University News

The Kent State emblem is shown.

The Kent State University Board of Trustees approved two new degree programs at its regular quarterly meeting held Wednesday, Dec. 15. The new majors – the Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology major within the Bachelor of Science degree and the Emerging Media and Technology major within the Master of Science degree – will help meet the high demand for these types of programs and provide opportunities for students to find careers in these growing fields.

A new Kent State graduate smiles after receiving her degree during her commencement ceremony in the Memorial Athletic and Convocation (MAC) Center.

The Kent State alumni family grew by more than 2,400 new graduates as the university held its fall commencement. The accomplishments of the Fall Class of 2021 were recognized with in-person commencement ceremonies and a virtual commencement ceremony for all colleges and degrees on Dec. 17-18.

Vet Tech student and a cat in the lab

For the third consecutive year, Veterinary Technology students at Kent State University at Trumbull earned the highest three-year average passage rate in Ohio on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

Associate Professor Abbey Eng and Team the Day She Learned She Recieved an OTA

Her commitment and passion for math mixed with a desire to help others is what led Abbey Eng, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Public Health at Kent State University to earn the 2020 Outstanding Teaching Award (OTA). The OTA, presented by the University Teaching Council, credits three full-time non-tenure track and part-time faculty members for being among the most dedicated and motivated faculty at the university.

Kent State Running Back Xavier Williams Runs For First Down During MAC Championship Game

Kent State’s high-powered offense struggled to move the ball against Northern Illinois, and the Huskies prevailed 41-23 over the Golden Flashes in the MAC Championship game in Detroit.

Ashtabula lecturer Joan Steidl (left) is surprised by Dean Susan Stocker (right) after being named a 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award winner

The interruption to Kent State Ashtabula associate lecturer Joan Steidl’s Intro to Human Services class recently was for a good reason, as Dean Susan Stocker and many of her colleagues were there to make the surprise announcement of Steidl being a recipient of the Kent State Outstanding Teaching Award (OTA) for 2020. Steidl is one of three recipients across the Kent State system awarded for 2020 and is just the second Kent State Ashtabula faculty member to win the award.

2021 Giving Tuesday results graphic

This year, Kent State University donors demonstrated the power of philanthropy by giving at unprecedented levels. The 2021 Giving Tuesday campaign shattered the previous records, more than tripling last year’s record of $2.2 million.

Roseann “Chic” Canfora, Professional-in-Residence

Roseann "Chic" Canfora, Ph.D., joined the School of Media and Journalism as a Professional-in-Residence this fall. She was also a student at Kent State, starting in 1968, and is a survivor of the May 4, 1970, shootings. 

Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship
Kent State’s Top Notch Research Showcased - 16 headshot images of Kent State Faculty collaged

The report, published in the PLOS Biology journal, evaluated more than six million scientists across 22 different fields and 176 sub-fields from 1996 until 2019. The top 2% list is made up of more than 100,000 most-cited scientists who have authored at least five scientific papers.

Kent State University at Trumbull

Following a national search, R. William (Bill) Ayres IV, Ph.D., of Toledo, Ohio, has been selected as the new dean and chief administrative officer of Kent State University at Trumbull. Ayres is currently a professor of political science at the University of Toledo, where he previously served as senior vice provost for academic affairs from 2018 to 2020 and vice provost for academic affairs from 2017 to 2018.