alumni-news
2022 Distinguished Teaching Award Recipients Celebrated at Oct. 21 Ceremony
The Distinguished Teaching Award, sponsored by the Kent State Alumni Association, is presented to three faculty members who demonstrate extraordinary teaching in the classroom and a commitment to impacting the lives of students. This year marks the 56th class of Distinguished Teaching Award recipienā¦
Alumna Morgan Dawsonās Construction Pants Combine Comfort and Utility
Alumna Morgan Dawson created Dawson Workwear, a line of pants specifically for women in construction, to provide comfort and an appropriate fit for the female body.
Brandon Lazenko, ā16
Brandon Lazenko, ā16, found a way to provide an unusual opportunity for Kent State film students to learn outside of the classroom through his upcoming project, He and fellow Kent State graduate Shelby Wyant, ā18, wrote the 40-minute film adapted from Stephen Kingās short story āNona.ā The alumni pair got permission to create their adaptation of the short story from King and his team through his Dollar Baby Program. āOctober Rosesā follows a down-on-his-luck professor who meets a beautiful woman while hitchhiking around Maine. He gets wrapped up in her web and makes decisions he normally wouldnāt make. His team for the film includes Kent State students who are helping on set, horror special effects icon Robert Kurtzman and his wife Marcy King who are both Ohio natives. However, Brandonās experience in film didnāt begin with āOctober Roses.ā Heās also created two miniseries and four short films, including the award winning āA Serpent by the Nest.ā
Kent State Alumni Association Names 2022 Alumni Award Recipients
Sponsored by the Ā鶹¹ū¶³ Alumni Association, the Alumni Awards are the universityās highest alumni honors. Recipients are selected based on their exceptional professional and civic contributions and for their outstanding support of the university. The 2022 Alumni Award recipients include six alumni and one student.
Black Alumni Chapter Spotlight - Willard Jenkins, ā73
A Lifelong Love of JazzKent State graduate serves as artistic director of DC jazzfestSince his days as an undergraduate student at Ā鶹¹ū¶³, one might say jazz has been the soundtrack of Willard Jenkinsā, ā73, life. Jazz was likely playing as he penned his jazz column fā¦
Kent State Achieves Unprecedented Fundraising Success During First Year of Forever Brighter Campaign
Ā鶹¹ū¶³ launched the public phase of its $350 million Forever Brighter comprehensive fundraising campaign in October 2021, and during the first year of the public campaign, a record-breaking $77.6 million was raised. This philanthropic feat was made possible with the support of 10,687 donors, 3,753 of whom made a gift to Kent State for the first time.
The Ā鶹¹ū¶³ Alumni Association Inc. Announces the Following New Members for Its National Alumni Board of Directors
The following new members have been appointed to serve on the National Alumni Board of Directors for a three-year term commencing July 1, 2022: Dennis Check, '85 Dennis Check, of Wadsworth, Ohio, is owner and president of Hasenstab Architects. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture in ā¦
Kent State Celebrates Its Newest Graduates With Summer Commencement Ceremonies
The Ā鶹¹ū¶³ alumni family will grow by more than 1,200 new graduates as the university holds its summer commencement ceremonies. The accomplishments of the Summer Class of 2022 will be recognized with in-person, outdoor commencement ceremonies and a virtual commencement ceremony on Aug. 20.
Alexander Evans, BBA ā14, BS ā14, MBA ā15, M.GISc ā19
After more than two years of a global pandemic, most everyone knows what an epidemiologist does. Alexander (Alex) Evans, BBA ā14, BS ā14, MBA ā15, M.GISc ā19, an epidemiologist at Franklin County Public Health, spent the first 18 months of the pandemic on call, working seven-day, 60-hour weeks on its COVID-19 response. This experience was shared by many epidemiologists, and with tireless work, came burnout.
Kent Stateās Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Wins 19 Marketing and Communications Awards
Kent Stateās Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement launched the universityās most ambitious fundraising campaign, called Forever Brighter, last October, creating communications and fundraising materials that share the remarkable impact of alumni engagement and donor philanthropy on the university. The division has earned 19 marketing and communications awards from multiple competitions.