YSU Announces Speakers for Spring 2024 Commencement

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State University’s spring 2024 commencement will be separated into six ceremonies, one for each college, on Saturday and Sunday. 

Each ceremony will feature a ceremony and student speaker. Unless otherwise noted, all ceremonies will be held in Beeghly Center on the YSU campus.

Saturday 

9 a.m., College of Graduate Studies

Bill Brown, a decorated veteran and YSU graduate, will speak at the graduate studies commencement ceremony. Brown served five years in the military, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross during his service. 

After his military career, Brown enrolled at YSU where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, double majoring in law enforcement administration and nursing in 1977. Brown then earned a master’s degree in health and safety education from Indiana University. He became director of the Paramedic Program at YSU in 1979. Brown went on to serve in various leadership positions at the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians and received several awards for his national involvement and leadership in emergency medical services.

Judin Balella of Dearborn, Italy, who is receiving his Master’s of Arts degree in professional communication, is the student speaker.

1 p.m., Bitonte College of Health and Human Services

Joseph Mosca, who served YSU for more than 30 years, will give the ceremony speech at the BCHHS commencement ceremony. Mosca began working at YSU as an assistant professor in 1989, eventually becoming chair and then dean of BCHHS. In 2018, Mosca became interim provost and vice president of academic affairs until he retired in 2019. 

Mosca has volunteered as a board member and chairman of several local organizations, and he currently serves as chairman of Mercy Hospital Board of Directors and is a board member for Help Hotline of Northeast Ohio, the Diocese of Youngstown Diocesan Review Board and Dorothy Day House.

Hannah Newton of Columbiana, Ohio, who is earning her Bachelor of Science degree in medical laboratory science, is the student speaker.
 

5 p.m., College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Chris Allen, the North American director of Talent Management for Vallourec USA, will give the ceremony speech at the College of STEM commencement. Allen graduated from YSU in 1992 with a degree in telecommunication studies. 

Through Vallourec and his focus on talent acquisition, training and development, Allen works with the students of the YSU STEM College to coach them and give career advice. Allen also serves as the board vice president for the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition.

Alexa Beyer of Dewitt, Mich., who is earning her Bachelor of Science degree in astronomy and physics, is the student speaker.

Sunday

9 a.m., Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Education

Ashley Anderson, who graduated from YSU in 2007 with a degree in psychology, will give the ceremony speech at the BCLASSE commencement. Anderson’s master’s thesis research at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California led to an internship with the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees. She then became a consultant on migration, human trafficking and forced labor for the International Labour Organization. 

Anderson went on to work in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Turkey with the U.N. to aid refugees and was selected for the Junior Professional Officer program within the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. She works as an associate communications officer with the U.N. Refugee Agency in Istanbul.

Nathaniel Strobel of Canfield, Ohio, who is receiving his bachelor’s degree in history, is the student speaker.

1 p.m., Williamson College of Business Administration

Dexter Caffey, a YSU graduate and the CEO of Smart Eye Technology, Inc. will give the ceremony speech at the WCBA commencement. Caffey graduated from YSU in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in finance, after which he founded an alternative investment firm in 1998. 

Over the span of 23 years, he collaborated with major publicly traded U.S. companies through his firm, Caffey Investment Group. In 2018, Caffey founded Smart Eye Technology, a biometric authentication platform that uses continuous facial recognition, voice recognition and other biometrics to authenticate users.

Annabelle Himes of Canfield, Ohio, who is receiving her bachelor’s degree in human resources management, is the student speaker.

5 p.m., Cliffe College of Creative Arts (ceremony will be in Bliss Hall)

Larry Davis, who earned a bachelor of fine arts from YSU in 1976, will give the ceremony speech at the CCCA commencement. He was employed at the Walt Disney Co. for decades, holding numerous positions. 

In 1986, Davis began pursuing his own design firm, stepping away from Disney. He was represented by several Los Angeles-based art galleries as well as in New York. Davis eventually returned to Disney where he continued creating art, including a commission piece for a 17-foot-tall outdoor sculpture in Burbank; and shows in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Highland Park and Portland, Oregon. 

In his time at Disney, Davis traveled around the world and relocated to Shanghai to work as executive producer and creative director for the Shanghai Disneyland Main Entrance. Upon retirement in 2016, he moved back to Los Angeles to begin the next phase of his life, while continuing to work on a new series of sculptures. He recently showed several of the new pieces at The Pershing Square Building Art Galleries in downtown Los Angeles.

Gunnar Carwile of Hicksville, Ohio, who is receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater, is the student speaker.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.