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�鶹��ý will be closed from Dec. 24, 2024, through Jan. 1, 2025. University offices will reopen on Jan. 2, 2025.

In his Fall 2024 Commencement address, �鶹��ý President Todd Diacon delivered a heartfelt and memorable message to the graduating class, blending personal experience with words of encouragement that resonated deeply with the 2,500 new graduates.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has appointed two new trustees to the �鶹��ý Board of Trustees. DeWine named Gregory White, J.D., of Concord Township, Ohio, to a nine-year term as trustee and Abygail Deemer of Warren, Ohio, to a two-year term as an undergraduate student trustee.

�鶹��ý is proud to announce that “Legacy: May 4,” a podcast hosted by Stephen Ward, vice president for university communications and marketing, was awarded both a Gold and the Top Tactic Award by the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at its recent Cleveland Rocks Awards ceremony.

The �鶹��ý Board of Trustees endorsed the 2024 University Remediation Report at its Dec. 12 meeting. The report provides a comprehensive overview of student remediation at the university.

The LGBTQ+ Center’s LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund has been helping members from the LGBTQ+ community with different financial crises encountered throughout their academic journeys since 2010. The main purpose of the fund is to ensure that students are able to overcome challenges they face and continue pursuing their education.

If you’ve ever been to the Kent Student Center, you’re aware of the constant motion within those walls. Events, meetings, presentations and more spring up frequently in the Ballroom, on the third floor, in the Schwebel Room, on the second floor balcony, in the Governance Chambers. But have you ever thought about how all that happens? The answer is simple. The Blue Shirts do it.

Fifteen years ago, the Cohn Jewish Student Center opened its doors, becoming a vital hub for Jewish students at �鶹��ý. Since its opening, Kent Hillel has worked to foster a sense of belonging, cultural pride and a supportive community for Jewish students and others across the campus.

Alumnus Evan Gildenblatt said �鶹��ý’s peace and conflict studies program intially appealed to him because it was so broadly applicable to everyday life. Today, he uses the skills he learned while earning his Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies in his role as a judicial law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati.

Victoria Bylsma said it only took about two hours after a mentor suggested she look into a graduate degree in public health for her to know what she wanted to do with her career. Today, the �鶹��ý Master of Public Health graduate helps to protect service members’ health and readiness as an injury epidemiologist at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton.

Unsure of what he wanted to do in life when he first came to �鶹��ý, it was the hands-on learning experiences he had in his degree program that led Dexter Shreve to becoming a business owner.

As the first light snow of the season fell on �鶹��ý, the Student Center Ballroom radiated warmth and camaraderie during the International Cook-Off Competition. The event, part of International Education Week, brought together hundreds of students, faculty and staff to celebrate global flavors and cultural diversity.

The Office of Intercultural Student Life, formerly known as International Student Affairs, has a new central location in the Kent Student Center, which has made it more accessible to international students. Along with the new location comes the mission to provide drop-in services for international students.

International Education Week, taking place Nov. 18-22, celebrates the different cultures across the �鶹��ý community and highlights international experiences and opportunities the university offers.

In a groundbreaking advancement for augmented reality technology, �鶹��ý researchers have developed a novel dual-sided transparent display that could revolutionize how we interact with digital information in everyday environments.

A groundbreaking phase one clinical trial exploring a novel cell-based immunotherapy for breast cancer has been accepted for publication in JAMA Oncology. The technology tested in the trial was co-developed by Gary Koski, Ph.D., professor in �鶹��ý’s Department of Biological Sciences, and Brian J. Czerniecki, M.D., Ph.D., chair and senior member in the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Department of Breast Oncology. 

Esrat Farhana Dulia won first place in Kent State’s 2024 Three Minute Thesis competition in the Graduate College for her innovative research in a surveillance sensor network that will enable Advanced Air Mobility operators to guide authorized uncrewed aerial vehicles in safe flight paths that would avoid potential collisions. 

Senior Rebecca Stratton hopes to meld her love of natural science and research to her desire to communicate her work to those around her. Becoming bilingual is a necessity she says because “a communication-focused approach to science is the only way science can be worthwhile.”

It’s not every day that someone gets to celebrate the 100th birthday of their hero, but for �鶹��ý graduate student Mason St. Clair it happened. On Oct. 1, he was in Plains, Georgia, attending the 100th birthday bash of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and shared details of his experience with Kent State Today. Carter, a Democrat who served one term from 1977-1981, is the only American president to live to age 100.

When Alex Newnes arrived at �鶹��ý this fall, she wasn't sure what career path she wanted to pursue. But unlike many undecided students, Newnes saw this uncertainty not as a drawback, but as an opportunity – one that led her specifically to Kent State's Exploratory program.

A new partnership between the �鶹��ý Museum and the Fabric Pantry, a student-led organization dedicated to providing free fabric to Kent State students, offers students the resources they need while promoting environmentally responsible fashion practices.

University Libraries’ Performing Arts Library at �鶹��ý hosted its Open Mic Lunch on Nov. 1, where students and university community members came together to showcase their talents and connect through live music. 

Kent State’s School of Fashion has long fostered deep industry connections, and on Nov. 7 those partnerships were on full display as the school hosted a fashion show in Cleveland’s Flats district to launch the new all-electric Porsche Macan.

In the latest edition of "Kent State of Mind," men's track and field athlete Antoine Brown discusses finding his place at �鶹��ý after transferring. 

Kent State has announced the eight-member 2024 Varsity K Athletics Hall of Fame class, which will be honored as part of the 45th induction ceremony on Feb. 1, 2025.

The campus community joined together with pizza and joy Nov. 19 at Kent State Tuscarawas to celebrate their national champion women’s volleyball program.