The John P. Murtha Center for Public Service and National Competitiveness, located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown, formally opened with a dedication ceremony on April 6, 2017.
Keynote speaker for the event was Benjamin L. Cassidy, the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, representing Retired Marine Corps General and current Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly.
Mr. Murtha was a former Marine Corps officer and was the first Vietnam War veteran elected to the in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until his death in 2010.
Mrs. Joyce Murtha, his widow, and their children, John and Patrick, joined Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar for a ribbon-cutting ceremony prior to the program.
The 7,400-square-foot center honors Congressman Murtha’s public service and legacy with an exhibit that provides access to the Mr. Murtha’s Congressional Papers, a collection of personal documents and possessions donated to the University of Pittsburgh in 2010 by Joyce Murtha.
Prior to his death, John P. Murtha represented Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district, which includes the City of Johnstown, in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 35 years.
Mr. Murtha is the longest-serving member of Congress in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most notably chairing the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. A Pitt alumnus, Murtha earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1961.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
John P. Murtha Center for Public Service and National Competitiveness project:
- Construction and renovation funding approval for the $23 million project began in October 2015.
- Ground was broken for the John P. Murtha Center for Public Service in September 2014.
- Pitt-Johnstown received a $250,000 commitment from Murtha Foundation in November 2014.