanor and expert advice; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis’s family also note her humility, graciousness, thoughtfulness, integrity, kindness, and ability to inspire others to be the best they can be; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis loves laughing, heavy metal music, and her dear cat, Oliver; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Davis is retiring from her position at the University of Pittsburgh where her expertise, steadfast commitment, courage, determination, compassion, and patience will be greatly missed.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby celebrate the decades-long career of Paula K. Davis, the knowledge and time she has given to the University of Pittsburgh, District 8 and the greater Pittsburgh community.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Friday, June 30, 2023 to be “Paula K. Davis Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.