Ohio House honors YSU president Jim Tressel

COLUMBUS — The Ohio House has honored Youngstown State University President Jim Tressel for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

State Reps. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, and Sean J. O'Brien of Bazetta, D-63rd, presented a resolution to the former YSU and Ohio State University football coach during today's floor session, spotlighting his successes on and off the field.

"With an overall record of 229 wins, 79 losses and two ties, Jim Tressel is the only coach in college football history to win a national title at both levels of Division I football," Lepore-Hagan said. "Beyond his achievements on the field, Jim Tressel is admired in the community for his role as a mentor to young people and for his leadership in higher education."

Lepore-Hagan also described a program under Tressel that places YSU students into local school classrooms, where they tutor second-graders.

Tressel used his floor time to introduce lawmakers to several YSU students who are excelling academically and hoping to remain in Ohio after graduation.

"We are really seeking excellence with students like this," he said. "We really believe that we can be great, we can be of hall-of-fame stature, if we do a great job of raising up the level of our education and making sure that our students are the best, stay here in Ohio and that we attract companies to come here because of our great education."