POV shares insights from the Kent State University community on important topics. Liz Piatt, interim dean of University College, shares her journey as a first-generation college student and how faculty mentorship helped her discover a career path she didn't know existed — one that now allows her to support other first-generation students as they navigate their own transformative college experiences.
Perhaps the best word to sum up Brianna Benson’s role at Kent State University is “caretaker.”
Benson is the assistant director of Community Engaged Learning in University College and oversees the CommUNITY Lab, where students in various scholarship programs, many of whom are first-generation, can find a responsive living-learning community that provides the support they need to succeed at Kent State.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrated I AM FIRST Week, a recognition of Kent State University students’ first-generation identity, by building community and showcasing campus-wide support.
Kent State University’s Academic Success Center continues to grow and evolve with the help of staff, faculty and students, offering a wide range of free services designed to help students succeed.
Theresa Yogi, an academic advisor in Kent State University’s Honors College, has been described by students as the sweetest and most caring person ever, who genuinely takes an interest in them, sends them messages of encouragement and contacts them when internships and other job opportunities arise.
Students and faculty visited Jackson State University, where in 1970, two Black students at a gathering were killed by police and others wounded just 11 days after the shootings at Kent State.
As part of Kent State University's Student Employee Appreciation Week, Career Exploration and Development proudly announces recipients of the 2025 Student Employee and Supervisor Awards.
When Kent State University alumna Aysia Kemp declared her major in the first semester of her sophomore year, she felt confident in her chosen path. Things didn’t start off that way, however.
First-year students in the Provost Leadership Academy are asked to look at Kent State through a critical lens, with an eye toward how they would change or improve some aspect of university life. Here are some of the ideas being considered.
When Drew DeGeorge graduates from Kent State University in May 2025 and enters the job market, he will be able to draw on the strong leadership and public speaking skills that he gained from the P.E.E.R. Success Academy program.
When Alex Newnes arrived at Kent State University this fall, she wasn't sure what career path she wanted to pursue. But unlike many undecided students, Newnes saw this uncertainty not as a drawback, but as an opportunity – one that led her specifically to Kent State's Exploratory program.
Starting college can be a nerve-wracking experience. The journey can be even harder when you’re the first in your family to navigate this new world. Knowing what academic resources are available is a mystery. Filling out the FAFSA is a challenge. The unspoken stigma of being a first-generation college student is a reality.
The McNair Scholars Program at Kent State is celebrating 25 years of student support. McNair is a federally-funded TRIO grant through the Department of Education that supports first-generation, Pell eligible, and underrepresented students as they prepare for their post-baccalaureate endeavors.
University College is proud to support students at every step of the career readiness lifecycle. Whether a student is building their first resume, exploring majors, or returning as an alumnus to make a career change, Career Exploration and Development (CED) is the hub for educating students and alumni to make informed career decisions.
In July 2024, 13 Kent State University students participated in the Kigali Summer Institute, where they traveled to the heart of Africa to study peacebuilding and reconciliation in post-genocide
