Friend of the University presented this week to Jocelyne Kollay Linsalata

Jocelyne Kollay Linsalata, a native of Youngstown, graduate of Youngstown State University and a philanthropic leader in the region, receives YSU’s Friend of the University Award at an invitation-only event Tuesday, May 21, at the DeYor Performing Arts Center in Youngstown.

“Jocelyne’s commitment of time and resources to the YSU community over so many years makes her a well-deserved recipient of this honor,” YSU President Jim Tressel said. “On behalf of everyone at the university, we thank Jocelyne for her continued support.”

The annual Friend of the University Award recognizes the leadership and contributions to YSU and the community by a particular individual or individuals. The event enables YSU to acknowledge individuals who have made significant financial or personal commitments to the university and the community.

Linsalata, who grew up on Youngtown’s West Side and graduated from Chaney High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in Education and French and an MBA, both from YSU. She has been a member of the YSU Foundation Board of Trustees since 2007, serving as chair from 2016 to 2018. She is currently chair of the Foundation’s $100 million “We See Tomorrow” capital campaign.

In 2016, she donated $1 million to the campaign to support the development of the Watson Student Success Center at YSU and to continue a scholarship endowment that supports Chaney and West Side students who are first generation college attendees. To date, dozens of students have been beneficiaries of the scholarship.

Linsalata is a member of the YSU President’s Council and the Williamson College of Business Administration’s Visiting Committee. As a member of the 2008 YSU Centennial Campaign cabinet, Linsalata’s gift of $500,000 endowed a gallery and meeting room in the new WCBA building. In 2014, she received the Outstanding Alumni Service Award from the college.

Linsalata, who lives in the Cleveland area with her husband, Frank, serves as a vice president of the Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital Foundation Board at University Hospitals. In 2012, she co-chaired the campaign for a new $40 million Emergency Department at University Hospitals. At Case Western Reserve University, Linsalata was a member of the Architectural Selection Committee for the Tinkham Veale Student Center, and she currently serves as an advisor to the Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence.