Youngstown State president, Tressel was credited for increasing graduation rates from 35 to 49%, quadrupling the size of the Honors College, and adding hundreds of units of dormitories and apartments to increase the number of students living on or near campus. Tressel helped lead a delegation to obtain $10 million in federal funds to improve roadways around the university. He also fostered closer ties with the business community, creating an Excellence Training Center which offers certificates to students for in demand jobs, and aligning research with the needs of local businesses. The university raised over $150 million during Tressel's tenure