YSU names associate provost for international, global initiatives

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

As part of ongoing efforts to expand and enhance international activities, Youngstown State University announced the appointment of Nathan R. Myers as the new associate provost for international and global initiatives.

Myers, who recently was executive director of the International Programs Division at Ashland University, will oversee the YSU Center for International Studies and Programs, including international student and scholar initiatives, study-abroad programs and the English Language Institute.

“With his extensive knowledge, experience and success in global education and activities, Dr. Myers will provide the leadership needed to help increase our international enrollment, expand opportunities for our students to study overseas and create a multicultural environment on campus,” said Martin Abraham, YSU provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Myers will start at YSU on March 16. The appointment must be formally approved by YSU trustee board later this month.

YSU has 401 international students from 56 countries. In the past two years, the number of international students on campus has grown by 52 percent, from 264 in 2014 to 401 this year. Abraham said it’s important for YSU to take its international recruitment efforts to even higher levels.

Myers, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Mount Vernon Nazarene College in Ohio and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Kentucky, joined the faculty at Ashland in 2005 as assistant professor of educational foundations. He served as the international-student adviser in the College of Education and coordinated all international academic exchange and partnership activities at the university.

In 2011, Myers was named executive director of the International Programs Division at Ashland, overseeing the intensive English program, the study-abroad office and international student services. Under his leadership, international enrollment increased 20 percent.

He also created, directed and managed recruitment for the American Cultural Experience International Summer Program, which tripled in size in four years.

He has an extensive list of published scholarly articles, paper presentations, book reviews and other publications as well as several grants.