Workshops

An annual tradition, the Veterans Day Commemoration pays tribute to all who served and are serving our nation in its armed forces. Join U.S. Congressman Bill Johnson as he delivers this year’s keynote address. An appreciation luncheon for veterans, service members and their guests will immediately follow the ceremony. This event will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

Register by Friday, Nov. 3 for this free event.

Register Now

Did you know Kent State’s First Lady, Moema Furtado, is a respected artist? Stop by and see some of her recent work during the opening reception on Aug. 3 or anytime through Aug. 25.

The opening reception is Thursday, Aug. 3 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m at Hudson Fine Art & Framing Co. (160 Main St., Hudson, Oh)

We're bringing together Kent State students and alumni for a back to school ice cream social! Chat with students and alumni about all things KSU while bonding over a cold scoop of ice cream. Don't miss this annual tradition!

RSVP Now

Register by Aug. 7. 

Showcase your Kent State pride this fall during Parents and Families Appreciation Weekend. Whether you’re an alumni legacy family or relatives of a first-generation student aiming to create your own KSU dynasty, we’re excited to celebrate all of our Golden Flash families.

Join us at a tailgate held prior to the football game against the Miami University Redhawks, complete with delicious food and entertainment. Current students and their Kent State alumni family members (parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts or uncles) will also receive a commemorative legacy pin in honor of their family’s connection to the university.

Please note: Game time is yet to be announced (Event begins an hour and a half prior to kickoff).

Fee: Adult: $35; Youth (Ages 3–16): $20; KSU Student: $15 
(Fee includes admission to all Parents and Families Appreciation Weekend events.)

Register Now

Reception: prayer flags, by Jillian Sokso

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Anderson Turner , Director, School of Art Collection and Galleries

                  haturner@kent.edu, 330-672-1369 (office)

Download Hi-res Image:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UoE2n50zluEE1TFreVpUHFZ2vKjn9BjL?usp=drive_link

The School of Art Collection and Galleries at Kent State University are pleased to announce a new exhibit, prayer flags, by Jillian Sokso. This exhibit will be on display, August 25th – September 30th, 2023, at the 

KSU Downtown Gallery, 141 East Main Street, Kent Ohio, there will be a free and open to the public reception on Friday, August 25th from 5-7 p.m.

Jillian Sokso is a visual artist and educator. Originally from Philadelphia, she studied printmaking at Moore College of Art and Design and the University of Delaware. She has exhibited nationally and internationally since 2004, and her work is included in many collections public and private. Notable exhibitions include "In the Shadow of the Mountain; As if the Sea Were Nothing," Reynolds Gallery, Stockton California, "Grafting Ammunition," Painted Bride Arts Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "Meditation Milestones," The Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg Oregon, and "The Other: Nurturing a New Ecology in Printmaking," Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville, Florida. She is a former recipient of the NYFA strategic opportunity stipend grant and has been an artist in residence at The Virginia Center for Creative Arts, The Women’s Studio Workshop and the Contemporary Arts Center at Woodside. Prior to her appointment in the School of Art, Jillian served as the Director of the School of Communication and Design and Professor of Art and Design at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. She had previously been Chair of Art and Design at George Fox, and from 2005-2014 was a faculty member and department chair in the Art Department at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. 

Sokso currently serves as the Director of the School of Art at Kent State University.

About prayer flags: prayer flags, includes over 30 images, printed on handmade paper produced using daylily and abaca fiber, and then mounted to sheets of 110 lb French Paper through a chine collé process. The print media employed in the series includes serigraphy, pochoir, wood relief, and relief printed laser woodcut.

An offshoot of the bodies of work Chaos Garden, Chaos Garden II, and Chaos Garden III, this work continues to explore imagery related to landscape symbology and suburban and urban built environments. While developing the imagery and compositional structures for these pieces, I was considering the prevalent American mindset of balancing investment in resolving our social problems with a lack of willingness to act based on the perceived nuisance value of potential solutions. I connect the series title ‘Prayer Flags’ with the ever-present ‘hopes and prayers’ language we hear in the news media when disastrous happening and forecasting meet with cognitive dissonance or passivity. In addition, both the color palette and division of space in these works mimic Tibetan prayer flags, which we so often see appropriated by contemporary White Americans who connect Eastern spirituality with their own personal political ideology.

 

This exhibit is free and open to the public and has been brought to you with support from the Ohio Arts Council.

