Note: The following essay was crafted by Tayjua Hines, president of Black United Students (BUS), a student organization at Kent State University. Founded in 1968, the underlying philosophy of BUS is to serve and unify all Black students at Kent State by addressing their needs.  ------------- As a community, Black citizens have seen more than enough of our own treated unjustly, brutalized and murdered by law enforcement. For me, my first realization of the value that America places on its Black citizens was when Trayvon Martin was killed by police, how he received no justic...

Note: The following essay was crafted by Amoaba Gooden, Ph.D., Kent State University’s interim vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, and chair and associate professor in the Department of Pan-African Studies. Created in 2009, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leads the university’s efforts to increase diverse representation, create and sustain equity of opportunity and intentionally foster an inclusive environment. The Department of Pan-African Studies focuses on the study of communities of people of African descent both on the continent of Africa a...

This summer, Kent State of Wellness is offering members of the Kent State University community the opportunity to engage in meditation via virtual platforms. The 30-minute meditation sessions, which are free to join, will take place at noon every Tuesday and Thursday through Aug. 20. For more information, visit the Kent State of Wellness meditation website. Kent State of Wellness also is offering free Koru Mindfulness classes online for Kent State community members. This is a four-week, 75-minute class that teaches evidence-based mindfulness classes to help you become more rested and l...

The School of Health Sciences offers the Fit For Life program. Fit for Life is a supervised exercise program for registered faculty, staff and students. For this summer, classes will be held remotely. There are two time options available. Key Features Fit for Life provides individual and small group instruction aimed at improving your fitness goals at your own pace. This one-credit workshop is a perfect way to do Wellness Your Way and achieve the success you've been looking for in your personal health and fitness journey. This 60-minute class aims to increase cardiovascular endurance, musc...

Back in February 2020, before social distancing became a guiding principle in daily life, a group of Kent State University administration and faculty members attended a conference designed to be a thought-provoking, interactive meeting of the minds within the realm of post-secondary education in Ohio. Among them was Zhiqiang Molly Wang, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kent State University Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center, who was granted a fellowship to participate. Learn more. ...

Saxophonist Perry Roth has joined Kent State University’s Glauser School of Music faculty as an instructor of music. He begins in the upcoming fall 2020 semester, having previously served on the faculties of The Hartt School at the University of Hartford and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At Kent State, Roth will teach the classical saxophone studio as well as work with chamber music groups. “I am very excited and honored to be joining the faculty at Kent State,” said Roth. “I look forward to working with the wonderful students, faculty and staff in the fall.” Throughout his...

Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) has only existed in its current form for eight years. Formerly known as the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, it was acquired by Kent State University in 2012, which has afforded students and employees an array of new opportunities and resources. While our alumni may still be warming up to the idea of being a Golden Flash, or may not recognize the CPM campus in Independence, many of them have formed lasting connections to the nineteen unique individuals that have worked for the college for two, three and even four decades.  ...

Note: The following essay was crafted by Neil Cooper, Ph.D., director of Kent State University's School of Peace and Conflict Studies. The school evolved from the Center for Peaceful Change, which was established in 1971 as a “living memorial” to the students killed by the Ohio National Guard during a student protest against the Vietnam War on May 4, 1970.     -------------   This is America: a mash-up of a Childish Gambino video, echoes from the civil rights era and images from a failed state. A mixture of righteous anger, peaceful protest, violence, looting, curfew...

A Kent State University student is gaining recognition for a photo she took that captures an African American Cleveland police officer shedding a tear as he came face to face with demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis Police custody. Floyd’s death has sparked protest marches across the country. Sylvia Lorson, a senior from Orrville, Ohio, studying journalism and digital media production, took the photograph during a protest on May 30 in downtown Cleveland. Lorson’s photo and the story of how she captured the image were recently featured on Clevelan...