Brenda Burke and Sean Broghammer Join Kent State’s Division of Enrollment Management
Just as Kent State was transitioning to social distancing and working from home, two new employees were beginning their roles with the university: Brenda Burke as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Student Financial Aid; and Sean Broghammer as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Admissions.
Effective mid-March, Brenda Burke is responsible for the development of comprehensive strategic planning as it relates to student financial aid and scholarship functions. She provides leadership and oversight of student financial aid and scholarship operations.
“We are very excited to welcome Brenda to our team,” said Mary G. Parker, vice president for Enrollment Management. “Her extensive knowledge of strategic planning and enrollment management initiatives focused on scholarships and financial aid will be very pivotal in moving our division forward.”
Previously, Brenda served as executive director of University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at the University of Utah, where her primary responsibility was oversight of university scholarship and financial aid operations. Before that she served as the financial aid director of Compliance and Reporting at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Brenda holds a Master of Science in Education from Old Dominion University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Radford University.
She resides in Kent with her dog Kado, a German Shepard/Husky mix. In her spare time, Brenda enjoys reading, trying new recipes, and taking day trips and nature walks.
Also beginning his new role in mid-March, Sean Broghammer is responsible for the leadership, oversight and management of the Office of Admissions and all its functions.
“With his extensive leadership experience, Sean is a welcome addition to our division,” said Parker. “His background in strategic enrollment, including complex recruitment and enrollment strategies, will serve Kent State well.”
Sean most recently served as the Interim Assistant Vice President of Strategic Enrollment at the University of Northern Colorado. In this role, Sean co-led the creation and implementation of the university’s first strategic enrollment plan to increase first year and transfer student enrollment, improve retention and graduation rates, and eliminate achievement gaps.
He also served as Director of Admissions at the University of Northern Colorado, where he earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership. Sean also earned a Master of Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Washington State University.
Sean and his wife Becky reside in Stow and spend most weekends supporting their three children – Julia, Davis and Cullen – in youth sports and community activities. New to Ohio, the Broghammers are excited to explore the local area and experience new adventures in the region.
Music Faculty’s Live Living Room Concert Aids Students
Music faculty member Bobby Selvaggio recently held a virtual living room concert on the School of Music’s Facebook page to support the Pay It Flash Forward fund. Learn more.
Online Beyond Compliance Opportunities
This is the time of the year that employees are seeking Beyond Compliance opportunities. For online opportunities click on to access options. There are several BC courses available that include Title IX options.
Hours of operation have not changed. The department uses Cisco Jabber so office phone calls ring on computers and voice messages go directly to email.
Please email our department at hrd@kent.edu.You can also call Monica Guinn at 330-672-0684, or email mguinn@kent.edu during business hours if you have questions or comments. We look forward to hearing from you.
National Get Fit Don’t Sit Day – May 6
National Get Fit Don't Sit Day™was originally created by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as an opportunity to increase awareness of the dangers of prolonged sitting and the importance of getting up and moving throughout the day—especially at work.
Research shows that sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of health complications. The ADA recommends breaking up sitting time with three or more minutes of light physical activity—such as walking, leg extensions, or overhead arm stretches—every 30 minutes.
Here at 鶹ý, we value the health of our faculty, staff and students and seek to empower you by providing opportunities and the resources you need to get moving.
Get Fit Don’t Sit Day occurs annually on the first Wednesday in May. This year, we are going to encourage and celebrate movement all week long. Join us as we get up and move during the week of May 4 with a variety of great activities designed especially for you!
For the past two years, the Employee Wellness Team and Recreational Services have partnered on a Get Fit Don’t Sit Day event, typically hosted at the blue track behind the DeWeese Health Center, featuring an open walk, Poker Walks and more. This year, due to COVID-19 and related social distancing protocols, we will be offering a live virtual workout, your own Socially Distant Poker Walk and Get Fit Don’t Sit BINGO!
- Join us for a Get Fit Don’t Sit Virtual Workout at 12 noon, May 6 – , as space is limited so please be sure to cancel if you cannot attend.
