J. P. Cooney

The Division of Graduate Studies, under the leadership of Interim Dean Mary Ann Stephens, continues to make valuable strides in its reorganization, begun in fall 2009. The division is fortunate to welcome two new administrators, who play leading roles in helping Graduate Studies meet the four goals of reorganization:

• Position graduate education for a period of continuous growth in program quality;
• Develop a nationally competitive graduate admissions process;
• Insert national best practices into Kent State University's graduate activities; and
• Unify critical functions and graduate services.

J.P. Cooney is the new director of graduate admissions. In his role, Cooney oversees application processing, marketing initiatives, graduate application reporting and admissions personnel management. He is directly charged with developing a nationally competitive graduate admissions process for Kent State University. Cooney earned a master's degree in organizational leadership from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. Beginning at Mercyhurst College in 1998, he has spent 12 years in recruiting and enrollment at both private and public institutions. In 2007, Cooney joined Edinboro University, one of the 14 public institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. In addition to his administrative experience, he has participated in several professional organizations and institutes, including the National Association for College Admission Counseling, Integrated Strategic Enrollment - Snowmass Institute, and Leadership Erie: Executive Skills Program.

Kate McAnulty

Kate McAnulty is the new director of graduate student services. In her role, she directs the graduate student services/student affairs program, and is responsible for promoting a campus environment conducive to graduate student development, academic enrichment, and positive interactions between faculty, staff and students. In addition, McAnulty coordinates the graduate program review process. McAnulty came to Kent State from the University of Louisville, where she was the assistant director of graduate admissions, and most recently director of graduate student professional development. She earned a Ph.D. in college student personnel from the University of Louisville. Notably, McAnulty's doctoral dissertation on predictors of graduate enrollment in hard and soft academic disciplines received the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professional's enrollment management research grant.

The Division of Graduate Studies will continue to work diligently to achieve its goals of enhancing Kent State's reputation as a graduate degree-granting institution and attracting a larger pool of academically select and diverse master's and doctoral students. Throughout the remainder of the 2010-2011 academic year, Kent State should see a strong and ever-increasing change in the alignment of standards and practices and elimination of efficiencies and duplication of operations. This is an exciting time, as the university looks to immediate and long-term improvements in the key functions of the Division of Graduate Studies at Kent State.

By Kelly Daw