On April 4, 2022, the Ohio Department of Higher Education awarded an additional $1.4 million to Youngstown State University’s Choose Ohio First (YSU-COF) scholarship program. The YSU-COFSP 2022 award, Workforce Advancement through YSU STEMM (WAYS), promotes workforce development opportunities for YSU students through partnerships with regional employers, relevant training, and professional development. The award will support an estimated 100 new YSU students over 5 years in selected STEMM majors. These majors include engineering, engineering technology, computer science, mathematics, integrated mathematics and science education, economics, biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.

YSU-COF WAYS program includes the following:

• Facilitation of co-ops, internships, REUs, and other transcribed academic/professional work experience pathways to high demand STEMM careers: YSU staff and academic/professional leaders promote experiential learning opportunities at mandatory monthly cohort meetings.  COF awardees are required to seek out and participate in such experiences.
• Recruitment of STEMM talented students, especially from STEMM underrepresented populations  
• Academic support with private tutors as needed  
• Summer Bridge mathematics preparation course: The Summer Bridge provides a 20-day program, each day featuring an on-campus half-day of lectures, problem-solving, inquiry-based learning, team projects, and course portfolio development, followed by six hours of homework.  Students who successfully complete the Summer Bridge and achieve mathematics placement level required by WAYS scholarship eligibility are the highest priority YSU COFSP awards.

Applications, contacts, and program information for both the YSU-COF Summer Bridge and on-campus scholarship programs are available on the YSU-COF website.  

Recently, over 80 YSU student receiving COF scholarships traveled to Cleveland State University for the annual Regional Poster Symposium. Two YSU teams received "Top Poster" awards. You can read more about that HERE. Another team of YSU students was part of a team earning the "Best Undergraduate Poster" at QUEST. More on QUEST can be found HERE.

Support from across YSU made this award possible. Special acknowledgement goes to support provided by several offices and individuals, including President Tressel, Provost Smith, Dean Steelant, Associate Provost and Dean Cossentino, Assistant Provost Carol Bennett, Associate Provost Claire Berardini,  Ms. Emilie Brown, Ms. Sherri Hrusovski, Ms. Elaine Ruse, Mr. Patrick Hoffman, Ms. Becky Varian, and Ms. Jessie Jones.