• Professor selected to attend prestigious symposium
• Governor names Bernard to YSU Board of Trustees
• Student receives Ohio Nurses Association honor
• Hollywood agent/producer/exec speaks on campus
• University Theater presents The Baker's Wife
• Angel Venture capitalist featured in Williamson Symposium
• Telecomm students "Light the Wick" with new show
• Center for Nonprofit Leadership announces interns
• Central Blood Bank drive set for Nov. 16
• Holiday Sharing Table scheduled for Nov. 15
• Grant workshops set for faculty and staff

Calendar
Monday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m. A preview of the exhibition "In Her Father's Eyes: A Slovak Childhood in the Shadow of the Holocaust" and an accompanying lecture by the translator will be held in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center. The exhibition and lecture are hosted by the YSU Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies. It is free and open to the public.

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. Paula Wagner, a graduate of Hubbard High School who has worked in the top ranks of the entertainment industry as a talent agent, producer and studio executive, speaks in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center. See News Briefs.

Nov. 12 to 15 and Nov. 20 to 22. University Theater presents the musical The Baker's Wife in Bliss Hall's Ford Theater. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while Sunday matinee performances are at 3:00 p.m. All seats are reserved. See News Brief.

Friday, Nov. 13. YSU hosts the "We are IT" conference, an initiative of the Ohio IT Business Advisory Network. The purpose of the conference is to familiarize young women with various aspects of Information Technology and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines and to encourage them to continue their education and pursue a rewarding career in one of the STEM fields.

Sunday, Nov. 15, 1 to 5 p.m. Dana Young Artist Competition in Room 2222 of Bliss Hall.

Sunday, Nov. 15, 4:05 p.m. YSU men's basketball team kicks off the 2009–10 home schedule against Hiram in Beeghly Center.

Professor selected to attend prestigious symposium

Hazel Marie, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Youngstown State University, is among 49 of the nation''s brightest young engineering researchers and educators – and the only one from Ohio – selected to take part in the National Academy of Engineering''s first Frontiers of Engineering Education symposium. 

Engineering faculty members in the first half of their careers who are developing and implementing innovative educational approaches in a variety of disciplines will come together for the event Nov. 15 to 18 in Herndon, Va.

Participants, who hail from universities such as Yale, Virginia, Notre Dame, Princeton, Duke and Carnegie Mellon, were nominated by fellow engineers or deans and chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants. Martin Abraham, dean of the YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, nominated Marie.

"The Frontiers of Engineering Education program will create a unique venue for engineering faculty members to share and explore interesting and effective innovations in teaching and learning," said NAE President Charles M. Vest.       

Marie earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering form the University of Texas in Austin, a master's degree in mechanical engineering from YSU and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Akron. She joined the YSU faculty in 2000. In 2004, she received the YSU Distinguished Professor Award for Teaching and the Outstanding Teaching Award from the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education. In 2008, she received the YSU Distinguished Professor Award for Service.

Marie has been involved in evaluation of experimental techniques for the material characterization of bio–materials and was recently awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a bio–materials course and lab with YSU biology professor Gary Walker.

Prior to entering academia, Marie worked as a materials engineer, primarily investigating high temperature copper alloys, and as an automation process engineer, both at Packard Electric in Warren, Ohio. She is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and is acting secretary of the Youngstown division, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Society of Women Engineers.

Governor names Bernard to YSU Board of Trustees   

Gov. Ted Strickland has named Atty. Elizabeth Bernard of Canfield, a Youngstown State University alumna, to the YSU Board of Trustees.

Bernard, who has been in private practice since 2007, will serve a nine–year term through 2018. She replaces H.S. Wang, whose term had expired.

Bernard earned a bachelor's degree in American Studies from YSU in 1984 and a juris doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law in 1988.

She has worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Lyle Williams, a clerk in the civil division for the Mahoning County Sheriff and a law clerk in the Ohio Court of AppealsÕ Seventh Appellate District in Youngstown. She was a partner in Betras, Maruca, Kopp, Harshman & Bernard, formerly Harshman & Bernard, from 1988 to 2007, when she started a private practice.

