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In keeping with the commitment to honor and remember the events of May 4, 1970, �鶹��ý will hold a virtual May 4 51st Commemoration this year. The virtual commemoration will feature a video premiering at noon on Tuesday, May 4, that focuses on the nine wounded students: Alan Canfora, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Dean Kahler, Joseph Lewis, Donald Mackenzie, James Russell, Robert Stamps and Douglas Wrentmore.

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. 

The Kent State community celebrates the life of Professor Emeritus Edward W. Crosby, Ph.D., known as the “father of Black History Month,” as his work in founding the Institute of African-American Affairs at Kent State and his contribution to the success of thousands of students inspired all who knew him.

�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.

Windy Cole, adjunct instructor for the College of Podiatric Medicine at Kent State, penned an article for Podiatry Today called “Can Remote Patient Monitoring Have An Impact For Patients With Diabetes?” which covers the phenomenon of remote patient monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The �鶹��ý Board of Trustees approved the establishment of two new institutes – the Anti-Racism and Equity Institute and the Environmental Science and Design Research Institute – during the Board’s regular quarterly meeting held March 10.

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.

�鶹��ý’s College of Nursing and Cleveland Clinic Akron General are joining forces to offer an adult/adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) certificate program beginning this fall. This collaborative one-year program was created to address the regional and national shortage of SANE-certified registered nurses, especially in rural areas. 

The Auxiliary at Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital recently donated $25,000 to �鶹��ý at Trumbull’s Nursing program. The gift will establish a new scholarship endowment that will provide support to nursing students from Trumbull and Mahoning Counties. The volunteer organization was established in 2017. It supports health and wellness initiatives within the local community. Proceeds from The Gift Shop at Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital made the donation possible.

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.

�鶹��ý has been designated as a First-gen Forward Institution by the Center for First-generation Student Success for its commitment to improving the experiences and advancing outcomes of those who are first in their families to attend college.

Over the span of 20 years, Yuko Kurahashi, professor in the School of Theatre and Dance at �鶹��ý, spent much of her time observing, researching and studying the life of Ping Chong. This research has been brought together in a book describing Ping Chong's contributions as an artist.

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.

When University Dining Services Chef Joshua DeDeaux was a little boy growing up in New Orleans, he would bring a brown wooden step stool into his mother’s kitchen to help her cook some of the family’s favorite meals. As DeDeaux’s love of cuisine grew, his grandfather, who was French Creole, and his grandmother, who was British and Native American, also proved to be inspirational to his decision to become a chef.

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.

During this year's Black History Month, �鶹��ý is highlighting Black trailblazers who were advocates for underrepresented students, faculty and staff as well as the first to make beneficial changes to Kent State.

�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.”

Two seniors from the �鶹��ý School of Fashion were announced as Fashion Scholarship Fund 2021 scholarship recipients. Fashion design seniors Jordan Bigelow and Mattney Yates used their creativity and knowledge to develop case studies focused on current world issues.