Dear Kent State Students:
One of my favorite things as President is to welcome and meet all of our students each fall. That is especially true when I see the newest of our Kent State family moving into the residence halls, exploring campus and the city of Kent, and getting ready for classes. Whether you are spending your first days here, or you are returning to your studies, welcome home!
Many people will tell you that college is one of the most exciting times of your life. Let me assure you that you have chosen the right place to earn your college degree. Kent State is recognized among the best public research universities in the nation, offering more than 300 majors, minors and certificate programs for nearly 40,000 Kent State students across our eight campuses. We are also a tightly-knit family that takes pride in the accomplishments of each and every one of our students. Opportunity abounds here.
Like most tightly-knit families, we respect our differences and are united by shared values. At Kent State, we are committed to maintaining a welcoming campus for all. Whatever your beliefs and perspectives, we are glad you are here.
We believe in the power of the expression of meaningful voices. Finding your passion — your purpose in life — and using that passion and purpose to better our society — is an important part of the Kent State difference.
We will be challenged this year to be a shining example of how a community can express its multiple voices in an environment that embraces our core values of respect, kindness and purpose in all we do.
This will not be easy. Recent events have brought the nation’s racial divide to the forefront of our consciousness, and hate and violence to university campuses. We must remain steadfast in Kent State’s commitment to the shared values of inclusion, belonging and respect for one another. We must stand together against hate. We must not let others define who we are. We must understand that even when we disagree, we are strongest when all individuals are respected and valued. We all share responsibility to ensure our environment allows everyone the opportunity to be their authentic selves and to be free from expressions of hate based solely on the color of our skin, or the way we worship or who we love.
The beauty of the pursuit of a college degree is that it provides opportunities to explore, discuss and understand the world around us, and we trust in the power of education to guide us in these challenging times. You join our university family — with our powerful history of the importance of peaceful dialogue — to gain knowledge, insight and experiences that prepare you to be an informed and purposeful global citizen. I urge you to join me in committing yourself to the values of our inclusive community.
Welcome to the 2017-18 academic year. I can't wait to see what we achieve together!
Warm regards,
Beverly Warren