Community and Society
![Senior business major Matthew Helmick-Bickel served in the U.S. Army five years ago. Senior business major Matthew Helmick-Bickel served in the U.S. Army five years ago.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Matthew_Helmick-Bickel%20Banner%203.jpg?VersionId=8qlPeQPCLUaZsPwvZRnWnmhg_5vXpjbo&itok=y63ztrrK)
Matthew Helmick-Bickel, 29, spent five years in the U.S. Army as an airborne paratrooper stationed at Fort Bragg North Carolina, now known as Fort Liberty, before he enrolled at Kent State in 2020.
![The MPower Men of Color Summit delivered connection, education and celebration The MPower Men of Color Summit delivered connection, education and celebration](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/MPower%20Mixed%20Crowd%20Shot.jpg?VersionId=utO0FxXCD6rjqrI51aQwa7Wv4td7LDfn&itok=noW2Vkvo)
The MPower Men of Color Summit provided attendees the opportunity to connect and celebrate during a schedule that consisted of educational workshops, brunch and a formal gala and awards banquet.
![Candles form a peace sign. Candles form a peace sign.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/peace%20sign%20photo.jpg?VersionId=K_tHx0LofsG4XIaCdnjpD.e1igIrwt1J&h=6a01e968&itok=axDcqSCu)
Kent State University’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies and School of Communications Studies are collaborating on an event to bring students together to talk about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
![Kent State Architecture Students meet with Warren Community Members Kent State Architecture Students meet with Warren Community Members](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/warren%20arch%20class.jpg?VersionId=x6zRub6khnnQeyf31ZV2sGkeiah9TzMm&itok=AWHmxnAO)
Students in Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design are working with the city of Warren, Ohio, to revitalize a portion of the community on the southwest side.
![Girls in Aviation Day Girls in Aviation Day](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Aviation%20Header.jpg?VersionId=vyNRTMTz8vIlFIJAZSwlcpoyfF4_fUR7&itok=J9TXAjAr)
Kent State University student group Women in Aviation served as hosts for Girls in Aviation Day at the Kent State Airport. The young participants had the chance to fly drones, try out a flight simulator and do a pre-flight check inside a real plane.
![An August storm damaged the May 4 Memorial. An August storm damaged the May 4 Memorial.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Storm_Damage%202.0.jpg?VersionId=tNenGvBkTqWQZeOyMjqYOo6T0tYfX.G0&itok=75oWee3s)
Repairs on the May 4 Memorial are estimated to take five to six months following approval to proceed with the project, according to Joseph Graham, university architect.
![Student Business Owners Student buisness owners](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/student_banner.png?VersionId=93wXZTK8pBPNFBQf_3rQu0Eg8P2q3kpE&h=c08838cb&itok=ELUDe_RA)
Entrepreneurs who have a passion to start their own businesses while they are students are in a league all their own. Kent State has a number of students in that league. Fortunately for them, Kent State also has resources at the university and college levels to help support these young entrepreneurs from concept to launch.
![A miniature fairytale house](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/pexels-david-gonzales-2640604.jpg?VersionId=vw2DmoxtjT6T8608gkOS.kn_8e96b1yx&h=c8129def&itok=vC7UdFls)
In Noelle Bowles’ classroom, fairytales come to life through the eyes of her students. Bowles, associate professor of English at Kent State University at Trumbull, teaches lessons that extend past the storybook and onto the pages of real life.
![Doctoral student Mandalynn Slupek is doing research on a supplement called NAC and its effect on addiction. Doctoral student Mandalynn Slupek is doing research on a supplement called NAC and its effect on addiction.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Mandalynn%20getting%20award.jpg?VersionId=pSO6vb7u0ZvqIothkvFdUKJrvBtaDFMG&itok=14FgGAIp)
Mandalynn Slupek won first place in Kent State's Three Minute Thesis competition on Oct. 3 when she presented “Getting the NAC of Being Drug Free,” research on how the supplement NAC or N-acetyl cysteine can be used in the fight against addiction.
The two-hour Mental Health Campaign kickoff, which was held in the Kent Student Center Ballroom on Tuesday, Oct. 10, was well attended by the Kent State community.