Veteran, Storyteller, Strategist: Alumnus Finds Passion and Purpose at Kent State
Eric Mansfield, MA ’12, MFA ’26, transitioned from serving as an Army officer in Iraq to reporting as a broadcast journalist in Cleveland. In 2012, he joined Kent State University and now serves as assistant vice president, Content Strategy and Communication, leading a team dedicated to telling the university’s story. Passionate about storytelling, education, and service, Eric had another chapter in mind for himself - playwriting. While working in television, he earned his first master’s degree in public relations from Kent State. Years later, after watching his children perform in community plays and musicals, he became curious about writing for the stage. That spark led him to pursue creative writing and eventually an MFA in playwriting through the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA) program. Eric’s plays have since been produced locally and across the country - from Los Angeles to New York City to Salem, Massachusetts and here at Kent State with the 2025 production of “Trial By Fire.” More than a decade into his Kent State journey, he continues to find daily inspiration in the students and colleagues around him. Get to know Eric in his own words.
KSU: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
EM: My family members are all healthy and spending time together.
KSU: What is your favorite trait in others?
EM: Creativity, compassion and open-mindedness.
KSU: What trait about yourself do you like least?
EM: I'm colorblind. Red-Green. Common in men. I wish I could see the colors of the world the way most people do.
KSU: Who has had the greatest influence on your life?
EM: My grandmother, Jeanne Mansfield, who attended KSU in 1938, by the way, was force in my life from a young age.
KSU: What is your favorite Kent State memory?
EM: Seeing our students lined up overnight in the cold for tickets to see President Obama in 2012. They were so excited.
KSU: What is your favorite journey?
EM: I like to explore new places with my wife, Lisa, via camping trips.
KSU: What is your guilty pleasure?
EM: Watching "The West Wing" TV series over and over again.
KSU: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
EM: Earning my commission from Officer Candidate School in 1993 to become a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Sixty-six soldiers started, but only 12 of us finished, and I was the class president and honor graduate.
KSU: If you could come back as one person, who would it be and why?
EM: Lin-Manuel Miranda. He's so creative and so genuine with everyone around him. He brings joy in doing what makes him happy, and in many ways, he is the Shakespeare of this generation.
KSU: What part of your college experience most formed who you are today?
EM: Meeting and learning to understand others from different backgrounds and experiences.