Our Students
Whether it’s building a canoe out of concrete or transcribing more than 16,000 historical documents for the Smithsonian, YSU students CONTINUE TO SHOW their Penguin smarts and agility across the region and nation. Among the highlights:
Student honored for leadership, community service
Julie Centofanti, a junior in the Sokolov Honors College, was among only two students across Ohio to receive the 2022 Charles J. Ping Student Service Legacy Award for outstanding leadership and contributions to community service. Centofanti, a Biology major, was honored for creating and leading the YSU Transcribing Club, which has transcribed more than 16,000 historical documents through the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. A graduate of South Range High School, Centofanti is a member of YSU’s BaccMed program that leads students to medical school and careers in medicine. She also was recently appointed a student member of the YSU Board of Trustees. Read more.
YSU student Intern of the Year for third straight time
The Cooperative Education and Internship Association named YSU student Tumi Adeeko as the 2022 Intern of the Year. It is the third consecutive year that a YSU student intern has been recognized by CEIA. “This demonstrates clearly that the STEM college internship and co-op program, under the leadership of Sherri Hrusovski, is top-notch and that our Rayen School of Engineering is among the best in the nation,” said Wim Steelant, dean of the YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. A Mechanical Engineering major and a member of the YSU Sokolov Honors College, Adeeko was honored for a 10-week internship at the Cleveland VA Medical Research and Education Foundation. Read more.
Canoe, Bridge teams top regionals – again
For the second consecutive year, YSU’s Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge teams placed first at regional competitions, besting teams from 17 other universities. The Steel Bridge squad has now placed first in four of the last five regional contests, while the Concrete Canoe team has won three of the last four. In national tourneys, the Canoe team placed fourth, while the Bridge team finished seventh. Read more.
Ethics Bowl squad earns sixth regional championship
The YSU Ethics Bowl team kept rolling in 2022 by again winning the regional competition and placing among the top eight programs in the national competition. In the seven years that YSU has had an Ethics Bowl program, the team has won six regional championships and placed in the top eight at nationals six times. The YSU team regularly out-talks Ivy League schools, while several alumni of the program have gone on to study at Ivy League law and graduate schools.
Penguins sweep nine conference titles
Crowns all around for Penguin student athletic teams in 2021-22, as the women’s basketball team, men’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams, women’s indoor and outdoor track and field squads, men’s and women’s tennis squads (pictured) all captured Horizon League championships. In addition, the women’s lacrosse team, in just its second season, finished tied atop the Mid-American Conference standings thanks to a five-game winning streak in April. It was the sixth consecutive league title for women’s indoor track and field, and the eighth straight for the outdoor team. The men’s tennis squad, which last won a conference title 22 years ago, this year captured both the regular season and conference tournament championships. Overall, 14 of YSU’s 21 NCAA Division I teams placed in the top three of their conferences. More at www.ysusports.com.
Nursing student research recognized
Two Choose Ohio First research groups from YSU were awarded "Top Poster" commendations at the Northeast Ohio Regional Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program Poster Symposium. In all, nearly 90 YSU students participated along with students from six other universities and colleges. More than 170 abstracts were submitted.
Business students finalists in international contest
Four YSU students were finalists in the 2022 NASBITE International Student Case Competition, under the guidance of Omer Genc, assistant professor of International Business in the Williamson College of Business Administration. The WCBA team presented a case analysis and international expansion plan virtually to the NASBITE judges and company executives. Read more.
Geography students study revitalizing Wellsville
Three students in YSU’s capstone course in Geography met with Bob Boley, mayor of Wellsville, Ohio, to present the findings of their study on ways to revitalize the small village in Columbiana County. The students - Katharine Donnachie, Heather Davis and David Thompson – conducted the study under the direction of Dawna Cerney, professor of Geography. The project culminated as a complete community resiliency plan for Wellsville, which sits along the Ohio River across from West Virginia. “I am proud of the work and product these students have executed,” Cerney said. “They are great examples of the intellect and skills of professional geographers.” Read more.
