University News

Two Kent State University students walk across campus past the fountain in front of the Kent Student Center.

Kent State University and the University of Akron School of Law (Akron Law) recently finalized a Juris Doctor degree partnership program to create a seamless, sequential system for students to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Kent State and a Juris Doctor degree from Akron Law in only six years.

Kent State University employees smile with university mascot Flash during the employee appreciation cookout held before the start of the 2022 Fall Semester.

Kent State University has again been recognized as one of America’s Best-in-State Employers for 2022 by Forbes and market research company Statista. In Ohio, Kent State ranks No. 3 among the top 100 employers in Ohio, landing above such notable employers as Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic, both located in Cleveland.

Jacqueline Marino

Kent State journalism Professor Jacqueline Marino spent her fall 2021 sabbatical learning the techniques of audio storytelling. The piece she produced, “The Rural Doctor Is In,” is now the winner of two national journalism awards:

Members of Kent State University’s LGBTQ+ community participate in the university’s 2021 Homecoming Parade.

For a third consecutive year, Kent State University has been selected as one the nation’s top universities for LGBTQ+ students for creating a safe, welcoming environment for students, faculty and staff, according to Campus Pride, a leading resource for LGBTQ+ leadership development, diversity inclusion and advocacy within higher education.

Students standing in a K shape

Kent State University's Explore Kent, Go! web pages give the Kent State community the ability to explore Kent State’s campus, downtown Kent and surrounding cities. Next in the “Where on the Web?” series, the focal point is the Explore Kent, Go! web pages at www.kent.edu/go. The Explore Kent, Go! web pages are an introduction to the diverse opportunities offered by the university’s niche area in the Midwest, according to Lin Danes, director of Web Services and Interactive Media at Kent State.

New Kent State University graduates from the Summer Class of 2022 celebrate together

The Kent State University alumni family will grow by more than 1,200 new graduates as the university holds its summer commencement ceremonies. The accomplishments of the Summer Class of 2022 will be recognized with in-person, outdoor commencement ceremonies and a virtual commencement ceremony on Aug. 20.

Kent State University students enjoy a summer day at Risman Plaza outside the Kent Student Center.

Kent State University is excited to be a part of the Ohio College Comeback Compact, an innovative program to help students who left college with debt but without a degree to continue their education. Kent State is collaborating with seven public colleges and universities in Northeast Ohio to reach out to these students and provide a path back to higher education while reducing or eliminating their debt.

Dr. Dhruba Panthi works in his laboratory.

Dhruba Panthi, Ph.D., assistant professor of Engineering Technology at Kent State University at Tuscarawas, is this year’s winner of the Farris Family Innovation Award. His research focuses on hydrogen fuel because its only byproduct is water, which is harmless to the environment, unlike other fuels that result in carbon dioxide emissions that pose a great environmental threat.

 Kent State University President Todd Diacon and others shared poems written for the recent publication “Dear Vaccine: Global Voices Speak to the Pandemic,” at the book’s release party this spring.

Kent State University President Todd Diacon and others shared poems written for the recent publication “Dear Vaccine: Global Voices Speak to the Pandemic,” at the book’s release party this spring. His poem is part of a much larger, global community poem that highlights different viewpoints on the worldwide pandemic.  

Kent State University’s Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement won 19 marketing and communications awards since the launch of the Forever Brighter comprehensive campaign.

Kent State’s Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement launched the university’s most ambitious fundraising campaign, called Forever Brighter, last October, creating communications and fundraising materials that share the remarkable impact of alumni engagement and donor philanthropy on the university. The division has earned 19 marketing and communications awards from multiple competitions.