Youngstown State will build on the successes of the recent past

When we agreed with The Vindicator to write these occasional columns, we also agreed to try to stay away from making these simple promotional PR pieces for Youngstown State University. So far, we’ve written about increasing excellence in higher education, the student debt crisis and expanding our influence into international markets.

As we start the new year, however, we are hoping The Vindicator will allow us to take a look back at 2015 and, well ... brag.

The past year certainly was filled with challenges, for YSU and for nearly every college and university in Ohio and across the nation. But it certainly also was a year marked by excellence.

Two examples: Ashley Orr, a YSU senior from Columbiana, was named YSU’s first-ever Rhodes Scholar, one of the world’s most prestigious academic honors. YSU became only the fourth public university in Ohio to have a student win the award in the Rhodes’ 112-year history. She makes us all very Penguin proud.

Second, this past fall, Carnegie Hall in New York, one of the world’s pre-eminent concert venues, invited the YSU Wind Ensemble to perform. What a wonderful opportunity for our students, and what a tremendous testament to the Dana School of Music’s reputation as one of the nation’s top music conservatories.

Of course, the accolades don’t stop there. From Forbes to U.S. News, YSU was singled out for its excellence. We could go on. Suffice it to say, YSU continued to raise its profile as an institution of academic distinction in 2015.

A PROMISING 2016

The year ahead promises more of the same.

We have worked hard to expand our recruitment footprint outside our traditional five-county area, and we believe we will begin to see our enrollment trending upward as a result. With that, and with our expanding Honors College and scholarship offerings, better-prepared, higher-achieving students – like the Ashley Orrs of the world – will increasingly come our way.

And, when they come, they’ll want and expect modern, state-of-the-art housing and campus amenities. That’s why we have recently partnered with private developers to construct two new student apartment complexes on campus. And with that will come retail establishments – coffee shops, restaurants and maybe even a grocery – to serve the growing client base.

Building on this momentum, we also are excited about the recent progress in the area of fundraising. We are very fortunate to have philanthropic alumni and friends who believe in the importance and impact of YSU.

It’s an exciting, busy time on campus. There are many moving parts. But at the center of it all is a commitment to continued and increased excellence. We understand our importance to the Valley – past and present – and we take seriously our role to strongly lead the region into the future. As we celebrate and brag about our accomplishments, we keep our eyes squarely focused on the task ahead and the many achievements and successes to come.

James P. Tressel is president of Youngstown State University.