Division of Student Affairs Wins Prestigious National Award

The Division of Student Affairs at Kent State has been named one of the 30 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs for 2021 by ACPA-College Student Educators International and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

This is the first time the division has received the honor and was only one of three schools in Ohio to garner the award, joining Miami University-Oxford and The Ohio State University.

With a direct focus on workplace diversity, staffing practices, and work environment, the research uses a web-based survey approach to examine categories such as family friendliness, salary/benefits, and professional development opportunities.

“This award really belongs to the hard-working staff in the Division of Student Affairs,” said Vice President for Student Affairs, Lamar Hylton. “Our staff pushes us to be better, [and] our staff really works hard at making sure we have a Division of Student Affairs that is the best.”

Despite facing a pandemic, the division unveiled a three-year strategic plan in January to provide students with a world-class experience during their time at the university. Hylton believes this is just one of the many factors contributing to making the division one of the best in the country.

“I think the result of that hard work and intentionality about diversifying our staff and ensuring that our policies and practices are equitable and inclusive have allowed for us to shine,” he said. “The results of that work have been this award.”

Hylton believes that another significant factor in receiving the award is the values each member of the division possesses. Leading by example has contributed to creating such an excellent environment for students on campus.

“It is about being very intentional about making sure that we have our values reflected in the work that we do, day in and day out,” he said. “Making sure that we keep our eyes on how we are living our institutional and divisional values in action.”

Hylton believes this is a sign of things to come not just for the division but also for the university. 

"This is the first time that we have been named to this list [and] it will not be the last!" he said. "It is just another moment of pride for Kent State and for the hardworking, dedicated colleagues who work in the Division of Student Affairs." 

For over thirty-seven years, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education has been America's premier source of timely news, provocative commentary, insightful interviews, and in-depth special reports on diversity in higher education. This was the eighth year it has released its 30 most promising places to work in student affairs. The list will be published in the June 10, 2021 edition of the magazine, and the awardees will be celebrated virtually in June.

The list of the 30 most promising places to work in student affairs (in alphabetical order) includes:

1. Bellarmine University
2. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
3. California State University-Channel Islands
4. Clark University
5. Colgate University
6. William & Mary
7. Davidson College
8. Elon University
9. Holy Names University
10. Humboldt State University
11. Kent State University
12. Miami University-Oxford
13. Pennsylvania College of Technology
14. Rider University
15. Rochester Institute of Technology
16. Saint Louis University
17. Sam Houston State University
18. Samuel Merritt University
19. Sonoma State University
20. The Ohio State University-Columbus
21. University of California Riverside
22. University of Delaware
23. University of Florida
24. University of Hawaii-Hilo
25. University of Maryland-Baltimore
26. University of Maryland-College Park
27. University of North Carolina-Greensboro
28. University of Vermont
29. University of West Georgia
30. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

For more on Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, please visit https://diverseeducation.com/

For more on the Division of Student Affairs at Kent State, please visit https://www.kent.edu/studentaffairs