The 2019 Distinguished Teaching Awards and Outstanding Teaching Awards Recipients Announced
A new crop of Kent State University professors was added to the exclusive group of faculty members who have received the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the University Teaching Council’s Outstanding Teaching Award.
The Distinguished Teaching Award was established in 1967 and this year, the Alumni Association recognized three faculty members for their excellence in classroom teaching.
The 2019 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients include:
- Rachael Blasiman, Psychological Sciences, Salem Campus
- Patrick Gallagher, Modern and Classical Languages, Kent Campus
- Jacqueline Marino, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kent Campus
The 2019 Outstanding Teaching Award honors full-time, nontenure-track and part-time faculty members nominated by students for being among the most dedicated, highly effective and motivated professors at the university. These recipients embody Kent State’s mission, vision and values, and go above and beyond to teach and add to students’ lives inside and outside of the classroom.
The 2019 Outstanding Teaching Award recipients include:
- Katherine Amey, Department of Geography, Ashtabula Campus
- David Bowers, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent Campus
- Daniel S. Dankovich, Department of Biology, Salem Campus
The awards were presented recently at the University Teaching Council’s Fall Celebration of Teaching Conference.
Future Nurses Get Ahead by Giving Back at Kent State Geauga
The Geauga Student Nurses Association (GSNA) is a student organization that includes nursing and pre-nursing students who want to expand their knowledge about the nursing profession. One big project to which the GSNA students are committed in the 2020 and 2021 classes is raising funds to purchase lab equipment that will enhance hands-on learning for future nursing students at the Geauga Campus. Read more.
Adam Roberts Receives Farris Family Innovation Award
Adam Roberts is a Ph.D. and assistant professor of Music Composition who has received the Farris Family Innovation Award to fund the recording of recently composed and forthcoming works. He is one of two recipients of this fellowship in the College of the Arts. This prestigious award is given to tenure-track faculty who are not yet tenured to support their research endeavors. Learn more.
Kent State University Offers Light and Refreshing Fall Opera Production
The Hugh A. Glauser School of Music and Kent State Opera present “Operetta: The Land of Smiles, Pirates and Pinafores” on Nov. 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m., with a Nov. 17 matinee at 3 p.m. Learn more and purchase tickets.
Kent State University Featured in The Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges
Kent State is one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review®.
The education services company features Kent State in its just-published free resource, The Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 Edition. Released on October 22, the guide can be accessed at The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 Edition.
Under Featured Rankings, click on 413 Green Colleges for a full list of environmentally responsible schools based on a review of nearly 700 colleges. If prompted to log in, use these courtesy credentials to skip registration: username schooluser@review.com; password schooluser. (Click to page eight.)
The Princeton Review chose the 413 schools it profiles in the guide based on a survey the publication conducted in 2018–19 of administrators at hundreds of four-year colleges about their institutions’ commitments to the environment and sustainability.
"We salute—and strongly recommend— Kent State University to the many environmentally-minded students who want to study and live at a green college," said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review.
Franek noted that college applicants and their parents are increasingly concerned about the environment and sustainability issues. Among the 11,900 teens and parents The Princeton Review surveyed earlier this year for its 2019 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 64 percent said that having information about a college's commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school." Download the full survey report.
The profiles in The Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges provide information about admission requirements, cost and financial aid, and student body demographics. They also include "Green Facts" about the schools, with details on such matters as the availability of transportation alternatives at the schools and the percentage of the school food budgets spent on local/organic food.
The Princeton Review first published its annual guide to green colleges in 2010. The publication is also known for its dozens of categories of college rankings in its annual books, The Best 385 Colleges and Best Value Colleges.
Faculty and Alumni Receive Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award
Seven Kent State University School of Art faculty and alumni have been awarded Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Excellence Awards for 2019. This award includes a grant of $5,000 for each individual artist, or it is split between collaborators.
Seventy-eight artists received funding for this year’s grant cycle. Faculty members Peter Christian Johnson, former faculty member Mahwish Chishty and Professor Emeritus Paul O’Keeffe were among the awardees.
Four alumni were also included on the list: Corrie Slawson, Rachel Smith, Jenniffer Omaitz and Oxana Dallas. Read more.
Student Spotlight: Viviana Pinzon Featured Cellist in Kent State University’s “Measure of Success” Video
Colombia-native and cellist Viviana Pinzon arrived in the United States in the fall of 2017 to pursue her Master of Music degree in cello performance at Kent State University. She was recently featured on-screen performing the soundtrack of Kent State TV’s latest commercial “Measure of Success.” Read more.
Winter Coat and Clothing Drive
From November 17 through December 13, Kent State University will collect clean, gently used or new items for all ages, including warm clothing, hats, gloves, scarves and sweaters. Look for large boxes wrapped with wintry wrapping paper and Winter Coat and Clothing Drive signs in common areas at select buildings listed below.
The Winter Coat and Clothing Drive is part of the Kent State's Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week events that begin Nov. 17. Winter coat and clothing donations will go to the Winter Warm Up Station at the Women’s Center and the Phyllis Zumkehr Portage County Clothing Center, which provides free items to homeless individuals, families, elderly and veterans.
In 2018, nearly 550 pounds of clothing (including some 200 coats) was collected. Of this, 492 pounds went to the Phyllis Zumkehr County Clothing Center and 55 pounds went to the Winter Warm Up Station at the Women's Center.
Donation bins are at the following locations:
- Center for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement
- Center for Undergraduate Excellence
- DeWeese Health Center
- Heer Hall
- Kent Student Center
- Rockwell Hall
- Student Recreation and Wellness Center
- Schwartz Center, Room 261, and
- Tri-Towers 24-hour area desk
- University Library
- Williamson House
The Winter Coat and Clothing Drive is coordinated by Kent State's Community Engaged Learning, Kent State of Wellness, Office of Sustainability and the Women's Center. For more information, please contact Melanie Knowles at mknowle1@kent.edu.
Kent Campus Conducts Island Mode Turbine Test, Nov. 11
Kent State University generates a large portion of the power used on the Kent Campus and at times can supply all the power requirements for the campus. In order to test the operation and integrity of the power generation, control and distribution systems, a test of the turbines will be performed on Mon., Nov. 11, when the university will be closed in observance of Veterans Day.
The purpose of the exercise is to test the turbines’ ability to power the Kent Campus without being connected to the electric grid. The turbine test is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and last approximately two hours. If all goes as planned, the test will be completed without any interruption in power. If the test is not successful, the Kent Campus may experience a brief power outage while the university switches back to the electric grid power. If this happens, the power is expected to be off for approximately five minutes.
An e-mail will be sent to the building curator list serve to alert as to any interruptions in power during the testing period, and confirm that the test has been completed.
Kent Campus employees are asked to take appropriate precautions by shutting off all computers and any unnecessary equipment before leaving for the day on Fri., Nov. 8. Reducing as much energy consumption as possible during the testing time will be beneficial.
Questions should be directed to Frank Renovich, associate director of Energy Operations, at 330-672-0775, or email frenovi2@kent.edu.
Blue and Gold Friday Offers All You Care to Eat
Dining Services is offering Blue and Gold Friday, when faculty and staff can enjoy a $5 door rate for an all-you-care-to-eat meal at Eastway Fresh Food Co., Prentice Cafe or The Market. Cash or credit/debit cards accepted at point of sale.
Dates to Remember:
Nov. 7, 10:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Kent State's Veterans Day Recognition Program, Kent Student Center Kiva. Please visit www.kent.edu/veteransday for details.
Nov. 11
Veterans Day (Campuses closed)
Nov. 28
Thanksgiving Day (Campuses closed)