Alumni News

With YSU’s Homecoming theme of Penguin Roots, what better way to honor our roots than by welcoming YSU grads back to campus for the All Alumni Reunion? Alumni from 14 states including South Carolina, Texas, Florida and California came home to YSU to reconnect, reengage and celebrate. Alumni were highlighted at the following events Oct. 5 – 6:

Chapter Leaders Summit
Alumni chapter leaders from around the country got together for the first time to discuss their events and share ideas at the chapter leaders summit. The day included a campus tour, a working lunch at Republic Pizzeria (a campus area restaurant owned by YSU alumna Candace Santangelo and current YSU student Josh Santangelo), campus updates from Mike Hripko, associate vice president for External Affairs, Government Relations and Economic Development, advice from YSU social media and communication experts and a reception at the Pollock House hosted by President Jim Tressel and First Lady Ellen Tressel.

Alumni chapters around the country continue to be engaged with recent events:

• The Washington D.C. Alumni Chapter headed for the ballpark on Aug. 4. Buffalo Wild Wings was the setting for pre-game munchies prior to the Washington Nationals game, with 38 guests in attendance.
• The Charlotte Alumni Chapter got together on Aug. 25 at Seaboard Brewery for the second year in a row. About 40 alumni and friends gathered, including President Emeritus David Sweet and former First Lady Pat Sweet.
• Both the Columbus, Ohio, and Charleston, S.C., Alumni Chapters enjoyed minor league baseball games in their respective cities on Aug. 31.
• The Greenville, S.C., Alumni Chapter held its first event at Barley’s on Sept. 22. The turnout exceeded expectations with 34 Penguins attending.
• The Cleveland Alumni Chapter chose Lake View Cemetery as the site of their get-together on Sept. 29. Chapter members took a guided tour to learn about the cemetery’s history.

Downtown Waddle
All alumni were invited to get a glimpse into Youngstown’s history before venturing downtown to experience what is happening today. The “waddle” began at the Steel Museum where Donna DeBlasio, professor of History, spoke about Youngstown’s roots. Next, the group waddled downtown to places such as Whistle and Keg, V2, Bistro 1907 and Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts.

All Alumni Tailgate Reunion
The first ever All Alumni Tailgate Reunion took place prior to the Homecoming game. The celebration featured music from local band RDNA; fellowship with deans and college representatives, student government and Greek alumni; selfies with Pete; games and dancing. The Guinness World Record breaking penguins suited up for the second year in a row and marched in the Homecoming parade.

Veterans, ROTC alumni enjoy taste of history, golf during reunion weekend
Veterans and ROTC alumni spent the weekend of September 14-16 celebrating. The reunion kicked off Friday evening with a dinner, program and Cincinnatus Award presentation at the Steel Museum. On display were a 1951 Willys M38 U.S. Army Jeep and the original ROTC Spoke and Wheel Cannon used to celebrate Penguin football scores at YSU home games. Saturday activities included a tour of the Carl A. Nunziato Veterans Resource Center followed by a YSU football game. On Sunday, 21 foursomes participated in the third annual golf event to benefit YSU Military Science at Avalon Golf and Country Club in Warren. The outing was originated by Richard Tropea, 1978, to support ROTC students and programs at the University.

Ladies' Day Out features empowering message to alumnae
More than 60 alumnae and their friends attended Ladies’ Day Out on Sunday, July 8 – timed to coincide with YSU’s Summer Festival of the Arts. They enjoyed brunch in the Williamson Hall atrium and WCBA Dean Betty Jo Licata’s presentation on “Empowering Women in Business.”  The event concluded with shopping at the festival on a beautiful summer day.

Ladies’ Day Out guests, clockwise from lower left are Ashley Hudzik, 2017; Mary Kay Goclano, 1989; Sherry Ogrodnik; Susan Goclano, 1979; and Susan Silvashy, 1975.

Honors College welcomes alumni “home” for reunion
Pictured left to right, Natalie, 2016, and Scott, 2015, Miller; Greg and Michelle Panuccio, both 2002; Deena DeVico and Matt VanSuch, both 2002; Andrea Snyder and Tom Wakefield, both 2002; Becky and Bill Dando, both 1997. All five couples met while in the University Scholars program and later married. Fok Hall was dedicated earlier this year as the new home of the Honors College.

Half Century Club welcomes 1968 classmates as members
Members of the Class of 1968 celebrated at YSU’s Half Century dinner and pinning ceremony at Stambaugh Auditorium before attending “Meet Ben Stein” presented by the Skeggs Lecture series, in the concert hall.