A black text on a white background

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Reception: prayer flags, by Jillian Sokso

Join us for a captivating discussion about the world of artificial intelligence, and discover how ChatGPT is revolutionizing interactive communication. Kent State professors Javed Khan, Ruoming Jin and Mikhail Nesterenko will delve into the underlying technology and showcase how ChatGPT is trained on massive amounts of internet data, allowing it to generate human-like responses in conversational contexts. They’ll also discuss the ethical considerations and challenges associated with this AI-powered system, and help attendees gain a deeper understanding of its future potential.

Register by Friday, Sept. 22 for this free event.

Register Now

Join the Greater Cleveland Alumni Chapter for a Flashes football watch party! Enjoy food and drink specials from food trucks at Lakewood Truck Park, then watch an exciting MAC Conference matchup as Kent State takes on the Ohio University Bobcats. The chapter will be conducting prize drawings throughout the event, and the food trucks will be hosting a friendly competition, too! Each will represent either the Bobcats or the Flashes as they compete to see who has the best food. Come out for a great time and wash out the OU fans with blue and gold pride.

Please note: Game time is yet to be announced (event begins two hours prior to kickoff).

Register Now

RSVP by Oct. 4. 

Put on your blue and gold and join your fellow Kent State Geauga alumni and friends for fun and games. There will be food available for purchase from the Fork in the Road food truck and a visit from Kent State’s mascot Flash!

After the party, you will have the chance to attend the Berkshire Local Schools Badger Band Bonanza at 7 p.m. The show will feature performances from local high school marching bands and, as a special treat, an appearance by the Kent State University Marching Golden Flashes!

Register Now

Tickets for the Badger Band Bonanza are $10 at the gate. Show your FLASHcard and receive a $5 discount!

Please mark your calendars for our colloquium speaker, Martin Sellbom, Ph.D. who is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Dr. Sellbom will be giving a talk entitled “Personality Disorders in our Diagnostic Manuals: An Ugly Past, but Promising Future” on Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 at 9:30 - 10:30 am in room 102 Kent Hall Annex, Kent campus.

Martin Sellbom, PhD

An annual tradition, the Veterans Day Commemoration pays tribute to all who served and are serving our nation in its armed forces. Join U.S. Congressman Bill Johnson as he delivers this year’s keynote address. An appreciation luncheon for veterans, service members and their guests will immediately follow the ceremony. This event will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

Register by Friday, Nov. 3 for this free event.

Register Now

Did you know Kent State’s First Lady, Moema Furtado, is a respected artist? Stop by and see some of her recent work during the opening reception on Aug. 3 or anytime through Aug. 25.

The opening reception is Thursday, Aug. 3 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m at Hudson Fine Art & Framing Co. (160 Main St., Hudson, Oh)

We're bringing together Kent State students and alumni for a back to school ice cream social! Chat with students and alumni about all things KSU while bonding over a cold scoop of ice cream. Don't miss this annual tradition!

RSVP Now

Register by Aug. 7. 

Showcase your Kent State pride this fall during Parents and Families Appreciation Weekend. Whether you’re an alumni legacy family or relatives of a first-generation student aiming to create your own KSU dynasty, we’re excited to celebrate all of our Golden Flash families.

Join us at a tailgate held prior to the football game against the Miami University Redhawks, complete with delicious food and entertainment. Current students and their Kent State alumni family members (parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts or uncles) will also receive a commemorative legacy pin in honor of their family’s connection to the university.

Please note: Game time is yet to be announced (Event begins an hour and a half prior to kickoff).

Fee: Adult: $35; Youth (Ages 3–16): $20; KSU Student: $15 
(Fee includes admission to all Parents and Families Appreciation Weekend events.)

Register Now

Reception: prayer flags, by Jillian Sokso

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Anderson Turner , Director, School of Art Collection and Galleries

                  haturner@kent.edu, 330-672-1369 (office)

Download Hi-res Image:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UoE2n50zluEE1TFreVpUHFZ2vKjn9BjL?usp=drive_link

The School of Art Collection and Galleries at Kent State University are pleased to announce a new exhibit, prayer flags, by Jillian Sokso. This exhibit will be on display, August 25th – September 30th, 2023, at the 

KSU Downtown Gallery, 141 East Main Street, Kent Ohio, there will be a free and open to the public reception on Friday, August 25th from 5-7 p.m.

