YSU spring 2025 commencement details

Yahoo

28-04-2025

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Graduates, get your cap and gown ready — it's almost time to walk.
Youngstown State University will split commencement ceremonies over Friday and Saturday this week, May 2 and 3.
The ceremonies are scheduled as follows:
Bitonte College of Health and Human Services – 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 2
Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Education – 10 a.m., Saturday, May 3
The College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics – 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 3
The Williamson College of Business Administration and the Cliffe College of Creative Arts – 5 p.m., Saturday, May 3
All ceremonies will take place in the main gymnasium of Beeghly Physical Education Center on YSU's campus. Tickets are not required.
Graduates should arrive an hour before their commencement, dressed in regalia, and report to the room indicated for their college, posted online here.
Free parking will be available in campus lots during the graduation celebration weekend. Handicap parking will be available in the M81 lot off of the Service Road. From there, a tram will be available to take guests to rear of Beeghly Center.
For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be livestreamed on YSU's YouTube channel.
BCHHS
Colonel Sarah Evans will be the guest speaker for BCHHS. Col. Evans oversees health services for over 65,000 trainees and 21,000 beneficiaries annually. She leads a team of 335 personnel supporting the base's dual mission of technical and flying training, including the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Training Program. Originally from Youngstown, Col. Evans began her military career in 1985 as a combat medic in the U.S. Army and was later commissioned into the Air Force Nurse Corps in 2000.
The BCHHS student speaker is Yvonne Uwamahoro, a seasoned mental health professional with two decades of international consulting experience in mental and public health, who is graduating with her Master of Social Work degree. Uwamahoro recently provided trauma-informed counseling for both survivors and perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. She has also led mental health awareness campaigns across Africa and internationally.
BCLASS
Speaking to BCLASS graduates will be Suzanne Barbati, a longtime advocate for education and community development. Barbati holds a bachelor's degree in Conflict Studies and Education from YSU. She is the founding director of OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science & Technology, where she led its transformation into a regional science and technology hub. Barbati also served as Director of Planned Giving before retiring. Her diverse career includes roles with the Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic, Mahoning County Commissioners and as a nonprofit consultant.
The student speaker is Jordan Pintar, a graduating Sokolov Honors College student, majoring in philosophy with a minor in political science. Pintar has held numerous leadership roles in student government, including president, vice president, parliamentarian and senator. She has contributed to the YSU campus community through active involvement and leadership, including her role on the Ethics Bowl team, which earned top regional honors and placed fourth nationally.
STEM
Chris Ciolli, director of Data & Technology Process Excellence at The Lubrizol Corporation, leads a global team focused on enhancing innovation through advanced data management and process optimization. A Youngstown native and Fitch High School graduate, Ciolli earned his chemistry degree from YSU and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His career spans over 20 years across the diagnostics, pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals industries, with leadership roles at Abbott Laboratories, Ricerca Biosciences and Lubrizol.
Elena Zandier, a graduating YSU student, majoring in civil engineering with a minor in mathematics. Also a member of the Sokolov Honors College, Zandier has excelled in academics and leadership in organizations such as the Society of Women Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers and Tau Beta Pi. She has also served as an undergraduate assistant, mentoring first-year engineering students and fostering their academic success.
WCBA/CCCA Speakers
Meghan Borsic is the head of design and senior vice president for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, bringing over two decades of creative leadership to one of the world's most iconic brands. Renowned for transforming bold ideas into reality, Borsic champions innovation and human-centered design across Disney's expansive media landscape. Her career includes influential roles at Meta and Amazon, where she led teams that developed groundbreaking global products.
Jacob Sylak is a graduating student, majoring in business administration. Balancing academics with NCAA Division I athletics, he maintains a strong GPA while leading the YSU Men's Golf Team as captain. Sylak has hands-on experience in sales and business development through his role as a Hospitality Sales Intern at P3 Hotel Software, where he supports U.S. market expansion and leads strategic client initiatives.
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