Four YSU students won “outstanding presentation” awards at the 2007 MathFest in San Jose, Calif. From the left are Ryan Livingston of Hubbard, Tyler Drombosky of Boardman, Matthew Ward of Brewerton, N.Y., and Jeff Cornfield of Warren.

Calendar
Thursday, Sept. 6. YSU Board of Trustees quarterly committee meetings in McKay Auditorium, Beeghly Hall. 8 a.m., Investment Subcommittee; 9 a.m., Internal Affairs Committee; 10 a.m., Academic and Student Affairs Committee; noon, lunch.

Saturday, Sept. 8, 6 p.m. YSU Penguins open the home football schedule against South Dakota State University at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU’s dominance continues at national MathFest
Youngstown State University students continue to dominate the national MathFest competition.

In August, YSU sent a contingent of 15 students to the Annual Summer Meeting of the Mathematical Association of America and Pi Mu Epsilon in San Jose, Calif., also known as MathFest 2007.

Four of the students won awards for “outstanding presentations.” Over the last three years, YSU students have won 14 “outstanding” awards at MathFest competitions, including five in 2006 and five in 2005. In comparison, no other university has won more than three awards at any single competition.

“We are very proud of our students and their continued performance,” said George Yates, YSU professor of mathematics and statistics and director of the YSU Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURMath).

Students winning “outstanding presentation” awards this year were Jeff Cornfield of Warren, Tyler Drombosky of Boardman, W. Ryan Livingston of Hubbard, and Matthew Ward of Brewerton, N.Y.

Other students making presentations at the competition were Frank Ballone of Lowellville, Leanna Cluff of Sterling, Ohio, Tara Cruickshank of Austintown, Carrie Davis of New Middletown, Krista Foster of Girard, Nick Haught of Boardman, John Hoffman of Poland, Ohio, David Martin of Warren, Jared Ruiz of Girard, Doug Wajda of Farmdale and Moriah Wright of Ashtabula.

In addition, Ruiz served on a Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics student panel entitled "What THEY think is good teaching.” Ruiz and students from other universities gave short comments on what makes good teaching.

A student team from YSU, consisting of Drombosky, Martin, Wajda and Ward, was selected as one of four teams to participate in the Mathematical Jeopardy Demonstration/Contest.  

Yates, Angela Spalsbury, Jay Kerns, Doug Faires and Tom Smotzer were among the faculty members in the YSU Department of Mathematics and Statistics who assisted students with their projects and presentations. CURMath was also instrumental in boosting student participation and the quality of the talks. 

Singler named interim associate provost
Charles Singler, emeritus professor of geology at Youngstown State University, has been named YSU’s interim associate provost.

Singler’s initial areas of responsibility will include interfacing with the academic departments on academic issues.

Singler earned a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Nebraska and joined YSU’s faculty in 1969. He was chair of the Department of Geology from 1982 to 1987 and the chair of the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences from 2001 to 2005. He also was assistant to the dean in the College of Arts and Sciences from 1993 to 2000 and associate dean from 2000 to 2001.

He received YSU Distinguished Professor Awards in 1980 and 2004, the Faculty Service Award from the YSU–Ohio Education Association in 1982 and the Watson Award for leadership as a department chair in 2005. He has served and led many university committees and initiatives and has a long list of research and scholarship presentations and publications.

YSU Foundation elects directors, officers
The Youngstown State University Foundation recently elected its board of director.

Re–elected as directors are Anthony M. Cafaro, Dr. Y.T. Chiu, Alan W. Cope, Frank Hierro, Douglas McKay, Richard P. McLaughlin, Joseph S. Nohra, Joseph M. Schwebel, James Sisek, Paul J. Williams and G. Leo Winger. Newly–elected directors are Scott Schulick, Atty. Ted Thornton, Anthony Payiavlas, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, Robert O’Leary and Jocelyne Linsalata.

The following are nominated for the respective offices: Thomas J Cavalier, chair; Lee Burdman, vice chair; C. Reid Schmutz, president, and Paul J. Williams, secretary/treasurer.

The Foundation reported assets in excess of $160 million, which supports scholarships for more than 3,200 YSU students.

Alumni Terrace Dinners kick off this weekend
The Terrace Dinners, sponsored by Youngstown State University’s Office of Alumni Relations, return this football season with the first dinner scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 8.

The dinners, now in their 17^th year, are held 90 minutes before every home football game on the Stambaugh Stadium Terrace on the south side of the stadium. This year’s schedule:

• Saturday, Sept. 8, vs. South Dakota State, dinner starts at 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 15, vs. Stony Brook, dinner starts at 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 22, vs. Lock Haven, dinner starts at 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 29, vs. Missouri State, dinner starts at 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 13, vs. Southern Utah, dinner starts at 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 20, vs. Illinois State, dinner starts at 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 10, vs. Western Illinois, dinner starts at 11:30 a.m.

Reservations for the dinners are mandatory. For more information, call 330–941–3497. The cost is $8 for Alumni Society members and $12 for non–members.