Around Campus
Around Campus
Yulanda L. McCarty-Harris is the new director of the YSU Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity. McCarty-Harris previously served as procurement administrator for Lucas County Jobs and Family Services in Toledo. She graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas in 1998 and moved to Toledo two years Yulanda L. later. After a stint with a private law firm, McCarty-Harris she worked as a prosecutor and a labor and employment attorney for the city of Toledo, among other positions with the city. Norma Stefanik of Youngstown, urban designer in YSU’s Center for Urban and Regional Studies, received the Mahoning Valley Historical Society Directors’ Award of Achievement at the Society’s annual meeting in June. Stefanik came to YSU in 1995 as a staff architect in the facilities department and began working in the Center for
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Urban and Regional Studies in 1997. She developed the Sacred Landmarks Program, which included a survey of all the religious institutions in a threecounty area and a web site with photos of each church, synagogue or temple. She also served as restoration architect for two houses for the North Side Citizens’ Coalition in Youngstown, as well as project manager for the Cort- Norma Stefanik land Comprehensive Plan, in which she advocated that the city designate a National Register Historic District for their many well-preserved houses along their main streets. Stefanik was also recipient of a Getty grant that produced a five-speaker series composed of nationally known figures in New Urbanism, neighborhood revitalization, and commercial redevelopment. She also facilitated the Historic American Buildings Survey documentation of the Olive Arms home of the MVHS and encouraged the adaptive reuse of the Peck and Sacherman houses on the YSU campus. She was also architectural
ONORS
At YSU’s annual Honors Convocation in April, the following faculty members were recognized as 2006-07 Distinguished Professors:
For Excellence in Teaching
Rangamohan V. Eunni, Management; Timothy Francisco, English; Jean T. Hassell, Human Ecology; Debbie Juruaz, Health Professions; G. Jay Kerns, Mathematics and Statistics; and Zara Shah Rowlands, Human Ecology.
For Excellence in Scholarship
For Excellence in University Service
Annette M. Burden, Mathematics and Statistics; Gung-Hwa (Andy) Chang, Mathematics and Statistics; William D. Jenkins Jr., History; Stephanie Smith, Art; and William G. Vendemia, Management.
Watson Merit Awards
The Watson Merit Award is given to outstanding department chairpersons for administrative performance. This year’s recipients were Joseph J. Mistovich, Health Professions, and Susan C. Russo, Art.
Salvatore Attardo, English; James J. Carroll, Physics and Astronomy; Kelli A. Connell, Art; Stephen E. Rodabaugh, Mathematics and Statistics; and Mark F. Toncar, Marketing.
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Youngstown State University
Rick Shale, professor of English, and co-author Carol Potter, were recently honored in Cleveland by the Ohio Parks & Recreation Association with an Award of Excellence for their book, “Historic Mill Creek Park.” The book received a superior rating, the highest award in the category for print publications. Shale and Potter Rick Shale received the award at the OPRA 2007 convention. David Stout, the John S. & Doris M. Andrews Chair of Accounting in the Williamson College of Business Administration, received two prestigious national and state awards. He was named the recipient of the 2007 R. Lee Brummet Award from the Institute of Management of Accountants (IMA) and the 2007 Outstanding Ohio Ac- David Stout counting Educator Award sponsored by The Ohio Society of CPAs and the American Accounting Association – Ohio Region. Brenda Crouse, an academic advisor in the Rayen School of Engineering and Technology, has received an outstanding advisor award from Sigma Alpha Lambda National, a national leadership and honors organization. Crouse is the first chapter advisor. In May, the students who founded the Brenda Crouse organization on campus graduated. More information is available at http://sigmaalphalambda.org.
Student Success
For Excellence in Public Service
William R. Buckler, Geography; Iole Checcone, Foreign Languages and Literatures; Patrick R. Durrell, Physics and Astronomy; Cary Horvath, Communication and Theater; Victoria E. Kress, Counseling and Special Education; Anne M. McMahon, Management; Sharon P. Shipton, Nursing; and Victor Wan-Tatah, Philosophy and Religious Studies.
consultant for the nomination of four Wick Avenue churches to the National Register of Historic Places and formed a nonprofit group to work on the Welsh Congregational Church that was damaged by a fire.
From left – Bege Bowers, associate provost, Victor Wan TaTah, professor, Philosophy and Religious Studies, and Tim Francisco, assistant professor, English, donned academic regalia for Honors Convocation in Stambaugh Auditorium.
Alaina-Marie Hershman, a student in her final year of YSU’s physical therapy program, received the $5,000 Mary McMillian Scholarship, the most prestigious student award given by the American Physical Therapy Association. The national award, which is presented to a student for academic excellence, leadership and participation in the profession, is named after the late Mary Alaina-Marie McMillan, a dedicated pioneer of physiHershman
In Memoriam
Robert D. Fitzer Robert D. Fitzer, instructor of clarinet at the Dana School of Music, died May 16 of cancer. Fitzer had a distinguished 25-year career as a clarinetist and music educator. After making his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 19, he played for two years with the Chicago Symphony OrchesRobert D. Fitzer tra, with whom he recorded the Grammy-award winning Four Symphonies by Johannes Brahms. He played on various motion picture soundtracks in Hollywood and played in many long-run Broadway shows. Fitzer also performed on stage with jazz great Dizzie Gillespie, rock bands Yes, Styx and many other top entertainers. He was also a member of Cleveland’s Lakewood Band and served as soloist in 2004 with the YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble. He was a private school band director for four years, and spent several years serving as a first-call substitute teacher in all 31 Youngtown city schools. Aside from his work as a musician and teacher, Fitzer was extremely active in Youngstown-area community and civic affairs and is credited with saving several historic Youngstown buildings from the wrecking ball. In support of Fitzer, the Dana School of Music Clarinet Studio raised more than $3,000 for the American Cancer Society in this year’s Youngstown Relay for Life, in an effort called “Bob-ing for a Cure.”
cal therapy, the founding president of APTA and an esteemed teacher. Hershman received a bachelor’s degree in biology from YSU in 2004. The YSU student chapter of the International Institute for Electronics and Electrical Engineers won first prize in the IEEE Region 2 Student Activity Conference at the University of Cincinnati. The YSU team placed first in the “Brown Bag Design Competition.” The team consisted of Aaron Schott of Harmony, Pa., Edward Sutphin of Cranberry Twp., Pa., Kevin Carney of Poland, Ohio, and Carl Rossler of McDonald, Ohio.
Summer 2007
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