eInside Briefs

Fourth Annual Spirit of Women in Business Conference Call for Papers

Kent State’s College of Business Administration requests presentations to be submitted for the Spirit of Women in Business Conference to be held in March 2014

Attendees at the 2013 Spirit of Women in Business
Conference listen to a guest speaker in the Kent Student
Center Ballroom.There is a call for papers for the 2014
conference with an Oct. 31 deadline for submissions.

Kent State University’s College of Business Administration will host its Fourth Annual Spirit of Women in Business Conference on Wednesday, March 5, 2014.

The conference has sold out for the past two years and brings together women from diverse professional backgrounds.

Last year, Bernett L. Williams, vice president of external affairs at Akron Children’s Hospital, and Collette Carlson, human behavior expert and author, were the keynote speakers. More than 350 professional business women attended the conference.

The conference includes three break-out sessions featuring 12 topics aimed at enhancing your professional life, breakfast, lunch and a networking reception.

“This is an amazing event that provides women who are continually seeking knowledge for their personal and professional development with learning and networking opportunities,” says Corianne Kocarek, outreach program manager for Kent State. “Learning opportunities are focused on providing actionable insights that will advance skill development and positive lifestyle changes.”

This year, the conference is seeking programming that can speak to the informed woman.

Kent State is currently soliciting program proposals and encouraging presentations on the following topics: philanthropy, technology, healthcare, professional development opportunities, women in inclusion, starting and growing your own business, time management, work/life balance, networking, leadership, financial literacy, performance improvement, the Sandwich Generation, coaching/mentoring and workplace skills.

The presentation requirements can be found on the proposal form.

The deadline to submit a proposal for the 2014 Conference is Oct. 31, 2013. You can submit proposals to P.O. Box 5190, Attn. Corianne Kocarek, Room 204 Schwartz Center, Kent, Ohio, 44242-0001 or email them to Kocarek at ckocarek@kent.edu.

For more information about Kent State’s College of Business Administration, including the Spirit of Women in Business Conference, visit www.kent.edu/business.

Kent State University Helps Launch Portage County Emergency Preparedness Program

Kent State University’s Flash joined forces with other
local mascots to mark National Preparedness Month and
emphasize the importance of emergency preparedness.

Kent State University’s Flash joined forces with other local mascots at a press conference in Portage County on Sept. 24 to mark National Preparedness Month and emphasize the importance of emergency preparedness.

As this was a countywide initiative, the Portage County Board of Commissioners wanted to choose mascots from local colleges in the county to help with the event.

Kent State’s Flash, Hiram College’s Terrier and Northeast Ohio Medical University’s Nate, the Walking Whale mascot, aided first responders in demonstrating how to build an emergency home kit for disasters. The kit was then donated to the Freedom House, a residential facility for veterans in Kent.

The Portage County commissioners and the county’s Emergency Management Agency Council observed National Preparedness Month by also launching an online, social media and print education program at the conference.

The program, Portage Prepares, is a new, locally based program led by the Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management under the auspices of Portage County commissioners.

“National Preparedness Month is a great opportunity for us to reach out to citizens and get their attention with messages about preparing at home for a disaster that is relevant to this corner of Ohio,” says Amie Cajka, director of community relations for the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County.

Portage Prepares, a collaborative project that has been in the making for nearly a year, will introduce a new edition of its newsletter on a regular basis with an updated website and social media that will regularly highlight preparing for specific emergencies. Print versions of the newsletter will be distributed through community organizations and groups.

The project was made possible by a committee of local agency and institution staff and volunteers who represent the Portage County Health Department, Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County, Portage County Information Technology Services, Kent City Health Department, Robinson Memorial Hospital and Kent State’s College of Public Health with consultation from Kent State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Media representative Bob Long and Randolph Township Trustee Susan White are individuals who volunteer on the committee, says Cajka.

“Time and time again, we have seen how social media and the Internet are helping communities to prepare for and work through disasters,” Cajka says. “The focus of Portage Prepares is to help Portage County residents prepare for emergencies, survive and then thrive in the recovery stage using technology.”

