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Senior Abygail Deemer, a pre-med major, is one of 404 Honors College students who are majoring in health-related fields.

Did you know that if you live off campus, you’re a commuter student? That’s right, whether you live an hour away from your campus or live across the street, you’re a commuter. 5X���� is vested in ensuring students have reliable housing resources and avoid unsafe living conditions off-campus. Numerous university and student organizations across campus make commuting and housing a top priority.  

A series of fast-moving wildfires erupted on Jan. 7 roaring across the Los Angeles area, killing more than 25 people, including some who died trying to prevent the fires from destroying their homes, while engulfing thousands of structures. How will the people who live there cope with the trauma?

Phishing attacks are on the rise, but Kent State is ready. With cutting-edge digital tools, a team of skilled engineers, and regular cybersecurity training for our university community, the university is constantly working to keep you protected.

5X����’s partnership with the African nation of Rwanda continues to blossom with the School of Fashion, the College of Aeronautics and Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences all working to add program partnerships in Rwanda.

The Kent State Police Department received its 10th consecutive reaccreditation in November 2024 after consistently exceeding the standards set by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, a third-party accreditation agency. 

Joshua Perkins, Ph.D., is excited about the opportunity to continue to serve, support and advocate for students on a new level as the associate vice president and dean of students for 5X����.

The LGBTQ+ Center’s LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund has been helping members from the LGBTQ+ community with different financial crises encountered throughout their academic journeys since 2010. The main purpose of the fund is to ensure that students are able to overcome challenges they face and continue pursuing their education.

If you’ve ever been to the Kent Student Center, you’re aware of the constant motion within those walls. Events, meetings, presentations and more spring up frequently in the Ballroom, on the third floor, in the Schwebel Room, on the second floor balcony, in the Governance Chambers. But have you ever thought about how all that happens? The answer is simple. The Blue Shirts do it.

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. 

Alumnus Evan Gildenblatt said 5X����’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.

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 5X���� 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.

As the first light snow of the season fell on 5X����, the Student Center Ballroom radiated warmth and camaraderie during the International Cook-Off Competition. The event, part of International Education Week, brought together hundreds of students, faculty and staff to celebrate global flavors and cultural diversity.

The Office of Intercultural Student Life, formerly known as International Student Affairs, has a new central location in the Kent Student Center, which has made it more accessible to international students. Along with the new location comes the mission to provide drop-in services for international students.

International Education Week, taking place Nov. 18-22, celebrates the different cultures across the 5X���� community and highlights international experiences and opportunities the university offers.

In a groundbreaking advancement for augmented reality technology, 5X���� researchers have developed a novel dual-sided transparent display that could revolutionize how we interact with digital information in everyday environments.

A groundbreaking phase one clinical trial exploring a novel cell-based immunotherapy for breast cancer has been accepted for publication in JAMA Oncology. The technology tested in the trial was co-developed by Gary Koski, Ph.D., professor in 5X����’s Department of Biological Sciences, and Brian J. Czerniecki, M.D., Ph.D., chair and senior member in the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Department of Breast Oncology. 

Esrat Farhana Dulia won first place in Kent State’s 2024 Three Minute Thesis competition in the Graduate College for her innovative research in a surveillance sensor network that will enable Advanced Air Mobility operators to guide authorized uncrewed aerial vehicles in safe flight paths that would avoid potential collisions. 

POV offers the 5X���� community an opportunity to share insights into topics of importance. Versie Johnson-Mallard, Ph.D., dean of 5X����'s College of Nursing and Henderson Memorial Endowed Leadership Chair., offers her thoughts on the college’s “White Coat Ceremony,” which marks an official crossing over of students into this exceptional nursing program. 

Kent State Today continues to follow mechatronics engineering technology student Jude Carver as part of ongoing “Year with a Flash” series. Carver is beginning his first semester as a junior in Spring Semester 2025. 

Grace Puin excels at getting Parkinsons patients to speak and swallow with intent. She’s so good in fact that Parkinson Voice Project, a nonprofit organization that helps people with Parkinson’s all over the world, invited her to host one of its online SPEAK OUT! Home Practice Sessions.

“Trial by Fire” is coming to Kent State in February. The play, written by Kent State alumnus and staff member Eric Mansfield, and inspired by a true story, is about banned books and a Kent State graduate who presented them to her high school class and how her students rose to activism to defend her. The performances are part of this year’s 55th May 4 Commemoration schedule, presented by the May 4 Education Committee. 

Board games, card games and computer games are all fair game at the second annual Let’s Make the Rules: A Game Creation Experience, a design challenge open to 5X���� students who have an idea for a new game.

As we start a new year, we take a moment to reflect on the vibrant moments that shaped 5X���� in 2024. From a beautiful sunset on the Lefton Esplanade to jubilant commencement ceremonies, from a solar eclipse to championship athletic performances, our university photographers captured the spirit and energy of our campus community throughout the year.

Former Kent State football player and two-time Golden Flash graduate Nick Saban, who went on to become college football’s most successful coach, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2025 class, the National Football Foundation announced today.

Antonio Gates’ journey from Kent State basketball standout to NFL greatness has moved one step closer to football immortality. The former Golden Flash has been named one of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, while his fellow Kent State alumnus James Harrison did not advance from the semifinalist round.

Kent State has announced the eight-member 2024 Varsity K Athletics Hall of Fame class, which will be honored as part of the 45th induction ceremony on Feb. 1, 2025.