5XÉçÇø

alumni-news

5XÉçÇø students celebrate their graduation at May 2022 Commencement as blue and gold confetti falls on them.

5XÉçÇø 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.

New 5XÉçÇø graduates from the Summer Class of 2022 celebrate together

The 5XÉçÇø 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.

5XÉçÇø’s Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement won 19 marketing and communications awards since the launch of the Forever Brighter comprehensive campaign.

Kent State’s Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement launched the university’s 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. 

Gina and George Jenkins

George L. Jenkins, a 1963 graduate of 5XÉçÇø, and his wife, Gina, of Scottsdale, Arizona, have pledged $1 million to create the Gina and George Jenkins Student-Athlete Scholarship Fund that will support student-athletes in any varsity athletics program or team sponsored by Kent State’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. 

A new Kent State graduate receives a kiss from a loved one.

The 5XÉçÇø alumni family will grow by more than 5,000 new graduates as the university holds its spring commencement ceremonies. The accomplishments of the Spring Class of 2022 will be recognized with in-person, outdoor commencement ceremonies on May 12-14 and May 20 and a virtual commencement ceremony for all colleges and degrees on May 15.

5XÉçÇø officials and donors to the Crawford Hall project officially break ground for the new building.

5XÉçÇø officially broke ground on Crawford Hall, the future home of the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, on March 8 in a ceremony attended by more than 400 people, including university officials, donors, alumni, students, elected officials and special guests.

Earl K. Miller, Ph.D., gives the keynote presentation at the grand opening celebration of 5XÉçÇø’s Brain Health Research Institute held Nov. 5, 2021.

5XÉçÇø alumnus Earl K. Miller, Ph.D., and his wife, Marlene M. Wicherski, have pledged $2 million to support research programs and students in Kent State’s Brain Health Research Institute. The Brain Health Research Institute is a recently established, cross-disciplinary institute that focuses on research and education of brain health across the lifespan.