She is a member of the Mahoning County Bar Association and Trumbull County Bar Association, member and past president of the Mahoning–Trumbull Academy of Trial Lawyers, former member of the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice, and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Association for Justice. Atty. Bernard also is a former member of the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee and a member and past chair of the American Civil Liberties Union of Youngstown.

In addition, she is a member of the Ohio Quarter Horse Development Commission and the Northeast Ohio Quarter Horse Association.

Atty. Bernard will be sworn in at the boardÕs meeting on Dec. 16.

Student receives Ohio Nurses Association honor

Michelle Evans, a senior nursing student at Youngstown State University, was recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Ohio Nurses Association.

Evans is a full–time student, registered nurse and mother of three. She graduated as a licensed practical nurse from the Columbus School of Practical Nursing in 1991 and as an RN in 1995 from Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio. She began her studies at YSU in 2007 on the RN to BSN track.

"It's good for my children to see me in school," she said. "I constantly preach education to them and how it helps define who you are and how successful you will be."

Evans was awarded the scholarship after composing an essay geared toward current nurses returning to school. The topic of the essay was cancer and how the disease has impacted the applicant's career. While Evans admits that the money helped with her college expenses, she was more concerned with getting the message of her essay out to the ONA.

"I wrote about an elderly homeless man who I had been taking care of. He was diagnosed with cancer," recalls Evans. "I was shocked that at the time, in 2008, how differently he was treated by the hospital and employees because he was homeless and looked different from 'traditional patients.' He also didn't have insurance. I wanted to let the ONA know that patients are still being stigmatized and judged by hospital staff. My message was about the utter importance of advocating for our patients, especially the disenfranchised."

Dorcas Fitzgerald, professor of nursing at YSU and board member of the ONA, had recommended the organization and their scholarship opportunities to Evans and her classmates. She was pleasantly surprised to see that Evans had been awarded the scholarship.

"I didn't even know she had applied," Fitzgerald said. "When I saw her name on the list of contest winners on the luncheon program flyer, I was thrilled. She is a top–notch student who asks great questions and does good research."

Evans will graduate in May and hopes to continue on to a master's program, with the eventual goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner.

Hollywood agent/producer/exec speaks on campus

Paula Wagner, a graduate of Hubbard High School who has worked in the top ranks of the entertainment industry as a talent agent, producer and studio executive, speaks 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center on the Youngstown State University campus.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Paul J. and Marguerite K. Thomas Colloquium on Free Enterprise at YSU.

Wagner is currently developing film, television, theater and new media projects through her new production company, Chestnut Ridge.

She began her career at Creative Artists Agency, representing some of Hollywood's top actors, directors and writers. In 1993, she launched Cruise/Wagner Productions with her former CAA client Tom Cruise. For the next 13 years, C/W Productions produced a wide range of pictures that earned numerous awards, widespread critical praise and global box office success. C/W's first film, "Mission: Impossible" brought the company the 1997 Nova Award for Most Promising Producers. Wagner went on to produce such critically acclaimed films as "Without Limits", "Shattered Glass", "Narc", "The Others", "Vanilla Sky", "Elizabethtown", "The Last Samurai", and "Ask The Dust", not to mention theinternational blockbusters "Mission: Impossible II", "Mission: Impossible III", and Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds."

Wagner was co–owner and CEO of United Artists Entertainment LLC from 2006 to 2008. During her tenure, she orchestrated relationships with some of the top talents in the business. 

Among the many awards she has received, Wagner was honored by Premiere magazine with the Women In Hollywood Icon Award in 2001 and was featured in Bravo's Women On Top documentary. She served as the president of the First–Time Directors Jury at the Venice International Film Festival and co–chaired the Hollywood Film Festival from 2002–2006. In 2007, she and her husband Rick Nicita were awarded the ACLU Bill of Rights Award for championing numerous film projects that highlight civil rights and civil liberties issues.

