Kent State Today

Following a pilot period on the Kent Campus, Kent State University has suspended the Flock Safety license plate recognition camera system, pending further review of potential concerns this fall.

Jared Brown doesn’t just build schedules; he builds confidence. His ability to turn academic stress into actionable solutions has made him more than just an advisor; it has made him the latest recipient of Kent State University's Distinguished Advising Award.  

When Sydney Brown arrived at Kent State University as a first-year student from Avon, Ohio, she didn't wait to get started. She walked into the TV2 newsroom — now Kent Stater TV — and introduced herself. That instinct to show up, dive in and tell stories has defined every semester since.

Kent State University will honor nearly 5,000 graduates from its eight-campus system during its spring 2026 commencement ceremonies on May 7-9 and May 15. The ceremonies will be livestreamed on the commencement website.

Fifty-six years after the Ohio National Guard opened fire on student protesters at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine, the university community gathered once again on the May 4 site at the Kent State Commons to bear witness, reflect and reaffirm its commitment to preserving the legacy of that day.

Dean Kahler is often quoted as saying he only had one bad day at Kent State University.

That day was May 4, 1970, when an Ohio National Guardsman’s bullet struck Kahler as he stood under a tree watching, from what he thought was a safe distance, a student protest against the escalation of the War in Vietnam. When the National Guard fired on the students, a bullet pierced Kahler’s spine, leaving him paralyzed and wheelchair bound for the rest of his life.

Kent State University’s VA Work-Study Program has been working to expand its reach, servicing military-affiliated students to help them turn their service experience into academic credit, while providing meaningful hands-on opportunities for student workers.  

The CARES Center celebrated its 5-year anniversary on Tuesday, April 14 with an open house that highlighted the accomplishments of the center over the last five years while providing opportunities for tours of the center, complete with birthday cake, refreshments and CARES Center swag.  

Kent State University is preparing to introduce a major shift in its residential experience with the launch of Theme Communities starting in fall 2026. The new model focuses on specific interests or student experiences.

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.

Kent State University graduate Emma Sherrie, '09, always had a feeling she would study anthropology, but still she took the time to check out all the other options available before finally settling on her original plan. Kent State’s Exploratory Program, which helps undecided students sample different disciplines before committing to a major, was a key part of Sherrie’s experience, and the main reason she chose Kent State in the first place.

Kent State University is partnering with Osh State University in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, to help reduce rising cancer rates in the Central Asian nation.

Kent State University and the Civil Aviation Academy in Almaty, Kazakhstan, have signed an agreement to be strategic partners in establishing a joint international aviation university in Kazakhstan, to support the rapid growth of aviation throughout Central Asia.

Kent State graduate Luana Johnson highlights how the American Academy partnership and the university's elite design labs provided the professional access needed to launch a global career.

Two Kent State University undergraduates brought national-level research experience to campus this year as featured presenters at the 2026 Exercise Science Summit. Liliana St. Germain and Olivia Snedeker delivered their work after using performance and biometric data collected from the Kent State women’s soccer team.

Kent State University's research impact continues to expand, with many faculty members recognized among the top 2% of the most-cited scientists worldwide, according to research metrics compiled by Stanford University scholars.

Allyson Tessin, Ph.D., assistant professor in Kent State University’s Department of Earth Sciences, has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award to support her research on how the seafloor and ocean interact in rapidly changing Arctic environments.

We catch up with senior physical education and sport performance major Julia Michalak between student-teaching classes during her final semester at Kent State. In a brief Q&A-style interview reflecting on her trials and triumphs from the past four years, Michalak offers some wise words for her younger self and for future Golden Flashes. 

Laura Davis, Ph.D., co-founder and first director of Kent State University’s May 4 Visitors Center, was recently named a Woman of the Year by the Summit County Historical Society. Davis was a first-year student at Kent State on May 4, 1970, and she shares her journey to becoming an activist and what people today can learn from America’s history of protest. 

A 2024 graduate from Kent State University's School of Fashion shares an update about her life after Kent State and beginning her exciting career in New York City. 

Campus grounds leaders are working to salvage trees removed due to storm damage, disease, the Main Street construction and other causes, transforming them into a resource for future academic and beautification projects.  

The spotlight shone on Kent State University's nationally ranked School of Fashion Friday night as the Awards Night Annual Fashion Show and School of Fashion Marketplace took the runway in Crawford Hall.

A new exhibition pairing fashion from Kent State University Museum's collection with ornithological specimens from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History opened April 22 — Earth Day — at the Cleveland museum, where it will remain on view through Oct. 11.

The Kent State Dr. Paula Treckel women's golf team claimed its 27th consecutive Mid-American Conference championship Tuesday at Firestone Country Club's Fazio Course — and junior Veronika Kedronová made sure there was no suspense about who led the way. 

Kent State University football has added one of the most accomplished players in the history of both the program and the National Football League to its coaching staff, naming Josh Cribbs as a special teams analyst for the 2026 season,

Delrecco Gillespie, senior professional studies major and member of Kent State’s men's basketball team, was recently featured in a recent NCAA article that detailed how setbacks like injury and grief fueled Gillespie’s drive to play as if it were his last chance to be on the court.