Community and Society

Yvonne Bandy painted the Africa mural in Oscar Ritchie when she was 19 years of age.

 In 1971, alumna Yvonne Bandy, a Kent State art and design major, painted two of the murals that now hang in Oscar Ritchie Hall.

Dialogue and Difference event tackles the origins of hate.

Dialogue on Hatred: A Peacebuilder's Perspective, was a continuation of the year-long initiative Dialogue and Difference: A New Understanding designed to engage our Kent State community and advance our core values of freedom of expression, respect, and kindness in all that we do.

Emily Speck is an environmental health specialist who graduated from Kent State's College of Public Health.

The shortage of environmental health specialists accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic but had begun well before the that, according to Matthew Stefanak, a semi-retired faculty member and a "public health ambassador" with the College of Public Health, which helps to create career-ready graduates for this in-demand field.

students talking

According to Hillary Stone, industry liaison and professor in Kent State University’s School of Fashion, our preference for comfort during the pandemic has changed the way we dress out in public now too. 

Students, faculty and staff discussed MLK's ideas about peace and conflict at 100 Plates.

The 100 Plates event allowed students, faculty and staff to discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s ideas about peace and conflict. 

Ivory Kendrick speaks during I Am First event.

Sophomore public health major Ivory Kendrick has many irons in the fire this semester - along with academics, he is working as an intern and training his peers to be leaders.

The Flashes Fighting Hunger food pantry has seen a huge increase in users.

Usage of the Flashes Fighting Hunger food pantry has steadily increased since the pandemic, when the pantry remained open to serve the needs of the community. In addition, there has also been an increase in the number of international students using the pantry this past year as international student enrollment increased at Kent State.

Emily Speck is an environmental health specialist who graduated from Kent State's College of Public Health.

The shortage of environmental health specialists accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic but had begun well before the that, according to Matthew Stefanak, a semi-retired faculty member and a "public health ambassador" with the College of Public Health, which helps to create career-ready graduates for this in-demand field.

Kent State's ninth president Michael Schwartz in academic regalia

Kent State’s LinkedIn page has been flooded with comments from alumni, former colleagues and friends about Schwartz’s kindness, his work ethic as a leader and educator and his genuine concern for his students.  

Kent State is among the nation's safest college campuses.

Kent State's No. 1 priority is the safety of its students, faculty and staff. This has been seen demonstrated over the past few months as the Kent State community has held demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas war and other issues, such as abortion.