Incoming Lion Zach Young is supported by his father, Eric Young ’97, in his higher education journey at Mount St. Joseph University.
With a campus nestled within the heart of suburban Cincinnati, Mount St. Joseph University has welcomed multiple generations of families since its founding. In the upcoming school year, several new families will become part of the Mount Community for the first, second, or third time. According to alumnus Eric Young, he always speaks highly of Mount St. Joseph University to any considering families.
Eric graduated from the Mount in 1997 with an English degree, also minoring in written communication. As a result of his education, Eric has enjoyed a long career in marketing and communications. “I attribute a passion for writing and storytelling that was directly a result of my time at the Mount,” he adds.
In 2017—20 years after graduating—Eric became involved in the Alumni Advisory Committee at the Mount, serving as their president for a brief time. “In this role I’ve assisted with fundraising, representing the alumni at events, selection of scholarship recipients, and general advocacy for the committee in urging alumni to stay involved with the Mount.”
The committee’s work is crucial in upkeeping alumni involvement and events, as well as fundraising for said events.
Eric currently lives in Reading, Ohio with his wife and two sons. The oldest, Zach, will be attending Mount St. Joseph University in the fall, just as his father did years ago.
Thanks to Zach’s enrollment, the whole Young family can become even more intertwined with the university. “I’ve already been more involved [at the Mount] in the last five or six years than at any time since 1997. I’m sure the family as a whole will attend a few more events here and there, but it will be a different perspective as the parent of a student versus as an alumnus,” Eric excitedly confirms.
Passing the Torch
“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been interested in the Mount,” said Zach Young, “As kids, my brother and I were given the chance to attend many events at the University, which never [disappointed].”
Thanks to his father’s continued involvement at his alma mater, Zach has always had a positive view of the campus and environment.
“The resources given to students is unmatched compared to the other colleges and universities I visited,” Zach assures. “I also loved the sense of community when I took my tours around the campus, as well as the small class sizes, which guarantees a better education.”
Zach will enter the Mount with a double major in Sports Management and Social Computing, therefore placing him within the cITe program. “The Social Computing major wasn’t originally my plan, however, after learning about the cITe program, and everything it offers, I decided to pursue that path,” Zach said. “The skills I’ll acquire from the program will aid me in my future career.”
Social computing looks at human behaviors and needs in order to design technology-based solutions. Students in the cITe Scholars Program have an exclusive opportunity to co-op as paid cITe support scholars, working directly with professionals in the industry to hone their technical skills.
By enrolling in this program, Zach gains the benefit of being able to graduate with not one, but two bachelor’s degrees.
“I was also drawn in by the ability for me to combine my other intended major with the program. Words cannot explain how excited I am for this experience.”
The Importance of Support
Eric is looking forward to the change from an alumnus, to a parent. “My wardrobe is already being updated from shirts that say Mount St. Joseph University Alumni to Mount St. Joseph University Dad,” he laughed.
While a fervent Mount supporter, Eric tried his best to let Zach’s decision be his own. “He had some great options in front of him, but it was his choice and I knew he would do what’s right for him no matter his decision,” he confirmed. “I love the Mount and believe in the Mount, but I tried to have no real influence on his decision.”
“I think it will be a great school for him, but on the flip side, I also think he’ll be a great addition to the university.”
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