YSU Students Mirror Concerns of Youngstown Residents - The News Outlet


The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. paid a visit to Youngstown State University’s campus April 14. They talked about issues facing the city and where students stood on the matter.

Here’s Rick Pollo.

The YNDC spoke to a handful of YSU students at the Kilcawley Center on Monday, explaining the major issues facing Youngstown and it’s neighborhoods. Population loss and a devaluing housing market were among the issues presented.

YSU student Eric Shehadi says city issues parallel those of the university.

SHEHADI: We face a lot of the same challenges. YSU has seen enrollment decline. The city, we’re seeing a population decline. How can we attract residents to the city? How can we attract students to the university? A lot of these issues go hand-in-hand.

Shehadi, who is also a student trustee, is happy YNDC had a meeting on campus.

SHEHADI: I was glad to see that they were having one at YSU. Like I said, I think that YSU plays perhaps the most integral role in the future of this city.

YNDC Neighborhood Planner Tom Hetrick says residents view YSU as one of the city’s top assets.

HETRICK: We will be identifying where it makes sense to make improvements, and that would be around where the major assets are to kind of improve the conditions right around and make them more attractive, make them places where people would like to go and visit.

The YNDC expects to work with interns from YSU’s Center of Urban and Regional Studies.

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