5XÉçÇø

When planning one’s future, having a helpful hand providing guidance is a worthwhile connection. Kent State’s Veteran Career Initiative, a partnership between the Center for Adult and Veteran Services and Career Exploration and Development, provides student and graduate veterans with valuable business and personal connections that help with translating military experience into a civilian resume.

Whether or not to pursue higher education after high school is one of the first big decisions young people get to make. Unfortunately, however, financial stipulations and other outside factors may inhibit one’s ability to access postsecondary education. 

5XÉçÇø’s Community Engaged Learning (CEL) secured a $10,000 grant through the United Way of Portage County, an independently-governed nonprofit organization that serves disadvantaged members of our community. This grant will support CEL’s Community Partner Advocate program (CPA) which places students at local nonprofits throughout the county for paid hands-on learning experiences. 

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education has awarded 5XÉçÇø the esteemed R1 status for research, which is the highest recognition that doctoral universities can receive. The prestigious designation affirms Kent State’s place as an elite research institution and puts the university in the company of universities such as Yale, Harvard and the University of California-Berkeley. 

In addition to encouraging her students to help the community, Ana Wetzl encourages them to excel in their studies. Knowing how far she has come in her career, her story is motivating. Originally from Romania, Wetzl taught herself English at 17 years old. Today, she is an associate professor of English at 5XÉçÇø at Trumbull with expertise in Applied Linguistics and Composition Studies. Wetzl has earned a 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award for her research, inclusivity, encouragement and above and beyond teaching abilities.

The 5XÉçÇø Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship’s Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) ranks No. 12 in the nation in Fortune’s Best Online Master’s in Business Analytics Programs in 2022.

Intravenous (IV) needle insertion is a practice that many medical professionals learn and need to master. A new cross-departmental Kent State project in the works will help nursing students improve their skills with cutting-edge technology. 

For Katrina Bloch, associate professor in the Department of Sociology at 5XÉçÇø at Stark, her goal is to help students adopt a sociological lens through an open and honest classroom environment that encourages them to reach their fullest potential. This dedicated mindset is what led her to receive the 2021 Distinguished Teaching Award, which honors an outstanding group of teachers who are committed to their students' success.

Emily Metzgar became the director of the School of Media and Journalism (MDJ) at 5XÉçÇø July 1, 2020, in the midst of a pandemic. Metzgar previously served as the director of undergraduate studies of the Media School at Indiana University. Metzgar’s diverse background paired with the insight she has gained from her previous work experiences has guided her in her new role as the MDJ Director. Now more than a year into her role, Metzgar shares with Kent State Today answers to these 10 questions.

After witnessing a horrific crash, sophomore public relations major LaDonya Williams immediately ran to help the distraught woman begging for someone to save her 7-month-old son who wasn’t breathing. After Williams used her Red Cross first aid training to help the baby, he began to breathe again and was taken to the hospital to recover, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

Donna Lee leads by example, performing piano on and off campus frequently to provide opportunities for students to see her polished programs. Her passion for music is evident to her students and anyone else who has heard her play. She not only prepares her students to fulfill their curricular requirements in piano performance but to understand the high level of dedication and work it takes to make a piece performance worthy through technical command, structural awareness, stylistic understanding and artistic expression. All of her preparation and passion led her to earn a 2021 Distinguished Teaching Award (DTA).

The new Flashes Fighting Hunger initiative takes the last 10 years to a new level, going beyond a kitchen that provides meals by becoming a program that prevents food waste, promotes food recovery and hosts multiple food pantries each week to serve the region.

Kent State alumnus Mike Bowen, '03, visited Kent State’s School of Emerging Media and Technology to share his knowledge about data and analysis that he uses as part of his job of Principal Quantitative User Researcher for music streaming service Spotify.

Kent State will hold its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, to celebrate King’s life and legacy. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. The virtual program is free and open to the public.