Students in YSU's chapter of the American Marketing Association recently completed a marketing survey that helped move forward the Flats at Wick student apartment complex adjacent to the YSU campus. From the left, YSU students and AMA members Anthony Allen of Youngstown, Shawn Butson of Mineral Ridge, Laura Blakeman of Youngstown accept a check for $1,500 from Dominic Marchionda, president of U.S. Campus Suites, for the marketing project. Peter Reday, far right, is the faculty advisor for AMA and assistant professor of marketing. Read the full story in this week's YSU News Briefs.

Below are a variety of items about upcoming events and other news notes on the campus of Youngstown State University:

• Enrollment of Middle East Students rebounds
• Trustees' donations improve meeting room
• Marketing students complete study for housing complex
• Diversity leadership nominations sought

Calendar
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The SMARTS Store in downtown Youngstown is offering 10 percent off on everything in the shop. The store features handmade jewelry, cards, novelties, sculptures, handmade books, cd''s and limited edition works of art, including pottery, prints and paintings. Over 50 local, regional, and national artists are represented. The store also features holiday cards created by two SMARTS students. Proceeds benefit SMARTSÕ free arts education programming. The store is located in the SMARTS Center, 258 Federal Plaza West, adjacent to DeYor Performing Arts Center. Parking is available on the street or in nearby lots. Call 330–941–2787.

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 5 p.m. YSU Presidential Search Advisory Committee meets in the Ohio Room of Kilcawley Center.

Wednesday, Dec. 16, YSU Board of Trustees meets on the following schedule: Noon, Finance and Facilities Committee, Jones Room, Kilcawley Center; 2 p.m., Executive Committee, Presidential Suites, Kilcawley Center; and 3 p.m., regularly quarterly meeting, Trustees Meeting Room, first floor, Tod Hall.

Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18 and 19, 8 p.m. YSU's Ward Beecher Planetarium features "Holiday Lights." The planetarium also shows "George and Oatmeal Save Santa" at 1 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19.

Saturday, Dec. 19. Kelly Pavlik boxes Miguel Espino in a World Middleweight Championship fight in Beeghly Center. For tickets, visit http://www.tickets.com. Tickets also available at the ticket office at YSUÕs Stambaugh Stadium.

Enrollment of Middle East students rebounds, hits 10–year high

Enrollment of students from the Middle East is at a 10–year high at Youngstown State University, thanks in part to a concerted effort by the YSU Center for International Studies and Programs.

In 2001, YSU enrolled 18 students from Middle Eastern countries. After the terrorist attacks of 2001, the number began a steady drop, and by 2006, there were no students from the Middle East enrolled. This fall, however, 32 Middle East students were enrolled, the most in a decade.

Part of the reason for the big increase is a recruitment trip to the Middle East last fall by Jef Davis, CISP director. The trip, believed to be the first of its kind for YSU, took Davis to college fairs at 20 high schools and colleges in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The fairs were organized by the U.S. Educational Group, an organization committed to assisting young men and women of the Arab world in pursuing careers in higher education.

Davis took a similar trip this fall, attending college fairs in 11 cities and nine countries across the Middle East over the period of about two weeks.

Davis said he spoke with parents and prospective students at each event. "In sharing information about YSU, my main focus is on value," he said. "We offer quality academic programs in a very wide range of disciplines, and our tuition is considerably less than most other universities."

Davis said the time is ripe for recruitment in the Middle East.

"The availability of external funding and the renewed support from the U.S. government to facilitate student visa issuance in the Gulf region has resulted in a general surge of student interest and accessibility in the Middle East," he said.

"In addition, other universities in Northeast Ohio, like Cleveland State and Akron, have had success recruiting in the Middle East region. So, we feel the return on our investment in focusing on the Middle East will be substantial."   

