OUR VALUES:
The Student Affairs team is committed to creating experiences that help our students to gain and develop the following:
Autonomy:
Encouraging, supporting and mentoring students to gain independence through a variety of new and relevant experiences, responsibilities, relationships, and exposure to new ideas, people and environments while challenging students to align their personal and social responsibility within the YSU community.
Passion:
Helping students identify their ever-evolving passions in their personal, professional and academic lives, through positive campus engagement.
Civility:
Treating all members of the campus and community with dignity, courtesy, respect, politeness and consideration in behavior and speech regardless of differences in beliefs or opinions.
Accountability:
Prioritizing integrity in our community by upholding ethical standards, transparency, and fairness in all policies, processes and interactions, while holding individuals accountable for their actions.
Belonging:
Encouraging student connections and idea sharing inside and outside of the classroom that culminates in positive experiences, invested relationships and high level of engagement within the YSU community while creating institutional pride.
Identity:
Supporting each student's development of an authentic self within a community that strives to fully accept and acknowledge each other, recognizing and valuing the diversity in experience that we can all contribute.
Well-being:
Fostering a caring environment that prioritizes attention to physical, mental, and emotional health and quality of life as students pursue their academic and career goals.
Service:
Purposefully engaging students in activities that develop and strengthen leadership skills, enrich the lives of those within the YSU community, and establish a commitment to meeting the needs of others.
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UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE HEART OF CAMPUS:
Student Center Renovation began in May 2025
Grab your hard hat! After an extensive feasibility study by WTW Architects in 2021-22, and continued partnership with a WTW + Strollo led design team to finalize a plan for the next era of YSU's student center during the following years, construction is finally underway!
The renovation is scheduled in five phases, to be completed by Fall 2027:
Phase 1: Summer 2025
Phase 2: Fall 2025-Spring 2026
Phase 3: Summer 2026
Phase 4: Fall 2026-Spring 2027
Phase 5: Summer 2027
A portion of the student center will remain open for campus use throughout the renovation timeline. For details, visit our renovation website.
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SEE WHAT'S COOKING!
AVI Foodsystems selected as campus dining provider
After an extensive request for proposal (RFP) process, YSU selected AVI Foodsystems as the new campus dining provider, entering a contract in May 2025. YSU is confident that AVI can provide nutritional, high quality, cost effective and innovative residential dining, retail, catering services and other amenities to meet the diverse needs of our students, faculty, staff, and guests.
We're excited to move forward in partnership with AVI to provide a temporary food court in the Kilcawley Center Chestnut Room during Phase I of renovation while the new permanent food court is under construction. AVI's operations at Christman Dining Commons received rave reviews during our summer orientation season.
Learn more about AVI's offerings here!
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STUDENTS LEADING STUDENTS
Student Government Association
Student Government appropriated funding for 108 student events that benefited 69 registered student organizations (54 Student Organizations, 13 Club Sports, 2 University Programs). SGA overhauled the Financial Path for appropriations, clarifying policies and processes that had presented challenges in previous years. Additionally, SGA used a CampusVote grant to host several events to increase campus civic engagement, raised over $171 and collected 100 meal swipes during Swipe Out Hunger Week, and held multiple campus cleanups this year.
Penguin Productions
Fall Fire Fest and FEDERAL FRENZY were opportunities for our student body and community to create great memories—and for our student programming board to develop skills in marketing, communications, logistics, fundraising, and collaboration. The 11th FEDERAL FRENZY grew into a two-day event, gathering crowds at Penguin City Brewing Company on Friday night and on West Federal Street on Saturday for this free music & arts festival featuring 25 musical acts, 40 vendors, 12 food trucks, and much more.
Student Media
Youngstown State University’s student newspaper, The Jambar, placed first in Overall Excellence in Division A of the Ohio News Media Association’s Collegiate Newspaper and Website Competition. The Jambar staff also earned recognition in seven out of the competition’s 10 categories, including sweeping the Headline Writing category, placing in first, second and third.
Jambar Productions launched three shows this year: The Jambar in 10, The Jambar Sports Extra, and The Jambar News Magazine. New and archived episodes can be viewed on JambarTV's youtube channel.
