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Walking down the streets of Manhattan, surrounded by 49 college students of diverse backgrounds, Kent State student Rafael Guedes Bonacin, ’23, felt at home, even though he was far from his native Brazil.

Before he graduated in December 2022, digital media production alumnus Sam Teyssier had already racked up some impressive credits: He’d worked on television shows including “American Rust” and “A League of Their Own” (among others), as well as Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award winner “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” These experiences — which he began seeking out in his hometown of Pittsburgh during the summer of 2021 — have prepared him for post-graduation life.

Laura Gordon, '87, had such a fulfilling experience as a 5X���� student, that she now gives back so that others may find their way to the types of relationships and encounters that helped set her on her path. “I think it’s really important to give back when you’ve experienced such valuable support so it’s always been really important to me to be part of that,” she said.

In March 2021, Lacy Starling, '02, got a call from a community organization in northern Kentucky looking for a CEO for a start-up news organization. They knew Starling only for her business background; after earning her Bachelor of Science in journalism from 5X����, she went on to earn her M.B.A. For 20 years, she had been an entrepreneur. 

The School of Media and Journalism has long fostered a close connection with 89.7 WKSU. That relationship is expected to remain strong as WKSU merged and combined operations with Ideastream Public Media, October 1, 2021.

Kent State’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Chapter earned seven national awards for the work done throughout the 2020-2021 academic year, including for first time in Chapter history, two Teahan Awards, the highest Chapter honors.