Event celebrates success in recycling

YSU's provost announced a new focus on civic engagement education.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Sarah Ellis showed up at Youngstown State University's recycling office on the first day of her freshman year at YSU.
She's worked there ever since and, as she looks toward her spring graduation, she has mixed emotions.
"It'll be hard to leave. I've really enjoyed myself and learned a lot," said the environmental studies major and president of the Youngstown Environmental Studies Society at YSU.
"But I'm leaving it in good hands ... it's strong. I look forward to coming back and seeing it blossoming."
As Ellis served as master of ceremonies for YSU's America Recycles Day on Friday, she said she was "absolutely" pleased at the turnout of more than a dozen university, city, county, state and federal officials and community representatives who participated in the event.
This year, they celebrated the naming of YSU as the 2003 University/College "Partner of the Year" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise program. They also celebrated the efforts of Ellis and Jim Petuch, YSU's recycling manager.
Dr. Cynthia Anderson, YSU's vice president for student affairs, called it "another success story."
"Part of our mission at YSU is to prepare leaders for the future," she said. "As you can see from the students gathered around us here, our future is in good hands."
New focus
Dr. Tony Atwater, provost and vice president for academic affairs, used the celebration to announce a new focus on civic engagement education, saying that he will appoint a task force to develop ways to implement civic engagement into curriculum.
"We take pride in helping students develop not only as scholars, but also as citizens," he said, referring to Ellis. "As you can see, our students are already engaged. We just want to build upon that base."
Among the efforts that puts YSU ahead is the bi-annual Dump and Run, a program that collects -- instead of trashing -- the unwanted belongings of students moving out of residence halls in December and May.
In spring 2002, the project collected 5.5 tons of items that were given to charity; last December, 1,000 pounds of clothes were collected.
YSU also operates re:CREATE, through which students and staff collect unwanted items from both the campus and outlying communities for donated to local schools and charities. Last year, the group collected 100 gallons of unwanted paint and 15 tons of items.
Further, Ellis said, YSU recycling staff visits the local offices of U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan and Ted Strickland to collect recyclable items saved by staffers.
"It's almost like a pep rally when Jim Petuch comes into the office," joked Anthony Trevena, a Strickland aide. "You feel guilty standing there with a can. You just want to empty it and put it in his bag."
Ryan said he's pleased to be able to say YSU is "first" in something "as those of us in public office here in the Mahoning Valley are looking for opportunities to redefine our image."
"The students of this university are ultimately going to be the ones to change the mind-set of this area and take our economy to the next level."