Arts and Culture

Headshots of Stephen Tornero and Mary Meese

Visual arts teacher Stephen Tomero and choir director Mary Meese and are among the finalists for the 2022 Stark County Art and Music Educator Awards. Both are alumni of Kent State’s College of the Arts.

Min Kwon performing on piano

The Kent Keyboard Series continues its 2021-2022 season presenting Min Kwon’s America/Beautiful project, a collaboration with 75 American composers to write variations on “America The Beautiful,” performed by Kwon.

Alumna Leslie Srodek-Johnson Wins Food Network’s “Christmas Cookie Challenge”

Leslie Srodek-Johnson, ’01, a Kent State University journalism graduate, mother of two and lead decorator and baker at Stan’s Northfield Bakery, received the call of a lifetime in December 2018. It was from the Food Network asking her to be a part of the “Christmas Cookie Challenge.”

LGBTQ Pride Flag

Molly Merryman, Ph.D., the founding director of Kent State University's Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality and associate professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences, was featured in a USA TODAY opinion piece that outlined black transgender women’s contributions to the LGBTQ movement.

Former Football Star and Kent State Alumnus Josh Cribbs

Kent State alumnus Josh Cribbs, a former star on the football field, will now become a star on the small screen with his wife, Maria. The prominent Cleveland couple will co-host their own local talk show called “Cribbs in the CLE: Josh and Maria Live” beginning this fall on WOIO and WUAB.

Photographs of refugees span across the Lefton Esplanade for the "We the People" exhibit.

The exhibit spanned the Lefton Esplanade throughout the spring showcasing large photographs of individuals who fled their home countries and now live in Northeast Ohio. The refugees featured in the display fled their home countries to avoid war, oppression and danger.