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YSU grads eager to embark on their careers
By Bob Jackson
YOUNGSTOWN
YSU Spring Commemcement
Gallery
Krista Calai is looking forward to a lifetime of planting seeds, but it has nothing to do with gardening or farming.
The seeds she hopes to plant are ones of imagination, inspiration and yearning for learning.
“I’m just hoping to touch as many lives as I can,” the 21-year-old Canfield woman said Saturday, shortly before receiving her diploma during spring commencement ceremonies at Youngstown State University.
Calai earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, graduating summa cum laude. She had decorated the top of her graduation cap with a painted picture of an apple tree and the slogan “From tiny seeds come mighty trees.” She doesn’t claim ownership of the quote, which she found on the internet, but said it was a proper fit for her feelings about children, and about education in general.
Her mom, Debbie Calai, is her primary inspiration for pursuing a career in education. Debbie Calai is an intervention specialist for students in grades six to eight in the Western Reserve School District.
“I’m extremely excited and eager for my career,” Krista said. “YSU did a good job of preparing me. I’m ready.”
Krista’s forward focus dovetailed nicely with the message delivered by university President James P. Tressel, who urged the graduates to “set your goals high and increase your excellence in everything you do.”
Stefan Della Gatta of Boardman also was excited to walk across the stage Saturday and pick up his diploma. Della Gatta, 21, received a bachelor’s degree in marketing management, graduating cum laude.
“I guess my perspective is a little bit different,” Della Gatta said. “I’m excited and I’m ready to get out of the classroom and get my life going.”
During his time at YSU, Della Gatta worked as an intern in the sales department at 21 WFMJ-TV in Youngstown. He’ll eventually pursue a career in marketing, but his first order of business is a trip to Romania, where he will visit family.
George Kubas of Boardman will put his doctorate in materials science and engineering to work at Simon Roofing.
“I’ll be doing some materials research and design for them, as well as working at their chemical plant,” he said.
Kubas, 26, who recently married, said he plans to continue his involvement with YSU by establishing a collaboration between the university and his employer.
University officials said Saturday’s spring commencement brought the total number of students who graduated from YSU during the 2016-17 academic year to 2,387, the second-largest class size in university history.
The largest class was in 1983, when 2,448 students graduated.
That happened to be the year that George H. Young graduated from YSU. Young, who now lives in Houston, Texas, was the keynote speaker during the morning commencement at Beeghly Center. The speaker for the afternoon session was Presley L. Gillespie.
Young said the wide range of opportunities afforded students at YSU will serve them well in their future endeavors.
“If you want to be an innovator and an entrepreneur, you need to have a diverse set of perspectives,” Young said. “That’s what I got here at YSU.”
He also urged the graduates to hold fast to their Mahoning Valley roots.
“Use the best of where you came from,” he said. “I might have achieved some success in the world, but I’m just a kid from Youngstown. I always will be.”
Daniel Belinky, who delivered the student address during morning commencement, credited Tressel for the resurgence of YSU and its growing importance in community growth.
“People are finally starting to give the university the respect it deserves,” Belinky said.
Gabriella Gessler was the student speaker during the afternoon commencement.