Kent State Receives Ohio EPA Environmental Excellence Awards
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency presented its Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Awards recently at the Ohio EPA’s second Sustainability Conference in Columbus.
Doug Pearson, associate vice president of Facilities Planning and Operations (middle) and Melanie Knowles (right), Manager of Sustainability for Facilities Planning & Operations, accepted the award on behalf of Kent State University. Also pictured is Laurie A. Stevenson, director of the Ohio EPA.
Kent State was evaluated based on 19 environmental stewardship criteria, and was recognized at the gold level for its storm water management program encompassing vegetative roofs, constructed wetlands, permeable pavers, rain gardens and more.
Additionally, Kent State’s airport was one of 20 nationally selected by the Federal Aviation Administration for sustainability project funding.
Ohio EPA’s Encouraging Environmental Excellence E3 Program recognizes an organization’s exceptional achievements in environmental stewardship. The Encouraging Environmental Excellence Gold Level recognizes businesses, nonprofits and government agencies that have comprehensive environmental stewardship programs that go above and beyond compliance while demonstrating environmental excellence.
Kent State Receives Local Volunteer Award
Kent State University was recognized this month by the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank for its volunteer work with the organization last year. In appreciation of the service provided by the university, the foodbank bestowed Kent State with the 2018 Organizational Volunteer Group of the Year award.
The university, including the Kent Stark Campus, fielded 255 volunteers who provided some 800 hours of community service. Kent State helped to process over 36,000 pounds of donated food items during 2018.
"Kent State has committed to making a regional impact in our community,” said Amanda Woodyard, director of Community Engaged Learning at Kent State. “The foodbank is a great way for students, staff and faculty to make connections with one another and with the greater community. It is definitely a favorite volunteer opportunity. The students have a great time and feel very welcomed.”
Each year, the foodbank celebrates outstanding volunteers in three different categories: Volunteer of the Year, Corporate Volunteer Group of the Year, and Organizational Volunteer Group of the Year.
The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank was formed in 1982 to provide emergency food to those in need. The foodbank provides food and other essential items to member hunger-relief programs in Carroll, Holmes, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties that operate nearly 500 food pantries, hot meal sites, shelters and other hunger-relief programs.
The Volunteer Center is where donated food is inspected, sorted and repackaged in preparation for distribution. Volunteers provide thousands of hours of support every year, helping to prepare this food for those in need. Every day, the Foodbank's hunger-relief programs place and pick up food orders at the warehouse. The foodbank feeds approximately 263,200 people through this network of programs every year.
WKSU Wins Regional Edward R. Murrow Award
WKSU has been recognized with a Regional Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). The honor came in the Excellence in Video for Radio, Small Market category for Reporter Mark Arehart and Producer Joe Gunderman’s video of the launch of the Goodyear Blimp, Wingfoot Three. The fun and informative video was created on short notice with fast turn-around to accompany an on-air news report about the event.
WKSU competes in Region 7 with stations in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois. Regional winners are automatically considered for a National Murrow award.
The RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious in broadcast and digital news. RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of broadcast and digital journalism.
Institute for Excellence Apps Are Open
The Division of Human Resources is now accepting applications for The Institute for Excellence (I4E) until June 14, 2019. The Institute for Excellence is the university's premier leadership program. According to Human Resources.com, Kent State University's Institute for Excellence program ranks fourth in the nation in the category of certificate programs with emphasis on leadership and organizational development.
The program will begin in September 2019. It has two tracks, the Administrators and Individual Contributors. The Administrator track is for faculty or staff who supervise others. The Individual Contributor track is for employees who do not supervise but have a desire to sharpen their leadership skills. Both tracks are for high performers and focus on the core leadership qualities associated with collaboration, coaching, communication, trust, emotional intelligence, resiliency and more.
Employee eligibility requirements include:
• A minimum of one year of university service
• A rating of meets expectations or higher on the most recent performance evaluation
• Approval by direct supervisor to attend
Visit the Institute for Excellence website for a complete list of criteria and other important information. Training and Development will notify supervisors and applicants regarding selection for the Institute for Excellence in late June.
Contact Renee Romine, director, Training and Organizational Development, at 330-672-0898 or Wendy Gold, program manager, at 330-672-0899 if you have questions or comments. Administrators click here to apply. Individual Contributors click here to apply.
Office Support Staff Recognition Luncheon Photos
Were you camera ready? We hope so because photos from the 22nd Annual Office Support Staff Recognition Luncheon are here. Some 300 staffers connected in the Kent Student Center ballroom for live entertainment, fine food, great gifts and lots of laughs.
