Inspiring Stories
Legacies Change Lives: Emma Troyer
Emma Troyer is a senior music education major from Sandusky, Ohio. As a student in the Kent State Glauser School of Music, she has found a strong sense of community while preparing for a career in music education.“Kent State was always my top school, but I didn’t know if I could afford to come here,…What the 2026 Tax Law Changes Mean for Planned Giving
As you consider your long-term philanthropic goals, changes in federal tax law beginning in 2026 may influence how you structure your charitable giving. If you’re thinking of including Kent State in your estate or financial plans, understanding these updates can help you maximize both your impact an…
Strengthening the Bonds Between Kent State and the Community Through Scholarships
Community is important to Timothy “Tim” Crock, and as a lifelong resident of Kent, Ohio, he wants to help Kent area students advance their education right here at home, empowering them to achieve and build their careers in their own community.“You develop ties to the place you go to college,” Tim ex…
Couple Channels Their Love of Science and Technology Into Their Legacy
Ronald R. “Ron,” ’88, and Mary L. Rivett, ’72, MS ’84, had a mutual love of science and computers. Although they were both from the same town in Northeast Ohio and attended the same high school, they didn’t get to know each other until a chance encounter in 1971 when she was student teaching. When R…
High School Sweethearts Leave a Legacy Through Philanthropy
Although they were born in the same month at the same hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, James C. “Jim” Schrum, ’74, and his wife, Cynthia J. “Cindi” Schrum, didn’t meet until they were both students at Austintown Fitch High School. They started dating in the late 1960s and have been together ever since.…
Making a Difference for Future Generations
Planned gifts, and bequests in particular, are a vital form of philanthropy at Kent State. These gifts make an important impact on our students and community, and they can be made in any amount, making them a great option for anyone interested in giving back.Estate gifts have made a significant impa…
Legacies Change Lives: Lauren Bischof
Lauren Bischof is a senior journalism major from Medina, Ohio, graduating in spring 2026. She recently participated in the rigorous Washington Program in National Issues in Washington, D.C., completing an internship at WJLA-TV in Arlington, Virginia. For more than 50 years, this program has helped s…
Roe Green Creates New Support Fund for the Kent State School of Theatre and Dance and Porthouse Theatre With $1 Million Gift
The new fund will support university and Porthouse productions, the hiring of assistant directors, guest choreographers and guest artists, the hosting of master classes and the awarding of artistic merit-based scholarships to students. Students who receive such scholarships will be known as Roe Green Scholars.
Opening Doors for Future Nurses
When Phillip R. Ridgley thought back on his career and considered how he could help the next generation of medical professionals, he decided he wanted to open doors for Kent State students pursuing a career in nursing. He decided to start an endowment so that he could continue to support nursing students into the future and help them focus on their studies in a way that he couldn’t when he was a student.
Helping Others Realize Their Potential
When Terrence J. “Chip” Bahn, ’75, M.Ed. ’77, Ed.D., was a high school senior he wanted to attend Kent State University after graduation, but he wasn’t ready and his counselor encouraged him to start at the local community college before moving on to Kent State. This experience inspired him to create the Dr. Terrence J. Bahn Endowed Scholarship to help students who studied at a Northeast Ohio community college to attend Kent State.