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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Jim Tressel and Bob Hannon hosted a question and answer session during the Night with Jim on March 8 hosted by the Austintown Optimist Club.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Austintown community members came to the Immaculate Heart Parish Center to meet and talk with Jim Tressel on March 8.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Pete Gabriel of the Austintown Optimist Club joined Jim Tressel and Bob Hannon during the Night with Jim on March 8.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Jim Tressel and Bob Hannon talked to the audience during the Night with Jim at March 8 at the Immaculate Heart Parish Center.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
The Austintown Optimist Club hosted a special Night with Jim event on March 8 at the Immaculate Heart Parish Center.
The event was free and open for anyone to come and listen to Jim Tressel, Youngstown State University President, talk about his career, his time at YSU, advice on college and several other topics. Guests also had the opportunity throughout the night to ask Tressel any questions they had.
Bob Hannon, President of United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, served as host for the night. Students in grades 7-12 were encouraged to come with a parent and ask questions about college and how to prepare for the transition from high school to college.
“In my mind there is so much opportunity where we sit,” said Tressel.
Tressel talked about when you draw a circle an hour North, East, South and West of Youngstown, YSU is the only state school that has 6.83 million people in that circle.
“We say we are the belt buckle of the tech belt. Pittsburgh to Cleveland, there’s 35 universities, that’s a lot of research and a lot of great students being turned out, and we’re right in the middle,” said Tressel.
Tressel utilizes his recruiting skills by going out to the schools in the community to talk about college. This provides the students for an opportunity to ask Tressel questions and learn more about college, not just YSU.
The Austintown Optimist Club hosts programs throughout the year that are beneficial to children. They provide the chance for students who are graduating to receive scholarships to help them with college and opportunities for students in all grades to work on achieving their goals.