Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Valoree Vargo (far left), Kent State University vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement, and Kent State President Todd Diacon (far right) stand with university donors Larry and Sandy Armstrong (center).

Kent State Secures Two $1 Million Gifts in Support of Global Education

Kent State University has announced two substantial philanthropic gifts in support of the Global Education Endowment, which was established in 2022 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Kent State’s education-abroad presence in Florence, Italy.

Tags: Global Reach , Global Presence , Office of Global Education , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Kent State Today

Lynda Grieves and George “Bill” Grieves Jr., ’58

Sharing Their Love of Education with Future Generations

Kent State University has held a special place in the hearts of Lynda Grieves and her husband George “Bill” Grieves Jr., ’58, who passed away in 2019. For their 60th wedding anniversary, Bill and Lynda chose to create a scholarship through a charitable gift annuity instead of having a party.

Tags: Inspiring Stories , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Alumni and Giving

Rollie, ’64, and Frances Layfield visit Kent State’s Army ROTC

Rollie, ’64, and Frances Layfield Help Students Build Skills for Success

Hard work and discipline are a driving force for Rollie Layfield, ’64, and they have served him well throughout his life and his career in business. He credits both his degree program in business administration and his time in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program at Kent State University for helping him develop the leadership, entrepreneurship and organizational skills to thrive after graduation.

Tags: Inspiring Stories , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Alumni and Giving

Dylan Cahill

Legacies Change Lives: Dylan Cahill

The moment Dylan Cahill stepped foot on the Kent Campus, he knew that Kent State University was the place for him. Born and raised in Texas, Dylan visited Northeast Ohio for family gatherings and always felt a connection.After his mother passed away in 2020, he wasn’t sure how he could afford a coll…

Tags: Inspiring Stories , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Image of tools

Modern Humans Using Ancient Tools

Kent State anthropology professor Metin Eren, Ph.D., has a hands-on approach when teaching students about prehistoric stone tools that involves immersing themselves in a specially equipped lab in Lowry Hall that features everything from flint arrowheads to a ballistics station.

Tags: Prioritizing Student Success , Beyond Academics , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Alumni and Giving

Kahler on campus two

Dean Kahler’s 'One Bad Day' Fuels a Lifetime of Purpose

Dean Kahler, ’77, one of the nine wounded in the May 4, 1970, shootings, wasn’t supposed to be at Kent State that day. 

Tags: alumni-news , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Increasing Belonging

Increasing Belonging for Graduate Students

A new program will foster a stronger sense of belonging to address research that demonstrates that graduate students are less likely to feel a sense of identity attached to their graduate school than those connections to undergraduate school experiences.

Tags: Prioritizing Student Success , Beyond Academics , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Armstrong Phares

Alumni Support Global Education Experiences

Kent State has received two $1 million donations in support of Global Education experiences for students. These gifts will make education-abroad experiences available to more students through the Global Education Endowment fund that was created in 2022.

Tags: Prioritizing Student Success , Enhancing Experiences , Global Education , alumni-news , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Illustration of five lit birthday candles with phrase "A Birthday Wish for Kent State"

Help us Celebrate Kent State’s 114th Birthday

Kent State is turning 114, and we are celebrating by raising funds for Kent State scholarships and programs. This year, the Kent State University Foundation has pledged $5,000 to match employee gifts dollar for dollar (up to $250 per donor until the match money runs out) to the fund of YOUR choice s…

Tags: University News , alumni-news , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , Success Stories , Organizational Sustainability

Alumni and Giving

Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D. (right), is pictured at the Doula and Community Expo hosted by Birthing Beautiful Communities in April 2024. (Photo provided by Angela Neal-Barnett)

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation Awards Additional $300,000 to Kent State’s Spirit of Motherhood Program to Combat Infant Mortality and Prevent Preterm Births

Kent State University’s Angela Neal-Barnett has been working diligently to build up the Spirit of Motherhood program with the goal of reducing trauma and stress symptoms experienced by its pregnant Black mother participants. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation recently awarded the program another $300,000 to continue its work over the next three years.

Tags: Community & Society , Community Impact , Department of Psychological Sciences , College of Arts & Sciences , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving