Students First
First Day of Classes Welcomes Golden Flashes Back to Kent State
A crisp, almost fall-like morning greeted Kent State University students Monday as they made their way to class for the first day of the 2026-27 academic year.
High Demand for On-Campus Housing Continues as Kent State Residence Halls Near Capacity
Kent State University’s residence halls are currently 98% full for the 2026 Fall Semester, with additional housing requests coming in every day.
KSU Kickoff Closes With Community and Connection
After a week of KSU Kickoff fun, the first day of the fall semester is officially here. As students and faculty head to their classrooms, take a look back at some of the events that welcomed thousands of new students to Kent State.
‘This Is What It’s All About’: Kent State Welcomes New Golden Flashes at High-Energy Convocation
Inside the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, Kent State University’s newest students filled the arena with the kind of energy that makes the start of a college career feel real.
Welcome Back, Flashes! Your Golden Experience Begins Now
It’s Aug. 19, a sunny, 80-degree day in Kent, Ohio, and some of the nearly 6,000 Kent State University students who will be living on campus are starting to arrive with their families – carrying boxes and bags, and a whole range of emotions with them. From first-year students leaving the nest to upperclass students who came out to help new students move in, Kent State Today was there to get a glimpse of one of the most exciting days on campus.
Golden Experience Begins With Move-In
First-year students arrived Aug. 19 to a campus buzzing with welcome — parent cars lined up, moving carts stacked high and volunteers from Movers and Groovers ready to help families haul everything from clothes and mirrors to shelves and stools.
He Asked. The Governor Said Yes.
For Nathan Smith, the first lesson came before he met Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. Ask. The Kent State student and newly elected student body president of the university’s Undergraduate Student Government spent three hours alongside the governor at the Ohio State Fair – an opportunity he says grew out of the confidence and relationships he built during his first two years at Kent State.
IN A FLASH: Commencement Caps
Some kept it simple, some went all out. As more than 1,000 students crossed the stage for Summer 2026 Commencement, the fashion choice of the moment was the decorated cap.
Summer Commencement Welcomes 1,010 New Graduates
Kent State University’s alumni family grew by more than 1,000 new graduates from its eight-campus system as the university held its summer commencement ceremony on Aug. 8.
Kent State Honors New Graduates at Summer 2026 Commencement
Kent State University will welcome more than 1,000 new graduates to its alumni family during summer commencement on Aug. 8. The ceremony, held at 10 a.m. at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, will confer 1,010 degrees across associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and educational specialist levels.
