Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend the Community Engagement Symposium on Tuesday, April 16, on campus. 

Registration is now open. Please browse all breakout session topics and register for the tracks you will most likely attend; you will be able to change your selection if desired, though, on the day of the event.

We look forward to seeing you on April 16!

Contribute your favorite heart-healthy recipes to a digital cookbook being assembled for a fundraiser for the American Heart Association! All recipes (along with the name of the cookbook) are being contributed by YSU and the community.

You can submit your recipe and book name ideas here by March 18.

You can also purchase a copy of the cookbook for $10 now through April 10. Your digital cookbook will be delivered via email on April 11, the day of the AHA Go Red for Women event! 100% of the proceeds go to the American Heart Association.

Tell us your ideas for professional development in the areas of:

We would love to hear your thoughts for consideration in future opportunities!

Take the brief survey here.

Still not quite sure how to use YSU PenguinPulse? 

The Office of Community Engagement has developed a quick, one-page guide for faculty and staff to get started using the university's community engagement platform.

You can find the YSU PenguinPulse guide here.

The OCE website also has several FAQs to check out.

And if you would like a more comprehensive training, please sign up for this month's virtual training for YSU faculty and staff.

The Office of Community Engagement is excited to share a partnership with Akron Children's Beeghly Campus and the YSU Explore Afterschool Program at Brookfield Elementary School. This afterschool program is a Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center funded through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

As a youth development activity, the elementary students "built" stuffed animals with a loving touch to be given to patients at Akron Children's.

We are excited for this partnership and look forward to working with Jamie on future volunteer projects!

-Elizabeth Cianciola, Director, YSU Office of Community Engagement

From left, Sky O'Donnell, YSU site coordinator; and Jamie Demain, manager of Volunteer and Guest Services at Akron Children's Hospital.

As part of its strategic planning initiatives, YSU is dedicated to becoming a community-engaged campus by applying for the 2026 Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Community Engagement. This segment keeps you informed of the process every step of the way.

We will be hosting a news conference to kick off our “Road to Carnegie” initiative, a university-wide effort to apply for the Carnegie Foundation community engagement designation, at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 26, on the 5th floor of Maag Library. The news conference will also include an unveiling of a new community engagement exhibit in the same space.  

The exhibit depicts current service initiatives of YSU students, faculty and staff; community partner perspectives; community-engaged learning course work; and information about YSU’s journey to apply for the Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Community Engagement in 2026. Videos and display cases also showcase photos and artifacts of student projects in the Mahoning Valley.  

The event is open to the public. Please RSVP here.

NSSE Data Highlights YSU Seniors' Community Engagement Skills

In Spring 2023, YSU seniors participating in the NSSE survey were asked to rate their ability to “contribute to the well-being of [their] community” on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).

When student responses were averaged together, students at YSU rate their ability to do this higher than students from other participating institutions. In fact, 76% of Senior respondents rated their ability at either a 4 or 5, while only 67% of Senior respondents from other institutions did so.

That's not all! YSU seniors also excel in other areas of community engagement (rating of 4 or 5):

In partnership with the Office of Community Engagement, the Institute for Teaching and Learning shared NSSE data this spring related to community engagement through this newsletter. You can access additional NSSE data online at: ysu.edu/yourvoicematters or contact ysuitl@ysu.edu with any requests.

Crystal Bannon, Part-Time Faculty, Communications

Course with Community-Engaged Learning Component: CMST 1545: Communication Foundations

Crystal Bannon, part-time faculty in Communications, has been utilizing YSU PenguinPulse for a community-engaged project within her Communication Foundations course.

"Our last speech in CMST 1545 is a group speech. The students are broken into four groups and work together to find a community partner to connect with," said Bannon. "We will be working with four community partners. The students will choose their location after spring break."

Each group must first discuss and pick a worthy cause and then use YSU PenguinPulse to search for current related volunteer opportunities or community partners.

After researching and reflecting upon their chosen cause, the group presents a speech in class to discuss the outcomes of the research and the service they completed.

Crystal Bannon

For the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley.

Faculty and staff are still needed to help at this year's YSU Honors Orientation to interact with current students and parents in the morning or at lunch.

Sign up below by March 18. Use code "leadership" when registering.

In preparation for upcoming cultural events.

Volunteers are still needed for QUEST 2024 on the YSU campus. Multiple shifts available.

The YSU Office of Community Engagement is dedicated to creating a community-engaged campus driven by the value from mutually beneficial campus community partnerships. This monthly newsletter is your community engagement connection.

CONTACT THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Youngstown State University
One University Plaza
Youngstown, OH 44555
330.941.3000

1 Tressel Way | Youngstown, OH 44555 US