Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association to honor Merwine, Bridge

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Alumni Association will recognize Dr. David Merwine, associate professor of biology, and Josh Bridge ’02 during Alumni and Family Weekend Sept. 27-28.

Merwine will receive the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association Teaching Excellence Award, and Bridge will receive the Denny Lowery Distinguished Volunteer Award at a dinner Sept. 28.

Both Merwine and Bridge will be recognized alongside Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Elizabeth Praeger ’18 (swimming) and Ali Rinfrette ’18 (basketball) at 5:30 p.m. in the Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The cost is $25 for adults, $12 for children aged 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under. For reservations, www.upb.pitt.edu/afw or call 814-362-5091.

Merwine will receive the teaching award from Evan Baldwin ’24, a medical student at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine who conducted research with him last year.

Numerous students have nominated Merwine, who is well-known on campus for tough anatomy tests and entertaining lectures.

“He makes lecture fun to go to, and I always learn and leave with new questions,” wrote nominator Kelly Stringer ’15, a middle school science teacher in central Florida. “He is always willing to help and push students to learn.”

Saul J. Rubin ’15, who is also now a science teacher in Florida wrote, “He is a fantastic professor, friend, mentor, guide and person.”

Merwine has been teaching at Pitt-Bradford since 2007. He currently leads the Division of Biological and Health Sciences as chair and has taught Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Animal Physiology, Neurobiology, Animal Behavior and Biomedical Engineering.

He has extensive K-12 educational outreach experience and visits George G. Blaisdell Elementary School every year to provide STEM programs for first grade students. He sits on the board of Bradford Little Theatre and appears regularly in local theater productions.

Bridge’s award will be presented by Sarah Lorya ’10, president of the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association. Bridge is the most recent past-president of the PBAA but has been active in the association since he graduated.

In addition to serving as president during the COVID-19 pandemic period, he devoted time to the association’s career services committee and helped organize and take part in events such as the annual Backpack to Briefcase and Career Networking Luncheon. Both events help current students by connecting them with alumni who have advice to offer on job searches, networking, resumes, interviewing, graduate school and other professional topics.

As a student, he was a member of the Blue and Gold Society, the student alumni group of Pitt-Bradford.

Former PBAA president Stacy Wallace was among those who nominated Bridge. While she was serving as president, he was the chair of the career services committee.

“He works hard to have his events be a success,” she wrote, “and always asks great questions at meetings.”

Bridge is a forest administrative officer for the U.S. Forest Service based in the Allegheny National Forest. He and his wife, Erin Harvey Bridge ’02, are active in the Bradford community, including as organizers of the Bradford Regional Little League Challenger program, an adaptive baseball program for children with special needs.

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