Dear Kent State University Faculty and Staff,
Each day this summer, I have marveled at how beautiful our Kent Campus looks, and I regularly count myself fortunate to work at such an attractive place. Kudos to Bekkah Berryhill, grounds manager, and her team for making the Kent Campus the showcase that it is, and kudos as well to our Regional Campus deans and their staffs for all they do to create welcoming and attractive places to work and study across the Kent State system.
Thank you for your work and efforts on behalf of Kent State this summer as we piloted more flexible telecommuting policies for the eight weeks between late May and early August. I hope this flexibility aided in your efforts to make Kent State an even better place. Now, as we return to “normal” in-person work schedules, more of you will experience the ever-improving physical landscape on our campuses. Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement of fun events during the week of Aug. 8-12 as we welcome you back to mostly in-person work on our campuses.
And speaking of in-person schedules, in early June it was my great pleasure to receive, in person, the Senator Paul Simon Award for being the best university in the nation at welcoming and educating international students and at sending our students to study abroad. Best in the nation. And, as you know, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education recently named Kent State an R1 very high research university. To put this in context, less than 4% of the 3,982 degree-granting institutions are R1, and only five universities in Ohio have this prestigious designation.
Each campus within our Kent State system has experienced similar successes, and these accomplishments begin with you, our valued employees. These successes are the fruit of our commitment to face-to-face learning and cocurricular experiences, and as we return from our summer work schedules, I know you will continue to excel in providing outstanding in-person experiences for everyone in our community.
University Communications and Marketing surveyed last year’s entering Kent Campus freshmen and their parents to learn more about why they chose Kent State. These students and their parents visited on average three universities, visited two more virtually and applied, on average, for admission to four universities. The top three reasons students chose Kent State were 1.) our majors and degrees, 2.) affordability and 3.) a sense of belonging. Each of you plays key roles in all three, especially in creating the notable sense of belonging our students develop at Kent State.
We look forward to celebrating you and your work beginning Aug. 8. It will be great to see you again, and I know that you too will marvel at how beautiful our campuses are this time of year.
Thank you again, and all the best,
Todd Diacon
President