YOUNGSTOWN — Ellen J. Tressel, philanthropist and community leader, will speak at Youngstown State University’s spring commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. May 6 at Stambaugh Stadium on campus.

Elizabeth Brassell, a social work major from Wickliffe, also will address the nearly 1,600 graduates as the student speaker.

The event will be held rain or shine, but if the weather is extreme, the ceremony will be switched to 1 p.m. May 8. Tickets are not required. The ceremony also will be live streamed on the YSU YouTube channel.

Born in Youngstown and raised in Canfield, Tressel has been an active advocate and leader for Ohio throughout her adult career. A graduate of YSU with a degree in business education, Tressel since has had her hands wrapped around the region’s economic activities and community causes.

Landing her first job working for The Youngstown Welding and Engineering Co., she worked her way up to director of purchasing until the role of motherhood called. Returning to the workforce after a brief interlude, she worked for Jostens Printing and Publishing, and Butler Wick and Co. earning the role of vice president of trading. She obtained several licenses in the securities business while managing marketing, sales, product promotion, OTC equities and new product introduction until her “retirement” in July 2001.

From then on, Tressel has spent her time giving back to the community while serving on numerous boards and service organizations including the James Cancer Hospital Foundation board, Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation board, the Home Savings and Loan Board and COSI in Columbus, just to name a few.

Continuing her involvement with YSU and the community, Tressel is co-chairing, with her husband former YSU President Jim Tressel, the campaign for the Zoldan Family Student Center, and remains a member of the Beatitude House board and the Mahoning Valley Historical Society board.

Brassell lives with cerebral palsy and uses a motorized wheelchair for her mobility. She recently became first-runner up in the Ms. Wheelchair Ohio competition, which has afforded her new platforms to continue her advocacy. She is driven by a passion for helping others and takes pride in serving her community. She has a fondness for writing and would someday like to become a published author. She plans to continue her studies in social work to earn her master’s degree from YSU with an emphasis of becoming an advocate for social change.