Community & Society

Meet Kent State Police Department’s newest K-9 officer, Salem, three-month-old Labrador Retriever and Sgt. Anne Spahr.

Still in training, this 4-month-old Labrador Retriever will be partnered with Sgt. Anne Spahr. Salem’s cuteness has been featured on all the Kent State social media accounts, and he’s already stealing many hearts!

Staff and students work on entrepreneurial ideas at Kent State LaunchNET

Kent State University’s LaunchNET program is celebrating 10 years of helping members of the university community pursue their entrepreneurial ventures. 

Photo of Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., professor in Kent State’s Department of Psychological Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences

ATHENA Akron, a women’s leadership organization in Summit County, Ohio, has named Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University, its winner of the 2022 ATHENA Akron Leadership Award. She will receive the award on Nov. 17 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn.

Emergency management coordinates all responders and stakeholders.

Vincent Marino, Kent State University’s new emergency management coordinator, has been on the job for six months working to ensure the university community is ready for whatever might come next. 

​​Flash Connections: Community Impact and Social Change Flash Connections experience in Columbus, Ohio, 2018.

Choosing a career path at age 18 can be overwhelming for some students. As a part of Kent State's University College’s Exploratory Program, Flash Connections are enhanced sections of the required First Year Experience course created especially for Exploratory students. The Flash Connections program is designed to help students considering multiple majors find a community while discovering their major. This program’s exemplary work with undecided students was recently recognized, receiving awards from the Global Community for Academic Advising.

Image shows a heart and stethoscope

A Kent State College of Nursing student who graduated Aug. 20 recently was honored by the city of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, along with her sister, for working to save the life of a woman who fell ill while playing volleyball.

NBA's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Even those who perform at the highest levels of talent struggle with challenges that change the way they live. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a former NBA player, spoke to a Kent State Speech Pathology class via Zoom to address the difficulties living with stuttering as an adult and professional athlete. 

University Housing employees help load bicycles for delivery to Family and Community Services in Ravenna

Workers from the Portage County non-profit organization Family and Community Services recently arrived at Kent State University’s Kent Campus to collect one of the most prized castoffs from university residence halls: bicycles.

Wendy Patton, director of the Kent State Columbus Program in State Issues

As the director of the Kent State Columbus Program in State Issues, Wendy Patton sets students up for valuable experience and future success in public policy. A 35-year career in state and local government – including 15 years with Policy Matters Ohio – prepared Patton to teach about public policy and state government in Ohio. She’s looking forward to helping students find career interests that can make a difference on the local, state and federal level. Learn more about Patton’s experience that led her to this role as she answers these 10 questions.

The federal Juneteenth Holiday is observed Monday, June 20

In advance of Monday’s observance of the Juneteenth federal holiday, we asked members of the Kent State University community to reflect on the federal holiday and share their thoughts on what they hope it means for the university.