Nationally, enrollment of Middle East students in the United States follows a trend similar to YSU. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, upwards of 80,000 students from the Middle East – particularly from Iran – were enrolled in U.S. institutions, according to the Institute of International Education. That number dropped to about 20,000 by the mid–1990s, but was on the rise until 2001. By 2004, enrollment dropped to below 20,000, and it is now on the rise again.

Trustees' donations improve meeting room
The Trustees Meeting Room at Youngstown State University is getting a facelift thanks to the generosity of members of the YSU Board of Trustees – present and past.

All eight current trustees and nine former trustees donated a combined $6,810 to the project, including the recent installation of blinds on the large floor–to–ceiling windows on the east side of the meeting room on the first floor of Tod Hall.

Curtains in the room, installed more than 30 years ago, were in disrepair and had severe sun damage. They have been replaced by full blackout film cellular shades. The cost of the seven blinds – six in the Trustees Meeting Room and one in the adjacent Manchester Room – amounts to $5,600. 

The blinds are latest step to improve the room, where the Board of Trustees conducts its regular quarterly meetings.  Last year, Gasser Chair Co. donated new black leather chairs for the room, embossed with the University Seal.    

Marketing students complete study for new housing
Students in Youngstown State University's Chapter of the American Marketing Association recently completed a marketing survey that helped move forward the development of a new apartment complex adjacent to the YSU campus.

Dominic Marchionda, president of U.S. Campus Suites, is constructing the Flats at Wick student housing project across Elm Street from YSU's Cafaro House residence hall. The 115–bedroom apartment complex is now under construction and is expected to be open before the start of the fall 2010 semester.

Prior to developing the project, Marchionda asked AMA students to conduct a survey to find out what YSU students desire in an apartment complex.

Peter A. Reday, faculty advisor for the AMA and assistant professor of Marketing, said Marchionda's approach was perfect – instead of assuming that he understood the student housing market, he decided to ask his potential customers what they would like. AMA students were paid $1,500 for the marketing project.

Six AMA members worked as a team to conduct a market research survey. The team interviewed more than 130 students on the YSU campus about factors such as the desired number of bedrooms, price ranges and payment methods, and miscellaneous issues including security, health facilities and retail stores.

The students presented the results to a panel of Marchionda's staff.

The study for U.S. Campus Suites is the latest in a series of projects conducted by students in YSU's AMA. Recent projects have included marketing studies for the Cafaro Company and Price Heating and Cooling in Girard. These projects are part of the college's strategic plan which includes actively involving our students with the business community in ways that enable students to develop skills, professional competencies, and career–related experience.

Diversity Leadership nominations sought
Organizers planning the region's Diversity Leadership Recognition Celebration banquet are accepting nominations through Jan. 20 for Youngstown State University faculty, staff and students, as well as Mahoning Valley community leaders, who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting diversity. 

The banquet is set for 6 p.m. March 25 at Mr. Anthony's Banquet Center in Boardman. Nominees selected will be honored for efforts to promote and engage diversity as it pertains to race, ethnicity, language, religion, culture, gender, disability, language, sexual orientation and organization membership. 

Nomination categories are: Leaders of Tomorrow, open to juniors, seniors and graduate students; Campus Leadership, open to administrators, staff or faculty; and Community Leadership, open to individuals, businesses, groups, agencies, organizations and community initiatives which have been existence for at least three years. 

Nominations can be completed online or obtained at http://www.ysu.edu/NominationFormLDB.pdf. 

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Maureen O'Connor will be keynote speaker for this year's banquet, in recognition of Women's History Month. The event aims to acknowledge, celebrate and embrace diversity at YSU and in the community.

The cost is $35 per person and tables are available. For further information contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at 330–941–3370; for reservations, contact the Office of Alumni and Events Management at 330–941–3497.

Banquet proceeds will be used to fund a student scholarship that has been established through the YSU Foundation. The scholarship application deadline is Feb. 15. For more information about the Diversity Leadership Recognition Scholarship or to apply for the scholarship, visit the YSU Foundation website at http://www.ysu.edu/ysufoundation/welcome.shtml.

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