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President Anderson to Retire, Search Begins for Replacement The search is on for the next president of YSU. President Cynthia E. Anderson announced in December that she will retire July 1, after three years in office and more than 30 years of service to the university. “It has been a distinct honor and privilege – and a dream come true – to serve my beloved alma mater as president,” Anderson said. “Together, we have accomplished much during very challenging times. I am certain that the university will continue to flourish in the years ahead.” Anderson is the first woman, the first Mahoning Valley native and the first YSU graduate to serve as YSU president. A 17-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee and AGB Search Inc., a Washington D.C.-based consultancy, are assisting the YSU Board of Trustees in the national search for Anderson’s successor. “There is no more important decision that we will make as trustees than the selection of a university president,” said Sudershan Garg, board chair. “We are confident that our search will elicit much interest from highly qualified candidates across the country, and we look forward to a search that will be comprehensive, transparent and inclusive.” The board hopes the advisory committee will, by midMay, present to trustees three to five candidates for the position. The board hopes to make a choice by mid-June. Garg said he wants a “clean and honest” search that will identify “the best and most competent individual who can guide the university through difficult financial times.” He said four to six months is adequate time to conduct a search. “We will move fast and on an urgent basis,” he said.
Bob Woodward to Visit as Skeggs Lecture Speaker The Skeggs Lecture Series is bringing journalist Bob Woodward to Stambaugh Auditorium for a free lecture at 7:30 p.m. April 4. Woodward is best known for winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for breaking the Watergate scandal with colleague Carl Bernstein. He’s Bob Woodward authored or co-authored 17 books and was lead reporter for a team that won another Pulitzer in 2002 for its 9/11 coverage. The lecture is open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets will be distributed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 25 through 27 at the Information and PC Lab in Kilcawley Center. Call Alumni and Events, 330-941-3497, for more information.
Fall commencement Mike Garvey, president and chief executive of M-7 Technologies in Youngstown, replaced his mortarboard for a hard hat during his commencement address in December in Beeghly Center. “We are witnessing the emergence of the new Youngstown,” Garvey said. Also speaking at the ceremony was Vincent Deem, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. In all, more than 600 students received diplomas.
English Festival Launches Campaign The YSU English Festival, now in its 35th year, welcomes its 100,000th student this spring and is marking the occasion with a $100,000 fund-raising campaign. Festival organizers are launching the public phase of the campaign in February with hopes of reaching the goal this spring or summer. “This year, we really want to re-connect with the thousands of students and teachers who have been touched by the English Festival – not only to ask them to consider making a donation, but also to share with us their memories,” said Gary Salvner, Festival co-chair. The Festival annually attracts 3,000 junior and senior high school students to campus to discuss books, meet authors and participate in competitions. Salvner said the campaign will establish an endowment to support ongoing operations of the festival. For more information or to make a donation, contact Shanna Blinn in University Development at 330-941-2714 or slblinn@ysu.edu.
WINTER 2013
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