Each semester, the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center (The Moore Center) honors the students in their center who have significantly contributed to the community.
The center selects three students based on the categories Connect, Trendsetter, and Presence to add to their Wall of Fame. Once the students win, they receive a professional headshot, their picture on the wall, and a $1,000 scholarship.
“This is a way for us to be able to reward students for being involved with us,” said Maky Espinoza (they/them), program coordinator for The Moore Center, who oversees the Wall of Fame. “Let them know that we care about them and what they do to contribute to our community.”
For “the Connect,” The Moore Center looks for a student fully involved with its programs and students. Espinoza mentioned the students are usually a part of the student groups (M.E.N. and Sister Circle), have been a part of the Academic S.T.A.R.S. and Kupita/Transiciones, and participate in the different events the center offers.
Meanwhile, “the Trendsetter” is a student who brings the highest number of people into the center and broadens the community.
“The Presence” is the student with the highest attendance rate and utilizes the center’s space the most. “We focus a lot on having a community and being an active part within [it],” Espinoza said. “So, the Presence is the person who is always here contributing to that.”
On November 30, 2023, during the reveal ceremony, Josiah Ragin, as the Connect, Nora Sone, as the Trendsetter, and A’Kyra Holley, as the Presence, were included in The Moore’s Center Wall of Fame.
“If you visit our center, you’ll be able to see each of the pictures on the wall,” Espinoza said. “Underneath [the picture] has the name of the student who won the award, which award they won, and when they won it.”
This biannual tradition began in the fall of 2020. It was created by one of the center’s student assistants, Kristyn Hibbett (B.S.’23), who participated in the Academic S.T.A.R.S. program.
Espinoza explained that students would see the pictures of people and students who have since graduated in the center’s lounge and ask to see themselves up there. “[Hibbett] made the Wall of Fame to represent our current students,” they said. “She proceeded to make leaps and bounds at Kent State.”
In the past year, the center received around 60 applicants. Once a student gets recognized on the wall, they cannot apply again, but Espinoza mentioned that they can and should apply every semester if they do not get on it. “It ends up turning into a debate every single time we review these applications,” they said. “All of them are amazing, but we can only pick three. So, if you don’t get on the wall, try again.”
“When it comes to the Wall of Fame, it is a great opportunity for our students,” Espinoza said. “But my favorite part is to have that representation of them on a campus.”