An ardent supporter of higher education, Wagner serves on the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University, where she received her degree. She is a member of the American CinemathequeÕs Board of Directors and sits on the board of the National Film Preservation Foundation through the Library of Congress. Wagner is also on the Executive Committee of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, served on the Board of Education for Interlochen Center for the Arts, and participates as a mentor to the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

University Theater presents The Baker's Wife

University Theater presents the musical The Baker's Wife Nov. 12 to 15 and Nov. 20 to 22 in Bliss Hall's Ford Theater.

Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while Sunday matinee performances are at 3:00 p.m. All seats are reserved.

An opening night dinner will be held Thursday, Nov.12, at 6 p.m. at the MVR on Walnut Street. Tickets are $15 for the dinner. Advance reservations for the dinner are mandatory by calling the University Theater Box Office at 330–941–3105. No walk–ins will be permitted.

Show tickets may also be reserved by calling 330–941–3105. Ticket prices are free for YSU students with ID; $10 for adults; $5 for senior citizens, YSU faculty and staff and high school and college students from other universities, Penguin Club members and YSU alumni. Parking is available in the Wick Avenue parking deck Thursday through Saturday for a nominal fee and is complimentary on Sundays in the parking lot next to the former Wick Pollock Inn.

Old world charm permeates every moment of this bittersweet, wise and gently offbeat fable of life, love and bread based on the book by Joseph Stein, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz . The musical was adapted by Stein and Schwartz from the film La Femme de Boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono.

Set in 1950's Provence, France, The Baker's Wife features the bickering residents of a small Provencal town who at last find peace and contentment in the heavenly bread of the newly arrived baker and his attractive young wife. But when she is lured away by the attentions of a handsome young gigolo, the middle–aged baker loses all zest for life and baking, throwing the community into chaos.

The production features18 songs and 18 cast members, representing new and veteran members of the University Theater stage. The cast consists of the following students with their characters and home towns included:

Shawna Jones, (Beloit, OH) DENISE (wife of the cafe owner)       
Zachary Campbell, (East Liverpool, OH) CLAUDE (her husband, the cafe owner)
Patrick McGuire, (Erie, PA) M. MARTINE (the teacher)
Laura Young, (Ambridge, PA) THERESE (the village spinster)
Joe Croft, (Scranton, PA) PIERRE (a villager)
Joe Pascarella, (Youngstown, OH) DOUMERGUE (a villager)
Cory Davis, (Munhall, PA) ANTOINE (a villager)
Aaron Kubicina, (Cortland, OH) BARNABY (the village butcher)
Julia Buttermore, (Columbus, OH) HORTENSE (his wife)
David Munnell, (Girard, OH) M. le CUREÕ (the priest)
Brandon Smith, (East Liverpool, OH) M. le MARQUIS (the mayor)
Montaja Simmons, (Pittsburgh, PA) SIMONE (the marquis' niece)
Jessica Schimdt, (Salem, OH) INEZ (the marquis' niece)
Kayla Boye, (Warren, OH) NICOLE (the marquis' niece)
Vaughn Schmidt, (Erie, PA) DOMINIQUE (the marquis' handyman)
Dorian Thomas, (Pittsburgh, PA) PHILIPPE (friend of Dominique)
Ben Reiter, (Hubbard, OH) AIMABLE CASTAGNET (the baker)
Deanna Scott, (Toronto, OH) GENEVIEVE (the bakerÕs wife)

Angel Venture capitalist featured in Williamson Symposium

Youngstown State University's Williamson College of Business Administration presents Catherine Mott, founding partner of BlueTree Capital Group and BlueTree Allied Angels in Wexford, Pa., as part of the Williamson Symposium Speaker Series on Tuesday, Nov.17.

Mott will present "State of the Industry – Angel Venture Capital" at 7:30 a.m. in the Jones Room in Kilcawley Center on the YSU campus. Reservations can be made by contacting Chris Shelton at 330–941–3068 or cgshelton@ysu.edu.

Other presentations are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the Cope Suite on the second floor of Williamson Hall. Mott received a master of business administration from Youngstown State University in 1988.       

