Kent State senior Isabella Emerick has never been content with choosing just one path. As an English major with a concentration in professional writing and a minor in paleontology, she has found a way to unite two fields that may seem worlds apart. This past summer, she explored the surprising intersections of science and literature through the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program.The SURE program funds promising undergraduate researchers for eight weeks over the summer to engage in faculty-supervised research at Kent State. “I want students to feel that there can be re...

Although they were born in the same month at the same hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, James C. “Jim” Schrum, ’74, and his wife, Cynthia J. “Cindi” Schrum, didn’t meet until they were both students at Austintown Fitch High School. They started dating in the late 1960s and have been together ever since.Early in their relationship, Cindi invited Jim to accompany her to her grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary party. That’s when he knew things were serious. After high school, Jim and Cindi attended separate universities and married in 1975, and they recently celebrated their own 50th wedding anniv...

Planned gifts, and bequests in particular, are a vital form of philanthropy at Kent State. These gifts make an important impact on our students and community, and they can be made in any amount, making them a great option for anyone interested in giving back.Estate gifts have made a significant impact throughout Kent State’s eight-campus system. Since 1997, planned gifts have provided nearly $10 million in student scholarship and programmatic support which help our remarkable students on their path to graduation. Along with other forms of planned giving, including life insurance, charitab...

Lauren Bischof is a senior journalism major from Medina, Ohio, graduating in spring 2026. She recently participated in the rigorous Washington Program in National Issues in Washington, D.C., completing an internship at WJLA-TV in Arlington, Virginia. For more than 50 years, this program has helped students learn firsthand about politics, culture, history and public policy through both seminars and internship experiences. Lauren is extremely grateful to be a recipient of the James C. and Cynthia J. Schrum Scholarship for the College of Communication and Information. “Receiving this sc...

Kent State University at Ashtabula’s Flash Medical Center returns Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, offering high school students from Ashtabula and Lake Counties a one-of-a-kind, hands-on experience in the world of health care.Now in its fourth year, the immersive event transforms Robert S. Morrison Hall into a realistic hospital setting, where participants step into the roles of nurses, radiologic technologists, physical and occupational therapy assistants, medical assistants, social workers, and respiratory therapists. Students will take part in a full “day in the life” simulation, following a patient ...

From campus studios to the Cannes Film Festival, Kent State alumnus Tyler Piña has turned his passion for storytelling into an award-winning career. A former TV2, Black Squirrel Radio and KSU Independent Films student, he credits Student Media with giving him the skills and confidence to succeed. Now an Emmy-winning filmmaker and founder of Neon Flamingo Films, Tyler’s work has appeared on Netflix, Disney and Amazon. What drew you to Kent State?Originally, I came for the architecture program—studying abroad was a big draw. When I first visited, I fell in love. A large campus with a small-...