About
Breakthrough Pittsburgh is a tuition-free, six-year academic program that follows a student-teaching-students model first established in 1978 by Summerbridge Founder Lois Loofbourrow. The program began as a middle school program serving students in grades 6–8 and later expanded into a six-year program that onboards students going into 7th grade and provides support until high school graduation. It is dedicated to creating a community of students who have access to programs and resources that enrich their knowledge, experiences, and skills.
• Ages: 12–18 years old
• Schedule: Six-year academic program
• Price: tuition-free
Breakthrough Pittsburgh is affiliated with the Breakthrough Collaborative, which has 24 affiliate sites around the country. The mission of Breakthrough Pittsburgh is to increase academic opportunity for highly motivated, underserved students and get them into college ready to succeed, and to inspire and develop the next generation of teachers and educational leaders. The program draws on current college students as Teaching Fellows, who emerge as leaders inspired to become the next generation of educators and child advocates. It was launched to share the resources of Sewickley Academy with the Greater Pittsburgh Community and has helped over 2,000 under-resourced students in the Greater Pittsburgh Region.
The student-teaching-students model used by Breakthrough Pittsburgh was first established in 1978, and the Pittsburgh site program was launched in 1993, with the first summer in 1994. In 1991, Summerbridge National (now Breakthrough Collaborative) was founded, and in 2017 Summerbridge Pittsburgh changed its name to Breakthrough Pittsburgh. Key leaders at launch included Hamilton Clark, then-Sewickley Academy Headmaster who launched the Summerbridge Pittsburgh program, Jennifer Dulski as executive director, and Steve Morris, who joined prior to the first summer and helped start the organization.
Program statements report that 100% of Breakthrough Pittsburgh’s seniors in 2025 were accepted into at least five colleges and universities. Program statements also report that 100% of Teaching Fellows from cohort 2025 were satisfied with their summer, and 100% of Teaching Fellows agreed that this experience has made an impact on their lives. The program motto is “With Open Minds, Willing Hearts, Caring Souls and High Expectations.”
Last updated July 13, 2026.
• Ages: 12–18 years old
• Schedule: Six-year academic program
• Price: tuition-free
Breakthrough Pittsburgh is affiliated with the Breakthrough Collaborative, which has 24 affiliate sites around the country. The mission of Breakthrough Pittsburgh is to increase academic opportunity for highly motivated, underserved students and get them into college ready to succeed, and to inspire and develop the next generation of teachers and educational leaders. The program draws on current college students as Teaching Fellows, who emerge as leaders inspired to become the next generation of educators and child advocates. It was launched to share the resources of Sewickley Academy with the Greater Pittsburgh Community and has helped over 2,000 under-resourced students in the Greater Pittsburgh Region.
The student-teaching-students model used by Breakthrough Pittsburgh was first established in 1978, and the Pittsburgh site program was launched in 1993, with the first summer in 1994. In 1991, Summerbridge National (now Breakthrough Collaborative) was founded, and in 2017 Summerbridge Pittsburgh changed its name to Breakthrough Pittsburgh. Key leaders at launch included Hamilton Clark, then-Sewickley Academy Headmaster who launched the Summerbridge Pittsburgh program, Jennifer Dulski as executive director, and Steve Morris, who joined prior to the first summer and helped start the organization.
Program statements report that 100% of Breakthrough Pittsburgh’s seniors in 2025 were accepted into at least five colleges and universities. Program statements also report that 100% of Teaching Fellows from cohort 2025 were satisfied with their summer, and 100% of Teaching Fellows agreed that this experience has made an impact on their lives. The program motto is “With Open Minds, Willing Hearts, Caring Souls and High Expectations.”
Last updated July 13, 2026.
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