Kent State Works

Kent State’s Accounting Program Paved the Way for a Successful Career with a Cleveland Firm

Translating Research Into Real-World Healing

Jaime Shuster, Ph.D., blends psychology, public health and research to improve patient care at Cleveland Clinic.

From Literature to Leadership: How One Kent State Alumna Is Shaping the AI Frontier

Kent State University alumna Emily Clark discusses her journey from an English degree to her high-tech career, where she solves business challenges using artificial intelligence. Clark credits much of her success to her education at Kent State.

Painting Her Own Future: From Intern to Innovator

Sophia Matar, B.S. ’24 was inspired by robotics at a young age and knew she wanted to pursue a career in nformation technology (IT), majoring in computer science. See how her passion for AI and robotics has led to a career at Sherwin-Williams and an opportunity to mentor and lead the next generation of tech trailblazers.

Exploring Her Options Led to the Perfect Career

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. However, things didn’t quite start off that way. Kemp credits her experiences in the Exploratory Program for leading her to her ideal career.

Alumnus Making Tire Production Safer and More Efficient

Michael Parker’s decision to study mechatronics at Kent State University was driven by his lifelong curiosity for intricate mechanical systems and understanding how they work

Helping Patients – and Students – Find Their Footing

Dr. Nick Campitelli, D.P.M., has been practicing podiatry in Fairlawn, Ohio, now for 20 years and has garnered a major following on TikTok and YouTube for sharing his expertise, leading to many happy patients. 

Peace, Conflict and the Courtroom

Alumnus Evan Gildenblatt said Kent State University’s peace and conflict studies program intially appealed to him because it was so broadly applicable to everyday life. Today, he uses the skills he learned while earning his Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies in his role as a judicial law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati.

From Public Health Graduate to Air Force Epidemiologist

Victoria Bylsma said it only took about two hours after a mentor suggested she look into a graduate degree in public health for her to know what she wanted to do with her career. Today, the Kent State University Master of Public Health graduate helps to protect service members’ health and readiness as an injury epidemiologist at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton.

Hands-on Learning, Real-World Success

Unsure of what he wanted to do in life when he first came to Kent State University, it was the hands-on learning experiences he had in his degree program that led Dexter Shreve to becoming a business owner.

Kent State Alumnus Leads Crucial Research on East Palestine Train Derailment

Myron Lard grew up just 40 miles from the East Palestine derailment site. He returned to help the community understand the impact.

Kent State Fashion Program Stitches Path to Success for Local Designer

Kent State's School of Fashion taught Liam Aberle everything he knows about the industry.

Pairing Design and Data for Better Healthcare Systems

Hands-on experiences while studying healthcare design and emerging technology at Kent State created a unique, in-demand career path for 2023 graduate Hamid Estejab.

From Passion to Purpose

Drawn to healthcare as a child, Athalia James pursued that passion all the way to a fulfilling career in nursing. 

Charting the Course for Success in Northeast Ohio

As founder and owner of Sky Quest aircraft management and charter company, Corey Head, ’98, knows that hiring other Kent State graduates is a wise investment in the future. Of the 75 employees on his staff, roughly half are Kent State graduates.  

Inspiring Young Minds at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

When it came time to pick a college, Moe Duffy knew two things for certain: she wanted to work with animals and she wanted to stay in Ohio. Kent State gave her both. 

Kent State Aeronautics Alum Teaches in the Classroom and Hires at his Companies

Nicholas Belluardo is a part-time faculty member at Kent State and the co-owner of four aviation businesses.

From Career-Ready to Camera-Ready at WFMJ-TV

Simonek and Tromler sat down with Kent State Today to talk about their experiences in the university’s journalism program and how it prepared them to hit the ground running within the first week on the job at 21 WFMJ-TV.

‘Kent Is Our Home’ With Deep Roots

Founded in 1880, The Davey Tree Expert Company has a rich history, growing from a seedling organization into Ohio’s largest employee-owned company with branches reaching far across North America, but deeply rooted in Kent.

Student Media Experience Leads to Dream Job for Kent State Journalism Graduate

While completing a two-month journalism fellowship in Arizona the summer after her college graduation, Anna Huntsman, ’19, found herself nostalgic for Ohio.

“I was around a lot of people from all across the country,” she remembers. “They would ask me, ‘What’s so special about Ohio?’ and I would have this answer about the camaraderie, the sports, the work ethic. I just found myself having these answers of really missing my home.”

Honors College and Education Abroad Gave Kent State Grad Tools For Success

Honors College ranked high when graduate Josh Budd was deciding whether to attend Kent State because it offered him a challenging experience through its thesis programs and its education-abroad program. Studying abroad helped him develop more empathy and connection with people of backgrounds different from his own. 

Kent State Prepared Graduate for a Future in Interior Design

For Madelyn Orcutt, an interior designer who works for Richardson Design in Cleveland, the Kent State’s personal touch, beautiful campus and proximity to her Canton, Ohio, home influenced her decision to attend the university.

Hands-on Experience Leads to Entrepreneurial Success

As an entrepreneurship major at Kent State, Schumann learned operations, production and finance in the classroom and gained on-the-job experience working with an entrepreneur in Cleveland.  In 2020, Schumann of Chagrin Falls gained the opportunity to put his Kent State education to work when he and his wife Marisa Sergi-Schumann acquired L’uva Bella Winery and Brands, a company that the Sergi family started more than 15 years ago.  

How The Backspace Key Taught a Global Digital Leader to Learn, Correct and Move Forward 

After 27 years of travel and pivoting to various international endeavors, Sonia Karkare, a native of Mumbai, India, is now back at Kent State as an adjunct professor with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship’s Executive MBA (Master of Business Administration) program. She is teaching diverse types of courses, including the Digital Transformation in Healthcare course.

From Voter Registration Volunteer to Presidential Management Fellow

Two-time Kent State University alumnus Eli Kalil, who is finishing up his first year as a Presidential Management Fellow at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, said his degrees prepared him well for the field of healthcare administration

Making the Grade: Julianne Agnone, '21, Awarded Rookie Teacher of the Year by Lake Local Schools

Julianne Agnone, ’21, is doing what she loves — teaching. But these days, it’s not only her students making the grade. Agnone, who teaches math to sixth graders at Lake Elementary, was recently named Lake Local’s Rookie Teacher of the Year and joins newcomer teachers from Stark County’s 17 public school districts as part of the Stark County Educational Service Center’s Education All-Star Team.

Kent State Alumnus Examines the Future of Architecture Industry

Alumnus Michael Christoff is bringing balance and perspective to the field of architecture. With over 17 years of practice under his belt, Christoff’s community-focused perspective has earned him coveted spots on Crain’s Cleveland Business’ 40 under 40 list, Inside Business Magazine’s Northeast Ohio 25 under 35 Movers & Shakers and the Cleveland Bridge Builders. But, he’s not done making a mark on Cleveland or the architecture industry as a whole.

Alumna Digs Up Dream Job at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Have you ever seen a Mona monkey skull? Do you know what a Dunkleosteus terrelli is? Well, thanks to alumna Hailey Majewski you can see 3D images of both of these items and many more through the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.