Jared Brown doesn’t just build schedules; he builds confidence. His ability to turn academic stress into actionable solutions has made him more than just an advisor; it has made him the latest recipient of Kent State University's Distinguished Advising Award.  

Originally posted on Kent State Today

Kent State University celebrates outstanding student employees and supervisors during National Student Employment Week, recognizing their impact across campus through the annual Student Employee Awards Celebration. Celebrate with us the 2026 winners.

Kent State University graduate Emma Sherrie, '09, always had a feeling she would study anthropology, but still she took the time to check out all the other options available before finally settling on her original plan. Kent State’s Exploratory Program, which helps undecided students sample different disciplines before committing to a major, was a key part of Sherrie’s experience, and the main reason she chose Kent State in the first place.

Kent State’s Career Exploration and Development fair connects students with leaders from Disney, Rock Entertainment and more, who share words of wisdom for students.

The nine-day program, running March 6-15, represents a distinctive approach to helping students explore both culture and careers while building confidence in their major selection.

“Being a first-generation student means opening doors my family never had the chance to walk through,” Voyzey said.

Graduate student Delonte Goodman finished his fall semester at Kent State by successfully defending his master's thesis and receiving his master's degree. When he returns to campus in the spring, he will work as a teaching assistant as he begins his doctoral program. 

POV shares insights from the Kent State University community on important topics. Liz Piatt, interim dean of University College, shares her journey as a first-generation college student and how faculty mentorship helped her discover a career path she didn't know existed — one that now allows her to support other first-generation students as they navigate their own transformative college experiences.

Originally posted on Kent State Today.

Perhaps the best word to sum up Brianna Benson’s role at Kent State University is “caretaker.”

Benson is the assistant director of Community Engaged Learning in University College and oversees the CommUNITY Lab, where students in various scholarship programs, many of whom are first-generation, can find a responsive living-learning community that provides the support they need to succeed at Kent State.

For Ashley Motley, what began as a childhood love of solving math problems — the “weird kid who enjoyed doing math homework,” as she puts it — has grown into a career at Medical Mutual, a Cleveland-based health insurance company, thanks to scholarships, supportive faculty, and hands-on preparation at Kent State University.

Kent State University is celebrating another five years of federal funding for its TRIO Student Support Services program.

Originally posted on Kent State Today

Theresa Yogi, an academic advisor in Kent State University’s Honors College, has been described by students as the sweetest and most caring person ever, who genuinely takes an interest in them, sends them messages of encouragement and contacts them when internships and other job opportunities arise.

Students and faculty visited Jackson State University, where in 1970, two Black students at a gathering were killed by police and others wounded just 11 days after the shootings at Kent State.

As part of Kent State University's Student Employee Appreciation Week, Career Exploration and Development proudly announces recipients of the 2025 Student Employee and Supervisor Awards. 

Starting off as an Exploratory student gave me the freedom to try different classes and learn more about who I am as a person.

When Kent State University alumna Aysia Kemp declared her major in the first semester of her sophomore year, she felt confident in her chosen path. Things didn’t start off that way, however.

First-year students in the Provost Leadership Academy are asked to look at Kent State through a critical lens, with an eye toward how they would change or improve some aspect of university life. Here are some of the ideas being considered.

Originally published on Kent State Today

When Drew DeGeorge graduates from Kent State University in May 2025 and enters the job market, he will be able to draw on the strong leadership and public speaking skills that he gained from the P.E.E.R. Success Academy program.  

Originally posted on Kent State Today

Welcome to Flash Focus! In this series, we introduce you to fascinating student Flashes from all walks of life.

Meet Adriana Hines, a senior criminology and justice studies major with a concentration in justice and human relations, from Washington, D.C.

When Alex Newnes arrived at Kent State University this fall, she wasn't sure what career path she wanted to pursue. But unlike many undecided students, Newnes saw this uncertainty not as a drawback, but as an opportunity – one that led her specifically to Kent State's Exploratory program.

Originally posted on Kent State Today

Starting college can be a nerve-wracking experience. The journey can be even harder when you’re the first in your family to navigate this new world. Knowing what academic resources are available is a mystery. Filling out the FAFSA is a challenge. The unspoken stigma of being a first-generation college student is a reality.

The McNair Scholars Program at Kent State is celebrating 25 years of student support. McNair is a federally-funded TRIO grant through the Department of Education that supports first-generation, Pell eligible, and underrepresented students as they prepare for their post-baccalaureate endeavors.