Youngstown State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Youngstown Association School (1908–1921) Youngstown Institute of Technology (1921–1928) Youngstown College (1928–1955) Youngstown University (1955–1967) |
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| Motto | Animus Liberatus (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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The Mind Freed |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1908 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Ohio |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $321.5 million (2024) |
| President | Bill Johnson |
| Provost | Jennifer Pintar |
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Academic staff
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977 |
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Administrative staff
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160 |
| Students | 11,076 (fall 2023) |
| Undergraduates | 8,468 |
| Postgraduates | 2,608 |
| Location |
,
U.S.
41°06′24″N 80°39′01″W / 41.1067°N 80.6503°W |
| Campus | Urban, 160 acres (65 ha) |
| Colors | Cardinal and white |
| Nickname | Penguins |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I Horizon League Missouri Valley Football Conference Mid-American Conference Conference USA |
| Mascot | Pete the Penguin |
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Youngstown State University, or YSU, is a public university in Youngstown, Ohio. It started in 1908 and is part of the University System of Ohio.
YSU has six colleges for undergraduate students and one for graduate students. It offers over 100 different study programs for undergraduate degrees. There are also 50 programs for graduate degrees, including doctoral studies. More than 11,000 students attend YSU. The university also has over 115,000 former students around the world.
YSU's sports teams are called the Penguins. They compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Most sports teams are part of the Horizon League. The football team plays in the Football Championship Subdivision of the NCAA. The bowling team is in Conference USA, and the lacrosse team is in the Mid-American Conference.
Contents
History of YSU
The university began in 1908 as the Youngstown Association School. It was a law school started by the local YMCA. In 1921, it became the Youngstown Institute of Technology and started offering evening classes.
In 1928, the school changed its name to Youngstown College. This happened after it added a College of Arts and Sciences. In 1955, it became Youngstown University because it offered more types of studies. On September 1, 1967, the school became a public university. It was then renamed Youngstown State University.
After becoming a public university, YSU opened a Graduate School. It also started a College of Applied Science and Technology. In 1974, the College of Fine and Performing Arts was created.
In 2024, Eastern Gateway Community College paused new student enrollment. YSU then considered opening a new campus in Steubenville, Ohio. This would help students who were affected by the change at Eastern Gateway.
Exploring the YSU Campus
YSU's campus is about 160 acres. It is located just north of downtown Youngstown.
Student Life Hub: Kilcawley Center
Kilcawley Center is the main student building on campus. It has places to read, computer labs, and different restaurants. Many student groups have offices here. This includes the student newspaper The Jambar and student radio Rookery Radio. The center also has rooms for meetings and events.
Historic Buildings on Campus
Jones Hall was built in 1931. It is one of the oldest buildings on campus. It was named after Dr. Howard Jones, the university's first president. Today, it holds administrative offices.
Fok Hall is the oldest building on campus, built in 1893. It houses the Sokolov Honors College. It was renamed in 2014 after a large donation from Maria Fok. Her husband was a professor and trustee at YSU.
The Wick Pollock Inn became the university president's house in 2013. This renovation project cost over $4 million.
Specialized Campus Facilities
The Veterans Resource Center is a special place for student veterans. It is 6,000 square feet and fully accessible for people with disabilities. It has offices, lounges, and computer labs just for military students and their families. It was the first facility of its kind at any university in Ohio.
Melnick Hall is home to the YSU Foundation. It also houses WYSU-FM 88.5, the university's public radio station. This station is connected with NPR.
Bliss Hall is where the Cliffe College of Creative Arts is located. This includes departments for Art, Theater & Dance, and the Dana School of Music. It also has the Department of Communication. The building has a 390-seat Ford Theatre and a 248-seat Bliss Recital Hall. It also has practice rooms, a TV studio, and art studios.
Ward Beecher Hall holds the science departments. These include biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy. It has 31 laboratories, a planetarium, and a greenhouse. The planetarium opened in 1967.
Tod Hall contains the main administrative offices. This includes the offices of the president and the Board of Trustees. Other academic buildings on campus include Beeghly Hall, Cushwa Hall, and DeBartolo Hall.
Campus Museums
The McDonough Museum of Art is one of two art museums in Youngstown. It is connected with YSU's Department of Art. The museum is 14,000 square feet. It shows art from students, faculty, and local artists.
The Butler Institute of American Art is also on YSU's campus. It is a very important art museum in Youngstown.
Academics at YSU
YSU has seven colleges for undergraduate and graduate studies:
- Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Science & Education
- Bitonte College of Health and Human Services
- Cliffe College of Creative Arts
- College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
- Williamson College of Business Administration
- College of Graduate Studies
- Sokolov Honors College
YSU offers about 100 undergraduate majors and 40 master's programs. It also has five doctoral degrees. YSU works with other schools for special programs. For example, students can study law with the University of Akron. They can also study medicine with the Northeast Ohio Medical University.
The Dana School of Music at YSU became an "All-Steinway" school in 2004. It is one of the oldest music schools in the United States that is not a conservatory. The Williamson College of Business is approved by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
YSU also offers online degree programs. Some programs allow students to earn a degree in three years. Since 2004, YSU has been part of the Youngstown Early College program. This program lets high school students earn college credits and even an associate's degree.
Research and Study Centers
YSU has several special centers for research and development. These include the Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering. There is also the Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering. The Natural Gas and Water Resources Institute started in 2012.
The university is also home to the Center for Working Class Studies. It offers a Regional and American Studies program. This was the first program of its kind in the United States.
Maag Library
The Maag Library opened in 1976. It was named after William F. Maag, Jr., a trustee of the university. The library has over 500,000 books. It also has access to collections from 84 other Ohio schools through the OhioLINK program. The library is a six-story building. It also houses the writing center.
The Archives and Special Collections are on the fifth floor of Maag Library. They keep important historical items. These items relate to the school, Youngstown, and its history in the iron and steel industry.
Student Life at YSU
In fall 2019, about 12,155 students attended YSU. About 10% of these were high school students taking college classes. YSU has about 2,100 full-time and part-time employees. There are 426 full-time faculty members. Most instructors have doctoral degrees. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14 students for every 1 teacher.
YSU has five residence halls on campus. These are Cafaro House, Kilcawley House, Lyden House, Weller House, and Wick House. There are also many private apartment buildings near campus for students.
YSU Sports: The Penguins
The sports teams at YSU are called the Youngstown State Penguins. They are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The football team plays in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Most other sports teams are part of the Horizon League.
YSU has many sports teams, including:
- baseball
- basketball
- cross country
- football
- golf
- swimming
- diving
- tennis
- track and field
- volleyball
- softball
- soccer
- lacrosse
- bowling
Football Success
The Youngstown State Penguins football team plays in the Football Championship Subdivision of NCAA Division I. They play their home games at Stambaugh Stadium. YSU football has been very successful. They have won four national championships under former coach Jim Tressel. This is the third-highest number of titles in their division. The Penguins have been in the playoffs 13 times.
Basketball Teams
The Youngstown State Penguins women's basketball and Youngstown State Penguins men's basketball teams play at Beeghly Center. This arena has 6,300 seats. The women's team has played in the NCAA Division I Tournament three times. The men's team has played in the NCAA Division II Tournament nine times.
Famous People from YSU
