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From �鶹��Ƶ to the White House, Sarah Matthews has been in the middle of the country's political scene since earning her degree in Public Relations in 2017. What she's learned along the way can help today's students better prepare for the careers that await.

The coming election is an important one, and voters – particularly first-time voters – are navigating a challenging landscape of information, misinformation, PACs, bots, memes, toxic debates and inflamed rhetoric. “Don’t Hate – Debate (And Vote)!” is an all-day teach-in event that will touch on many aspects of the elections, politics, political/social polarization and civil discourse.

The English as a Second Language (ESL) Center at �鶹��Ƶ recently moved its English Conversation Partner program online. Once an in-person activity only, the program’s transitioning to a remote environment has actually opened up new opportunities, such as involvement from alumni and additional unique groups and students being able to connect with their language partners regardless of their physical location. 

Darin Olson, D.M.A., is the new director of Athletic Bands at �鶹��Ƶ. He leads the Marching Golden Flashes, Flasher Brass Pep Band, Kent Symphony Band and University Band. Olson is currently an active member of College Band Directors National Association and the National Association for Music Education. Learn more about Olson and his plans for his future at �鶹��Ƶ as he answers these 10 questions.

It would not be surprising if you have a social media app open right now; however, you may not be getting the enjoyment out of it that you think you are. In a recent publication in Computers in Human Behavior, two �鶹��Ƶ professors examined the relationship between social media usage and boredom. Students may be surprised by the results and parents might be excited by them.

When Curtis Cofojohn returned to �鶹��Ƶ after serving in the Army, he faced an issue many college students do: where was he going to live? Cofojohn’s own experiences with off-campus housing led him to create a website solution that serves the needs of both students and landlords, during the pandemic.

�鶹��Ƶ has won a Best in Class award for supplier diversity from the Greater Cleveland Partnership. This marks the third time that the university has received this award. As a multiyear winner of the Best in Class awards, �鶹��Ƶ is also named to the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Equity and Inclusion Hall of Fame.

Two �鶹��Ƶ sociology researchers are moving toward gaining insight into how people’s brains react in a variety of threatening situations using innovative virtual reality (VR) technology funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Army. Josh Pollock and William Kalkhoff, both in the Department of Sociology & Criminology, are leading the research projects, which will benefit the Army, �鶹��Ƶ students and others.

The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2020 includes alumnus David C. Lange, BA ‘75, who, following his freshman year at �鶹��Ƶ, entered the U.S. Navy and returned to �鶹��Ƶ after his military discharge to major in journalism. His graduation led to a 40-year newspaper career and numerous years as an advocate for veterans in Ohio.

Black lives and Black cultures have been underrepresented and discriminated against for many years. TEXTURES: The History and Art of Black Hair is an exhibition coming to the �鶹��Ƶ Museum in 2021 with the help of significant sponsorship from corporate and federal funding that focuses on celebrating and empowering these lives and cultures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyday life for everyone. For some, it’s minor. For others, it’s catastrophic. At the �鶹��Ƶ at Geauga Campus, economic hardships caused by the pandemic have threatened to derail many students’ academic plans and their hopes for a better future. Recognizing that dozens of students face similar situations, �鶹��Ƶ Geauga has established an Emergency Relief Fund to provide a stopgap for them to continue on with their studies.

Kendra Minichello has just begun her sophomore year at �鶹��Ƶ. Her mother, Stacie Minichello graduated from the university in 1995. Over the summer, Kendra and Stacie were happy to answer questions about their �鶹��Ƶ experiences and share how attending �鶹��Ƶ is a tradition in their family.

The progression and growth of downtown Cleveland continues as the grand opening of The Lumen building reflects the historic beauty of the city. Terry Schwarz, director of the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC) at �鶹��Ƶ, spoke with News 5 Cleveland about the excitement surrounding the construction of the building and the impact it will have on downtown, despite the pandemic. 

The �鶹��Ƶ Board of Trustees has approved a new three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement between the university and the �鶹��Ƶ Employees Local 153, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Climate change can now be measured on a global scale using multiple weather variables, according to new research published by Cameron C. Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Geography at �鶹��Ƶ.

�鶹��Ƶ is proud to announce its 2020 Alumni Award recipients. Recipients are chosen based on their exceptional contributions in their chosen profession, in their communities and at �鶹��Ƶ. Sponsored by the alumni association, the Alumni Awards are the university’s most prestigious honors given to alumni.

�鶹��Ƶ’s David Costello is passionate about identifying what trace metals lie within Northeast Ohio’s streams and what the effects of these metals are on the surrounding environment. Costello, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received a $718,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study these important trace metals. The grant is awarded as part of the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program.

Sara Koopman, Ph.D., assistant professor of �鶹��Ƶ’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies, spoke with WKYC on how modern technology has changed how protests are organized compared to how they were in the 50’s and 60’s civil rights movements.

A recent article from The New York Times explored the lack of diversity in fashion museums across the world. Placing �鶹��Ƶ among the top fashion institutions in the world, the article featured museum Director Sarah Rogers and her efforts to create an inclusive and diverse collection in the museum.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has selected two �鶹��Ƶ College of Arts and Sciences faculty members, along with two community clinicians, for , an initiative that will provide funding and leadership training to the four team members. Their plan is to implement a project that will help veterinary professionals in Northeast Ohio address mental health stigmas they experience in their lives and provide usable techniques that can be incorporated into their veterinary practices.