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

• Students present at national Honors Council
• Communications professor recognized as MVP
• Steeltown USA marks seventh printing
• YSU staff and students attend sports workshop

Calendar
Monday, Dec. 7, 3 to 7 p.m. YSU students stressed out with final exam week can take a break and relax at Exam Jam. The event features free PB&J and bologna sandwiches, classic games of four square and dodgeball, video games and massages. The event will also feature many prizes, including restaurant gift cards, movie tickets, Phantom's Hockey tickets, a Mary Kay basket, free personal training sessions and more. For more information, visit www.ysu.edu/reccenter or contact Amanda Foster at 330–941–2118. The event is conducted by Campus Recreation and Student Programming.

Tuesday, Dec. 8. The YSU Board of Trustees meets in the Jones Room of Kilcawley Center: 1:30 p.m., Executive Committee; 2 p.m., Investment Subcommittee, 3 p.m., Audit Subcommittee, 4 p.m., Finance and Facilities Committee. The board's regular quarterly meeting is 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, in the Board Meeting Room in Tod Hall.

Friday, Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m. The YSU Africana Studies Program sponsors the 10^th annual Jabali (The Rock) African Cultural Celebration in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center. Keynote speaker is Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. The Harambee Youth Group and the African Student Union will provide entertainment. For more information or to make reservations, call 330–941–3409 or 330–941–3097.

Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12, 8 p.m. The YSU Ward Beecher Planetarium presents "Holiday Lights." The program of lights, music and visual effects combines the feeling of the season with the majesty of outer space. The planetarium also presents "George and Oatmeal Save Santa" at 1 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. Visit http://www.cc.ysu.edu/physics–astro/planet.htm. Free. 

Sunday, Dec. 13, 2 p.m. YSU fall commencement in Beeghly Center. The Rev. George V. Murry, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, receives an honorary degree and gives the commencement address.

Students present at national Honors Council
Five Youngstown State University students attended and presented at the 44^th National Collegiate Honors Council meeting in Washington, D.C. this fall, responding to the conference's theme of "Honors in the Global City."

Presenters included Jason Heyman, senior accounting and finance double major; Carla Hill, business administration senior; Andrea Armeni, professional writing and editing senior; Lauren Baker, sophomore nursing major; and Justin McIntyre, sophomore political science and criminal justice double major. All are members of the YSU University Scholars program and serve as trustees on the program's student–run governing board. Advisor and Honors Program Assistant Director Amy Cossentino also attended the conference.

NCHC is the professional association of undergraduate honors programs, colleges and students. The annual meeting works to support the development and expansion in honors education. As one of the more than 500 institutions present, the YSU group presented their forum, "Scholar Trustees: Globalizing the Honors Experience," at the Idea Exchange.

"We have an excellent Scholars group here at YSU," said Heyman, trustee president. "It was great to be able to share our initiatives and experiences with other honors programs and pick up a few new ideas to try out, too."

Funding for the trip was provided through Provost Ikram Khawaja, YSU Deans Betty Jo Licata, Shearle Furnish and Joseph Mosca, the YSU Foundation and Student Government, as well as fundraising.

Communications professor recognized as MVP

Adam Earnhardt of Liberty, assistant professor of communications at Youngstown State University, was honored as one of five MVPs from among the most accomplished young professionals of the Mahoning Valley during the annual "40 Under 40" Awards ceremony in November at the DeYor Performing Arts Center.

With a focus on commitment to community involvement, the "40 Under 40" Awards honor 40 residents from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties who are 40 years old or younger and have excelled in their professions.

Past "40 under 40" honorees include U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. "Just to be included in that group was great," Earnhardt said. "But then to be included in the top five was the real honor."

"There's a lot of success to celebrate out there," said Patricia Brozik, Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley president. "It's nice to see that the talent is spread throughout the Valley."

Earnhardt is the newly–appointed executive director of the Ohio Communication Association. He is an active volunteer for YSU's annual Press Day and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Earnhardt also assisted students this year with planting a garden at the Help Hotline Community Center in Youngstown

Most important to Earnhardt is his commitment in encouraging his students "to give back to the community through the various service–learning projects available in my courses."

Cary L. Horvath, chair of YSU;s communications department, nominated Earnhardt for recognition.

This year marked the fifth anniversary for the "40 Under 40" event, which was sponsored by the MVP 20/30 Club and the Community Foundation. Other 2009 "40 Under 40" MVPs were M. Brigid Kennedy, Shawna LÕItalien, Heather Marie McMahon and Allen Ryan. View video at http://www.business–journal.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=15123&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1711&hn=business–journal&he=.com.

 

Steeltown USA marks seventh printing

The University Press of Kansas and Youngstown State University are announcing the seventh printing of the book, Steeltown U.S.A.: Work and Memory in Youngstown.

Written by YSU professors Sherry Linkon and John Russo, the book was first published in 2002 and has gone through three hard cover and four paperback printings. With the current printing, the total number of books in print is nearly 7,000.

In celebration of the seventh printing, Linkon and Russo will be available for two book signings:

• 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10 at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Route 224 in Boardman.
• 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Borders Bookstore in Eastwood Mall in Niles.

Steeltown U.S.A. has been used in college and high school courses locally, across the United States and internationally. Beyond its academic value, the book has been praised for its engaging style and accessibility. James Ledbetter, journalist and economic commentator, who along with Daniel Roth, were the editors of The Great Depression: A Diary, say that "there can be no match" for Steeltown U.S.A, which offers a "passionate and thorough examination of how the boom and bust of the steel mills affected the city of Youngstown and its surrounding area."

Linkon and Russo are co–directors of the YSU Center for Working–Class Studies. Visit http://cwcs.ysu.edu/

YSU staff and students attend sports workshop
Sixteen Youngstown State University students and staff members attended the 2009 Ohio Recreation Sports Association State Workshop this fall hosted by the University of Cincinnati. YSU attendees won scholarships, and two presented a session at the conference.

Scholarship winners include: Anthony Muscatello, winning the Besner/Sells Annual NIRSA Conference Student Scholarship; Carolyn Serenko, accepting the Mike Dunn NIRSA Region III Student Lead–On Conference Student Scholarship; Brent Anness and Kelly Chaffee, both receiving the Will M. Holsberry ORSA State Workshop Student Scholarship; and Mandi Campana, coordinator of Fitness and Wellness Programs, winning the ORSA State Workshop Professional Scholarship.

Since 1997, the ORSA scholarship program has provided students and professionals with opportunities to attend regional, state and national conferences/workshops.

Joy Polkabla Byers, assistant director of Programs and Special Events, and Muscatello also presented "Campus Recreation and Welcome Week: Where Does Campus Recreation FIT In?" to detail how the recreation program at YSU is involved in Welcome Week planning.

Other YSU attendees this year included Carrie Anderson, coordinator of Programs and Marketing; Ashley Walk; Ben Dooley; Amanda Foster; JD Kubacki; Jill Roemer; Cassie Garland; Katie Hart; Vince Wells and Jeremy Oddo.            

The theme for this year's ORSA conference was "Excellence: Is it in you?" Attendees took part in sessions and roundtable discussions that revolved around developing and sustaining new initiatives in recreation programs. More than 200 students and professionals from 23 Ohio schools attended the conference.

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