For more information about Portage Prepares, visit www.co.portage.oh.us/portageprep or contact Cajka at amiec@mental-health-recovery.org. Visit the Portage Prepares Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PortagePrepares or follow Portage Prepares on Twitter at @PortagePrep.
 

Kent State Seeks Nominations for Alumni Awards

The Kent State University Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the Alumni Awards. These awards recognize Kent State graduates in the area of leadership, service, character and professional development.

“The alumni association is proud to recognize notable, accomplished graduates,” says Joy Foreman, assistant director of alumni relations. “These awards bring distinction not only to the alumni who receive them, but also to the university as they showcase the contributions Kent State graduates make to their professions and society.”

Five individual alumni awards will be granted along with three awards for alumni association chapters and area representatives. Individuals can choose to nominate themselves or other deserving Kent State graduates.

“We encourage everyone to nominate a graduate he or she feels is deserving of recognition,” Foreman says. “The alumni association wants alumni whose achievements represent Kent State’s spirit, character and tradition of excellence to be acknowledged.”

Nominations will be accepted until Dec. 31. Award recipients will be notified the following spring and recognized at the 2014 Kent State Homecoming.

For award criteria or to submit a nomination, visit www.ksualumni.org/alumniawards.

Kent State University's Office of Sustainability and Women’s Center Host Bra Drive to Help the Environment

Kent State University’s Office of
Sustainability and the Women’s Center
are hosting a bra drive, now through
Nov. 8, to collect reusable or worn-out
bras.

Kent State University’s Office of Sustainability and the Women’s Center are hosting a bra drive, now through Nov. 8, to collect reusable or worn-out bras and reduce the number of textiles in landfills. Bras that are in good condition will be donated to local charities in need, and worn-out bras will be recycled.

Bras that are washed and clean can be dropped off at the Women’s Center Carriage House or at the Office of Sustainability at Suite 101 in Harbourt Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“When I saw the opportunity for the bra drive, there were a few things I liked about it,” says Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager in Kent State’s Department of Facilities Planning and Operations. “Bras are items that probably do not usually get recycled.  Although textile recycling is increasing in availability, it’s still relatively rare.”

The Office of Sustainability says that 85 percent of textiles go to landfills, 95 percent of textiles can be reused or recycled and roughly half a billion bras are sold each year.

“Items of clothing that are in good condition can be sold or donated. But, it’s harder to find ways to keep worn-out items out of the landfill.  So, this is an opportunity to raise awareness about that and keep some clothing out of the landfill,” says Knowles.

For more information, contact the Office of Sustainability at 330-672-8023 or Knowles at mknowle1@kent.edu.

Kent State University Commemorates Safety Day

From left, "After the Fire" speakers Shawn Simons and
Alvaro Llanos, and Brian Hellwig, Kent State assistant
director of residential safety and security, stand outside
the Kent Student Center Kiva after the commemorative
presentation.

(Photo Credit: Rachel Purget)

Kent State University and the city of Kent collaborated to commemorate Safety Day last month in front of Kent State's Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center to provide students with safety information in the form of pamphlets, discussions and demonstrations.

The city of Kent Fire Department, the city of Kent Police K-9 Unit, Kent State Fire Safety Services, the Kent State Police Department, the Ohio Department of Transportation, Kent State Resident Services and others participated in the event.

The Ohio Department of Transportation gave the students an eye-opening experience with a demonstration of the effects of texting while driving and drinking, and driving through simulators.

“It was an eye opener for them to see how a little alcohol can affect their reaction,” says Edward Moisio, fire prevention and safety coordinator for Kent State’s Fire Safety Services. “Students also realized they could not text and drive.”

The Kent State Police also showed students the effects drinking has on their vision by making them play cornhole while wearing goggles with lenses that affect their vision, comparable to that of a drunken driver.

Kent State Residence Services hosted a discussion in the Kent Student Center Kiva about being respectful toward fire accident victims. Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, victims of a fire at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, taught the audience the importance of sensitivity toward victims with an altered appearance.

Police and fire fighters mingled with students and gave out information about their services and reinforced the message that they are available to help protect students.

For more information about Kent State’s Fire Safety Services, visit www.kent.edu/publicsafety.