This year’s theme, “Kent State’s Got Talent” featured entertainment from employees Jim Taylor singing “Sweet Caroline”; Donna Dear, who tap danced to “Dear Future Husband”; Stephanie Jones, who sang “Rock Steady”; and the Kent Dance Ensemble performing a selection from the concert, “woMENtum”.
A special thanks to the OSSR planning committee: Melinda Barnes, Anita Boyer, Amy Cecchetti, Donna Dear, Sherry Guiher, Geraldine Hayes-Nelson, Beth Hoff, Elizabeth Lee, Mary Lovin, Shelby Sales, Maureen Thorn, Kelsey Tomlinson and Judith Yasenosky; and our Mistress of Ceremonies Maria Terleckyj.
TEAM KENT STATE is On the Move
With almost one-third of the 12-week national On the Move Challenge complete, TEAM KENT STATE is holding steady at the top of the leaderboard. Kent State started week 4 of the challenge in third place among public and private sector employers across the country.
The On the Move initiative, developed by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), creates an infrastructure for employees to add more movement to the workday, and rewards the most active companies and institutions with national recognition.
While the On the Move Challenge provides great tips for moving more throughout the day, it offers employees much more than just that. Each week, participants can assess their behaviors and read an article with advice on adopting a healthier lifestyle. It also provides a platform where employees can interact and encourage each other.
“I love the community feeling the challenge creates," said Deanna Duffy, coordinator, Employee Wellness and Health Promotion. "It’s nice to be able to connect with Kent State team members in other departments and at regional campuses, too.”
To learn more about the challenge and find resources for those participating, please visit the On The Move Challenge resource page. You can also view a list of TEAM KENT STATE participants here. Be sure to support your colleagues as they represent the blue and gold all the way to the finish line on June 30.
For questions, please feel free to contact the Employee Wellness Office at ext. 20392 or 27505. You may also email wellness@kent.edu. To see a comprehensive calendar of Employee Wellness events, please visit the employee wellness calendar.
Financial Wellness Lunch and Learn: Raising Money-Smart Kids
By teaching your children about money at an early age, you can help them develop good financial habits - ones they may carry with them for the rest of their lives.
On Friday, May 17, from noon – 1 p.m. in Heer Hall, you can learn which money skills a child should master before leaving home and how to teach your children to save toward a goal.
A light lunch will be provided. This seminar is presented by PNC Financial Services. Register to attend Financial Wellness: Raising Money-Smart Kids.
Lunchtime Art Walks – May 14 and 23
Find expressions of the artistic spirit of the city of Kent and Kent State University quite literally on every corner of the town and campus.
Join the Employee Wellness team and a representative from the Office of the University Architect for our two-part Art Walk “Walk & Talk” on Tues., May 14 or Thurs., May 23, from noon – 1 p.m.
Different pieces of art will be visited on each of the walks. We will take attendance and provide Art Walk pamphlets that are a walking guide to the outdoor art of Kent and Kent State University. The pamphlet describes and provides the location for 29 points of interest on Kent State’s campus and in the surrounding Kent community. Meet at noon at the Squirrel Statue between the Library and the Student Center on the Kent Campus. The walk will begin at 12:10 p.m.
Register for Art Walk 1 (May 14).
Register for Art Walk 2 (May 23).
All full- and part-time employee welcome. If you are participating in the On the Move Challenge, these walks fulfill the mini challenge for weeks six and seven. For employees participating in the Wellness Your Way employee wellness program, each walk is worth 10 Tier Two points.
Discount Orchestra Tickets
The Akron Symphony Orchestra presents Leonard Bernstein’s groundbreaking West Side Story on Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m. at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. Experience the Orchestra playing the complete Broadway score live alongside a talented cast singing memorable songs – including favorites like “Tonight,” “America,” “Maria,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”
Kent State faculty and staff can receive a 10 percent discount on adult tickets by using the promo code KSU18 at akronsymphony.org. The discount is also available the night of the performance by showing your employee ID at the box office.
Dates to Remember:
National Asian-Pacific Heritage Month
National Older Peoples Month
May 4
Remembrance Day (May 4, 1970) no final exams, classes or parts of classes scheduled from noon through 2 p.m.
May 10
Spring graduate commencement
May 11
Spring undergraduate commencement
May 12
Mother's Day
May 12 - 19
Campus Steam Shutdown (begins 12:01 a.m. on May 12; ends 11:59 p.m. on May 19)
May 16
Spring Plant Exchange
May 17
Spring commencement for College of Podiatric Medicine
May 18
Armed Forces Day
May 27
Memorial Day (university closed)