Macte Virtute

Alumni, students overcome pandemic hurdles

COVID-19 and all that goes with it has certainly and rightfully been at the forefront of our focus over the last two years here at YSU and, for that matter, just about anywhere and everywhere else.

While there have been disruptions on just about every level of the institution, and while the virus still presents significant challenges, YSU overall has weathered the storm well. We’re back on campus, in classrooms, teaching, learning and – most importantly – helping thousands of young people become the leaders of our post-pandemic world.

It’s been inspiring seeing so many students and alumni, as well as faculty and staff, adapt and overcome in the face of ever-changing rules and mounting frustrations. They’ve been shoved around a bit, tugged back and forth, and there’s been plenty of opportunity to give in and give up. But, while many have struggled, many others have thrived. That makes us all Y and Proud.

We hope you enjoy reading about some of those successes in this online version of the magazine. People like the Rev. Carrington Moore, a 2010 graduate, recently named a leader of an initiative to keep the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. alive in the city of Boston. Or Taylor Tomb, an outstanding student and campus leader who became the first YSU student ever to win the national Outstanding Senior Award from Alpha Xi Delta sorority. Then there’s Rebecca Ortenzio Lee, a 1997 graduate, a dentist and much-decorated Navy captain who retired last year and is now practicing in Virginia. Or David Perrico, a graduate of YSU’s Dana School of Music and the leader of the new house band for the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders home games.

These are your fellow YSU Penguins, making their marks in their communities and leading the way. It’s been 36 years since I came to YSU in 1986, and I remain forever amazed at the breadth of accomplishment of our graduates. Congratulations to all, keep up the good work, be well and, as always…

Go Penguins,

James P. Tressel, President