Craig Berger, Associate Director in Community Engaged Learning, served on the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition 2025 National Advisory Board to develop and support programs, resources, and research that increase college students' participation in the voting process.

FirstGen Forward, formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success, recently announced Kent State University as one of only eighteen (18) institutions of higher education selected to its newest class of FirstGen Forward Network Champions. Network Champion institutions are an exclusive group serving as national leaders in advancing first-generation efforts and contributing to an important knowledge base of evidence-based practices, leadership engagement, and scaling student supports.

Craig Berger, Associate Director in CEL co-presented a session at the Reimagining the Academy Conference at Miami University (OH) on September 21st, 2024. Craig co-presented a discussion titled “Co-Optation or Understanding? Exploring Power in Calls for Dialogue,” which examined how calls for “dialogue” can be strategically leveraged by powerful actors to maintain the status quo and/or to avoid structural change and identified the potential and pitfalls of dialogue--and, more broadly, our educational spaces. 

Melanie Jones and Morgan Robinson presented at the Reimagining the Academy Conference on September 21st, 2024, at Miami University (OH). Their session, "A System Approach to Reimagining Belonging for First-Year Students, " focused on the critical elements of the Flashes 101 redesign, its purpose, rationale, and critical partnerships for implementation.

Craig Berger, Associate Director Community Engaged Learning, received the Defender of Democracy Award from the League of Women Voters of Kent. Craig was recognized for his commitment to encouraging students to exercise their voting rights through his role as co-lead for Kent State Votes. Craig has been instrumental in developing a comprehensive civic engagement strategy for KSU. 

Ellen Kratky, Julie Paskiet, and Justin Edwards presented at the Northeast Ohio Consortium for Career Advancement’s 2025 Summer Conference. The conference was held at Oberlin College. 

University College's CommUNITY Lab program has received the Racial and Social Justice grant in the amount of $75,000 from the PNC Foundation. The funds have provided opportunities for CLab students to learn financial literacy, receive mental health support, increase belonging, and given much needed emergency financial assistance to cover educational and basic needs expenses.

CEL selected for College Service Grant by The Allstate Foundation

Community Engaged Learning has received a $10,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation in collaboration with the Center for Expanding Leadership & Opportunity (CELO). This funding will be used to further youth-led, youth-driven service and is a part of The Allstate Foundation’s national strategy to transform how we engage, equip, and prepare young people to participate in community service. The Allstate Foundation has granted over $1 million toward this program to date.