Charlotte L. “Char” Hughes, ’63, and Janette M. Aten, ’63, met while doing their laundry in Terrace Hall, where they both lived as students at 5X. Soon, they were inseparable.
“Our time at Kent State was very enjoyable,” Char remembered. “We liked our professors, and we had a great group of friends.”
Both education majors, the pair went on to teach together in the Parma City Schools and were roommates until Janette married Michael Aten in 1970.
In Char’s annual meeting with her financial advisor, they were discussing how to use the required minimum distribution for her IRA, and things just clicked. She decided to honor Janette, who passed away in 2002, and their strong bond of friendship by starting a scholarship in their names at Kent State.
“I was required to take that distribution, and it was an easy thing to do,” Char explained. “I thought, ‘Why not do something to help someone else and create a legacy?’ It was a great way to honor our friendship.”
With the support of Janette’s daughter Danielle Campbell, Char created The Charlotte Hughes and Janette Aten Scholarship for Education with a combination of gifts from her required minimum distribution and a bequest. The fund will have its first recipient in the fall of 2025.
“She was the sister I never had,” Char said. “We both saw each other as sisters.”
Char and Janette taught together until Janette became a mother in 1972 and took a break from teaching to focus on raising her children. That is when Char became a godmother. She was there for all the important family moments, including family vacations, and Char and Janette were an integral part of each other’s lives. Char even purchased a vanity license plate for her car that read “GODMOM” to show her pride in filling that role.
Danielle remembers Char and Janette sitting by the ocean with their feet in the water for hours – just enjoying the sun and the time spent side by side. They did everything together. When Danielle went to college, Janette even left her husband at home for parents’ weekend to make it a girls’ trip with Char.
Teaching was a central part of both of their lives. They started teaching together at Pearl Road Elementary after graduation. Char continued teaching in the same school district throughout her career, and Janette returned to teaching with a position in the Brunswick City Schools. Janette’s husband was also a teacher. This is why creating a scholarship for future educators was the right fit, especially those involved in campus life, volunteering or service learning.
“It’s important to give back to those who need it and will put it to good use,” Char explained. “We made an impact on so many lives while we were teaching, and I want to leave a legacy for us at Kent State. This will help enable students to become the future educators we need.”