High school students make career connection with Williamson College of Business Administration

The Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University, in conjunction with the Junior Achievement of the Mahoning Valley, will host “BUSINESS 2020” from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Nov. 7, in the Chestnut Room in Kilcawley Center on campus.

More than 500 high school students, representing 20 high schools from the tri-county area, will take part in panel sessions showcasing various aspects of business including skill assessment and preparing for the job market, careers in business, and financial literacy.

The program begins at 9:15 a.m. with a welcome address from Betty Jo Licata, dean of WCBA and panel sessions will run concurrently from 10 a.m. to noon.

Keynote speaker Simon Arias is the owner of Simon Arias Agencies and a Youngstown native. Arias played football at Youngstown-Ursuline where he led his team to a state championship as team captain his senior year. He received a scholarship to play football at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa. where he was again voted captain.

Arias took the leadership skills he developed over the years on the football field and was hired by the Surace-Smith Agencies of American Income Life in Ohio after obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree. He excelled and very quickly moved to a top-level management position in the organization — becoming a Regional Manager within his first year. Growing up in a tough neighborhood for much of his life, Arias knew what it meant to have good role models. He has taken it upon himself to seek out and find young people to mentor and impact—especially at-risk youth.

More than 25 area leaders from various segments of business will offer insight and information during the panel sessions. Some of the participating businesses include:  Altronic, LLC; Simon Roofing; Turning Technologies; Schroedel, Scullin, & Bestic; Farmers Trust Company; Seven Seventeen Credit Union; Youngstown Business Incubator; Commercial Metal Forming; Hill, Barth & King, LLC; Vallourec Star; NYO Property Group; Bodine Perry CPAs & Business Analysts; Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and Ellwood Group in Pennsylvania.

For more information, contact Christine Shelton, coordinator of external relations for the WCBA, at 330-941-3068.