Staff photo / Neel Madhavan. From left-to-right: Emcee Bob Hannon, former Browns QB Bernie Kosar, former Steelers QB Cliff Stoudt and former Browns QB Brian Sipe participate in a fireside chat discussion during YSU’s “Evening with the QBs” fundraiser on Tuesday at The Lake Club in Poland.

POLAND — Since arriving at Youngstown State in March 2024, head coach Melissa Jackson has sought to host a major community fundraiser to benefit the program.

Having been in the works for several years, the event finally came to fruition on Tuesday night, as YSU hosted “An Evening with the QBs” at the Lake Club in Poland.

The itinerary for the evening featured dinner, a live auction and a meet-and-greet and fireside chat with a trio of legendary quarterbacks, including Boardman native and former Browns signalcaller Bernie Kosar, Youngstown State product and former Steelers two-time Super Bowl champion Cliff Stoudt and Browns passing record-holder Brian Sipe.

“We had this idea a few years ago. We talked about it, and thanks to YSU and (athletic director) Ron (Strollo) for all the support he gives us,” Jackson said. “I’ve been in some group chats with these guys, and I think we’re in for a real treat. I just really appreciate them coming out. Brian’s coming from California, Bernie’s local and Cliff’s coming from the Carolinas, so I appreciate their time.”

Jackson connected with the three quarterbacks through her father-in-law, Robert Jackson, who played as an offensive lineman for the Browns from 1975-85. He played with Sipe and Kosar with the Browns and played against Stoudt and the Steelers during his career.

Robert Jackson began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent out of Duke and ended up playing in 160 games, while starting 127, before being honored by the franchise as a Cleveland Browns Legend in 2014.

“I have to give a big thank you to my father-in-law,” Melissa Jackson said. “Obviously, (he) has some connections with Brian and Bernie and even Cliff, so he got on the phone with those guys and was like, ‘Hey, do you want to come out and do this?’ They will do anything for him, and I’ve gotten to know Bernie and Brian pretty well over the last couple of years, and it’s been pretty cool to connect with Cliff.”

Melissa Jackson said the program hoped to raise anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 and hopefully more during the course of the evening through tickets purchases, sponsorship opportunities, donations and an auction.

All the funds raised go towards the women’s basketball program and the YSU athletes. Jackson said some of it will go towards things like NIL, while some of it will also go towards culture building activities like the team’s annual summer retreat.

“You have a goal. You hope to get to that goal and you hope to exceed it. Having it at The Lake Club — the Muransky Companies has done an unbelievable job supporting us as well, and I wanted to have it here. I think it’s a great place to have our first event,” Jackson said.

“There will be multiple buckets that we use this money for, but I think the great thing about it is that it’s all going to go to our student-athletes and women’s basketball.”

Melissa Jackson has been steadfast in her appreciation of the support that she and the program have received from the Penguins community since she took over the reins.

That continued on Tuesday with the outpouring of support and financial contributions that the Penguins received at the fundraiser.

“I talk about this a lot, but I have felt the support ever since I got the job here,” Jackson said. “Now to have a year under my belt and build these relationships, I just can’t talk enough about how unique and how special Youngstown State is. We’ve been able to do this in a short amount of time, but that’s because of the people and how genuine they are and how much they love YSU and love Youngstown. They love women’s basketball, so it’s been really cool to build these relationships and garner new ones.”