Contact: Department of Human Services, Office of Community Relations

Elaine Plunkett: 412-350-6897

Kathleen Burk: 412-350-2777

PITTSBURGH - Last week, 61 graduate students from Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh spent 48 hours, from Thursday evening through Saturday afternoon, participating in the 2009 Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) Local Government Case Competition. The students were assigned to one of 16 interdisciplinary teams and were presented the case – Transforming the Future. Specifically, the students were charged with exploring the possibilities for a child-centered neighborhood in Homewood, modeled after the acclaimed Harlem Children's Zone in New York.

With this charge, the students worked on formulating workable, action-oriented recommendations. Then, the teams presented their recommendations to one of four panels of judges, which included local government, foundation and business leaders. Each team provided a plan and strategies that could be offered as input to the Homewood Children's Village planning team.

The top three teams received cash awards, to be split among team members, of $3,000, $1,500 and $500 respectively. The fourth place team members each received a $25 gift card and a T-shirt commemorating the competition.

Now in its third year, and with the generous support of the Human Services Integration Fund, the DHS Local Government Case Competition serves as an opportunity to engage graduate students in human services issues and interest them in local employment opportunities with DHS after graduation. And in the process, DHS benefits from the creativity and knowledge of the students to solve real issues faced by government and business leaders.

Although only one team is selected as the winner of the entire competition, innovative ideas are taken from all of the teams that have participated and participants walk away with a greater sense of the Department’s reach in the community.

For more information about the Local Government Case Competition and to view the 2009 presentations, visit www.alleghenycounty.us/dhs/casecompetition.aspx.

The 2009 DHS Local Government Case Competition winners are:

First Place Team

• Jose Frech, Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College
• Ivana Grujic, University of Pittsburgh, School of Law
• Andrew Placona Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College
• Tara Sherry-Torres, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work

Second Place Team

• Ritika Dogra, University of Pittsburgh, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
• Brandon Mendoza, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
• Alexis Miller, Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College
• Michael Pasternak, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work

Third Place Team

• Nosheen Ahmad, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
• Benjamin Horwitz, Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College
• Daniel Thompson II, Duquesne University, Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy

Fourth Place Team

• Andrew Gutierrez, Duquesne University, Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy
• Deirdre Jurand, University of Pittsburgh, School of Law
• Christine Koester, Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College
• Ryan O’Donnell, University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work

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