Jillian Sokso is a visual artist and educator. Originally from Philadelphia, she studied printmaking at Moore College of Art and Design and the University of Delaware. She has exhibited nationally and internationally since 2004, and her work is included in many collections public and private. Notable exhibitions include "In the Shadow of the Mountain; As if the Sea Were Nothing," Reynolds Gallery, Stockton California, "Grafting Ammunition," Painted Bride Arts Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "Meditation Milestones," The Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg Oregon, and "The Other: Nurturing a New Ecology in Printmaking," Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville, Florida. She is a former recipient of the NYFA strategic opportunity stipend grant and has been an artist in residence at The Virginia Center for Creative Arts, The Women’s Studio Workshop and the Contemporary Arts Center at Woodside. Prior to her appointment in the School of Art, Jillian served as the Director of the School of Communication and Design and Professor of Art and Design at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. She had previously been Chair of Art and Design at George Fox, and from 2005-2014 was a faculty member and department chair in the Art Department at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. 

Sokso currently serves as the Director of the School of Art at Kent State University.

About prayer flags: prayer flags, includes over 30 images, printed on handmade paper produced using daylily and abaca fiber, and then mounted to sheets of 110 lb French Paper through a chine collé process. The print media employed in the series includes serigraphy, pochoir, wood relief, and relief printed laser woodcut.

An offshoot of the bodies of work Chaos Garden, Chaos Garden II, and Chaos Garden III, this work continues to explore imagery related to landscape symbology and suburban and urban built environments. While developing the imagery and compositional structures for these pieces, I was considering the prevalent American mindset of balancing investment in resolving our social problems with a lack of willingness to act based on the perceived nuisance value of potential solutions. I connect the series title ‘Prayer Flags’ with the ever-present ‘hopes and prayers’ language we hear in the news media when disastrous happening and forecasting meet with cognitive dissonance or passivity. In addition, both the color palette and division of space in these works mimic Tibetan prayer flags, which we so often see appropriated by contemporary White Americans who connect Eastern spirituality with their own personal political ideology.

 

This exhibit is free and open to the public and has been brought to you with support from the Ohio Arts Council.

A black text on a white background

Description automatically generated

Reception: prayer flags, by Jillian Sokso

Join us for a captivating discussion about the world of artificial intelligence, and discover how ChatGPT is revolutionizing interactive communication. Kent State professors Javed Khan, Ruoming Jin and Mikhail Nesterenko will delve into the underlying technology and showcase how ChatGPT is trained on massive amounts of internet data, allowing it to generate human-like responses in conversational contexts. They’ll also discuss the ethical considerations and challenges associated with this AI-powered system, and help attendees gain a deeper understanding of its future potential.

Register by Friday, Sept. 22 for this free event.

Register Now

Join the Greater Cleveland Alumni Chapter for a Flashes football watch party! Enjoy food and drink specials from food trucks at Lakewood Truck Park, then watch an exciting MAC Conference matchup as Kent State takes on the Ohio University Bobcats. The chapter will be conducting prize drawings throughout the event, and the food trucks will be hosting a friendly competition, too! Each will represent either the Bobcats or the Flashes as they compete to see who has the best food. Come out for a great time and wash out the OU fans with blue and gold pride.

Please note: Game time is yet to be announced (event begins two hours prior to kickoff).

Register Now

RSVP by Oct. 4. 

Put on your blue and gold and join your fellow Kent State Geauga alumni and friends for fun and games. There will be food available for purchase from the Fork in the Road food truck and a visit from Kent State’s mascot Flash!

After the party, you will have the chance to attend the Berkshire Local Schools Badger Band Bonanza at 7 p.m. The show will feature performances from local high school marching bands and, as a special treat, an appearance by the Kent State University Marching Golden Flashes!

Register Now

Tickets for the Badger Band Bonanza are $10 at the gate. Show your FLASHcard and receive a $5 discount!

Please mark your calendars for our colloquium speaker, Martin Sellbom, Ph.D. who is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Dr. Sellbom will be giving a talk entitled “Personality Disorders in our Diagnostic Manuals: An Ugly Past, but Promising Future” on Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 at 9:30 - 10:30 am in room 102 Kent Hall Annex, Kent campus.

Martin Sellbom, PhD
Fashion Timeline
Jun. 29, 2012

Palmer and Mull Galleries | Sara Hume, Curator
The “Fashion Timeline” showcases the Kent State University Museum’s world-class collection of historic fashions. Encompassing over two centuries of fashion history, this exhibition is designed to show the evolution of styles and silhouettes while contextualizing the pieces with relevant political, technological and cultural developments.

Jun. 28, 2024

"The Hepburn Style: Katharine and her Designers" is now on display at the Kent State University Museum. Throughout the exhibition, you will see the elements of comfort, movement and proportion represented in Katharine Hepburn’s fashion choices and in the costumes she wore.