Working with a venture capitalist and investing as an individual angel investor led Mott to researching "angel networks." After performing 18 months of research, she joined forces with Tom Jones in 2003 to start Western Pennsylvania's first "business model" angel network, BlueTree Allied Angels. In February 2008, Mott purchased Jones' share of the companies to become owner and CEO of both companies.

Mott has been a speaker at national and regional conferences, including the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds annual conference and the State Science and Technology Initiative Annual Conference, as well as the Michigan Growth Capital Conference and North Carolina's Angel Investor Summit. She has also served as a Corporate Ambassador for the U.S. State Department.

She has been featured in many professional industry publications as one of the few women who represent the industry of angel capital/venture capital.

Previously, Mott had founded Synergetics Sales Performance Group (formerly Strategic Sales Solutions) and Indigo Capital Development LLC. In 2002, she was recognized as one of Pennsylvania's 50 Best Women in Business, and in December 2003, Mott was the featured Entrepreneur of the Month presented on the website for the National Education Center for Women in Business.

Prior to forming her own businesses, Mott worked 17 years in corporate banking management, where she served in senior management roles for investment sales/wealth management, commercial lending, business development, and retail expansion.

The Williamson Symposium Series is an "executive on campus" program designed to bring corporate leaders to the Williamson College of Business Administration. Student interaction with highly successful business leaders provides an important dimension to their education.

Telecomm students 'Light the Wick' with new show

You're a tanned trumpeter in northern Californian who graduated from Youngstown State University's College of Fine and Performing Arts ten years ago. You'd like to see what's been happening around your old alma mater from time to time. Hey, maybe you're even thinking of sending your own child to YSU. But it's hard to stay in touch, and you're not much for reading.

What's a far–flung alumnus to do?

Lucky for you, YSU telecommunication students are now producing "Light the Wick"—a weekly, live–to–tape show about people and events in YoungstownÕs own arts corridor. New episodes are uploaded Friday evenings to www.lightthewick.blip.tv.

"Interesting people are what we're looking for. We're about the lifeblood of Wick Avenue," said Fred Owens, communications professor and supervisor for the show. Junior telecommunications major Keith Stinson added, "We want to try to brand our show as the place you would go to find out what's fun and different at Youngstown State."

Each episode of "Light the Wick" runs only seven to eight minutes, but the first show alone was packed with stories on the new dean of Fine and Performing Arts, upcoming Dana concerts and YSU theater productions, "Music at Noon" at the Butler, swing–dancing students, the lighting of the AT&T tower, a leadership program at the rec, the M–2 parking deck, Homework Express and the YSU Marching Pride drum lineÉto name a few.

"Pretty much every aspect leading up to the actual production is incredibly stressful – from assigning stories, to putting the scripts together, to making sure everything gets done," said Cheri Jones, senior telecommunications major and executive producer of the show. "But when Friday comes and everyone is in position and ready to go, it makes the whole thing worth it."

Jones and Stinson said that producing the show teaches what cannot be found in a book: experience. Owens added, "Our students are on a one–week production turn–around schedule, which is extraordinary because live–to–tape TV is high pressure and deadline sensitive. Students become extremely competent and capable problem solvers, and it gets them out of their comfort zones."

"It's exciting to think that we're putting together a show that might one day rival the productions from Kent State or Ohio University," Jones said. "We just want to give the students, faculty and alumni from YSU something to be proud of."

"Light the Wick" is also available through the Fine and Performing Arts homepage, http://fpa.ysu.edu/index.shtml, and the community can e–mail the show at light.wick@gmail.com.       

Center for Nonprofit Leadership announces interns
The Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Youngstown State University has announced its fall 2009 internship placements. Nine students have been placed in internships at regional nonprofit organizations through the generosity of the Raymond John Wean Foundation.

The paid internships are made possible by the Raymond John Wean Foundation. Interns are paid $9 per hour for 300 hours.

