�鶹��Ƶ

DC Comics’ superhero Black Lightning has been part of popular culture, and Black history, for more than 40 years. Since his debut in 1977 as DC’s very first “headline” Black character, Black Lightning has appeared in comic books, animated TV series, video games and, in 2017, a live-action TV series that ran for four seasons on The CW Network. In his secret identity, Jefferson Pierce (shh, don’t tell anyone), he also appeared on the Kent Campus to get his teaching degree. Yes – Black Lightning is a �鶹��Ƶ alumnus. 

Tang Tang, Ph.D., professor in the College of Communication and Information at �鶹��Ƶ, recently shared her expertise with the New York Times in the article "Beijing Olympic Ratings Were the Worst of Any Winter Games."

�鶹��Ƶ is the sole university in the U.S. to receive the prestigious 2022 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The honor recognizes �鶹��Ƶ for overall excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of the university and its campuses.

�鶹��Ƶ alumna, Brianna Gordon, ‘20, developed two interests independently in high school: video production and sports. Now, she spends her days combining those two, working on videos for the Pro Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF) in Canton, Ohio. Gordon is making a name for herself after graduating with a degree in digital media production and a concentration in television from the School of Media and Journalism in the College of Communication and Information.

Society’s norm for men is stereotyped as leaders, providers, and guardians. Society also posits that men cannot speak about their emotions and have to portray a strong persona to be considered masculine and to succeed in these roles. This results in an environment of “toxic masculinity,” which encourages negative self image, negative outward behavior and struggles with mental health among men who feel they have to be strong at all times. An initiative on campus is trying to change that perception.

�鶹��Ƶ has established a new partnership with Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law to offer students two pathways to obtain a bachelor’s degree from �鶹��Ƶ and a law degree from CSU in six years. The new 3+3 program will shorten the length of time typically needed to complete both degrees.

Head of textile program at �鶹��Ƶ, Professor Janice Lessman-Moss, curated an exhibition of modernized forms of weaving that was recently featured on Cool Cleveland. The new show at �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for the Visual Arts, called Line by Line, focuses on six early career artists that are focused on the diverse world of weaving.

Communication Studies Lecturer Aaron Bacue initially doubted how effective he might be teaching under the restrictions of COVID-19, but along the way, he made a big difference.

U.S. News & World Report has named three �鶹��Ƶ programs as U.S. News Best Online Programs for 2022. �鶹��Ƶ is recognized in the Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs, Best Online Graduate Education Programs and Best Online MBA Programs rankings.

A retired Marine is using his journey to assist others at �鶹��Ƶ's Center for Adult and Veteran Services. Recently featured on Good Morning America’s “What You Need to Know” segment, Mark Stillion discussed his experience of adjusting to life after his four deployments and how �鶹��Ƶ’s programs have assisted him. 

Intentionality to build successful academic mentoring relationships with students is what sets professors apart at �鶹��Ƶ, and each year two professors at the graduate and undergraduate level receive a student-nominated award for their ability to do so. The intent of the award is to recognize those professors exceeding in mentoring students in how to perform research in any field.  

�鶹��Ƶ has a history of passionate student activism. However, 2020 has really highlighted such efforts, both current and past, and its impact on the importance of students sharing their voices through voting. Efforts made by individuals, student-led groups, faculty members and �鶹��Ƶ as a whole have led to an exceptionally high increase in voter engagement throughout campus.

The �鶹��Ƶ Geauga and Ashtabula Campuses were awarded a $585,046 USDA Grant in January 2022 to bring rural Geauga and Ashtabula counties on par with the latest technological advancements in education, medicine, and workforce development. Ashtabula County entities that will benefit from the grant include Andover Public Library, Kingsville Public Library, Pierpont Township Board of Trustees, Grand Valley Local School District, Pymatuning Valley Local School District and SPIRE Institute.

"Where On the Web?" is a new series that will introduce possibly unfamiliar pages and features on the �鶹��Ƶ website that students, faculty and staff should know about. Follow along to learn more about the advantages of using www.kent.edu.

Stefanie Moore, professor in the School of Media and Journalism, was featured on WFMJ-TV (Youngstown) to discuss the recent backlash Spotify had faced surrounding misinformation.

Team LeBron will be playing for �鶹��Ƶ’s I Promise Scholars, a program that provides higher education opportunities for underserved students in Northeast Ohio.

The National Institutes of Health recently awarded a $1.86 million grant to Thorsten-Lars Schmidt to develop molecular tools that help researchers to understand membrane proteins. This is the first time a professor at �鶹��Ƶ has been awarded an R35, which provides promising researchers with a five-year funding for a broader research program, rather than funding a specific project. This gives investigators a lot of freedom to develop new research directions as opportunities arise, rather than being bound to specific aims of a more narrow study.

When planning one’s future, having a helpful hand providing guidance is a worthwhile connection. �鶹��Ƶ’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. 

�鶹��Ƶ’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.