Jan. 24, 2025

The Kent State University Museum is pleased to announce its winter exhibition, “Hildur Ásgeirsdóttir Jónsson: Micro/Macro,” a solo exhibition by Ohio-based artist, Hildur Ásgeirsdóttir Jónsson. Consistent with the museum’s mission to showcase exceptional textile art and to inspire the next generation of artists, the exhibition includes over 30 large-scale works by Kent State alumna Jónsson.

The exhibition is curated by Sara Hume, Ph.D. and will be open to the public from Friday, January 24 through August 3, 2025. A public opening reception and artist talk will be held on Thursday, January 23 at 5 p.m. at the museum.

This exhibition is sponsored by Ken Robinson. The Kent State University Museum receives operating support through a sustainability grant from the Ohio Arts Council.

Colorful textile tapestry depicting the Madonna
Mar. 21, 2025

The Kent State University Museum is pleased to announce its spring exhibition, “John Paul Morabito: Madonna dei Femminellə”, a solo exhibition by the head of the textiles program at Kent State University’s School of Art.

Mar. 31, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Apr. 07, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Apr. 14, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Apr. 21, 2025

Visit the CAED to see Laure Nolte's exhibit "Field of Dreams" on display from April 21 - August 21 in the Armstrong Gallery.

Apr. 21, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Apr. 28, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Apr. 29, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Apr. 30, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

May. 01, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

Alan Canfora
May. 02, 2025

Alan Canfora was one of nine students wounded on May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on Kent State students during an anti-war protest on campus. Explore Canfora’s incredible collection of materials documenting his lifelong commitment to activism, advocacy and remembrance of those wounded and killed on May 4, 1970, including the large part he played in the May 4 Task Force (M4TF).
Curated by Savannah Gould, Special Collections Project Archivist, April 2025

May. 02, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

May. 03, 2025

Jerry Lewis was professor of sociology at Kent State University from 1966 to 1996. He witnessed the May 4 shootings as a faculty marshal and dedicated much of his career to researching, memorializing, and lecturing about the events of May 4, 1970. This exhibit explores Lewis’ career as a teacher, academic, faculty marshal, collector and chronicler who was driven by his dedication to May 4 and passion for its preservation.

May. 03, 2025

Explore the Kent campus and downtown area with the scholars behind Mapping May 4. Visitors will walk approximately 2 miles to tour Kent landmarks, learning about the events leading up to, during, and after the tragic shooting in 1970. This outdoor tour will utilize the Mapping May 4 website, which draws from the oral histories in the May 4 Collection, Kent State Special Collections & Archives to better understand the events of May 4 through geography.

Meet at the entrance of the May 4 Visitors Center on the west side of Taylor Hall.
Tour will run rain or shine- appropriate shoes and possible rain gear are encouraged
Duration: apx. 60 minutes

May. 03, 2025

This is the Award-Winning National PBS Public Broadcast-screened film- Produced and Directed by Kent State May 4 1970 Veterans, Daniel Miller, Chic Canfora, Bill Whitaker with support from Joe Walsh, and contributions from Alan Canfora, Chic Canfora, Bill Whitaker, Ken Hammond, Candy Knox, Larry Simpson, Bob Pickett, Suzanne Clark and many others.

Film Panel: The film will be followed by a Panel on Young Peoples Protest and the Attacks on Academic Freedom Today with Chic Canfora, Ken Hammond, Bill Whitaker, Sofia Swengel, and Danny Miller

May. 03, 2025

Harvest celebrates the timeless songwriting, electric jams and acoustic artistry of classic-era Neil Young. The band performs 2 long sets of classic Neil Young, from the dynamic vocal harmony and harmonica-driven acoustic stunners to the sizzling extended electric jams & stompers – covering Neil’s career from Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, solo and with Crazy Horse, thru to Harvest Moon.

Since 1987, founders Jim Tigue & Eroc Sosinski have been performing Neil Young music for fans all across the Midwest, in the bands Harvest and Tie-Dye Harvest and as the Jim & Eroc Duo, and formed the popular Pink Floyd tribute Wish You Were Here. Members Peter Telari (also of WYWH), Keith Chelm & Tim Hamman are also veteran NEOhio musicians.

May. 03, 2025

Here’s your chance to enjoy a beautiful sunset, relax in nature, and let your worries drift into the night as we paddle into the sunset on a peaceful and serene lake right down the road from Kent.
Date & Time: (weather permitting) Saturday, May 3 from 7 - 10 p.m.
Location: Wingfoot Lake State Park Boat Launch – meet at the SRWC
Cost: $35