Kent State Ashtabula Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D., received quite the parting gift during her final commencement Friday at SPIRE when James E. Mayer, Jr., the 2022 Ashtabula Area College Committee, Inc. Community Service Award recipient and president of Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County surprised her with the organization's President’s Award.

The Kent State University at Ashtabula Library is one of three libraries in the Kent State system to receive a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the State Library of Ohio and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to fund “Celebrating Ohio Book Awards and Authors” on each campus.

The grant totaled over $1,200 with no match required. In addition to Ashtabula, the Kent and Trumbull campus libraries were also awarded grants.

Kent State Ashtabula and the Ashtabula Area College Committee, Inc. are establishing a scholarship fund to be endowed in celebration of Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D., and her historic leadership tenure on campus and to support her two greatest professional passions. The Susan J. Stocker Nursing Scholarship will provide financial support for students in Kent State Ashtabula’s nursing program and ensure her legacy will impact future generations of students.

“The direction of engineering technology and future success is in 3D printing and our goal is to drive internship and engineering experience in that area.”

That comment comes from Ron Emery, business development director at ITEN Industries, who sought out Kent State University at Ashtabula and ultimately engineering senior lecturer Michael Czayka for a unique educational partnership across multiple Kent State campuses that could impact the plastics industry throughout the region.

Kent State University at Ashtabula and Cleveland Clinic are partnering to offer an associate degree program in respiratory therapy at the hospital’s main campus  in Cleveland later this year. The program provides access for participants to train for the in-demand profession of respiratory care. It also supports career growth for program graduates and practicing respiratory therapists with a path to admission for the online Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory care offered by Kent State Ashtabula.

A historic tenure and an over 30-year educational career will be coming to an end as Kent State University at Ashtabula Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D., announced her retirement effective at the end of the academic year. Stocker, the longest serving dean at Kent State, will wrap up her 21^st and final year as dean on June 30, 2022.

The Kent State Geauga and Ashtabula Campuses were awarded a $585,046 USDA Grant in January 2022 to bring rural Geauga and Ashtabula counties on par with the latest technological advancements in education, medicine, and workforce development. Ashtabula County entities that will benefit from the grant include Andover Public Library, Kingsville Public Library, Pierpont Township Board of Trustees, Grand Valley Local School District, Pymatuning Valley Local School District and SPIRE Institute.