The Kent State University Women’s Center presented 12 female students with its Sage Project Award for overcoming barriers and finding balance in following their path and making their mark at Kent State. The Sage Project Award reception took place on March 11 in the Moulton Hall Ballroom.
When a student first steps on a Kent State campus, the possibilities are endless: what classes to take, picking a major, joining a student organization, building lifelong friendships. But for many female-identifying students, there are hurdles to overcome and challenges to face. The Women’s Center is often a place where students find support and encouragement in making ends meet or living their dream. Staff members hear stories about students who have overcome adversity, stepped out of their comfort zone and found balance in a life of ups and downs.
The Sage Project was created through the Women’s Center to begin sharing these stories with the community, to inspire others and to showcase stories of strength, courage and perseverance. Last March, the Women’s Center held its first recognition reception to honor 10 phenomenal women who have made the most of their time spent and education received at Kent State. These women overcame barriers and found balance in following their path and making their mark at Kent State.
The Sage Project was named because sage means wisdom, renewal, harmony and growth. The herb is used to heal, to help bring someone’s life back into balance and to cleanse the body and the mind of negativity. In this spirit, the Women’s Center uses the Sage Project to highlight students who have found balance, growth and renewal through their collegiate path and to inspire others.
Honorees this year include:
- Sonya Callahan, graduate student
- Shauna Davis, senior, musical theatre
- Nirmala Ghimirey, senior, biology and chemistry
- Megan Grable, senior, architecture studies and construction management
- Mariebeth Knott, senior, public health
- Lauren Ledzianowski, graduate student, speech language pathology and audiology
- Brooke Long, doctoral student, sociology
- Theresa Medrano, senior, human development and family studies
- Tonya Qualk, senior, anthropology and archeology
- Keri Richmond, junior, communications and public relations
- Emily Seibel, senior, human development and family studies
- Tonda Wooten, senior, podiatry
Their stories are featured on display boards that will travel around Kent State and will be highlighted on the Women’s Center website. Anyone can reserve the storyboards to be displayed. To reserve them, contact the Women’s Center at 330-672-9230.