Drawing from personal experiences growing up in rural Kansas, Kent State University President Todd Diacon shared how the low-level anxiety of temporary disorientation on country backroads taught him valuable life lessons that remain relevant today.“My message to you today, graduates, is that it is OK not to be fully certain about something,” Diacon told the enthusiastic crowds. “Being uncertain and even experiencing a bit of anxiety because of that uncertainty is also OK.”Watch Diacon’s address: In a time when many graduates face questions about their futures, Diacon’s message resonated w...

What started as a simple conversation between a Kent State University School of Fashion student and the American head of the global luxury menswear and fabric brand Scabal touched off a series of events that will result in a group of rarely seen Salvador Dali paintings having their North American debut in Northeast Ohio on June 12.What happened in between was a combination of luck, perfect timing and invaluable partnerships with Scabal and Peg’s Foundation in Hudson, Ohio, that are benefiting Kent State’s internationally renowned School of Fashion in many ways.It began in the summer of 2023, w...

Commencement ceremonies were held May 9 for the Kent State Columbiana County campuses for graduates earning associate and baccalaureate degrees, as well as certificates, for the 2024-2025 academic yearBaccalaureate Honors: Summa Cum Laude (Highest Honors):Kalei CookGrace CoppolaBrooke DustmanMaureen MackarAlexia MillerOlivia RiceAndrew SchultzSteven VulicMadelyn Wells Magna Cum Laude (High Honors):Ashley AlgarinBrittany ArnoldJennifer BiggsJulia EllksEllysa ExlineMegan FoustTabatha GarmanAugustin HolmanKristen HoyMarissa KrasinskiOlivia McCoyErica MerkelCarly MustakeElise NaymanMadis...

In a powerful commencement address that captured the hearts of Kent State University’s Class of 2025, Brother Rogério Renato Mateucci, Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), delivered a deeply moving speech that challenged graduates to find meaning through courage and compassion.Drawing from a poignant story encountered at the Holocaust Memorial in Boston, Brother Rogério shared the remarkable tale of two friends in a concentration camp – Gerta Weissmann Klein and her friend Elisa. In the midst of unimaginable hardship, Elisa discovered a single raspberry, carefully wr...

As the summer months roll in, the Kent State University at Tuscarawas Library and Makerspace is once again opening its doors to imagination, learning and family fun, transforming into a vibrant hub of joy and discovery.This year’s “Summer Fun for Everyone at KSU Tusc” promises exciting opportunities for all age groups, offering a dynamic lineup of activities designed to inspire, connect and entertain.“We have a great lineup of events planned this year for all ages!” said Maria Feik, Kent State Tuscarawas equipment lab technician and event coordinator. “Many of our faculty and staff have volunt...

In a moment that captures the spirit of academic achievement, Melody Tankersley, Ph.D., Kent State University's executive vice president and provost, delivered a powerful message to the Advanced Degree Class of 2025 – a message that goes far beyond traditional congratulations.One that also encouraged graduates to embrace their hair, no matter how curly, straight or however in between it may fall. Tankersley shared that she knows all too well that sometimes it's a person's hair that can become a symbol of the journeys that lie ahead.Standing before a sea of accomplished graduates, Tankersley sh...