History

Welcome

Hello! I want to tell you how pleased we are to welcome you to Youngstown State University and to the History Program. With a faculty of nine, we offer courses across a broad range of subjects and have something to interest everyone.

I hope that you will drop by and visit us on the fifth floor of DeBartolo Hall, Room 519. Please feel welcome to stop in for advice, general information, or just to chat. You may also want to watch for notices from our Student Clubs -- History Club, Phi Alpha Theta, and the Club for Jewish Culture -- about scheduled events throughout the semester.

I encourage you to drop by the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor located at 151 Wood Street on the southern edge of campus. The museum is managed by the History Program, and you and your guests are very welcome to visit us there. (Your student ID grants you free admission at any time.)

Dr. Brian Bonhomme
History Program Coordinator

Mission

The Program of History at Youngstown State University is dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of knowledge about the past, to edify our present, and better plan for the future. The program promotes and integrates scholarship, teaching, and service to educate its undergraduate and graduate students. It promotes civic engagement with the wider community. Through the teaching of history in and out of the classroom the program fosters understanding and appreciation of diversity and provides a global perspective. Our aim is to examine and disseminate knowledge of the past and of the nature of its study and reconstruction through a variety of educational experiences and historical methodologies and to train future scholars of history.

The student majoring in history must complete, in addition to the general University requirements, the group requirements outlined on the curriculum sheet. It is recommended that the student select courses with assistance from an advisor, since certain courses are preferable to others according to whether one contemplates graduate study, secondary school teaching, or any of the many other careers for which History provides excellent preparation.

The Bachelor of Arts in History can be completed in eight semesters if students average 16 hours per semester.

For more information, visit the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, which houses the History Program, in DeBartolo Hall, room 519 or contact us at (330) 941-3452.

YSU Youth Orchestra to present spring concert at Stambaugh Auditorium

The Youngstown State University Youth Orchestra will present its annual spring concert at Stambaugh Auditorium Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Directed by Dr. Michael S. Butler and assistant directed by Richard Smrek, the concert will feature a variety of musical pieces that showcase the diverse talent of the orchestra’s students.

Department of Art professor named winner of Distinguished Professorship Award

Michelle Nelson, a professor in YSU’s Department of Art, has been named the winner of a 2025-26 Distinguished Professorship Award in Service by YSU’s Academic Affairs Office. These awards, provided annually, recognize YSU faculty members for their exceptional contributions to students, their professions, and the community.

Concert Band and Wind Ensemble to perform concert at Stambaugh Auditorium

The YSU Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, led by directors Kate Ferguson and Michael S. Butler, respectively, will present a concert at Stambaugh Auditorium Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 7:30 PM. The concert, titled “With Heart and Voice,” will feature pieces with a connection to that theme.

McDonough Museum to host annual “Spring Graduating B.F.A. Exhibition”

The “Spring 2025 Graduating B.F.A. Exhibition,” featuring the art and design work of students graduating in the spring semester from YSU’s Department of Art, will open at the McDonough Museum of Art Friday, April 18, and run through Saturday, May 3. This exhibition gives students the opportunity to share the original and innovative discoveries they have made during their artistic journeys.

Dana OCMEA Chapter earns national recognition for Excellence in Professional Development

YSU’s Dana School of Music is proud to announce that its Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association (OCMEA) Chapter has been named a Chapter of Excellence by the National Association for Music Education in the area of Professional Development for the 2024-25 academic year. This prestigious recognition highlights the YSU OCMEA’s commitment to providing outstanding development opportunities for music education students.

Junior-level Department of Art students to exhibit work in Solomon Gallery

Junior-level Department of Art students will exhibit their work in the “Junior Portfolio Review Exhibition” beginning Monday, April 14, through Friday, May 2, 2025, at the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery, located in Bliss Hall. Prior to beginning their senior-level studio art courses, all junior-level art students are required to present their bodies of work for review in the form of this exhibit

YSU’s Jazz Ensemble to present concert featuring jazz classics and new music

YSU’s Jazz Studies Area will present a concert by the Jazz Ensemble, led by professor of music Kent J. Engelhardt, Monday, April 14, 2025, at 7:30 PM at YSU’s Ford Theater, located in Bliss Hall. The ensemble will perform a variety of jazz classics and new music, and vocalist Elizabeth Jadue will join the concert with her own performances.

Department of Art to host “Freshman Portfolio Review Exhibition” in Bliss Hall

YSU’s Department of Art will hold its annual “Freshman Portfolio Review Exhibition” on the fourth floor of YSU’s Bliss Hall beginning Monday, April 14, through Friday, April 18, 2025, from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. The exhibit will open to the public with a reception at 12:00 PM on April 14, showcasing the artistic achievements of first-year art students.

Trombonist Richard Stout to hold public masterclass at Bliss Hall

YSU’s Dana School of Music will welcome trombonist Richard Stout for a masterclass Friday, April 18, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at YSU’s Bliss Hall. A member of the trombone section of The Cleveland Orchestra since 2000, Stout has served as principal and second trombone in a variety of symphony orchestras for the last 35 years.

Dana School of Music to hold first annual Recording Day

YSU’s Dana School of Music will hold its first annual Recording Day at YSU’s Bliss Hall Friday, April 11, 2025, from 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Attendees will be treated to a live band recording session in the Dana Recording Studio, gain hands-on experience with recording and editing software, and learn from Dana professors and music students. Pre-registration is required.

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