eInside Briefs

Kent State Offers New Dual Master’s Degree

Kent State University’s School of Communication Studies and College of Business Administration offer an opportunity to obtain two degrees at once: a Master of Arts in Communication Studies (M.A.) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), beginning this fall.

This unique dual-degree program is particularly attractive for managers, professionals and Bachelor of Arts students looking to enhance their communication skills to influence business in emerging global markets, while also developing skills to augment their own professional careers.

The dual degree integrates knowledge of economic and business development practices that impact the interconnected global business world. Coursework includes: communication theory and skills, media and information dissemination and processes, business fundamentals, entrepreneurial thinking and team-building skills.

“The M.A./MBA dual degree will provide knowledge of the critical areas of business combined with an emphasis on global communications,” says Deborah F. Spake, Ph.D., dean of Kent State’s College of Business Administration. “Competitively, the dual degree places graduates ahead of their peers, with skills that are in demand across all industries, from private sector to public service and entrepreneurial ventures.”

Kent State’s College of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) – an accreditation earned by fewer than 5 percent of business schools worldwide. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the college as one of the best business colleges in the nation, and Princeton Review rated the college’s MBA program as a best business school. 

Paul Haridakis, Ph.D., director of Kent State’s School of Communication Studies, affirms that communication degrees are highly desired among employers looking to hire college graduates.

“Employer surveys routinely demonstrate the centrality and importance of communication skills and training to be effective in the workforce,” Haridakis says. “Strong and effective analytical, verbal and written communication skills rank at the very top among qualities that employers seek in candidates. At the same time, the MBA has become a gold standard among graduate degrees in business. Our M.A./MBA dual degree program positions graduates to stand out in the professional world and increases their marketability by providing valuable skillsets that are heavily requested by today’s employers.”

The dual degree requires 62-65 credit hours of coursework: 35-41 hours in business administration and 20-27 hours in communication studies. Participating in a global experience is a requirement and may be an education-abroad course or an internship with global reach.

To apply, submit only one set of application materials. Each program makes an independent admission decision on the same application. Admission is based on grades, GRE or GMAT, references, an admissions essay and professional experience.

Kent State’s School of Communication Studies offers bachelor's degrees in communication with majors in global, organizational, health, public, interpersonal and applied communication. The school also grants master's degrees and participates in a collegewide doctoral degree program.

The school is nationally recognized for its scholarship, and its students have received national recognition for their academic and professional accomplishments. The Ohio Communication Association has recognized the school as Ohio's distinguished program in communication.

For more information, contact Mei-Chen Lin, Ph.D., professor and graduate coordinator at the School of Communication Studies, at mlin@kent.edu or Louise Ditchey, administrative director of graduate programs at the College of Business Administration, at lditchey@kent.edu. 

Kent State's College of Education, Health and Human Services Names 2014 Diversity Catalyst

Kent State University alumna Vicki
Haywood Doe, Ph.D.,has been named
the 2014 Diversity Catalyst for the
university's College of Education, Health
and Human Services. Doe is a
researcher with Summa Health Systems,
Akron City Hospital.

Kent State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Services announces the appointment of Vicki Haywood Doe, Ph.D., ACSM-HFS, as its 2014 Diversity Catalyst. Doe, a resident of Niles, Ohio, will work on behalf of the College of Education, Health and Human Services and its Office of Diversity Outreach and Development during the 2014-15 academic year on diversity and community outreach efforts, while also connecting with disciplines within the college that fit her line of work.

Doe, an alumna of Kent State’s Exercise Science/Physiology Program, is the president/CEO of Haywood Doe Consulting Co. LLC, where she designs, consults and implements lifestyle interventions for special populations. She also is a researcher with Summa Akron City Hospital, where she conducts research that focuses on the effect of exercise, depression and various hemodynamic responses among cardiac patients in cardiac rehab.

“When I think about the words 'diversity catalyst,' I envision someone who will be the connection between the university and the community. Someone who can create positive relationships between Kent State students and the community we live and work in. I plan to bring both groups the opportunity to learn about each other and create positive business and community relationships,” Doe says.

For more information about Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services, visit www2.kent.edu/ehhs.

They Led the Way Exhibit Receives 2014 AASLH Award of Merit

Guests view the exhibition They Led the Way that tells
the stories of the eight students who desegregated Leon
County, Florida, public schools in the 1960s.

(Photo credit: David LaBelle)

Kent State University Professor Ann Schierhorn, Lecturer David LaBelle and Althemese Barnes, executive director at the John G. Riley Museum in Tallahassee, Florida, received an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) in the 2014 Leadership in History Awards for their exhibit They Led the Way.

The Leadership in History Awards recognizes “achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history,” according to the AASLH.

They Led the Way chronicles the stories of eight students who desegregated public schools in Tallahassee in the 1960s.

The interactive exhibit features photography from LaBelle, director of the Kent State’s photojournalism program. Schierhorn and LaBelle collaborated with Barnes, who located several sources for the exhibit.

They Led the Way was the only Florida exhibit to win an award and the second award-winning exhibit for Kent State, alongside the May 4 Visitors Center exhibits.

“The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history,” according to the AASLH.

The association will present Schierhorn, LaBelle and Barnes with the award at a banquet during the 2014 AASLH Annual Meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday, Sept. 19.

Burhanna Wins Inaugural Librarian Recognition Award

Ken Burhanna, assistant dean for
engagement and outreach and associate
professor in University Libraries, was
named the first recipient of the Library
Instruction Round Table's Librarian
Recognition Award. 

Ken Burhanna, assistant dean for engagement and outreach and associate professor in University Libraries, was named the first recipient of the Library Instruction Round Table's (LIRT) Librarian Recognition Award. The LIRT Librarian Recognition Award acknowledges a librarian's contribution to the development, advancement and support of information literacy and instruction. Burhanna received the award at the American Library Association's annual conference at the LIRT program on Sunday, June 30. LIRT is a roundtable of the American Library Association, whose purpose is to advocate library instruction and information literacy as part of lifelong learning. He received a plaque and a $1,000 honorarium.

Sherri Brown, chair of the award subcommittee for the Librarian Instruction Award, says Burhanna was chosen from a pool of very talented nominees. Subcommittee members note Burhanna's length and breadth of service in support of information literacy and instruction as commendable.

“Burhanna's commitment to creating and advancing resources that further both high school and college-level information literacy initiatives really resonated with committee members,” Brown says. “His work exemplifies LIRT's mission to develop lifelong learners. The committee valued that his contributions extend beyond his academic position to benefit a wide range of instructors and learners in multiple life stages. Through state and local initiatives, national projects, including TRAILS (Tool for Real-Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) and PRIMO (Peer-reviewed Instructional Materials Online), and award-winning publications, Burhanna's many accomplishments in instruction merit his attainment of the inaugural LIRT Librarian Recognition Award."

“I am humbled to be named the first recipient of the LIRT Librarian Recognition Award,” Burhanna says. “I really feel I am accepting this award on behalf of the many colleagues in K-12 and higher education with whom I have worked side by side in connecting libraries to student success."

Burhanna is the editor/author of Informed Transitions: Libraries Supporting the High School to College Transition (Libraries Unlimited 2013) and co-author of the award-winning A Practical Guide to Information Literacy Assessment for Academic Librarians (Libraries Unlimited 2007). He has spoken and written extensively about the role of libraries in supporting successful student transitions.

For more information about University Libraries, visit www2.kent.edu/library.