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After months of campaigning, students casting their votes and new members officially being sworn in at the Leadership Awards on April 19 by Vice President for Student Affairs Lamar Hylton, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) elections are officially in the books despite the challenges of the pandemic.

There are just a handful of chemists worldwide with h-indices above 200. The h-indices of chemists awarded the Nobel Prize during the last five years range from about 30 to 160. Mietek Jaroniec, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has an h-index of 125, which places him among the top chemists worldwide.

Â鶹´«Ã½ is pleased to announce Chris Dorsten as the new university registrar.

The protected prairie surrounding Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center will be burned on Wednesday, April 28, starting around 9 a.m. to allow for new growth during the summer season.

Â鶹´«Ã½ President Todd Diacon and Vice President for Student Affairs Lamar R. Hylton formally introduced Randale L. Richmond as the university’s new director of athletics at a morning virtual press conference held Thursday, April 15. Richmond currently serves as senior associate athletic director at Old Dominion University.

Following a national search, Randale L. Richmond has been selected as Kent State's next director of athletics. 

To infinity and beyond seems to be the goal for a dedicated faculty member committed to providing the next generation of STEM students with the resources and knowledge to lay the foundation for their future accomplishments within the field. Joanne Caniglia, professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies, recently received funding from the NASA Glenn Research Center, an institute located in Cleveland, to provide K-12 students with an immersive and educational experience focused on critical thinking, observation and innovation within the field of science and engineering. 

Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Exploratory Program in University College has been awarded two prestigious national awards for its work with exploratory students.

The Student Leadership Institute's philosophy is to aspire to create critical learners, innovators and adaptive problem solvers whose leadership exemplifies distinction. Not even the coronavirus pandemic could get in the way of that this year. This year's event featured a theme of “Flashes Take Care of Flashes: Building Community." Despite the virtual circumstances, it was still a success, with more than 450 students attending sessions via Zoom.

The visionary global fashion designer and activist Kenneth Cole is named as the Â鶹´«Ã½ School of Fashion’s 2021 Hall of Fame Inductee. In its 32nd year, the prestigious award celebrates the outstanding contribution to fashion made by an individual. The accolade honors the unique qualities of their leadership.

For students going into the medical research field, having a chance to learn, succeed, fail and be inspired under the supervision of an accomplished researcher during their education is a priceless experience. This experiential learning would not be possible without outside funding, and now, students in Manabu Kurokawa’s lab can elevate their efforts thanks to a grant awarded to the group. 

COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more available across the country, but many are still struggling to obtain a vaccine or are unsure about getting the vaccine. One Golden Flash has made it her mission to get Pittsburgh vaccinated. And with more than 40,000 members of her Facebook group, she’s on her way. Kent State alumna Leighann Bacher created a Facebook group to share COVID-19 vaccine information and tips with Pittsburgh citizens after attempting to secure vaccines for her family members.

The state of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Higher Education announced that Â鶹´«Ã½ has been awarded Choose Ohio First grants totaling $3.5 million to support students in the critical fields of science (including health professions), technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Similar to graduating students who become alumni, retired Â鶹´«Ã½ faculty and staff wish to stay connected to the university. These employees care about the institution and the Kent State community, and they want to see it thrive. One way retired Kent State community members stay informed is through the Â鶹´«Ã½ Retirees Association (KSURA), an organization of more than 800 retired Kent State faculty and staff committed to improving university life.

Â鶹´«Ã½ Senior Vice President and Provost Melody Tankersley, Ph.D., announced the selection of Manfred van Dulmen, Ph.D., to serve as the university’s associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Division of Graduate Studies, effective April 16.

What do friendship, academics and T-shirts have in common? For the students at the American Academy, Â鶹´«Ã½ and the PUCPR’s undergraduate program in Brazil, a student-led T-shirt design contest created that missing piece of camaraderie during the pandemic between students and their two schools.

Thanks to the renewal of its key funding grant, LaunchNET Kent State will continue to inspire the entrepreneur mindset and support innovative thinkers across the Â鶹´«Ã½ community.

As Kent State Geauga embarks upon two facility improvements for the Geauga Campus in Burton, the leadership is pleased to announce an initial gift to the project from Preston Superstore and the Preston Family. The campus improvements will include constructing a new nursing lab and instructional space and a new student learning commons, helping Kent State Geauga meet existing and future students' needs while growing programs.

Turning Blue, a short film by Kent State's School of Media and Journalism faculty filmmakers Dana White and Christopher Knoblock, will be featured at the prestigious 45th annual Cleveland International Film Festival.

As president of his fraternity and chief risk officer of the Golden Flash Asset Management Group (GFAM), senior finance major Cameran Cunningham has made the most out of his experience at Kent State and is already set to begin his career in finance.