Jim Tressel Keynote Speaker for Mansfield City Schools’ Staff Opening Day

Named Youngstown State University’s ninth president in 2014, Jim Tressel received a contract extension through June 2020 last December.

Jim Tressel, president of Youngstown State University and coach of The Ohio State University’s 2002 national championship football team, will be the keynote speaker for Mansfield City Schools’ staff opening day on Aug. 20.

Teachers, administrators and support staff will hear Tressel during an 8:30 a.m. convocation in the Mansfield Senior High auditorium.

“Jim Tressel is an outstanding educator, motivator and a man of exceptional character. I am thrilled to have him join us to help ignite the Tyger roar that will carry us into a successful year,” said Superintendent Stan Jefferson.

Jefferson knows Tressel well. He served on Tressel’s Buckeye coaching staff from 2004 to 2010, first as associate director of football operations, then as director of player development. After Tressel left OSU in 2010, Jefferson continued to work with head coach Urban Meyer before retiring in 2017.

“We have an outstanding team ready and eager to help students succeed at every level,” Jefferson said. “Jim Tressel has built outstanding teams at OSU and at Youngstown State. He is the exactly the right person to share in the start of our school year.”

In December the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to extend Tressel’s contract through June 2020.

“By every measure, president Tressel has excelled in leading YSU over the past four years,” trustee chair Dee Crawford said. “His vision and determination have resulted in unprecedented gains in many important areas of the university’s operations. We look forward to continuing that momentum.”

Prior to being named YSU president, Tressel spent two years as executive vice president for student success at the University of Akron.