- Download your Get Fit Don’t Sit BINGO board. Be sure to check the checkbox of each activity you complete. Please maintain safe social distancing if any activities include additional participants. Achieve BINGO by checking off 5 squares in a row in any direction. Employees who achieve BINGO two or more times on their board during the week of May 4 are eligible for a “Make Yourself and Your Health a Priority” T-SHIRT! Email your completed board to wellness@kent.edu. Boards are due by Mon., May 11, at 5 p.m. Arrangements for t-shirt pickup will be made once employees can safely return to work
- Hold your own Socially Distant Poker Walk with your quarantine crew. Click here for instructions on how to complete a Poker Walk
- Snap some photos of you and your family or friends (furry, included) on the move and send them to wellness@kent.edu
Whether you choose to walk around the neighborhood, participate in a virtual workout or weed the garden, let’s get on the move together for National Get Fit Don’t Sit Week!
For questions related to health and wellness offerings for 鶹ý faculty and staff, please contact Kim Hauge, director, Employee Wellness, at 330-672-7505, or wellness@kent.edu.
In It Together Healthy Recipe Collection
While working from home, you may find that you have more time on your hands to try a new recipe or prepare a healthy meal. On the other hand, it might be challenging to access fresh ingredients, with many forced to lean on freezer and pantry items to construct balanced meals. Regardless of motive, people everywhere are seeking inspiration for creative and delicious home-cooked dishes.
Now, in our Flashes Take Care of Flashes spirit, we would like to invite faculty and staff to contribute your favorite healthy recipe to create our KSU In It Together Health Recipe Collection. We’ve made it easy to submit your recipe(s). Simply download the , populate your favorite recipe and return to Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 1.
Upon receiving all entries, Employee Wellness will assemble all recipes into a delicious collection for all to enjoy via a shareable link. To see former collections created by fellow Flashes, visit our with more than 100 entries. Enjoy!
Financial Wellness Webinar Social Security and Your Retirement - May 12
On Tues., May 12 from noon – 1 p.m., Employee Wellness invites you to attend our financial wellness workshop, as Sean Deasy, senior financial advisor, VALIC Financial, walks us through the role of Social Security in retirement planning and the effect of the Windfall Elimination and Government Offset Provision as it relates to OPERS/STRS. Sean will cover the costs associated with retirement and how social security may fit into your overall retirement income plan, as well as help attendees calculate the amount of income they will need for their retirement.
This webinar is open to all full and part time faculty and staff. For full time, benefits eligible employees participating in the Wellness Your Way Rewards Program, this session will be worth 10 points toward your Tier 2 total. .
To register for future financial wellness offerings, visit our web page. For questions, please email Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or call 330-672-7505.
University Dining Services Updates and Changes
In fall 2020, University Dining Services will unveil a new dining hall facility in the Design Innovation Hub building that will continue to elevate dining at 鶹ý. There will also be operational adjustments made to other dining locations to adapt to the changing needs of the Kent State community.
Changes beginning in the fall 2020 Semester include:
- Expanded dining offerings at Rosie’s Diner to include pizza and deli options
- Gluten-free options will be available at the DI Hub and Eastway dining halls, as well as meal exchange locations across campus
- The Market dining hall in the Kent Student Center and Munchies Market in Prentice Hall will be re-purposed as student engagement spaces
- Prentice Café will be transformed into an expanded Munchies Market with additional menu options
- Tenders, Love and Chicken will be a new concept located in the HUB of the Kent Student Center, offering home-style breaded chicken tenders, a variety of sauces and ranch-seasoned, hand-tossed fries.
- GRAZERS will relocate from the Kent Campus to serve the Kent State community at the restaurant located in downtown Kent
- The Patio will offer meal exchange to continue providing maximum flexibility for students’ varying schedules
Please visit the University Dining Services website for additional information.
Reminder: Annual Steam Shutdown Coming in May
Don't forget that the Kent Campus Power Plant will be shut down beginning Sunday, May 10, at 12:01 a.m. The annual shutdown takes place every spring in order to perform necessary maintenance on the boilers, steam transmission systems and electrical distribution systems. The shutdown is expected to be completed by Wed., May 13, at 11:59 p.m. During this period most campus buildings will not have hot water to sinks and showers, heat or air conditioning.
If necessary, the steam shutdown may be extended and the building curators will be notified if this occurs.
For more information, contact Associate Director of Energy Operations Frank Renovich at 330-672-0775, or frenovi2@kent.edu.