Rookery Radio, YSU's student-run internet radio station, relaunched in the fall of 2024. Tune in to hear our students on the air!
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OUR PARTNERS IN SERVICE
Student Affairs relies upon the expertise and commitment of contracted partners to provide the services that our students and our campus need on a daily basis. We are grateful for the partnership of these agencies:
AVI Fresh, our new campus dining provider, working to provide great food around campus and in our student center–during and after the renovation;
Barnes & Noble Bookstore, providing textbooks and YSU attire online and through their storefront on Fifth Avenue;
College Pads, providing an online marketplace for on- and off-campus housing options, including roommate and sublease posting boards;
Mercy Health, meeting the medical needs of our students through walk-in and scheduled appointments at Wick Primary Care on the corner of Wick & Lincoln;
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, stocking and servicing vending machines across campus;
Pepsi, our pouring rights provider, renewed for continue service of campus;
SERVPRO, addressing the daily and deep cleaning needs of Andrews Student Recreation & Wellness Center, Kilcawley Center, and University Housing;
Wee Care Daycare, offering convenient and affordable child care for students, faculty, and staff on campus.
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DIGGING INTO DATA:
YSU Data Mining Collaboration
YSU Student Experience & Student Affairs completed their second data mining project with the Department of Mathematics & Statistics.
Erin Driscoll, Executive Director, served as a project mentor during fall and spring semesters, meeting weekly with the student data mining team to explore trends in student engagement. This year's topic was The First Year @ YSU: What out-of-class experiences support persistence to a second year at YSU?
Students involved in the project learn data mining and visualization techniques in a course taught by Purdue University, then apply these techniques to data provided by the division of student affairs, including information about student housing, event attendance, and organization involvement.
Ryan McNicholas, Director of Campus Recreation, will mentor a project in 2025-26, assessing the impact of Campus Recreation engagement on student satisfaction and retention at YSU.
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Our Mission:
The Department of Campus Recreation provides creative and innovative, instructed, or self-led wellness, and recreational programming to meet the diverse needs of our students and the YSU community.
Andrews Student Recreation & Wellness Center had 124,000+ swipes into the facility in 2024-25, with a total of 5,274 unique users between July 1 and May 30.
Club Sports had 444 student participants across 19 sports, including the newest addition: Barbell Club. Club Sports hosted 56 events at home and traveled to 45 competitions and tournaments, including Men's Basketball competition at the NIRSA regionals in Maryland and the Women's Volleyball Division I National Championship Tournament in Phoenix, AZ!
Philanthropy: Men's and Women's Club Soccer raised $534 for athletes with disabilities | 128 pounds of food donated to Second Harvest Food Bank (106 meals) | 25 toys donated to Akron Children's Hospital | $24,000+ raised by Tennis, Women's Rugby, and Esports through Guinathon | 120+ items donated to Animal Charity of Ohio | Tennis Club raised $400 for Joanie Abdu Breast Center in their annual breast cancer awareness tournament.
Campus Recreation secured sponsorships and grants to support departmental programming, including #1 Cochran sponsorship for $15,000 and Penguin City sponsorship of over $2,500. An ODE Prevention & Response Grant Opportunity brought in $9,997.32 in addition to a Community Collaborative Grant of $1971.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: Campus Rec is working to improve student awareness of stress management services offered by the department and aiming to increase student engagement by 10%. Additionally, the Rec seeks to increase creative use of spaces for programming, services, and socializing during the Kilcawley Center renovation.
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Our Mission:
The Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct is committed to providing a process that promotes character, community, and civility among University students.
The Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct (OCSSC) became a part of the Division of Student Affairs in May of 2025. We're excited to have them in our team!
OCSSC worked in collaboration with Academic Affairs to adjudicate 64 academic integrity cases in 2024-25. This was more than three times the number of cases addressed in 2023-24. Sixty-nine individual students were involved in cases this year; 30 students were involved in cases in the previous year.
Student Conduct cases grew from 180 cases in 2023-24 to 190 cases in 2024-25. The number of students involved in conduct cases also increased from 284 to 326.
