After a career spanning 40 years here at YSU, how do Ellen and I possibly begin to sufficiently thank the literally thousands of people we have had the honor to work with on behalf of Youngstown State University? Ellen’s connection to YSU is lifelong - a native of the Mahoning Valley, a graduate of YSU, with her father serving on the YSU Board of Trustees and both of her parents dedicating so much of their time and treasure to make the university what it is today. I made my way here in 1986 and was thrilled to watch a football program and a university blossom into national prominence; and then

FEATURE Q & A with Interim President Dr. Helen K. Lafferty In October 2022, the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Helen K. Lafferty as interim president of YSU upon the departure of President Jim Tressel. Lafferty, long-time professor and administrator at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, will assume the interim role on Feb. 1, 2023, and will serve in that role while the Board undertakes a national search for YSU’s 10th president. Lafferty, looking forward to her time on campus, took some time to share with YSU Magazine a little bit about her

1950s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s ’50s U.S. Army Cpl. William Blascak, 1958, Biology, was among 13 veterans honored at Austintown’s 16th annual Patriots Day celebration. A Girard native, Blascak was drafted into the Army in 1952 and was trained to be an Airborne Military Policeman, serving with the 503th Regimental Combat Team. He returned to the Mahoning Valley and used the GI Bill to earn a degree from YSU, where he later taught Biology for 25 years. Top ’70s Joe Meranto" alt="Joe Meranto" height="191" width="125"> Joe Meranto, 1972, Education, and 1975, master of Education, was

ALUMNI RECOGNITION Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Seven alumni were honored at the YSU Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Alumni Recognition Dinner: Pictured from the left, Col. Gerald "Jerry" Nunziato Jr. ‘00, Joe Voytek ‘13, ‘15, Amanda Caldwell ‘06, Ken Bielecki ‘99, Jeffrey Koontz ‘04, ‘07, ‘10, Lena Esmail ‘09 and Jack Butler ‘09. The college also presented College Appreciation Awards to Cheryl Bosley, Sara Michaliszyn ‘00, Nancy Landgraff, Madeleine Haggerty ‘61 (posthumously) and Nancy Wagner and the faculty and staff of the Centofanti School of Nusing. In

YSU students continue to excel across the state, nation and world, helping in the fight against COVID-19, advancing women in the military and digging up the history of the region. Here’s a few of their stories: COVID-19 research brings student national honors Senior Biochemistry major Kira Bowman’s received national recognition for her research on extracting COVID-19 from human excrement. The project, titled “Extracting COVID-19 Virus (SARS-CoV-2) from Excrement,” placed second in the Environmental Sciences category at the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Dallas. Bowman’s

It’s been another banner few months for YSU, with record-setting research and grant activity, recognition from the FBI, celebrating the stars and a new partnership with one of the largest tech companies in the world. Read about these and more recent campus highlights in Our Campus: “Ohio knows how to build a workforce” Officials from YSU and Hon Hai Technology Group (“Foxconn”) (TWSE:2317) gathered on campus this Fall to announce intentions to establish a partnership to design and launch a national electric vehicle workforce training and innovation center. The center will focus on helping the

YSU would not be what it is today without the generosity of thousands of donors. Here we celebrate a handful of remarkable alumni and community supporters whose recent financial contributions are helping students across campus. New Team Center boosts engineering squads “Mom and dad would be so proud to see this center come to fruition,” Ellen Tressel said at the dedication of the new Frank and Norma Watson Team Center on campus. “This university was a major focus and love of their lives. We are honored and touched with today’s dedication.” The facility on Rayen Avenue is designed to better