news
![The Fashion School's NYC Studio Director Young Kim Thanos leads a class. The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation gift will help support the study-away program benefiting fashion school students, including those who study at the NYC Studio.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/PROFILE-fashion%20school%20grant_0.jpg?VersionId=4C7Xk1lH0_tdMcwR6xgqAZwS950T6FmE&h=ec98a0f6&itok=TpSaghsU)
Kent State University has received a $2.5 million gift for its Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising from the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation of Hudson, Ohio. This gift will endow a Fashion School chair and support the study-away program for students.
![May 25, 2017, Photo of Kent State President Beverly Warren with Mary and Ted Gawlicki May 25, 2017, Photo of Kent State President Beverly Warren with Mary and Ted Gawlicki](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/President%20Warren%2C%20Mary%20and%20Ted%20Gawlicki.jpg?VersionId=_ojLmIPSLyQaNkzu.iAe0yKnNpwpr5om&h=c95bc20e&itok=uWgF7Axp)
Kent State received a grant for $1 million from the Gawlicki Family Foundation of Hartford, Connecticut, to fund the development of a state-of-the-art distance learning translation studies program. “This transformational gift … will enable us to better fulfill our global mission by bringing our outstanding translational studies program to the world through a high-quality, technology-rich distance learning platform,” said Kent State President, Beverly Warren.
![Amari Thomas Amari Thomas](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Amari%20Thomas.jpg?VersionId=jlqj1WBKhb4wds8sLJE6CkVrD1g_KSTE&h=022b7664&itok=mBIHCi59)
Two academic scholarships help Kent State University fashion merchandising major Amari Thomas shine brightly inside and outside the classroom.
![Bert Crawford Header Image](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/BertC_3.jpg?VersionId=XvXfwguJIPFTp8W8hyw8B_YCKTqcE5N9&h=d3a8edbd&itok=Esj2mYbl)
Bert Crawford is a former foster child with a difficult past and a future that seemed bleak. But he broke the mold and rose above his challenges thanks to many opportunities, including his own determination, Kent State’s incredible study-abroad options and the generosity of donors.
![Flashes supporting the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank on Alumni Day of Service](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/community%20day%202017-76-XL.jpg?VersionId=Wv3Vkzqf_hcO5avFoSE8nvqm5LxtjWoJ&h=199d8c1f&itok=OgV67p87)
The 2017 Kent State Alumni Day of Service, held April 29, was our biggest yet, with close to 400 volunteers serving at 27 locations around the world! This year, we have a fantastic highlight video to showcase our volunteers' collective, impactful efforts to shape the world around them.
![Dr. Heinlein and Laxman Panthi](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/REVISED_Dr.%20Heinlein%20and%20Laxman%20Panthi%20Meet.jpg?VersionId=yyDX2wnQNB1soMeFSoaPTBgwHC8JZGXU&h=52d3fcb6&itok=sZp48sPF)
Laxman Panthi was born and raised in Nepal, and earned his undergraduate degree in India. When choosing to pursue his Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.), however, he chose to do so in the United States, at Kent State, which he calls “the greatest school in the USA.” The impactful generosity of others is one of the reasons Laxman’s attendance at Kent State is possible.
![Lauren Pankiw, during a volunteer trip to Africa. Lauren Pankiw](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Lauren%20Pankiw%20Elephant%20picture2.jpg?VersionId=bec69pPr4BavcRa18h9ECCp9RE2YqOFH&h=6cc91ce5&itok=OOPXtU3m)
Lauren Pankiw, '16, is driven by solid, benevolent goals. “I’m going to be a physician assistant, and ... my goal is to work with underserved communities.”
![2016 Generosity Report Cover](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/2016%20Generosity%20Report%20Cover_0.jpg?VersionId=5Z6qdTp7ldIHu5LwzKU5wQnQ5U1JfO5p&h=7a7fd934&itok=-mzkYayN)
![Watch some of the reasons why we’re undeniably distinctive – and undeniably Kent State.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/DA68-049.jpg?VersionId=eCDDzy6Orzwdp_0B1YaGR2Im0eSdjg5s&h=f7d9296c&itok=U0R0q9-F)
![Alumni Awards](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Alumni%20Awards%20Video%20Screen%20%201920x1080.jpg?VersionId=wUiT2uFnISY28Q9rvroDC5EjFfh7SfoI&h=d1cb525d&itok=sH7pjpzG)