OCSSC worked in collaboration with departments across campus to provide student and staff trainings, including Resident Assistant training, international orientation presentations, and anti-hazing training for Club Sports.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: The university will welcome new Assistant Dean of Students for Student Conduct and Community Standards, Betsy Johnson, in September. The department is excited to expand education across campus about community standards and the educational dimensions of the area.
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Our Mission:
To provide support, education, guidance, and advocacy to students by addressing extenuating situations and concerns that may impede their success, all while maintaining campus safety and fostering a culture of civility, character, and respect.
The Office of the Dean of Students became a part of the Division of Student Affairs in May of 2025. We're excited to have them in our team!
DOS secured a $2,500 Ohio Reach Grant to initiate a new "Fostering Penguins" program. Link for more info here!
The Penguin Pantry provided food and hygiene items to 148 students in Fall of 2024, and 103 in Spring 2025. The Career Closet provided professional attire for 187 students in Fall 2024 and 252 students in Spring 2025. This is a huge asset to students entering internships, interviewing for jobs, and preparing to enter the workforce at a new level.
The DOS processed nearly 800 cases this year through its various student support avenues! This included Penguin of Concern referrals, medical withdrawal requests, Ombudsperson requests, applications for re-entry following medical leave, and retroactive medical leave requests.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: Emily Loudon has transitioned into the role of Assistant Dean of Students for Advocacy, Support, and Wellbeing. The area is excited to continue to build and improve cross-campus and community relationships, while also building out digital documentation of all policies, procedures, and processes.
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Our Mission:
To facilitate students' individual development through creating vibrant, inclusive communities where students can establish a sense of home and succeed academically.
Housing completed its first full academic year with University Courtyard Apartments as part of its portfolio, leasing 100% of the 408 beds for the academic year. A major WiFi upgrade project completed the process of transitioning the facilties over to YSU's network.
713 students called the residence halls "home" in 2024-25, meeting Housing & Residence Life's goal of 90% occupancy in spring semester. Fall occupancy reached 85.7%. 33% of spring residents were international students, 9% student athletes, and 25% Honors students.
Housing & Residence Life added a new Graduate Assistant position to their team, focusing on Marketing. The new TikTok account received over 18,000 views and Instagram received almost 90,000 views through out this academic year! Are you following?
Housing invested in facility projects across our properties, including new carpet installation in Lyden House entrance lobby, lounges and hallway areas; new carpet installation at Cafaro House residence hall rooms, to replace existing, deteriorated VCT tile; comprehensive replacement of all smoke detectors at Lyden House and Cafaro House to ensure life safety systems are current; and complete replacement of residence hall room furniture at Cafaro House following an RFP process.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: John Haky joined the team as Associate Director for Residence Life, bringing extensive experience in training and skill development for our student staff team. We're excited to see the rejuvenation of the Residential Housing Association under his guidance! Housing & Residence Life continues to be heavily engaged in supporting the growing international student population at YSU, proposing a one-year housing requirement for all incoming international students to take effect in Fall 2026.
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Our Mission:
Kilcawley Center strives to create an innovative and inclusive environment acting as the epicenter for campus engagement by complementing the overall academic experience.
2024-25 marked the end of Kilcawley Center as we know it—the final year of operations before kicking off a building-wide renovation in May of 2025! To commemorate this meaningful transition, Kilcawley Center partnered with the YSU Art Department to commission a mural design for the campus core side of the building. Art students designed and painted the outline of the mural and the campus community was invited to paint sections of the mural in April 2025. Additionally, 35 former Kilcawley Center professional staff members spanning decades of service gathered in the Chestnut Room for a final farewell to the Kilcawley.
To support communication with campus and the community about the Student Center Renovation Project, Kilcawley Center launched a comprehensive website in March of 2025. The site includes recommendations for alternate event spaces and reservation contacts, a FAQ section, wayfinding & logistics, and answers to the question on everyone's mind—where can I get something to eat?
KC played a critical role in hosting events for prospective students, extending service beyond the standard accommodations, including décor, special setups, and direct interaction with prospective students and families at these events, highlighting YSU customer service.
