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With the celebration of Women’s History Month in March, it seemed fitting that the Kent State Women’s Center would officially kick off its 25th anniversary, continuing throughout 2021.

COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed the way people experience their education. Over the summer of 2020, �鶹��ý’s eight-week Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program transitioned to a completely remote environment, and the results were surprising. 

�鶹��ý at Tuscarawas student Jason Keller is doing what he loves—telling stories through photographs. He was recently honored by the Ohio News Media Association with the Best Feature Photo award, capturing the image of a Navy veteran saluting the crowd while riding in a military jeep during a parade in Sugarcreek, Ohio. The photo was judged best out of all entries from weekly newspapers throughout the state for the Osman C. Hooper Weekly Newspaper contest.

The future of storytelling is constantly changing, but �鶹��ý is connecting students to the university through new communication avenues. One platform rising in popularity and mass-consumption that colleges like Kent State are taking advantage of is podcasts.

COVID-19 has come with its fair share of obstacles, especially for students. Luckily, for the Kent State community, access to computer software is not one of them. Students, faculty and staff can now access an on-campus computer lab remotely using the Kent State Virtual Private Network or VPN.

Kent State has partnered with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins since 2018, allowing this nationally recognized hockey team to work closely with the university and providing professional and recreational aid to the Kent State community. The partnership includes multiple facets that focus on future Golden Flashes, current students and alumni alike. 

Four new middle school teachers started the school year with high hopes and big dreams, ready to establish their classrooms, teach dynamically and build community with their young students through daily, face-to-face interaction. Instead, they have encountered empty classrooms and computer icons rather than students’ faces. Recent graduates from Kent State Geauga’s Middle Childhood Education (MCED) program share their stories of first-year teaching from the COVID classroom.

A new six-part short film docuseries is being released aimed at raising awareness of the Male Empowerment Network (MEN) at Kent State, along with commemorating 10 years. An initiative through the Student Multicultural Center, the Male Empowerment Network supports men of color on campus both academically and through personal development. Advisor of MEN and Director of the Student Multicultural Center Mike Daniels says this has led to some great things.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice, one student involved with the Women’s Center seized the opportunity to bring others together. The Sisters in Sisterhood initiative is a student-led group whose mission statement is to use their unique backgrounds to advocate and promote all women to reach their full potential.

�鶹��ý’s LGBTQA Living-Learning Community (LLC) has gone virtual this semester. “The mission behind the virtual Living-Learning Communities is to try and keep these communities active and whole even though they are virtual,” said Ken Ditlevson, director of the LGBTQ+ Center. “We want to make sure that the students are connected as best as possible.”