Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University Global Trustee Jocelyne Kollay Linsalata has contributed $320,000 to the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign.

This gift brings her lifetime giving to YSU and the YSU Foundation to over $2 million, earning her recognition in the YSU Transformation Giving Society, which honors benefactors who have given $2 million or more.

Linsalata’s contribution will be directed toward one meeting room and one of the four entrances to the future Student Center, providing an enduring impact on the campus community.

“Jocelyne’s continued dedication to Youngstown State University is a testament to her belief in the power of education and her commitment to the future of our students,” said YSU President Bill Johnson. “This generous contribution will help ensure that our newly renovated Student Center becomes not only a reality, but that it serves as a hub of collaboration and innovation for generations to come. We are incredibly grateful for her ongoing support, which helps strengthen the foundation of our university.”

Linsalata, who was appointed as a national / global trustee in 2023, hails from Youngstown and has deep ties to the university. She is a graduate of Chaney High School and a two-time alumna of YSU, holding both a BA and an MBA. A longtime member of the YSU Foundation Board of Trustees, Linsalata served from 2007 to 2023, including a term as board chair from 2017 to 2019. She also led the “We See Tomorrow” fundraising campaign, YSU’s largest fundraising effort, which raised more than $126 million.

Scott Schulick, chair of the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign, praised Linsalata’s commitment.

“Jocelyne’s gift is transformative not only for the Student Center but for the entire YSU community. Her leadership and passion for supporting the university are unparalleled, and we are thankful for her continued role in shaping the future of YSU,” he said.

Linsalata also serves on the advisory council for the Williamson College of Business Administration and has received numerous honors from YSU, including the Friend of the University Award and the Williamson College’s Outstanding Alumni Service Award.

Outside of her contributions to YSU, Linsalata is deeply engaged in the Cleveland community. She serves on the Campaign for Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building Committee and the Committee for Student Success at Case Western Reserve University, in addition to her work with the Social Concerns Committee at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Gates Mills.

Her volunteer work also has extended to University Hospitals, Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, and the Village of Gates Mills. In 2014, she was recognized by the Cleveland Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as an Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer.

The Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign is a comprehensive initiative designed to transform and modernize Kilcawley Center, which serves as the heart of student life at Youngstown State University. The renovation will provide flexible, collaborative spaces that promote innovation, creativity and community-building. It is an investment in the future of YSU students, ensuring that Kilcawley remains a vibrant and essential space for generations to come.