Kent State Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society

Honors College student Daniel Zalamea is a first-year Kent State University student studying chemistry. He is the recipient of the May 4th Honors Memorial

Scholarship, awarded to one member of each entering honors freshman class. Having only been a Kent State student for a matter of months, Daniel is excited to start getting involved in a number of extracurricular activities and furthering his academic interests thanks to the financial support of the scholarship. 

Kent State University was always on Daniel’s radar. His parents are alumni and his brother is a current student as well. Also, as a native of  Rootstown, Ohio, he has always been minutes away from campus. As he has gotten older, Daniel realized that he wanted his college experience to be at a big school just like Kent State. While Ohio State University caught his attention, Kent State’s response time to his application submission was unmatched. “Kent State has really cool opportunities and facilities, [and as time went on, it] started looking really good,” he said. Daniel stated what an honor it is to be awarded the May 4th Honors Memorial Scholarship, which was something he could not say no to. 

As a chemistry major, Daniel plans to join SAACS (Kent State Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society) and complete undergraduate research. He interned at a lab during his senior year of high school, which only solidified his interest in investigative studies. “I learned a lot. Being around that many people who are just so incomprehensibly smarter than you is the coolest thing ever, and that is a real motivator for me to keep going into grad work after my bachelor's.” After completing his undergraduate work, Daniel hopes to stay in the STEM field and pursue a master’s and Ph.D. He explained how grateful he is for having the financial burden lifted off his first four years of higher education, especially since he will most likely pursue more.

The May 4th Honors Memorial Scholarships were established in 1990, named for each of the four students killed on May 4th, 1970, on Kent State’s Kent campus.  At any given time, there is always one student being funded with a May 4th Memorial Scholarship in each of the classes, freshman through senior, in memory of the four students killed.  Daniel holds the Jeffrey Glenn Miller May 4th Scholarship. Since 1998, these scholarships have funded students with full in-state tuition for the four years of the bachelor's degree.  

In accepting this scholarship, Daniel expressed what an honor it is to represent Jeffrey Glenn Miller who was so admirable for his activism. As a high school student, Daniel was a member of his school’s Science Olympiad team and became a captain his senior year. He also joined the National Honor Society his junior year and sang for a group called the ‘Singing Angels of Cleveland’ for six years. In his free time, Daniel enjoys playing the guitar. 

Alison J. Smith, Ph.D., Dean of the Honors College, holds the task of selecting the recipient of the May 4th Honors Memorial Scholarship, in consultation with the Honors College advising staff. “It is an honor to be able to award such meaningful scholarships, and to know these four students are not forgotten as this generation of students moves forward with their education and careers.”

Daniel is eager to study chemistry as an Honors student. After attending a small high school, he likes the small classes that the Honors College offers. He is also considering an Honors Thesis. “Being in Honors, we have more opportunities,” he stated. And though he is still planning what to do in his time at Kent State and beyond, Daniel is confident that there will be plenty of chances for growth and learning at Kent State. “For now it’s a little confusing and scary, but once I [get the hang of everything], it will be really cool,” he acknowledged.

The May 4th Honors Memorial Scholarships are funded by the university and gifts from donors and friends who wish to contribute in memory of the events of May 4th and in particular of Jeffrey Glenn Miller, Allison Krause, William Schroeder, and Sandra Scheuer who lost their lives in the events of May 4, 1970. 

To join us in supporting the May 4th scholarships for Honors College students, please visit the Kent State Giving Page.

For more information, please contact us at honors@kent.edu. 

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PHOTO CAPTION 1: Honors College student Daniel Zalamea poses in the woods with his guitar.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Honors College student Daniel Zalamea stands for a photo outside the Honors College. 

Media Contact: Stephanie Moskal, smoskal@kent.edu, 330-672-2312