STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

For Maggie Byers, leadership has never been about titles or recognition. It has been about building connections, creating opportunities for others and making an impact both on campus and in the broader community.

That commitment recently earned the Youngstown State University student national recognition from Delta Zeta Sorority as a 2026 Florence Hood Miner Award recipient. This honor is presented to junior members who demonstrate exceptional leadership, scholarship and service while maintaining strong academic achievement.

“I was very honored to receive that honor for my chapter,” Byers said. “But more importantly, I’m excited that our chapter at YSU is up there on the same platform as some of the larger chapters for bigger schools. It’s nice to see our chapter name being represented on the same stage.”

Byers, a public and professional writing major in the Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Education, is expected to graduate in spring 2027. She currently serves as president of Delta Zeta’s Kappa Chi Chapter at YSU and has held several roles across campus throughout her college career.

Before becoming chapter president, Byers served as Delta Zeta’s vice president of philanthropy, where she led the organization’s “Hits for Hearing” philanthropy event supporting the Starkey Hearing Foundation. According to Delta Zeta’s national organization, the award recognizes students whose leadership and service leave a meaningful impact on their campuses, chapters and communities. Byers said her leadership style is rooted in leading by example.

That example includes maintaining a 4.0 GPA while balancing coursework, leadership responsibilities, advocacy work and professional experiences throughout the Youngstown community.

“I think it’s really easy to encourage others to take their education seriously if I’m doing the same,” she said. “I want to take those opportunities that Delta Zeta has given me, and I encourage the other women in my chapter to do the same.”

Originally interested in becoming an English teacher, Byers said conversations with family members and YSU faculty helped guide her toward public and professional writing. She credits faculty in the English and World Languages department with helping her explore career opportunities connected to communication, advocacy and community impact.

That path eventually led to work with the Youngstown Business Incubator, where she gained experience in grant writing and nonprofit work. While her career interests have evolved, her commitment to community engagement has remained consistent. Following graduation, Byers plans to attend law school and pursue work in public law.

“I wanted to keep moving forward with that scope of work, but in a different form,” she said. “I’m looking at going to law school after I graduate so I can continue working in the community and help my community in that sense.”

This spring, Byers also represented Delta Zeta nationally during a leadership and advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., where she joined approximately 100 student leaders from across the country to advocate for Greek life and student organizations on Capitol Hill.

“The experience was truly unbelievable,” Byers said. “It was amazing just to be in a room full of people who were so like-minded and so dedicated to serving their communities as student leaders.”

The experience expanded her understanding of leadership and reinforced the importance of collaboration and mentorship.

“It really reinforces that leadership is not an independent journey,” she said. “By building your network of support, whether that network is in Youngstown, Ohio, or in the state of Washington, it all contributes to the work that you’re doing.”

Although she is now a nationally recognized student leader, Byers said her journey at YSU began much differently. As a commuter student, she initially struggled to find a strong sense of community on campus. Joining student organizations during her freshman year helped, but it was her decision to participate in Delta Zeta recruitment in fall 2024 that transformed her college experience.

“I kind of took the leap and signed up for recruitment and ended up finding my home in Delta, Zeta,” she said. “The relationships and development that I’ve made over the last couple of years have just been truly unlike anything else I’ve experienced.”

Byers said the opportunities she has gained through campus involvement helped her become more confident both personally and professionally, particularly in public speaking.

“I’m not the best public speaker, but I was a lot worse when I joined,” she said with a laugh. “Now, on a regular basis, I run chapter meetings, speak on behalf of my chapter and advocate on national and local levels for the importance of the Greek life community.”

Along the way, Byers credits several mentors and supporters for helping her leadership journey. She said her mother, Joy Polkabla Byers, YSU’s interim vice president for student affairs and dean of students, has consistently encouraged her to work through challenges independently and grow through the process.

“She always helps me problem-solve things,” Byers said of her mother. “She doesn’t just give me the answer, but makes me work through the correct process, which as a student leader, I can greatly appreciate.”

Byers also credited former Delta Zeta chapter president Abby Carver as a major role model during her time in the organization.

“She was an extreme role model to me just as a member of the chapter,” Byers said. “The platform that she left for Delta Zeta on is truly incredible, and I’m only able to do the work that I’ve been able to do because of where she left us.”

As she reflects on her national recognition and growing leadership experiences, Byers said representing YSU on a larger stage has deepened her appreciation for the university and opportunities it provides students.

“We still have the same quality experience here in Youngstown that you would get if you moved away,” she said. “Because I’ve been at this university and had the mentorship and development opportunities that I’ve had, I got to stand on that stage and say, ‘I’m a YSU Penguin and I represent Youngstown, Ohio.’”

For students hoping to become more involved on campus, Byers encourages them to take the first step.

“Jump in. Take the initiative,” she said. “Build the passion that you want to see in other people.”