Members of the class pictured in the front row, left to right are: Gwen Wegele Shipsky, Dorajean Furrie Havrilla, Margaret Williams Skripac (behind); Donna Shepas Baldwin, Barbara Leonard Smith (behind); Cheryl Orlando Mangan, Patricia Bannon Sprague (behind); Madelyn Silvestri Sell, Patricia Stropich Tsagaris, Dominic Albanese, William Swearingen, Karen Carney Kimmel and Donna Megela Tunno. Pictured in the back row, left to right are: Ron Mangine, Raymond Cannon, Ronald DeVito, Philip Sprague, Robert Sinkovich, Harold Hutzen, Warren Morrison, Joseph Vukovich, Socrates Kolitsos, Bernard Tunno and Luis Suarez.

Penguin family celebrates start of school with annual tradition
Atty. Richard McLaughlin, 1958, and his wife Betty, 1983, have been enjoying a special tradition for five years now. They take their YSU grandchildren to Charlie Staples for dinner right before the new school year starts each fall.
Pictured left to right are Colin Burdette, soph. YSU kicker; Katie Burdette, grad school student; Christy McLaughlin, senior Special Ed major; Dick, YSU alumnus, Board of Trustees, Foundation Trustee emeriti; Betty, YSU alumna; Erin McLaughlin, freshman and Brigid Burdette, freshman.

Alumni Authors

George Dubec of Boca Raton, Fla., 1974, BSBA, has authored a book titled Ultimate Networking: Get Anything You Want by Networking, published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Dubec has 50 years of networking experience as a business executive, entrepreneur, internet consultant and longtime syndicated radio show host. He is also a national speaker at trade shows, technology events, seminars and for major corporations.

George Hanuschak, Sr. of Fairfax, Va., 1971, BA, Mathematics, recently authored a book titled, Baby Boomer’s Legacy and Last Chance. The book provides a succinct, nostalgic history of the U.S. baby boomer generation. Hanuschak retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2007.

Lou Palumbo of New Castle, Pa., 1967, AB, Psychology and Sociology, has authored his second book, Back in the Day, Growing up in the Fifties: I Still Haven’t Met a Train I Didn’t Like. An avid toy train collector, Palumbo operates the Underground Railroad Shoppe, a retail train shop in New Castle, and has written a monthly column for Classic Trains magazine for more than two decades. His first book, published in 2014, is titled I Never Met a Train I Didn’t Like: The Art and Enjoyment of Collecting Toy Trains.

Michael Prelee of Hubbard, 1995, BA, History/Political Science, has released his newest book, Bad Rock Beat Down, the second in his science-fiction series about interstellar repo man Nathan Teller. Prelee’s books can be purchased at michaelprelee.com and amazon.com. The newest book is also available at the publisher’s website, edgewebsite.com.

John Polish of Nevada, 1994, BSBA, Marketing Management, is the author of 4D Strategies to LIVING UNSTUCK. Polish also holds a master’s degree in Education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and spent 17 years as a teacher and football coach before becoming a full-time professional speaker. He founded the Unstuck Foundation to help people overcome tragedies and to teach people how to start sharing their stories to help others.

June Summers of Austintown, 1962, BSEd, Art Education, has authored three novels since she retired in 2016 as a staff accountant with Martinez & Associates CPA’s in Winter Springs, Fla. Her latest book, A Conflict of Time, is a suspense/thriller published by Full Moon Publishing LLC. Other titles include Before We Fade Away and Let Freedom Ring, both published by Wild Rose Press.

Dan Welch of Boardman, 2008, Music Education, is the co-author of The Last Road North: A Guide to the Gettysburg Campaign, 1863, and was the featured guest at the Wayne County Civil War Roundtable Program in Wooster, Ohio. He previously was education programs coordinator for the Gettysburg Foundation and is a seasonal park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park. He also holds a master’s degree in Military History from the American Military University.

Deborah A. Williams of Kissimmee, Fla., 2001, BA, Psychology, is the author of Soul Qualities: The Art of Becoming, a guide to spiritual growth and development through 40 spiritual principles, practice, self-inquiry and prayer. “If the brain can be trained for optimal physical performance,” the author writes, “then it can also be trained for heightened spiritual growth through practice.” Williams also earned a master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Capella University.

Education Honorees

The YSU Beeghly College of Education honored six alumni at the annual Outstanding Alumni Awards Dinner. Pictured from the left, front row, are Charles Howell, College of Education dean; outstanding alum Frances Ritz, 1939, BSEd; and YSU President Jim Tressel; and in the back row, outstanding alums Holly Welch, 2009, MSEd, Crystal Hawthorne, 1998, BSBA, and 2005, MSEd, Jason Branch (accepting the award on behalf of Amanda Evans, 2007, MSEd), Jeremy Batchelor and Ron Iarussi, 1988, AB, and 2014, EdD.