Student Center staff worked hand in hand with Student Activities in the execution of large scale programs, creating affinity and a sense of pride for YSU.
Attendance at these events filled all of the nooks & crannies of Kilcawley Center: Penguin Nights (553 + 537), Red & White Day (500+), Midnight Breakfast (517 + 443), and Friendsgiving (446)!
Looking ahead to 2025-26: Kilcawley's team will reside in three different locations on campus during Phase I of the student center renovation: Beeghly Center, Silvestri Hall, and the east end of Kilcawley Center. Staff will continue to support programming, facility, and food needs for campus and community partners through this unconventional arrangement during renovation.
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Our Mission:
To foster a sense of belonging at Youngstown State University by creating inclusive campus programming and providing leadership development opportunities to enhance student success.
2,526 students were members of student organizations in 2024-25. 826 students stepped into leadership as officers in one or more of YSU's 174 registered student organizations.
Student Activities facilitated a student programming assessment March 10-21 to support program planning and implementation during the Kilcawley Center renovation. Results were shared with over 24 campus departments to share insight about student interests and insight.
YSU contracted RISE Partnerships, LLC to facilitate a Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) Program Audit during Spring 2025. The study revealed that students engaged in our FSL programming experience high levels of personal and professional development. Based upon recommendations of the study, a new position that focuses primarily on FSL is being added to the Student Activities staff in Fall 2025.
During the Greek Week Food & Clothing Drive, over 10,500 clothing items were donated to Good Will through the United Way—and over 9,100 non-perishable food and hygiene items to the Penguin Pantry.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: The Student Activities team is planning a variety of fun and engaging programs out of their new home in Silvestri Hall! During the Kilcawley Center renovation, activities will pop-up in locations on and off campus, from Maag Library to Westside Bowl.
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Our Mission:
To provide a safe and supportive environment for students to learn and use skills to successfully manage their emotions and mental health throughout their academic experience.
Student Counseling Services (SCS) became a part of the Division of Student Affairs in May of 2025. We're excited to have them in our team!
SCS provided 4,091 therapy sessions to 701 unique students; this included 160 telehealth sessions. 64% of clients participated in 1-5 sessions; 17% participated in 6-10 sessions.
The THRIVE grant, worth over $500,000, supported the expansion of Student Counseling Services in 2024-2025. Three nap pods, a salt cabin room, a light therapy room, and a sensory room were added for drop-in use; apointments are not required.
SCS provided 35 in-class mental health presentations to YSU 1500 Student Success Seminars. QPR–Question, Persuade, Refer–a suicide prevention training, was facilitated with 50 YSU faculty and staff.
SCS worked in collaboration with the graduate program in counseling to complete the Penguin Pioneers grant for $175,000 in scholarships to graduate counseling students and marketing for YSU. Additionally, two graduate interns from the YSU counseling program completed their 750-hour internship requirement at SCS.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: Student Counseling Services is on a mission to increase mental health wellness across campus by providing wellness workships and events, with a goal to broaden the SCS internship program to include graduate social workers.
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Our Mission:
The Veterans Resource Center enhances the academic, professional, and individual success of veterans, service members, and their families.
The Carl A. Nunziato Veterans Resource Center services nearly 300 military connected students at YSU to include student veterans, Guard and Reserve, active duty and dependents of service members.
The Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA) secured over $1.45 million in student funding for student veterans and their dependents through the accurate processing of over 500 VA certifications, 23 National Guard Scholarships and 35 Tuition Assistance applications for Army and Air Force.
OVA helped plan and execute an annual dinner and golf outing which raises roughly $15,000 for Army ROTC and Student Veterans.
Associate Director, Rick Williams, attended the 2025 Adult Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida in March, learning about services and initiatives designed to better serve the student veteran population. Assistant Director, Jeremy Firm, attended the Association of Veterans Education Certifying Officials (AVECO) Conference in St. Louis, MO in July 2025.
Looking ahead to 2025-26: The Office of Veterans Affairs will collaborate with the College of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Education during the 25-26 School year to execute a grant that will help pay for veterans and spouses of veterans to become teachers.
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