May 4 Information

Every spring, the School of Peace and Conflict Studies offers a course entitled "May 4 1970 and Its Aftermath," listed as PACS 30000 and POL 30000 in the schedule of classes.

With the 50th anniversary of the Kent State shootings in 2020, the university dedicated a portion of their website to May 4 commemoration information, as well as information about the history, legacy, resources, and other news.  

• Remembering May 4 - special exhibits honoring the lives of Sandy Scheuer, Bill Schroeder, Allison Krause and Jeff Miller
• May 4, 1970 Home Page
• May 4, 50th Commemoration Home Page

Additional Resources

• SPCS Assistant Professor Sara Koopman and Geography Associate Professor Jen Mapes created a web app, released in 2020, utilizing the May 4 oral histories to map stories to particular places in Kent.  Explore the Mapping May 4 project.
• The May 4 Visitors Center is a central location for seeing, hearing and exploring the context and events related to May 4, 1970.
• Learn more about May 4 and its history.
  • May 4, 1970 History
  • May 4 Memorials
  • The May 4 Shootings at Kent State University:  The Search for Historical Accuracy (Hensley & Lewis)
  • May 4 Archives
  • May 4 Chronology
  • May 4 Annotated Bibliographies

Scholarship Opportunities for Current Students

• May 4th Legacy Scholarships for Peace and Conflict Studies Majors - The May 4th Legacy Scholarship Program was established by Kent State University in 2020.  This program provides four scholarships to be given to students majoring in our Peace and Conflict Studies program. Four scholarships are awarded each year.  Each scholarship bears the name of one of the students killed (Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder) to serve as a lasting testament to their lives and presence at Kent State.  
• May 4 Commemorative Student Activism Scholarship - Student activists may qualify for a special scholarship that was created in response to the events of May 4, 1970.  The May 4 Commemorative Student Activism Scholarship is awarded to a deserving student by the May 4 Task Force each year.  Historically, to be considered, students had to be active on the Kent State campus and write a reflective paper about the events of May 4, 1970 (minimum of 5 pages).  Check with the May 4th Task Force or the Financial Aid office to find out the current status of this scholarship.

Scholarship Opportunities for Incoming Students

• Alan Canfora Activism Scholarship - Established in honor of Alan Canfora, one of the nine students wounded on May 4th, 1970, this scholarship is available to entering first-year or transfer students with demonstrated financial need who are attending full time and have a "demonstrated interest in advocacy and social justice, as well as a demonstrated commitment of care and compassion toward others."  This scholarship is administered by the College of Communication and Information and is open to students in any major.
• May 4th Honors Memorial Scholarships - Established in 1990, these scholarships are named for each of the four students killed on May 4th, 1970.  These scholarships fund incoming Honors students with full in-state tuition for four years.