About Us

The School of Communication Studies is committed to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of teaching, research, and service. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging encompasses multiple dimensions (as identities and/or expressions of those identities), including but not limited to those related to race, culture, ideology, national origin, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, spirituality, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age, body size/type/shape, marital status, parental status, and veteran status. We are committed to cultivating a community that values ethical behavior, mutual respect, social justice, freedom of access to information, and the open exchange of ideas among all students, faculty, and staff.

We recognize that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are essential in understanding the cultural competencies embedded in a variety of communication contexts. We strive to attract, recruit, and retain a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff from a variety of backgrounds to ensure that the perspectives of underrepresented populations are an integral part of our educational experiences. Accordingly, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging includes a commitment to addressing instances of bias and practices that disproportionately affect minoritized and marginalized groups.

We see our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as indispensable to and a driving force behind our pledge to academic excellence. We strive to make our curriculum a tool that nurtures our students to embrace and advocate for democratic values and dialogue. Further, we are dedicated to fostering an active community that respects diversity and empowers others to bring about social change locally and globally, as well as ethically and equitably.

The School of Emerging Media and Technology at Kent State University is committed to a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and supports a fully inclusive learning, physical, and emotional environment.

The School of Emerging Media and Technology offers interdisciplinary programs designed to produce technology professionals with the ability to adapt and succeed in a rapidly changing digital world. This involves a commitment to fostering a community of respect, kindness, purpose, and caring inside and outside of the classroom.

The Emerging Media and Technology programs are collaboratively designed, delivered, and evaluated to prepare students to be knowledgeable and engaged citizens in an increasingly diverse global technological community.

The School of Emerging Media and Technology promotes diversity and inclusion actively by empowering faculty and staff; ensuring all students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders feel respected; and valuing our differences and unique identities.

At the iSchool, we highly value diversity and inclusivity in the information field. We acknowledge and respect the unique qualities, conditions and group memberships of everyone in the information community to foster a culture of learning and belonging. Inclusion means recognizing and accepting each person's individuality, regardless of their background. Diversity enriches the information domain and creates opportunities for engagement across cultural and national borders. We actively seek out and share diverse perspectives to meet the information needs of a wide range of people.

The Kent State University School of Media and Journalism recognizes the importance of a diverse faculty, staff and student body and embraces the concept that diversity will foster the acknowledgement, empowerment and inclusion of any person. 

The School teaches the history, culture, values and notable achievement of persons who represent the world’s diverse community. The mission of the school is to offer a strong curriculum, enriched by a legal and ethical foundation, which recruits, retains, promotes and hires from this diverse community. 

The School believes that the highest levels of success, knowledge and progress arise when we learn from others who are not of our own national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, physical and mental ability and social class. We welcome the many opportunities to examine challenges that may arise from differences. 

One of our goals is to promote inclusivity and belonging among students, faculty and staff. MDJ’s Diversity and Globalization committee is committed to serving as a resource to promote ongoing education and awareness about issues relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please contact the committee at mdjdiversity@kent.edu if you have a diversity-related issue that you would like to discuss. 

The Kent State University School of Visual Communication Design (VCD) encourages a fully inclusive environment and a socially responsive community diverse in culture, race, gender and personal interests. Our school welcomes, affirms and empowers all students, faculty and staff to increase diversity within our professions through innovation, curiosity and collaboration, which is essential to our mission to enrich, image and shape a more equitable future. VCD continually enhances diversity through our teaching, research and outreach to advocate for true social change while learning from one another.