Ohio Lt. Governor Jim Tressel Delivers Keynote Address at 2026 Ohio Hi-Point Convocation Ceremony

(photo screenshot from video post on Ohio Hi-Point Career Center Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1973794823501673)

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel delivered the Keynote Address at the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center’s Convocation Ceremony Wednesday evening.

Tressel told the graduates that during his early career, he spent 48 years observing students who took four common denominators seriously, and that led a brighter future for them. He said those are, an attitude of gratitude, surrounding yourselves with the right people, getting involved in group activities in your community, and deciding in advance what’s really most important, “If you’ll do those four things, you’ll be like so many of the young people I watched, that you’ll go out and realize your dreams, live your life, make a difference. So, on behalf of all of us in the State of Ohio, we thank you for having that grit. Parents and faculty and staff, we thank you for supporting this group, because we need them, and this is a special group that will begin a journey.”

Audio for on air news is courtesy of 98.3 WPKO

You can view the Convocation Ceremony here

Tressel, who has served as Ohio’s lieutenant governor since February 2025, is widely recognized for his leadership in education and workforce development. He previously served as president of Youngstown State University, where he oversaw major improvements in student success and campus growth.

(Official photo)

A former executive at the University of Akron and a proud graduate of Baldwin-Wallace and the University of Akron, Tressel brings decades of experience guiding young people toward opportunity, including a distinguished coaching career that included national championships at both Youngstown State and The Ohio State University.

As a statewide leader in workforce and education, his message connected directly to the future pathways of Ohio Hi-Point graduates.

The 14 partner school districts include Bellefontaine City, Benjamin Logan Local, Graham Local, Indian Lake, Kenton City, Marysville EVSD, Mechanicsburg EVSD, Ridgemont Local, Riverside Local, Triad Local, Upper Scioto Valley, Urbana City, Waynesfield-Goshen Local, and West Liberty-Salem Local schools.