eInside Events

Kent State Celebrates Homecoming, Oct. 18

Flash, the Kent State University mascot, celebrates during
the university's Homecoming parade as it makes its way
from the Kent Campus to downtown Kent.

Kent State University will celebrate Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. Faculty, staff and students are invited to come together to celebrate the Homecoming theme of “Kent State Pride is Worldwide.”

“The theme reflects Kent State’s global presence,” says Joy Wesoloski, assistant director of alumni relations and Homecoming committee chair. “With our alumni and students coming from more than 100 countries, blue and gold pride is felt across the world. The new and traditional Homecoming events this year will offer opportunities for all Golden Flashes to participate and find ways to show off their Kent State spirit.”

The festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with the traditional 14th annual Bowman Cup 5K Race followed by a complimentary continental breakfast and parade viewing party at 10 a.m. at the Williamson Alumni Center at 1200 E. Main St.

The Homecoming parade will step off at 11 a.m. down Main Street with entries from campus organizations and the community that reflect the Homecoming theme. Tracy McCool, a 1994 Kent State graduate and the evening anchor at Fox 8 News in Cleveland, will serve as the Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal.

A new event – called the Kent State Spirit Party – will take place on the grounds of the alumni center at 12:30 p.m. following the parade. The spirit party will offer stations for Kent State fans to make posters for the football game, color their hair blue and gold, and get face tattoos. Two party trucks featuring video games, photo booths and karaoke will be present along with cornhole boards, snacks, hot chocolate and beer. Lolly the Trolley also will be on hand to take interested individuals on tours of downtown.

“This spirit party is an event for the whole family to enjoy together,” Wesoloski says. “A lot of activities will be going on after the parade, including open houses at different university departments, building tours and a faculty lecture, so everyone should be able to find something to do before going to the Homecoming football game.”

The Kent State Golden Flashes will battle the Army Black Knights at Dix Stadium at 3:30 p.m. The 2014 Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned during halftime. Kent State fans are asked to show their support by wearing blue and gold to the game, and they can purchase the official 2014 Homecoming T-shirt at the University Bookstore.

A list of all Homecoming events can be viewed at www.ksualumni.org/homecoming.

Orange Is the New Black Star Laverne Cox to Visit Kent State

Laverne Cox, star of the show Orange is the New Black
and outspoken transgender advocate, will speak at Kent
State University on Nov. 5.

Outspoken transgender advocate Laverne Cox will visit Kent State University to give her “Ain’t I A Woman: My Journey to Womanhood” presentation on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public, but a wristband is required. Required admission wristbands can be reserved starting at 8 a.m. on Oct. 15 at www.eventbrite.com and selecting the “Laverne Cox at Kent State” event. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. the day of the event.

Cox is the first transwoman to produce and star in her own television show, TRANSForm Me, and appear on the cover of Time Magazine. She also is the first transwoman of color to have a leading role on a mainstream scripted television show Orange Is the New Black. She received rave reviews and an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actress for the role of Sophia Burset on the show.

“We are very excited about bringing such a talented actress and inspirational transgender advocate as Ms. Cox to Kent State University,” says Alfreda Brown, Kent State’s vice president for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “Her message of moving beyond gender expectations to live more authentically, for all people, is something the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion wholeheartedly supports.”

Time Magazine named Sophia Burset the fourth most influential fictional character of 2013. Cox was named one of Out Magazine’s “Out 100,” one of the country’s top 50 trans icons by The Huffington Post and one of Metrosource magazine’s “55 People We Love.” Cox was the recipient of the Anti-Violence Project’s 2013 Courage Award.

A renowned, in-demand speaker, Cox has taken her empowering message of moving beyond gender expectations to live more authentically all over the country. As a transgender advocate, Cox continues to lend her voice to the cause of transgender visibility and equality. She is committed to telling diverse and three-dimensional trans stories in the media.

This event is sponsored by Kent State's Women's Center; the Office of Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Student Center; and the Student Multicultural Center, all within Kent State’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

For more information about Kent State’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, visit www.kent.edu/diversity.

Xerox Officer to Speak at Kent State’s Michael D. Solomon Speaker Series

Naveen Sharma, Kent State University
alumnus and chief innovation officer for
the Xerox ITO Group, will serve as the
featured speaker for the Michael D.
Solomon Speaker Series on Oct. 16.

