Assistant Professor Kaatie Cooper, Ph.D., envisions a world where journalists and scientists work together to better inform the public about environmental issues. She’s working toward that vision through her research, which examines how mass media affects environmental issues, especially in documentary work. Cooper started out her career in environmental media and documentaries, and recently finished her first year teaching at Kent State’s School of Media and Journalism. She previously worked as an assistant professor in the Communication and Journalism department at the University of Wyomi...

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship recently launched “ASPIRE: The Life of an American Entrepreneur,” a podcast featuring Ambassador Edward F. Crawford. Throughout the 14-episode podcast series, ASPIRE presents a vivid picture of an American entrepreneur, providing insights on business, strategy, success and failure, as well as Crawford’s life experiences. Episodes span topics such as Crawford’s family’s journey from rural Ireland to the United States; dealing with rejection as an entrepreneur; Crawford’s journey to becoming an entreprene...

Recent graduate Dakota Varney, ‘23, spent the spring 2023 semester practicing his photography and multimedia skills in one of Northeast Ohio’s treasures: the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). Varney, a journalism major with a photojournalism minor, was in an elective class on recreational parks when he learned of the opportunity to work at CVNP. “The professor in the class was very well connected with the park service,” Varney said. “I reached out to him, and he started sending emails to different people in the park.” He became connected to the digital strategy team, and joine...

Kent State University's Anti-Racism and Equity Institute recently announced that Kayon Hall, assistant professor in the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration, has been awarded a research grant for the 2023 program. Titled "Black and Undocumented: An Exploration of the Role of Anti-Blackness in Shaping the Experience of Black Undocumented Collegians," Hall's research notes that educational scholars point to the role of anti-Blackness in the construction of US Higher education and, therefore, in shaping the experiences of Black students. However, minimal research is available t...

Students in the School of Media and Journalism are exposed to hands-on class experiences that give them the opportunity to explore their identities through storytelling. Recent graduates Gabby Jonas, ’23, and Reegan Saunders, ’23, both had the opportunity to craft and share deeply personal stories during their college careers. {"preview_thumbnail":"/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/euuSLU_oQFw.jpg?VersionId=XQAViP6jRIIvNpU3dpR1VOEeWFcMXgNv&itok=a_TccVJJ","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euuSLU_oQFw","settings":{"responsive":...

Kent State University education major Klair Heestand said the time she spent teaching refugee students in Akron in the spring was excellent preparation for when she enters her own classroom one day.  “It was very helpful because we’re going to have students of varying abilities, and students for whom English is a second language, no matter where we teach,” Heestand said. “We don’t need anyone left behind because of a language barrier.”  Heestand was one of a group of Kent State students studying to be middle school teachers who spent the spring semester developing a program of ...