N N IAL CEL O - Youngstown State University

Development
A lasting imprint
Tressels and Watsons Donate $1 Million to Centennial Campaign
In 15 successful years as the head coach of YSU’s
football team, Jim Tressel left a lasting imprint on the
Mahoning Valley.
In July, that imprint grew even larger as YSU announced
that Jim and, his wife, Ellen, and her parents,
Frank and Norma Watson, donated a combined $1 million
to YSU’s Centennial Capital Campaign.
“We are appreciative to the Watsons and Tressels for
their continued generosity and support of Youngstown
State University and its students,” YSU President David
C. Sweet said.
The gift will be used to help fund a new $3 million
indoor practice facility for YSU’s Intercollegiate Athletics,
particularly the baseball and football squads, women’s
soccer and softball teams, and the men and women’s track
programs.
The indoor facility will also serve as a university and
community resource, providing a large, climate-protected
venue for events and a training facility for local youth
organizations and high schools.
In recognition of the gift, the facility will be called the
WATTS Center (Watson And Tressel Training Site). YSU
has yet to identify a location for the facility.
“YSU will always hold a special place in my heart,”
said Tressel, who left YSU in 2001 to take the helm
of the Ohio State Buckeyes. “We believe in paying
forward, and it is our pleasure to be able to give back
to a university that has meant so much to us and to
help a project that will serve students for years to
come.”
U P D A T E
YSU’s Centennial Capital Campaign
continues to march forward to its overall goal
of $43 million. Of this amount, $19 million
is targeted to build endowments, $21 million
for capital improvements, and $3 million to
elevate annual giving.
At the time of this publication, the campaign
stands at $31,968,963 or 74.3 percent
of its goal.
YSU salutes the alumni, corporate friends,
foundations and individuals whose generosity
has propelled this success.
For information, contact the Office of
University Development at 330-941-3119 or
visit http://www.ysu.edu/givetoysu/.
From left – Jim and Ellen Tressel and her parents, Norma and
Frank Watson, together donated $1 million for an indoor
practice facility, which will be called the WATTS Center (the
Watson And Tressel Training Site) in recognition of the gift.
Dialin’&Smilin’
Phon-A-Thon Continues to Grow
Jacquelyn Daniel, annual giving coordinator, and Vince Gliatta, a
senior safety on the football team, celebrate his first pledge of the
night with the “daisy game.” Each time players received a pledge,
it became a competition among them to wear the daisy crown. The
student callers raised $88,000 for the YSU 2007 Annual Phon-A-
Thon. Sponors were Alltel, Nike, Wedgewood Pizza and Union
Square Sparkle Market. Funds go to programs and scholarships.
National City Bank has donated $300,000 to the Centennial
Capital Campaign. It is National City’s largest gift ever
to a public university in Ohio.
“National City has been a generous supporter of YSU for
many years, and this gift is further proof of the bank’s commitment
to the future of this university, its students and the
entire Mahoning Valley,” said President David C. Sweet.
From left – Betty Jo Licata, WCBA dean; Garry Mrozek, president,
National City Bank, Northeast; YSU President David C. Sweet;
and Ted Schmidt, National City senior vice president of
corporate banking.
Development
YSU In First Place For ‘Common Sense Investment’
First Place Bank Community Foundation has donated
$500,000 to YSU’s Centennial Capital Campaign to help
construct a new building for YSU’s business college. It is
the largest corporate gift to the Centennial Capital Campaign
thus far.
“First Place Bank’s long-standing, generous support
of YSU reflects the bank’s commitment to the university,
Youngstown and the entire Mahoning Valley,” said David C.
Sweet, YSU president.
“First Place is committed to investing in
YSU, the renaissance of the city of Youngstown
and the people of the Mahoning Valley,” said
Steven R. Lewis, chief executive officer of First
Place Bank. “This is our home, where we live
and work, and we are committed to sustaining
and improving the quality of life for everyone
here in the Valley.”
Over the past nine years, First Place has
contributed over $200,000 to YSU, including
the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness
Center, the Northeast Ohio Robotics Competition,
the Mahoning River Education Project,
the Rich Center for Autism, student scholarships,
the YSU Sponsorship Program, Homework
Express and Run with the Penguins.
Don Cagigas, a 1963 YSU graduate and a member of the
YSU Board of Trustees, is a member of the First Place Bank
Board of Directors, as are Ronald Volpe, YSU professor of
accounting and finance, and YSU graduates Tom Humphries
and Robert Wagmiller. Dave Jenkins, executive director of
the First Place Bank Community Foundation, is a 1973 YSU
graduate. In addition, 81 First Place employees are alumni or
are currently attending YSU.
Left front–Tony Lariccia, Capital Campaign chair; Betty Jo Licata, WCBA dean;
Steven R. Lewis, chief executive officer, First Place; David C. Sweet, YSU
president; and Don Cagigas, First Place Board of Directors; and YSU grads
who have a connection with the bank.
National City: Supporting YSU’s Special Vibrancy
The gift will go toward the construction of a new $30
million building for YSU’s business college.
“Our bank has been serving individuals and families in
this region for more than a century and a half,” said Garry
Mrozek, president of National City Bank, Northeast, who
earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business
administration from YSU. “Taking care of our communities
and their outstanding institutions is a responsibility that we
take quite seriously,”
National City has a long tradition of support for YSU,
including $25,000 to help fund the work of the YSU Operations
Improvement Task Force and $100,000 for the
construction of the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness
Center. The bank also provides numerous annual gifts,
including an endowed scholarship for business students.
National City is a key sponsor of the Williamson College
of Business Administration’s Annual Alumni Banquet, and
hires business interns and business graduates for full-time
positions. Mrozek is a member of YSU’s Business Advisory
Council and the President’s Council. Ted Schmidt, senior
vice president of corporate banking, is a member of the
college’s Nonprofit Leadership Community Advisory
Council and the Finance Advisory Committee.
38 Youngstown State University Summer 2007 39