Kent State Memories and Spirit

There are many ways to remember, recognize and celebrate Kent State’s rich history and unique traditions. Explore yearbook and newspaper archives, familiar music selections and more helpful resources.  

Digital Archives

Explore the Chestnut Burr Digital Archive

Take a trip down memory lane and browse through old editions of Kent State’s yearbook, the Chestnut Burr. The Chestnut Burr was the Kent State University student-produced yearbook, published from 1914 through 1985.

Access the Chestnut Burr Archive

Explore Past Issues of the Daily Kent Stater

The Daily Kent Stater Digital Archive includes every print edition issue of the Kent Stater/Daily Kent Stater campus newspaper. The project, funded by the Kent State University Libraries, includes issues dating from February 1926 as well as issues of Kent Summer News/Summer Kent Stater issues from the 1950s through the 2000s. 

Access the Daily Kent Stater Digital Archive

Explore Special Collections and Archives in University Libraries

Special Collections and Archives, housed by University Libraries, has a variety of digital collections that can be browsed online.

Special Collections and Archives Website

Kent State's Musical Traditions

Fight Song

“Fight On For K.S.U.”

Words and Music by Ed Siennicki
Dedicated to the K.S.U. Band and Roy D. Metcalf, Director

Fight on for KSU,
Fight for the Blue and Gold!
We're out to beat the foe;
Fight on brave and bold!

Fight on for victory,
Don't stop until we're through.
We're all together,
Let's go forward, K-S-U!

Download “Fight On For K.S.U.” Sheet Music

Alma Mater

“Hail to Thee, Our Alma Mater”

Words by E. Turner Stump
Music by Dwight Steeere

From the beauty land Ohio comes a universal praise,
'Tis the song of Alma Mater that her sons and daughters raise.
'Tis a Hail to Kent forever, on the Cuyahoga shore,
Now we join the loving thousands as they sing it o'er and o'er.
Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater.
O, how beautiful Thou art,
High enthroned upon the hilltop,
Reigning over every heart.

Download Alma Mater Sheet Music

Kent State Hymn

Words by Eric Griebling
Original music composition by Johannes Brahms
Arr. Hugh Glauser

The blue of the morning, the gold of the noon day sky.
Declare Kent State’s glory her colors that proudly wave on high.
Her faith in our future, in our powers, in our daily strife.

Oh! Kent we promise to love thee forever,
Kent Alma Mater the joy of our college days.
Oh, Kent Alma Mater we love and will praise thee always.

From Moulton to Merrill from Kent to McGilvrey Hall,
We pledge our devotion whatever may us befall.
Her strength will uphold us, and will guide us, as we struggle on.

Oh! Kent we promise to love thee forever,
Kent Alma Mater the joy of our college days.
Oh, Kent Alma Mater we love and will praise thee always.

Download Kent State Hymn Sheet Music

K.S.U. Victory March

Words by Ralph E. Hartzell
Music by Douglas Chapman

Dedicated to the K.S.U. Band and Roy D. Metcalf, Director

Fight for K.S.U.
Bring vict’ry home,
For gold and blue.
We’ll show to all our foes we’re out to win;
With might and main we’ll raise a triumph din, 
Thru thick and thin.
Honor team and school
We’ll meet our foes with courage cool,
Then join the welkin, let your voices ring,
And to our Alma Mater sing.

Kent we’ll sing to you
Where e’er we go,
What e’er we do.
You will be ever in our hearts to praise;
For you our fondest hopes we’ll ever raise,
All our days.
Here we learned the rules of living true and honestly,
For you then we will do our very best
To prove you better than the rest.

Download “K.S.U. Victory March” Sheet Music