Dean's Welcome

Welcome to the Honors College at Youngstown State University!

The YSU Honors experience connects students to each other, to the campus and to the community through our five pillars of student lifelong learning and intrapersonal development:

  1. Research and Scholarship
  2. Leadership and Involvement
  3. Global Citizenship
  4. Community Engagement 
  5. Interdisciplinary Perspectives

By encouraging students to step outside of their comfort zone to discover, gain knowledge and excel at new skills, we prepare them with a sense of independence to thrive and lead both personally and academically in a global society.

Students commonly describe the program as a family, with consistent support extending from other Honors students, alumni, faculty and staff. This student-centered culture welcomes diversity and promotes interaction through courses, civic endeavors and engagement. Longstanding traditions—Scholar Wars, Fall Festival, the Honors Retreat and more—have become memorable learning activities throughout the years, and our students also bond academically through Honors courses taught by dynamic faculty members. The college also offers Honors seminars, including those even suggested by our students, which provide additional community-building learning experiences.

Working in Honors for more than two decades, I am proud to have the opportunity to provide guidance to students in this phase of their life's journey, work with faculty as they develop curriculum and courses, and continue to engage alumni as they give back of their time, talent and treasure. All of our students can exceed their expectations by committing themselves to involvement.

Sincerely,

Amy Cossentino, Dean

Click here for a Spanish version of this page.

Web content translated into Spanish by YSU Honors College students and faculty members. Pages are being translated on a rolling basis.