Lala Hajibayova, Ph.D., School of Library and Information Science, received a fellowship (about $2,000) from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Consortium for the Science of Sociotechnical Systems (CSST), to attend the Summer Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems, June 27–July 1, 2016, in Stevenson, Washington.
Lala Hajibayova, School of Library and Information Science
![Robin Vande Zande, Ph.D., associate professor of art education at Kent State University, earned a Distinguished Teaching Award for extraordinary teaching in the classroom. Robin Vande Zande, Ph.D., associate professor of art education at Kent State University, earned a Distinguished Teaching Award for extraordinary teaching in the classroom.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/thumbnail/public/article_thumbnail/PROFILES-DTA1.jpg?VersionId=heVr1alq2Gb0pYYGaIWiii6wff8kjJ6N&h=e6f36a9c&itok=_fn_6wdO)
A passion for education, a curious nature and need for empathy are the elements Robin Vande Zande, Ph.D., associate professor of art education at Kent State University, brings to the classroom.
![Kent State Ashtabula has announced a new partnership with Laurello Vineyards to expand the educational opportunities for students in its wine degree programs. Kent State Ashtabula has announced a new partnership with Laurello Vineyards to expand the educational opportunities for students in its wine degree programs.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/thumbnail/public/article_thumbnail/Video_3.jpg?VersionId=0NZBfz8A3YTsN.Gkf0hAJHt5ZLwM3GF3&h=e6f36a9c&itok=UllLoVRl)
Kent State University at Ashtabula is partnering with Laurello Vineyards to expand the educational opportunities for students in its wine degree programs.
![Leah Subak Leah Subak](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/thumbnail/public/article_thumbnail/Subak%20Leah.jpg?VersionId=RlSMN5ijeNmshaFAmO7fSouB8BzhXZZo&h=8a019425&itok=9Xc0HRrP)
![Leah Subak Leah Subak](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/article_thumbnail/Subak%20Leah.jpg?VersionId=F80iFVzcqIRPjorg0HjDJrRWiiMchhKy)
Familiar Face
leah subak
Staff Interpreter/Co-coordinator
Student Accessibility Services
Kent Campus
![Cheryl Slusarczyk Cheryl Slusarczyk](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/thumbnail/public/article_thumbnail/Slusarczyk%20Cheryl.jpg?VersionId=W.u2teqWnbyj.TltdtbJoieruEiHNFoY&h=8a019425&itok=yUbbowa4)
![Cheryl Slusarczyk Cheryl Slusarczyk](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/article_thumbnail/Slusarczyk%20Cheryl.jpg?VersionId=f54SkgKsNhn705SjuN_dI1zwUG5mYGJm)
New Face
cheryl Slusarczyk
Academic Program Coordinator
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Kent Campus
Richard (Rick) Feinberg, Department of Anthropology, participated in a series of leadership meetings of the American Anthropological Association, the world's largest society of anthropologists from Nov. 28-Dec. 3, 2017, in Washington, D.C. These included meetings of the AAA Executive Board and the Association Operations Committee. Dr. Feinberg chaired meetings of the AAA's Section Assembly and Section Assembly Executive Committee as well as one academic session.
Lae'l Hughes-Watkins, University Libraries, Department of Special Collections and Archives, presented “Project STAND: A Collaborative Initiative to Highlight Acts of Social Justice Thru Archives” at the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO) in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 27, 2017.
Jennifer L. McCullough, School of Communication Studies, Andy J. Merolla, Shuangyue Zhang and Shaojing Sun, authored “How Do You Like Your Forgiveness? Communication Style Preferences and Effects” in Communication Studies, Kenneth Lachlan (Ed.), Vol. 68, Issue 5, (2017): 568-587.
The Kent State University Board of Trustees approved a tuition guarantee plan that will provide students and their families certainty in budgeting for college tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board, including meal plans. Board members were presented with details of the plan during their Dec. 13, 2017, meeting on the Kent Campus, and the Board will be asked to approve specific rates for the tuition guarantee at its next meeting in March 2018.
Following a national search, Kent State University has selected John M. Rathje as its vice president for information services and chief information officer. Mr. Rathje comes to Kent State from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he has served as associate vice chancellor and chief information officer. He has significant experience in both higher education and industry sectors, including 15 years of increasingly complex leadership roles in higher education. He joins Kent State on March 5.
Kent State University has announced the hiring of Sean Lewis as its 22nd head football coach.
The Kent State University Board of Trustees today established a comprehensive, national search to recruit and select the university’s 13th president.
The events of May 4, 1970, placed Kent State University in an international spotlight after a student protest against the Vietnam War and the presence of the Ohio National Guard ended in tragedy with four students losing their lives and nine others being wounded. From a perspective of nearly 50 years, Kent State remembers the tragedy and leads a contemporary discussion and understanding of how the community, nation and world can benefit from understanding the profound impact of the event.
![](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/huge_thumbnail/public/article_thumbnail/BrainHeadshot%20sized.jpg?VersionId=ZjuAlhn9WJImE0B9y_p2Nycgr9JZ5BdZ&h=8a019425&itok=sLfqg2VB)