Connecting Staff. Supporting Community.
Staff Council is the voice of staff at CMU. Representatives are elected from every school and campus unit to ensure staff perspectives are part of the conversation. During their two-year terms, they collaborate with university leadership, share staff feedback and help shape meaningful initiatives that impact our community.
Our mission is to advocate for all CMU staff by listening to concerns, elevating ideas and working together to create a stronger, more inclusive university. Staff Council contributes to the vibrancy and well-being of the Carnegie Mellon community by promoting open communication, collaboration and continuous improvement.
CMU 32nd Annual Food Drive for the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
Food Drive 2025 Results are In!
THANK YOU to all who generously contributed to Carnegie Mellon’s 32nd Annual Food Drive, sponsored by Staff Council! Because of the generosity of the entire CMU community: students, staff, faculty, alumni, neighbors, and other friends, we’ve had our best year ever! Your kindness and generosity truly make a difference!
“This year’s Food Drive was a tremendous success, reflecting the incredible generosity of the CMU community,” said Jim Garrett, Provost, Chief Academic Officer and Honorary Chair of the 2025 CMU Food Drive. “I’m especially grateful for the dedication of our organizers, including Staff Council Food Drive Committee Chair Carole Panno, and everyone who contributed their time and resources.”
Here are the spectacular results:
Cash Total: $125,910.55
Total Can Openers Collected: 265
Grand Total*: $128,525.68
* includes weight of can openers and other nonperishables
This is truly amazing and demonstrates CMU’s desire to support our neighbors in need throughout the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
Food Drive Chair, Carole Panno, shared the following sentiment:
“Once we were nearing $120,000, I was hoping for a final surge to reach $125,000 in honor of the university’s 125th anniversary. And we achieved that milestone. Truly amazing! I’m so proud of my colleagues and alma mater for continuing this important tradition of helping the needy in our community, especially as we enter into the holiday season.”
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Special thanks to all of the team leaders and their respective teams! KUDOS to the top five teams, all raising more than $10,000 in gifts per team:
FIRM
Carole’s Friends & Family
Tepper School of Business
Computing Services
School of Computer Science
In the 32 years of the drive, we’ve collected $743,053.51 in cash contributions and approximately 81.6 tons of nonperishables. These numbers are astounding, and the committee looks forward to continuing the tradition next year.
THANK YOU to all who contributed with both donations and volunteerism.
Sincerely,
Carole Panno, Food Drive Committee Chair
Jim Garrett, Provost, Chief Academic Officer, & Honorary Chair
Star Broadus, Food Drive Committee Co-Chair
Charlene Payne Parrish, Food Drive Committee Co-Chair
What's Happening
Stay Engaged
Know your Staff Council representatives!
- Officers
- Divisional Reps (2024–26)
- At-Large Reps (2025–27)
Inviting All CMU Staff Members to
- reach out and engage Staff Council support to pursue your Staff interests
- attend a monthly General Body Meeting
- actively support a Staff Council Committee