PantherBytes Blog

A summer job or internship position is the perfect way to gain real-world experience. If you are graduating, your first post-graduation job will be the first step in your professional journey. Either way, now is the time to look for those great opportunities when the semester ends.

Microsoft 365 is packed with features that can make your life easier — if you know where to find them! Whether you’re writing a paper in Word, crunching numbers in Excel, or organizing your inbox in Outlook, these tech tips will help you work smarter, not harder. Let’s dive in!

Hi there, it’s resident Tech Ambassador blogger Brandon here! After a restful winter break before my last semester here at Pitt, I’m back and writing to you all about my experience as a Tech Ambassador and sharing some tips to “spring” into the new Year at Pitt (lol).

As a student at Pitt, I rely on technology daily to stay on top of classes, connect with friends, and finish my work. Some days, I’m seriously grateful for how easy it makes my life. Other days? Not so much. As Valentine’s Day approaches, here’s what I love about tech — and what sometimes makes me want to toss my laptop out a window.

Let’s face it: social media is all over the place. TikTok is banned. TikTok is back. Whatever app you use, your feed is probably full of hot takes, trending stories, and viral memes. But not everything you scroll past is legit — especially with recent changes.

It’s that time of year when employers and financial institutions start sending you W-2s, 1099s, and other tax forms for 2024. Unfortunately, there are bad guys out there who are hoping you get a refund … so they can steal it. During this Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, make sure that your refund gets deposited into your bank account!

In our daily digital lives, web browsers keep us connected and enable us to do our best work. Browsers do a lot of heavy lifting to keep us current and safe while online. Out of date browsers pose cybersecurity vulnerabilities and decrease web functionality. That’s why regularly updating your web browser is crucial.

It’s Home Office Safety & Security Week! If you’re working from a home office or a public location some or all of the time, there are special cybersecurity considerations to keep in mind.

From Post-It Notes and hand-written lists to advanced project management tools, people use a lot of methods to organize their work and complete projects without tasks falling through the cracks. Microsoft has many programs that can help. It’s not a one-size-fits-all choice.

Whether or not you like New Year’s resolutions, setting goals and pursuing self-improvement is an important part of personal growth. Here in Pitt IT, we know that a little bit of tech can make a big difference in helping to achieve your ambitions.

Winter break is the perfect time to unwind and recharge, but it can also be a great opportunity to check off some tech-related tasks. Whether you're looking to learn something new, organize your digital life, or just relax, we’ve got some tips to make your winter break both productive and enjoyable. 

Skiing and snowboarding at Seven Springs. Ice skating at PPG Place. Building snowmen or going sledding in the backyard. … Or shoveling the sidewalk, clearing off the car, and praying for roads that aren’t ‘slippy’.

Ah, the thrill of finals week—a rollercoaster of cramming, late-night study sessions, and an alarming spike in caffeine consumption. But fear not! Students can prepare for the final stretch using an array of cutting-edge technological resources that can greatly enhance efficiency and effectiveness. So stop worrying and start preparing!

At the University of Pittsburgh, technology isn’t just about making tasks easier—it’s about making them accessible to everyone. Copilot for Microsoft 365 (M365), now available for faculty and staff at Pitt, takes this mission to the next level.

The Setting:Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday are all happening in the next week. Freshly recovered from their Thanksgiving food coma, people are logging on or heading out to take advantage of great deals on gifts for their kids, partners, friends, and family.

As Thanksgiving rolls around, it's natural to start reflecting on all the things we’re grateful for, including the tech that helps us get through life a little easier. Whether it’s powering through late-night study sessions, connecting with family and friends, or just saving time, some standout tools make being a student, faculty, or staff member at Pitt that much better.

November is National Career Development Month, making it the perfect time to focus on building your professional skills and connections. As you reflect on your career, it’s important to adopt a holistic perspective.

This election season has been intense, sparking heightened conversations on campus and across social media platforms. While staying informed is important, protecting your mental health and well-being is equally essential.

At the University of Pittsburgh and in technology, innovation is a way of life. Recently, Pitt IT partnered with the Office of Budget Operations (OBO) within the Controller’s Office to transform their annual Target Letter process, which establishes budget targets for each University unit.

Phishing attacks can come in various forms—emails, texts, or social media messages. Click, respond, or otherwise give your personal information to hacker, and your system, data, and money are in big trouble. A successful phish can even give a bad actor access to Pitt systems and data, potentially risking the whole University and its students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners! But you can stop phishing attempts before they can do you any harm. Learn to spot the signs of a phishing attack and know what to do if you get one.

Even with strong, unique passwords for every account — and let’s face it, many people just rotate through a handful of passwords while using standard security questions — hackers manage to break into people’s accounts. That's where Multifactor Authentication (MFA) steps in as your digital sidekick, adding an extra layer of security to protect your accounts.

One of the easiest ways to boost your cybersecurity is to keep your software and apps updated. Every day, developers are looking for clues that hackers are trying to break into their systems. They are searching for holes where cybercriminals could sneak in, even if they’ve never been breached before. They then release updates to fix these issues and keep the bad actors out. All you have to do is install the latest updates for your devices, software, and apps — including web browsers — to get the latest protections.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which is a great time to level up your security game! While we’re all familiar with the classic advice to "create unique and strong passwords," keeping track of all those passwords is a whole other story. Who can remember a different 20-character string of letters, numbers, and symbols for every account? Enter the password manager: your new security cheat code.

Think of cybersecurity as a skill only for tech pros? Think again. As technology becomes more integrated into all aspects of our lives, cybersecurity is an increasingly important consideration in most careers across the job market.  With Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October) right around the corner, here’s a look at how cybersecurity applies to different fields.

Let’s be real — emailing professors or colleagues can feel like throwing a paper airplane into an abyss. Crafting a clear, professional, and respectful email can help ensure that people read and respond to your messages, while poor email etiquette can negatively impact relationships with colleagues and clients according to a study by the Journal of Business and Technical Communication. Fear not! Here’s a crash course on how to master the art of email etiquette.