McKenzie Morgan, ’22, appreciates the opportunities Kent State provided her that included completing her academic journey with the university’s education-abroad program in Florence, Italy. “Studying abroad was definitely my all-time highlight,” Morgan said. “My friends and I were the only people graduating in Florence, and the professors treated us so well. It was really special. Really truly so special.”
Much of her time as a Kent State student was spent learning remotely during the pandemic. Morgan began a fashion blog in high school, writing about trends and other aspects of the fashion world. She originally considered fashion journalism as a career, but when she was at home during the pandemic, several of her Tik Tok posts went viral and traditional journalism took a backseat.
Once her posts gained traction, she continued posting on Instagram, YouTube and her blog, “Styled by Mckenz.” She now has 68,000 Instagram followers and her YouTube channel has 79,400 subscribers.
Morgan graduated from Kent State with a Bachelor of Science in fashion merchandising and a minor in fashion media in December 2022 and now travels the world, working with clothing brands and promoting her passion. “My favorite experiences were probably fashion-related,” Morgan said. “All of the fashion weeks, but specifically Miami Swim Week. I really got my name in resort wear.”
Her work has taken her across the United States, including Malibu, California, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Miami, Florida. Her international travels to date have included Denmark, England, Greece, Ireland and, of course, Italy.
“If I could only pick one place to go, I would pick Italy in a heartbeat,” Morgan said. “I love its variety.”
“Donor support is so important to provide financial help to give students the opportunity to have these experiences,” said Morgan. “I think it is more important to have the opportunity to travel while young as it truly changes a person and helps shape the belief system that they will carry with them for the rest of their life.”
“I had the best experience at Kent State,” Morgan said. “There really is not one thing I would change about my time there.”