1. Boy Scouts of America – Greater Western Reserve Council: ScoutReach Leader; Student Intern: Travus Dusz, Senior, Physical Education Major, Nonprofit Leadership Minor and American Humanics National Certificate in Nonprofit Management

2. Children's Center of Mercer County: Classroom Assistant; Student Intern: Zainab Hammoud, Transfer Student, Nursing Major

3. Easter Seals of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties – Development Assistant; Student Intern: Adam Detwiler, Junior, General Business Administration Major

4. Junior Achievement – Marketing/Special Events Intern; Student Intern: Anthony Sudon, Senior, Marketing Major

5. Lake Milton Nature Arts Council, Inc. – Grantwriting Intern; Student Intern: Tami Young, Junior, Professional Writing and Editing Major

6. Lien Forward Ohio – Tax Lien Associate; Student Intern: Chauncey Hilton, Senior, General Business Administration Major

7. Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership (MYCAP) – Human Resource Intern; Student Intern: Terry Pryor, Senior, Communications Major

8. Students Motivated by the Arts (SMARTS) – Program Evaluation Assistant; Student Intern: La Vonn Snipes, Senior, General Business Administration Major, Nonprofit Leadership Minor, American Humanics Certificate in Nonprofit Management

9. Youngstown Area Jewish Federation – Accounting Intern; Student Intern: Kim Parson, Senior, Accounting Major

The Raymond John Wean Foundation has funded the internship program since the summer semester 2006. A total of 80 YSU students have been placed as interns in over 60 regional nonprofit organizations.

The Center for Nonprofit Leadership in the Williamson College of Business Administration at YSU provides training to students interested in pursuing a career in nonprofit management. The Center has five components: Academic (American Humanics National Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership & Nonprofit Leadership Minor); Internships; Student Nonprofit Leadership Organization (SNLO); Service Learning Citizen Scholar Program; and Professional Education (Non–credit).

For more information on the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, visit www.ysu.edu/wcba/nonprofitleadership or call 330–941–1870.

Central Blood Bank drive set for Nov. 16
The Department of Health Professions in Youngstown State UniversityÕs Bitonte College of Health and Human Services is sponsoring a blood drive on Monday, Nov. 16, in conjunction with the Central Blood Bank.

Central Blood Bank is a not–for–profit organization that serves more than 10 counties in western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio. Many of the hospitals that the Central Blood Bank serves host YSU students for clinical rotations and internships.

The blood drive will take place on Nov.16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in room 1103 of Cushwa Hall.  

Individuals interested in donating may register online at the Central Blood Bank Website: www.centralbloodbank.org. Walk–in donors are welcome, although registration is preferred.

For more information, contact Marquita Jones, Blood Drive student chair, at mmjones01@student.ysu.edu, or Terry Volsko, SORC faculty advisor at tavolsko@ysu.edu.

Holiday Sharing Table scheduled for Nov. 15
Youngstown State University's re:CREATE program is sponsoring a Holiday Sharing Table 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sebring.

The public is invited to donate unwanted but usable holiday decorations and take home free "new–to–you" festive dEcor. Drop off donations between 1 and 2 p.m. and "shop" for free from 1 to 4 p.m.

Decorations from any holiday and all seasons are encouraged, but only decorations in good condition are requested. Broken, damaged or hazardous items should not to be donated.

Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 930 North 12^th St. in Sebring. YSU re:CREATE is an environmental community outreach program.

Grant workshops set for faculty and staff
Edward Orona, director of the Youngstown State University Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs, will present a series of grant development workshops for YSU faculty and staff Nov. 16 and 17.

Grants 101 is an introductory workshop for new faculty and staff members and for those not familiar with the grant process. Grants 102 is an intermediate level workshop for faculty and staff who have had grant experience.

The workshop schedule is as follows:

Monday, Nov. 16: 10 a.m., Grants 101; 11 a.m., Grants 101; 1 p.m., Grants 102.

Tuesday, Nov. 17: 12:30 p.m., Grants 101; 2 p.m., Grants 102.

 

Workshops will be in room 2068 in Kilcawley Center. Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, contact Cheryl Coy at 330–941–2377 or ckcoy@ysu.edu.

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