Kent State Today

Born in Saudi Arabia and raised for a time in Egypt, Sarah Shendy moved to the United States with her family in 1991, when she was 6. In third grade, she encountered a police officer at her Cleveland public school. It was an experience that would leave a lasting impression.

Kent State University honored the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces during its annual Veterans Day Commemoration Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Risman Plaza.

At Kent State University, leadership can look very different depending on where you’re standing. In some classrooms, it can be defined by taking the lead on a group project. In others, it’s communicating with classmates or learning how to make collaborative decisions within a team. Across the university, leadership can take on a variety of meanings.

Voters in Northeast Ohio have sent U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, a Kent State University graduate, back to Washington. 

Everyone has a reason to give. Some people give to help students earn their degree. Others give to fuel discovery, strengthen our communities, protect our planet or inspire creativity.  Whatever moves you to make a difference, there’s a place for your passion at Kent State. 

Local philanthropists Marie Rader and James Angiulo have made a $6.4 million commitment to Kent State University, including a $400,000 gift and a $6 million bequest, to fund scholarships, lab technology and emergency financial support for students in nursing, fashion and music.

For Madelynn Johnson, working in a library is more than a job; it’s a way to give back to the community she has loved since childhood. True to this mission, this Kent State University student recently helped make public library access available to every student at an elementary school in Akron, Ohio.

Kent State’s I Am First Week runs Nov. 2-6, 2026, with events for first-generation students, who make up about 40% of the university's student body.

Courtney Donovan, ’20, came to Kent State to study art and pursue her interest in the sciences. She left with a career hand-sculpting new eyes, ears and noses for patients rebuilding their lives after cancer and trauma.

Laurie Ann Moennich, Ph.D., didn't arrive at Kent State University planning to change healthcare. She came to study graphic design. But Kent State had a way of opening doors she didn't even know existed.

The start of a new semester can be challenging for any student but may be even more so for international students. Kent State University’s International Student Resource Fair offers a welcoming space for international students who are looking for opportunities to get involved on campus and in the community.

During her recent high-profile UNESCO assessment of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, Mary Ann Devine meticulously documented how the island's medieval architecture inherently limits universal access.

A Kent State University student from Turkmenistan is making a name for himself in Northeast Ohio’s distance running community, as recently featured on WKYC-TV’s “Heartstrings” series.

Did humans really hunt mammoths to extinction? Did they go after all kinds of animals, or just the giants? And how much of their food did prehistoric people hunt versus scavenge?

More than two decades of research on a project led by a Kent State University professor has resulted in a new discovery in nuclear physics that is being celebrated nationally. 

When Kent State University celebrates Homecoming Week, the spotlight often falls on the parade, the game and the crowning of the Homecoming Court. Meet the 12 student leaders selected for the 2026 Homecoming Court, for whom the experience represents much more than a campaign for a crown. 

When Lillian Glaze, a junior visual communication design major, opened the “WNBA Launch” email, she immediately realized the assignment was much bigger than she expected. She would be the technical director for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) brand reveal at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, helping bring the city’s newest professional sports team to life for thousands of viewers.  

Kendall Myers has spent the past several years studying creatures that are easy to overlook. 

Alumni, high school students, visiting speakers and Kent State University students, faculty and staff explored entrepreneurship in different creative career paths at the College of the Arts’ 2026 Art Without Limits event. The event provided hands-on experiences across art industries for high school students and exemplified the entrepreneurial side of those industries. 

A new article in the journal Science co-authored by David Hassler of Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center and Phillip Levin from the University of Washington argues that while science shows what must be done to protect the planet, poetry helps people understand why it matters, and that conservation needs both. The topic is the central theme of the inaugural Poets for Science Gathering taking place on the Kent Campus in November.

Students, staff and faculty have an opportunity to give back, not only to their community but also to their environment with Kent State University's annual Bra Recycling Drive going on throughout the month of October.

Kent State University quarterback Dru DeShields threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score, wide receiver Wayne Harris caught three of them and Kent State pulled away from the University of Akron in the second half for a 35-20 win on Oct. 24 at Dix Stadium.

Kent State University Vice President & Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond announced the hiring of Clay Wenger as the school's first head women's wrestling coach. 

Campus fellows have gone above and beyond to build a culture of belonging, advocacy, and impact throughout the past year