Ohio State Representative Derrick Hall recently visited the Kent State University Airport, where he received an informational tour of the facilities hosted by College of Aeronautics and Engineering Dean Christina Bloebaum, Ph.D.
Rep. Hall, representing House District 34 — which includes Hudson, Stow, Tallmadge, Silver Lake, Munroe Falls, and portions of Akron — serves on the House Transportation Committee and the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee. The visit gave the representative a firsthand look at one of the region's most distinctive academic aviation assets.
Located four miles from the Kent campus in Stow, the Kent State University Airport has served the community since 1917. It serves as the operational hub for the university's aeronautics programs, which comprise the largest flight training school in Ohio and the only collegiate aviation program in the state accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). The college maintains a fleet of 34 aircraft — the largest in Ohio — and has recently expanded its offerings with a new Digital Engineering Design Center and two new degree programs launching this fall.
Dean Bloebaum guided the representative through the airport's facilities, highlighting how the college prepares students for careers in aviation, engineering, and advanced air mobility — fields increasingly critical to Ohio's workforce and economic development.
Photo: Dean Christina Bloebaum, Ph.D. (left) poses with State Rep. Derek Hall (center) and Assistant Dean Brian Neff during a visit to the Kent State Airport.