Meet Our Dean

Dr. Sonia Alemagno assumed the leadership of the college on July 1, 2011.  Dr. Alemagno has a proven academic track record in administration, research, teaching, and service.

Alemagno joined Kent State in 2009 to assist in the development of the new College of Public Health. She has held the position of interim vice president for research since July 1, 2010. Before joining Kent State, she was the chair of the Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies and director of the Institute for Health and Social Policy at the University of Akron. Alemagno’s honors include a National Institutes on Health Career Development Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Akron Outstanding Researcher Award in 2005. In addition, she has been the principal investigator on research projects and Small Business Innovation Research funded by the National Institutes on Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Justice and the SAMSHA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Alemagno earned a master of arts in sociology from Kent State in 1984 and a doctor of philosophy degree in medical sociology from Case Western Reserve University in 1991. She resides in Russell, Ohio.

Message from the Dean

There has never been a time when the world needed public health professionals more. The students, faculty, alumni and staff in our College of Public Health are working every day to address the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. While other fields are seeing a decline in enrollment, our College of Public Health is growing and we are moving forward with our strategic efforts.   

Our academic programs exemplify the best of what colleges have to offer:  faculty engaged in research that is community-based and relevant, online programs that are ranked amongst the highest ranked programs in the country with award-winning courses, opportunities for students to conduct service and research projects within their home communities, and new clinical trial and clinical epidemiology programs to provide a highly qualified workforce for clinical trials research.

In 2025, we will all participate in programs and events to celebrate the achievements of the College of Public Health in our 15th Anniversary Year. We thank everyone who supports the College of Public Health, especially our alumni worldwide who represent us so well.

I encourage you to explore what the College of Public Health has to offer.  You will truly be amazed at the commitment, energy and achievements!

Sonia Alemagno