| Youngstown State University | |
| Former Names: | Youngstown Association School (1908–1921) Youngstown Institute of Technology (1921–1928) Youngstown College (1928–1955) Youngstown University (1955–1967) |
| Image Upright: | 0.7 |
| Motto: | Animus Liberatus (Latin) |
| Mottoeng: | The Mind Freed |
| Type: | Public university |
| Parent: | University System of Ohio |
| Endowment: | $321.5 million (2024)[1] |
| President: | Bill Johnson |
| Faculty: | 977[2] |
| Administrative Staff: | 160 |
| Provost: | Brien N. Smith |
| Students: | 11,298[3] |
| Undergrad: | 9,447 |
| Postgrad: | 1,851 |
| City: | Youngstown, Ohio |
| Country: | U.S. |
| Campus: | Urban, |
| Colors: | Cardinal and white |
| Sporting Affiliations: | NCAA Division I Horizon League Missouri Valley Football Conference Mid-American Conference Southland Bowling League |
| Sports Nickname: | Penguins |
| Mascot: | Pete the Penguin |
| Logo Upright: | 1.0 |
Youngstown State University (YSU or Youngstown State) is a public university in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1908 and is the easternmost member of the University System of Ohio.[4]
The university is composed of six undergraduate colleges and a graduate college. Youngstown State University has over 100 undergraduate degree programs and 50 graduate degree programs serving over 11,000 students in studies up to the doctoral level. Beyond its current student body, the university has more than 115,000 alumni across the country and around the world.
Collectively known as the Penguins, Youngstown State's athletic teams compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The university is a member of the Horizon League in all varsity sports, with the exception of football which competes in the Football Championship Subdivision of the NCAA as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, bowling which competes in the Southland Bowling League, and lacrosse which competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
The university's origins trace back to 1908, when the local branch of the YMCA established a school of law within the Youngstown Association School.[5] In 1921, the school became known as the Youngstown Institute of Technology and offered its first evening courses.[5] In 1928, a year after establishing a College of Arts and Sciences, the institute once again changed its name to Youngstown College. In 1955, the name was changed again to Youngstown University to reflect the school's broadening curriculum. A private, for profit Youngstown College was formed in 1987 and had no affiliation with YSU. It closed its doors in mid 2000 due to financial issues.[5]
On September 1, 1967, after becoming a public institution, Youngstown University became officially known as Youngstown State University.[5] The following spring, YSU opened a Graduate School and College of Applied Science and Technology. In 1974, the College of Fine and Performing Arts was established.
Following the February 29, 2024 announcement that Eastern Gateway Community College was pausing enrollment, YSU announced that it was considering opening its first satellite campus in Steubenville, Ohio to serve displaced students in the Ohio Valley.[6] Other universities within the University System of Ohio such as Ohio State University, Kent State University, and Ohio University also operate satellite campuses.
YSU lies on a 160acres campus just north of downtown Youngstown. Although it is not located near any outstanding geographical features, that has not stopped Youngstown State's campus from being noted for its landscaping, which is dissimilar from that of many other urban universities. YSU's geographical center has a park-like atmosphere, featuring a rather-hilly terrain and a variety of trees and plant life, as well as tables and chairs that surround a campus fountain.Most buildings on campus have been built within the last half-century, making them newer than most buildings in downtown Youngstown, where most buildings were constructed before the Great Depression.
Kilcawley Center is primarily a student-resource and community-center on campus. It features reading and study rooms, computer labs, a copying center, a variety of restaurants (including a Chick-Fil-A, Wendy's and Dunkin' Donuts), and many student-affairs offices. Offices for many university student media outlets are housed here, including student newspaper The Jambar, student magazine The Yo, and student radio Rookery Radio. There are also many meeting and seminar rooms, which can be rented out for community events.
Jones Hall, often the building that welcomes those coming onto YSU's campus, is one of the campus' oldest buildings, having been built in 1931, when YSU was still known as Youngstown College. Its history as the "main building" of the campus continues today, as it is perhaps the best-known and most photographed building of the whole campus. The building was renamed Jones Hall in honor of the institution's first president, Dr. Howard Jones. Today, the building is used as administrative office space.[7]
In 2013, the former Wick Pollock Inn – located on Wick Avenue, next to Bliss Hall – was converted into The University President's House. The three-year project to renovate the mansion cost YSU over $4 million.[8]
The planetarium is the location of the introductory astronomy courses at YSU, which registers almost 1,000 students every year. It has housed over 500,000 students, as well as 750,000 visitors as of 2007. Organized shows are available for groups during the week, and scheduled shows available Friday and Saturday evenings (with shows geared toward younger audiences on Saturday afternoons). All shows are free of charge.
The McDonough Museum of Art is one of two art museums located in Youngstown, Ohio. The McDonough Museum of Art is closely affiliated with the university, acting as an outreach for the Department of Art. The 14,000 sq. ft. space serves as a showing facility for art students and faculty alike, as well as local and regional talents.[11]
The Butler Institute of American Art is located on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio. Falling directly on YSU's campus, it is the flagship art museum of the city.
Archives and Special Collections [12]
Located on the fifth floor of Maag Library the Archives and Special Collections at Youngstown State is meant to preserve items with historical significance to the school, Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio as well as its rich history in the iron and steel industry, and the people that call it home. The Archives and Special Collections library is home to many rare and fragile books from the library's collection as well as items from Youngstown State University's history.
The university comprises the following colleges, as of the Spring 2022 academic reorganization:[13]
YSU offers doctoral degrees in educational leadership and physical therapy as well as a doctorate in mathematics in cooperation with Rhodes University. Together with the University of Akron and Kent State University, YSU sponsors the Northeast Ohio Medical University, a BS-MD program. YSU engineering students may pursue doctoral studies in cooperation with the University of Akron and Cleveland State University. In addition, YSU has 45 masters programs and over 100 undergraduate majors.
The Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University was deemed an "All-Steinway" school in 2004. The Dana School of Music is one of the oldest non-conservatory schools of music in the United States.[14]
The Williamson College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
In addition to traditional four year programs Youngstown State University also offers online degree programs and three-year degree pathways.
Labor unions are very active at YSU and include most non-administrative faculty and staff on campus. In August 2005, just before the start of the 2005–06 academic year, two of four campus unions were on strike. Following the conclusion of the strike, relations remained strained, with some faculty and staff calling for the resignation of YSU president David Sweet in May 2007.[15] Others on campus thought some individuals on both sides were engaged in less than professional behaviors. Due to the animosity between the parties, a special committee was set up to examine labor relations. This committee recommended that the negotiations teams for all sides be replaced before the next round of contract negotiations. After the committee's recommendations, the vice president for administration was replaced, as well as the executive director of human resources.
Relations have improved since that time and are now typical of what one would expect of a unionized campus in a region that has always been at the center of US union activism.
The university has been looking to increase the amount of available student housing on campus. As of September 2015, there were less than 1,500 student beds available for the more than 12,200 students enrolled. In June 2015, it was announced that a $7.8 million, 162-bed, four-story, privately owned, student housing complex named University Edge YSU would be built on West Rayen Avenue between Fifth and Belmont avenues by Hallmark Campus Communities of Columbus and Fortress Real Estate Co. of Atlanta. Construction started in late September 2015. In December 2015, it was announced that another apartment complex would be coming to YSU. LRC Realty announced the $10 million, 163-bed, five story, privately, owned retail/student housing complex, called The Enclave, was built on nearly 2 acres between Lincoln and Wick avenues in Youngstown.[16] A Representative for LRC Realty said that the building includes a fitness center and an outdoor patio for student residents. The complex opened for occupancy in August 2018.
Youngstown State University is home to three Greek councils; Interfraternity Council (IFC), National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).
Fraternities:
Sororities:
As of fall 2019, the student body totaled approximately 12,155, 10% of whom were dual-enrolled high school students.[3] YSU has approximately 2,100 full and part-time employees, and 426 full-time faculty with 543 part-time faculty. 165 faculty members have full-professor rank, with 79% of the instructors holding doctorates or terminal degrees. The university has a student to faculty ratio of 14:1.
Once seen as primarily a commuter school, Youngstown State University has a growing number of student housing available both on and off campus. About 1.5% of the student body are international students from approximately 45 countries.
YSU has participated in the Youngstown Early College program, through which students from the Youngstown City School District can take courses for college credit while in high school. Youngstown Early college has had their first graduating class in Spring 2008. YSU is no longer affiliated with Youngstown Early College. Eastern Gateway Community College assumed full operations in 2013.[19]
YSU operates several Centers of Excellence and designated research and economic development programs, including the Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering, the Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering, the Center of Excellence in International Business, the Center for Applied Chemical Biology, the Institute for Applied Topology, and effective in 2012, the Natural Gas and Water Resources Institute.
Youngstown State University is also home to the Center for Working Class Studies and offers a Regional and American Studies program, which was the first of its kind in the United States. The school assisted the University of Chicago in developing a similar program.
The university's Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies was put into jeopardy when Jacob Ari Labendz, the only professor at YSU qualified to teach Holocaust studies, was laid off in 2021.[20] [21]
Youngstown State has a number of men's and women's sports teams, including baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, swimming, diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, and bowling.[22]
The Youngstown State Penguins Football team represents Youngstown State University in college football. Youngstown State currently plays as a member of the NCAA at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) and are a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). The Penguins have played their home games in Stambaugh Stadium, more commonly called "The Ice Castle," since 1982.
YSU football has been one of the leading programs in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, winning four national championships under former head coach Jim Tressel (currently YSU president), which is third behind North Dakota State's seven titles and Georgia Southern's six. Overall, YSU has made 11 playoff appearances since Division I FCS was formed in 1978.
The Youngstown State Penguins Women's Basketball and Youngstown State Penguins Men's Basketball teams represent Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. The teams currently competes in the Horizon League, of which it they have been members since 2001. The women's team has appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament three times. The men's team has appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament nine times and the NAIA tournament four times.
See main article: Youngstown State Penguins. The Youngstown State Penguins is the name given to the athletic teams of YSU. The university is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I, and the Penguins compete in football as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Most other sports compete as members of the Horizon League.
See main article: Stambaugh Stadium. The Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium is an on-campus, multi-purpose stadium. Built in 1982, the stadium is primarily used as a home for the Youngstown State Penguins football team. Between 1996 and 2013, the stadium also was home to the YSU Women's soccer team. At present, the total capacity of the stadium is 20,630 people. The structure also houses the university's ROTC branch, as well as the DeBartolo Stadium Club, which overlooks the city of Youngstown and is available for events.
See main article: Beeghly Center. The Beeghly Physical Education Center, commonly called "Beeghly Center," is a 6,300-seat, multi-purpose arena built in 1972. Home of the department of kinesiology and sports sciences, it includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool, racquetball and squash courts, as well as administrative offices. The center hosted a Barack Obama campaign rally in February 2008.Softball Complex
Completed in 2014, this complex houses the softball team and seats more than 200 spectators.
See main article: Eastwood Field. Eastwood Field is an off-campus, minor-league baseball stadium, that hosts the Youngstown State Penguins Baseball team. The stadium is located in the Eastwood Mall complex in Niles, Ohio.
See main article: List of Youngstown State University people.