Alyssa Lenhoff holds an undergraduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a master's in English from Youngstown State University. She is the director of the journalism major, a program that she helped build from 15 majors in 2001 to more than 100 today.

Before joining the faculty at Youngstown State University in 2001, Lenhoff worked for 20 years as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers across the country. She has won some of the top prizes in journalism, including two Scripps Howard national reporting awards, the national Associated Press Managing Editors' Award, the national Amy Religion Writing Award, the Freedom of Information Award and numerous first places in state Associated Press competitions.

Lenhoff has published several articles in magazines and journals on trends or developments in journalism education, presented at numerous conferences and has been extremely active in community outreach programs, including high school journalism efforts. She has written numerous successful grants for journalism projects and is the co-director of the Tri-County Journalism Association, an organization that serves all high schools in a five-county area.

She and her Youngstown State University colleagues have developed strong relationships with outside media businesses and experts and with the Center for Working Class Studies, they have invited many nationally known experts to campus to work with students and area professionals.

Contact Lenhoff:ajlenhoff AT ysu DOT edu