By Cassandra Lucyk and Samantha Smith
With the new year beginning, the spring semester at Youngstown State University has begun and students have expressed excitement for the semester.
Cadin Tsvetkoff, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, said how she felt being back on campus.
“I’m very excited. I’ve been looking forward to being back [on campus]. It’s comfortable being here and I enjoy it. I look forward to it every day,” Tsvetkoff said.
Carter Cook, a freshman telecommunications major, said he was looking forward to the new semester.
“I feel great about being back. I think every semester is a new opportunity to learn stuff and meet new people and it’s great here. It’s a great environment,” Cook said.
Junior mathematics major, Nathaniel Willison, said this semester feels back to normal with people being back on campus again.
“Now that things are kind of in swing and, you know, a lot of people are back on campus. Like, classes are back on campus after the last couple years, so it’s pretty nice to get to see a bunch of old friends and have a good time,” Willison said.
While students adjusted to being back on campus, events planned by Student Activities were held during the first week of classes. Carolyn Jesko, assistant director of programming for Student Activities, explained the events for the beginning of Welcome Week.
“Monday [Student Activities was] planning just a welcome back coffee and breakfast in the lower arcade for students just to kind of create a welcoming environment,” Jesko said. “Tuesday, the one event that we’re doing is like The Price is Right: College Edition in The Hub that students can participate in.”
Jesko continued detailing the other events throughout Welcome Week including the Student Organization Fair, a live panel and a silent disco.
“Wednesday is the Student Organization Fair, which is a great opportunity to learn about student organizations,” Jesko said. “Thursday, we will have our Martin Luther King [Jr.] observance, kind of celebration in The Hub ongoing, throughout the day. We’ll have kind of a live podcast style panel where we’re collaborating with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King [Jr.] … and Friday the 13th, we have a silent disco.”
Students can attend each event for free. The Silent Disco will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Jan. 13, in The Hub.
Kathy Leeper, associate director of Kilcawley Center, said the number of students participating in Welcome Week events have grown.
“It seems like people have been really interested in coming out to things this year, compared to years in the past,” Leeper said. “People are increasing their willingness to come out more and more, and this fall, I just feel like people were really engaged and interested.”
For more information about Welcome Week events and upcoming events, visit YSU’s events webpage or visit the Penguin Experience’s Instagram.
