The man who brought so much joy to the State of Ohio over the past 25 years is heading home. It was announced on Friday that the former head coach of Youngstown State University and Ohio State University, Jim Tressel, would be returning to Youngstown to be the next president of the university.
Tressel had been serving as Vice President for Strategic Advancement at the University of Akron for a year and a half before being promoted to Vice President for Student Success in December. He was also in the running for the president job in Akron but they ultimately named Scott Scarborough, from the University of Toledo, as their next president.
The board at Youngstown State University voted unanimously to offer Tressel after conducting a national search.
“After fully examining each and every candidate and reviewing the input from hundreds of individuals across the campus and the community, the Board of Trustees believes Mr. Tressel is the right individual at the right time to lead Youngstown State University,” board Chair Sudershan Garg. “Mr. Tressel has the personality and leadership skills, in addition to widespread community support, to dramatically raise YSU’s profile and prominence across Ohio and the nation.”
Tressel holds his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education from Baldwin-Wallace College and the University of Akron, respectively. However, he has not received a doctorate, which is viewed by many as a major qualification for the presidency position.
With the popularity and admiration the area holds for Tressel, the absence of a doctorate will be something easy to look past. His fundraising efforts and philanthropy will not only impact the university, but all of northeast Ohio.
