The YSU Foundation is pleased to announce that Lee and Bonnie Burdman, and their children, Korey, Taylor, and Lexi, have made a $250,000 gift to create a fellowship for the James P. Tressel Institute for Leadership and Teamwork at Youngstown State University.
The Burdman Family Fellowship will provide a financial literacy peer mentor for undergraduate and graduate students at YSU. Financial literacy is one of the seven badges students earn, leading them to a certificate for completing the Tressel Institute program. Lee and Bonnie were also among the leading benefactors for establishing the James P. Tressel Endowed Chair in Leadership at YSU this past January.
The program is designed to prepare and empower YSU students to direct organizations and guide individuals to succeed in their given endeavors. Additionally, students will have leadership opportunities through credit courses, workshops, travel abroad, group projects and more.
“We established the fellowship because financial literacy is another component that helps students prepare for the workforce,” said Lee and Bonnie Burdman.
“Under President Tressel’s leadership, YSU has seen tremendous growth. The Institute is another way to recognize and honor everything he has done for not only the University, but the city of Youngstown.” they added.
Lee and Bonnie have significantly impacted the Mahoning Valley through their civic engagement and volunteer leadership. They recently served as cabinet committee members for the $100 million We See Tomorrow campaign at YSU. Lee is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Redstone Investments in Youngstown, with an office in Tampa, Florida. He has served as a YSU Foundation board member since 2000 and was chairman from 2011-2013. Lee is also the treasurer of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation board.
Bonnie is the executive director of community relations and government affairs at Youngstown Area Jewish Federation. Formerly, she was a board member and chairwoman for the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber.