In "Mini Moments with Big Thinkers," leading figures in Teachers College's history discuss groundbreaking ideas, research and initiatives born at the College during the past half-century. The Mini Moments are drawn from the College’s Oral History Project, a collection of more than 90 videotaped interviews conducted by Melanie Shorin and Jessica Wiederhorn, the principals of The Narrative Trust, a private firm that conducts and captures the oral histories of institutions, communities and individuals. Produced in conjunction with TC’s Department of Development and External Affairs, the Mini-Moments are airing throughout 2013.
Matthew Pittinsky | Mini Moments With Big Thinkers
Skip to content Skip to main navigation![Mini Moments With Big Thinkers Mini Moments With Big Thinkers](/bigthinkers/secondary-banner/minimoments-marquee-banner2.jpg)
Mini Moments With Big Thinkers
Matthew Pittinsky
Matthew Pittinsky (Ph.D. '08) is Chief Executive Officer of Parchment Inc., a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company that markets Docufide.com, a web-based, password-protected transcript exchange network that allows participating high schools, higher-education institutions and employers to securely share electronic transcripts. Parchment.com is the company’s free, web-based service that helps transcript owners (students) to establish a secure credential account and to put their data to work in the college admissions process—for example, by identifying institutions where they are most likely to be accepted and to thrive.
Pittinsky received his doctorate from TC's Sociology and Education program, which was then in the College's Department of Human Development and is now in its Department of Education Policy and Social Analysis. Peviously, in 1997, he co-founded Blackboard Inc., serving first as Chief Executive Officer and then Executive Chairman. Millions of students across the world use Blackboard technologies. He left Blackboard in 2008 to teach and conduct research as an Assistant Professor of Sociology in Arizona State University’s (ASU) School of Social and Family Dynamics, but remained Chairman of Blackboard’s Board of Directors until 2011, when the company was sold to Providence Equity for $1.7 billion and taken private. Pittinsky serves on the Board of Trustees of The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. In 2012 he received President’s Medal of Excellence to recognize his impact and innovation in the field of education technology and entrepreneurship.
Learn about TC's Department of Math, Science & Technology, which also produces many technology entrepreneurs.
Premiered on 10/20/2013
More Big Thinkers
![](/bigthinkers/segments/nahas-angula/Nahas-Angula-thumbnail.jpg)
Nahas Angula
Ed.M., 1979; M.A., 1978![](/bigthinkers/segments/jody-gottfried-arnhold/jody-arnhold-thumbnail.jpg)
Jody Gottfried Arnhold
Dance Educator![](/bigthinkers/segments/col-bernard-banks/banks-thumbnail.jpg)
Col. Bernard Banks
Ph.D. '11![](/bigthinkers/segments/leonard-blackman/blackman-thumbnail.jpg)
Leonard Blackman
Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/george-bonanno/george-bonannon-thumbnail.jpg)
George Bonanno
Professor of Psychology and Education and Professor of Clinical Psychology![](/bigthinkers/segments/warner-burke/warner-burke-thumbnail.jpg)
Warner Burke
Professor of Psychology & Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/george-bond/george-bond-thumbnail.jpg)
George Bond
Professor of Anthropology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/margaret-crocco/margaret-crocco-thumbnail.jpg)
Margaret Crocco
former TC Professor of Social Studies and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/morton-deutsch/morton-deautsch-thumbnail.jpg)
Morton Deutsch
E.L. Thorndike Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/christopher-emdin/emdin-thumbnail.jpg)
Christopher Emdin
Assistant Professor of Science Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/william-epps/epps-thumbnail.jpg)
Alumnus William Epps
Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Los Angeles![](/bigthinkers/segments/claire-fagin-/fagin-thumbnail.jpg)
Claire Fagin
M.A. '51![](/bigthinkers/segments/celia-genishi/genishi-thumbnail.jpg)
Celia Genishi
Professor of Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/antoinette-gentile/anne-gentile-thumbnail.jpg)
Antoinette Gentile
Professor Emeritus, Movement Sciences![](/bigthinkers/segments/a-lin-goodwin/lin-goodwin-thumbnail.jpg)
A. Lin Goodwin
Vice Dean and Professor of Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/edmund-gordon/gordon-thumbnail.jpg)
Edmund Gordon
Richard March Hoe Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/maxine-greene/greene-thumbnail.jpg)
Maxine Greene
William F. Russell Professor Emeritus in Foundations of Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/r-douglas-greer/greer-thumbnail.jpg)
R. Douglas Greer
Professor of Psychology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/jeffrey-henig/henig-thumbnail.jpg)
Jeffrey Henig
Professor of Political Science & Education, Department Chair, EPSA![](/bigthinkers/segments/ellie-krieger-/krieger-thumbnail.jpg)
Ellie Krieger
M.S. '94![](/bigthinkers/segments/david-johns/david-johns-thumbnail.jpg)
David Johns
M.A. '06![](/bigthinkers/segments/sharon-lynn-kagan/kagan-thumbnail.jpg)
Sharon Lynn Kagan
Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy![](/bigthinkers/segments/john-king/john-king-thumbnail.jpg)
John B. King, Jr.
Ed.D. '08, New York State Commissioner of Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/henry-levin-/henry-levin-thumbnail.jpg)
Henry Levin
Professor of Economics & Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/richard-mills/richard-mill-sthumbnail.jpg)
Richard Mills
EdD '77![](/bigthinkers/segments/eric-nadelstern/eric-nadelstern-thumbnail.jpg)
Eric Nadelstern
Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership![](/bigthinkers/segments/sandra-okita/okita-thumbnail.jpg)
Sandra Okita
Assistant Professor of Technology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/raphael-montaez-ortiz-/ortiz-thumbnail.jpg)
Raphael MontaƱez Ortiz
Ed.D. '82![](/bigthinkers/segments/matthew-pittinsky/matthew-pitinsky-thumbnail.jpg)
Matthew Pittinsky
Ph.D. '08![](/bigthinkers/segments/michael-rebell/michael-rebell-thumbnail.jpg)
Michael Rebell
Professor of Law and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/william-dodge-rueckert/William-Dodge-Rueckert-thumbnail.jpg)
William Dodge Rueckert
Co-Chair, Teachers College Board of Trustees![](/bigthinkers/segments/donna-shalala/shalala-thumbnail.jpg)
Donna Shalala
President of the University of Miami, former TC faculty member![](/bigthinkers/segments/gita-steiner-khamsi/khamsi-thumbnail.jpg)
Gita Steiner-Khamsi
Professor of Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/derald-wing-sue/derald-wing-sue-thumbnail.jpg)
Derald Wing Sue
Professor of Psychology and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/viola-vaughn/viola-vaughn-thumbnail.jpg)
Viola Vaughn
EdD '84![](/bigthinkers/segments/ruth-vinz-/ruth-vinz-thumbnail.jpg)
Ruth Vinz
Program Coordinator, English Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/cally-l-waite/Cally-L-Waite-thumbnail.jpg)
Cally L. Waite
Associate Professor of History and Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/barbara-wallace/barbara-wallace-thumbnail.jpg)
Barbara Wallace
Professor of Health Education![](/bigthinkers/segments/vivian-ota-wang/Vivan-Ota-Wang-thumbnail.jpg)
Vivian Ota Wang
M. Phil. '94, Ph.D. '95![](/bigthinkers/segments/howell-wechsler/Howell-Wechsler-thumbnail.jpg)
Howell Wechsler
Ed.D. '95 and 2012-2013 Tisch Lecturer![](/bigthinkers/segments/dr-ruth-westheimer/dr-ruth-thumbnail.jpg)