Jazz singer-songwriter Ava Preston is making waves in the music scene. Recently, she performed at the prestigious 2023 Monterey Jazz Festival in California, where she had the honor of singing with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and participated in a smaller gala, where she performed for such musical luminaries as Herbie Hancock and Christian McBride. She’s also a Golden Flash. Preston is a senior at Kent State University, majoring in music with a concentration in jazz studies. Watch: Preston sings “September in the Rain” at The Bop Stop in Cleveland. Reco...
University Libraries is the place for student success. There, students can study, tap into a database for a journal article, get a book, 3D print, grab coffee, have a dance party, participate in the Halloween Costume Contest ... wait, is this still about the library? Yes, yes it is. Kent State Today takes a deeper look into University Libraries in a three-part series about Demystifying the Library for students. Part one was about the Student Multimedia Services. Part two covers the numerous ways the library can help students succeed – and have fun while doing it. Student and Research...
The May 4 Reflection Gallery at Kent State University's Taylor Hall, on Nov. 16, was bulging with a standing-room-only crowd of students who came out to share their feelings and gain an understanding of the Israel-Hamas War. "Israel, Palestine and Me: Students' Forum for Reflection and Dialogue," was organized by Kent State’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies and School of Communication Studies, to provide currently enrolled Kent State students a safe place to gather, talk and gain a better understanding of the issues and what is at stake for all parties. Tatsushi Arai...
Hype music and large glow sticks pounded the air in the Kiva as Nov. 8’s I AM FIRST celebration marked the middle of I AM FIRST Week at Kent State University. The weeklong series of events honors first-generation college students, those students who are or will be the first in their family to complete a bachelor’s degree. While it can be difficult to navigate college as a first-generation college student, attendees like Ivory Kendrick, a first-generation sophomore public health major from Ravenna, look at it in a positive way. “Use it as a way to embrace where you came fro...
For many students, especially Lilly Kensicki and Nina Lozada, Kent State’s University Summer Advantage saves time and money – but it can also make dreams come true. Kensicki, a senior mechatronics engineering technology major, got the opportunity to be part of Summer Advantage in summer 2023. The program helped Kensicki complete a class required for her major and gave her the opportunity to go to Walt Disney World to take her dream for a test drive. “My dream job is to be an Imagineer with Disney. I completed all the workshops, and I did well in my class, so I could apply for ...