YOUNGSTOWN — Taking his final bow as Youngstown State University president, Jim Tressel was celebrated by a large crowd consisting of students, faculty, administration and staff members wishing to bid their final farewell to the outgoing president in the Chestnut Room inside Kilcawley Center.

“I think any time you’re getting ready to make a turn in life, you want to feel confident that all of the love that you put into it will continue,” Tressel said.

Tressel said he has faith in those who will continue serving the university, and said he’s confident they’ll continue building on the legacy he leaves behind.

“With the people that are here and people I know that we have in positions, this place will continue to be loved and continue to increase its excellence and continue to be so important for this region,” he said.

Those in attendance got a first glimpse at incoming interim president Helen Lafferty, who was introduced to the crowd by Tressel before lending a few words to the occasion.

“We’re so lucky that one of our own is going to step in and just take us to the next level,” Tressel said of Lafferty.

“She’s been kind enough to accept the invitation by our board to come and make a difference at her school in her town with her kids, and her faculty and her staff, and after meeting with her all morning yesterday, she has a dream of how good this place can be,” Tressel said.

Lafferty is taking a year long sabbatical as an administrator at Villanova University to serve in the interim role.

Taking the mic, the crowd laughed as she posed the question she said has been asked of her numerous times: “What is it like to follow after Tressel?”

A lesson Lafferty said she once taught her students entering leadership roles was to follow leaders who didn’t do so well. Lafferty noted it’s the exact opposite of what she’s doing as she looks to assume the interim role following Tressel.

“One of the things about Tressel, he behaves in the same way as the rhetoric he preaches — with trust, with loyalty and with integrity,” Lafferty said.

Lafferty, who was born and raised in Youngstown, said she’s excited for the chance to come home.

“If I live 10 lifetimes, I could never repay YSU for all it’s done for me. So if this is my part in the school play, I’m willing to play it for all of you,” Lafferty said.

Lafferty will begin her tenure as interim president Feb. 1.

Board of Trustees Chairman John R. Jakubek called the celebration a thank you celebration as he reiterated some of Tressel’s accomplishments, while remembering him as a leader that wasn’t afraid of criticism or admitting when he came up short.

“He would present the goals at the board meetings, tell us where he fell short, tell us what he was going to do to get to the point where he felt that those goals were going to be achieved, and he did that,” Jakubek said.

Speeches from members of the YSU Student Government Association, including President Nickiforos Mastorides and Executive Vice President Maguire Franko gave moments of levity as the two recalled working side by side with Tressel over the past few years.

The two shared life lessons they learned from Tressel that included phrases and sayings like “if you know something is right, act on it now;” “don’t accept the ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ mentality;” “monta virtue,” a saying that means increased excellence; and to always be punctual.

To round out their remarks, Mastorides said, “You wanted people to see you as the right president for the right time, just as any other president would want. Without a doubt, I think you’ve left not only that legacy, but much more.”

Members of SGA then presented Tressel with a gift — a penguin stuffed with notes collected from students.

To conclude the night’s farewell ceremony, Tressel’s parting words assured those in attendance that this was not the final farewell, just the bittersweet start of a new chapter.

“This isn’t the farewell time, this is taking a little different path and a little different tasks. And, as always, I can promise you and speak for Ellen, anything that we can do for this place, we’ll do. Thanks so much. God bless you.”

Tressel has expressed interest in staying involved with YSU and continuing to fundraise for the university.