Month: February 2026

YSU joins in the celebration as the United States observes its 250th birthday! The Reeder Endowment is the primary sponsor of YSU’s 250 celebration, including a variety of special events that will be held over the 2026-2027 calendar year. Check the website for more information!

The festivities kicked off on January 9, with “Tavern Talk: An Evening with George Washington.” George Washington interpreter Curt Radabaugh gave a wonderful, first-presentation about Washington’s service in the Continental Army. Meanwhile, guests enjoyed the “George”–an authentic beer recipe recorded by George Washington and brewed special for the event by Noble Creature Wild Ales and Lager.

The fall semester was a busy one! Reeder programming got off to a slow start due to changes in state laws governing guest speakers on campus. Still, we welcomed Andrew Och in November. Och is an author and award-winning television and multimedia producer. His presentation, “First Ladies Man,” was an interactive lecture focusing on the roles played by First Ladies in wartime.

In December, the Reeder endowment supported a student bus trip to the annual Antietam Memorial Illumination. During this special and awe-inspiring event, the battlefield is lit by 23,000 candles–one for each casualty in the bloodiest single-day battle of the American Civil War. Students enjoyed a guided tour of the battlefield, as well as a side trip to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.