When Curtis Cofojohn, BA '17, returned to Kent State after serving in the Army, he faced an issue many college students do: where was he going to live? His choices were 1) an apartment where in a newer building with more amenities at a higher cost or 2) a house without the restrictions of an apartment, fewer amenities but with lower rent. The issue was that his options still were not very clear. There was no easy way to directly compare amenities between housing options or even to find roommates to live with. Another issue with renting that students face is not being able to physically see t...

Each October the Kent State Ashtabula community gathers together for an extraordinary evening to celebrate student success and demonstrate our deep appreciation for the generosity of so many who help make that success possible at the annual Scholarship Banquet. It's a unique opportunity for donors and students to come together and share stories, advice, gratitude and conviviality. It's also a chance to highlight the academic accomplishments and achievements of our students while offering a heartfelt thank you to those who support the campus.  This year is different and we don't...

Lauren Luna (B.F.A. ’00, Painting) has let nothing get in her way of her goal of making a living as an artist. Born in Columbus, Ohio, she moved to New York City shortly after graduating Kent State University with her B.F.A. and then ultimately to the city of Houston, Texas in 2011 to realize her dream. Since then, Luna has become known as their “city painter,” painting cityscapes of her new hometown, which eventually led her to recently establishing her own studio, co-founding a scholarship to support minority students in the arts, and even having the mayor of Houston proclaim a day...

Kent State University has won a Best in Class award for supplier diversity from the Greater Cleveland Partnership. This marks the third time that the university has received this award. Kent State previously won the Best in Class award for supplier diversity in 2013 and 2017.  As a multiyear winner of the Best in Class awards, Kent State is also named to the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Equity and Inclusion Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honor is awarded to member companies and organizations that have consistently demonstrated their commitment to workplace diversity and inclusion.&n...

Last spring, a COVID-19 outbreak overwhelmed a local nursing home in Geauga County, with cases among patients and healthcare staff jumping from seven to 31 overnight. Suddenly, the facility was in crisis mode… understaffed, under-equipped, and under duress. Ohman Family Living at Briar had thought they would be providing healthcare support to University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, as a 300% surge of patients was anticipated at local hospitals. But their roles were reversed when 40 percent of their staff tested positive for COVID-19. In April 2020, UH Geauga stepped in to assist Briar wit...