Mentors will offer ideas and comment to the president

YOUNGSTOWN -- Seven students have been named to participate in the new Youngstown State University Presidential Mentors Program, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.
The students will be mentors to YSU President David C. Sweet and his cabinet on social, cultural, educational and political matters that are important to YSU's diverse student body.
"Any time a university president is exposed to open comments, ideas and concerns from students, it benefits the entire campus," Sweet said.
The students are:
UBrigid Edwards of North Lima, a junior special education major.
UJeanna Cunningham of Warren, a senior in civil engineering.
UJudah Early of Youngstown, a senior in hospitality management.
UAnjali Patel of Hermitage, Pa., a senior in integrated science education.
UValerie Prevosnak of Youngstown, a senior in English.
UMaria Salcedo of Boardman, a senior in mathematics/Spanish.
UKiisha Warfield of Warren, a junior in communication studies.
Jimmy Myers, equal opportunity and diversity director, Cynthia Anderson, vice president for student affairs, William Blake, director of the Office of Student Diversity, and Judith Gaines, executive director of student life, collaborated on the new program and selected the seven students from a pool of about 20 nominated by deans, directors and department chairs.
The group meets once a month either with the president or his leadership team and also gets together to set agendas for their meetings with the administrators.
Myers said the program is the first initiative of its kind in the United States and is unique because mentorship programs are typically "top down."
Important to president
"The president and his cabinet will receive first-hand input from the students," Myers said. "The initiative is very important to President Sweet because he is truly interested in increasing the comfort level of these students and helping them feel more empowered about their academic experiences."
"I am absolutely thrilled to be given this opportunity," said Edwards. "I look forward to establishing a working relationship between the administration and the students."