Youngstown State University will be provided $50,000 from Norfolk Southern's Thriving Communities and Safety grant that helps support organizations promote safe and sustainable operations. 

The Thriving Communities grant will be used to purchase an ADA-compliant transportation cart that will be used by the YSU Student Security Division.

The division currently provides students, faculty, staff and visitors struggling with mobility challenges a free transportation option. 

Currently, while utilizing carts as a means of escort services, the division does not maintain the capacity to transport individuals with electrically powered wheelchairs. 

The new transportation cart will address this transportation need and will foster a more inclusive, vibrant and equally accessible environment for the entire campus. 

Kristin Wong, Director of Community Impact, says that once YSU purchases the cart, they will start utilizing it within two months in order to ensure every student using the cart knows how it operates and all its various safety features.