Kent State University alumnus Naveen Sharma will serve as the featured speaker for the Michael D. Solomon Speaker Series on Oct. 16. Sharma, who is chief innovation officer for the Xerox ITO Group, will speak to Kent State College of Business Administration students, faculty, staff and the general public at 7 p.m. at the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center. The event, which is free and open to the public, will consist of a lecture and a question-and-answer session, followed by a reception.

Sharma, a former Kent State research assistant professor of computer science, will speak on the topic “Creating a Continuous Innovation Culture.”

In his position with the Xerox ITO Group, Sharma’s focus is IT service innovations in the retail, consumer products, hospitality and industrial sectors. He also participates in planning for emerging computer paradigms, such as cloud and autonomic systems.

Sharma also directs the Computing and Information Services Lab (CISL) at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in Webster, New York. As director, Sharma oversees a wide range of research including analytics and large scale computing, business process and service computing, HCI, software innovations, ethnography and information technology solutions. He helped establish an offshore software development team and manages several open innovation collaborations with a number of top research universities.

“We are fortunate to have Dr. Naveen Sharma as the Solomon Series Speaker,” says Sergey Anokhin, Ph.D., interim director for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation at Kent State’s College of Business Administration. “His vast expertise covers a wide array of areas including technology commercialization, innovation offshoring, open innovation collaboration and business process innovation.”

Kent State alumnus Michael D. Solomon began his support of the speaker program with its inception in 2005. His goal was to expose students, faculty and the community to successful entrepreneurs. Each semester, the series brings experienced entrepreneurs and educators to campus to share their insights and wisdom.

The Michael D. Solomon Speaker Series is one component of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation. The center is a collaborative effort reaching across Kent State’s eight campuses and throughout the business community, supporting academic and outreach programs that foster entrepreneurial activity and economic development in Northeast Ohio.

For more information or to register, visit www.kent.edu/business or call Maria Avila at 330-672-9426.

Kent State to Host Graduate and Professional School Fair, Oct. 29

Event brings representatives from more than 35 graduate school programs to Kent Campus

Kent State University will host a Graduate and Professional School Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 29, featuring representatives from Kent State and more than 35 other graduate and professional schools from across the country. The fair, which will take place from noon to 2:30 p.m. on the first floor of the University Library, is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about graduate education.

The fair offers a one-stop opportunity for attendees and prospective graduate students to explore their options and research a variety of graduate programs. Attendees will learn firsthand about admission requirements and application periods, and have the opportunity to collect relevant materials to help them further evaluate and review graduate programs of interest to them.

“Graduate Studies is excited to host the first Graduate and Professional School Fair at Kent State,” says Mary Ann Stephens, Ph.D., dean of Kent State’s Division of Graduate Studies. “With more of our students pursuing graduate education, students will now have the opportunity to explore the many options of graduate education on campus.”

Refreshments and a chance to win an iPad as well as other items from participating universities will be available at the fair. Some of the schools participating include Case Western Reserve University, the Ohio State University, the University of Pittsburgh and many more.

For more information about Kent State’s 2014 Graduate and Professional School Fair, visit www.kent.edu/graduatestudies/graduate-school-fair.

For more information about Kent State’s Division of Graduate Studies, visit www.kent.edu/graduatestudies.

FedEx Freight Chief Financial Officer to Speak at Global Management Speaker Series

Kent State University alumnus Donald C.
Brown is the featured speaker for the
Global Management Center Speaker
Series on Monday, Oct. 20.

Kent State University alumnus Donald C. Brown is the featured speaker for the Global Management Center Speaker Series on Monday, Oct. 20. Brown will speak to Kent State College of Business Administration students, faculty, staff and the general public at 7 p.m. at the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will feature a question-and answer-session, followed by a reception.

Brown’s presentation, “Managing Global Supply Chains and The Savvy Customer,” centers on logistics solutions for modern global delivery.

“Today we live and work in a global marketplace,” says Deborah F. Spake, dean of Kent State’s College of Business Administration. “To prepare our students for success, we educate and instill global thinking. Don Brown will share with students and faculty how innovative delivery solutions become imperative when determining supply chain logistics for leading corporations.”

Brown is executive vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer of FedEx Freight. He began his career in Ernst & Young's audit practice in 1977. He joined Roadway Services in 1990 as assistant to the vice president and controller, and later served as vice president of human resources for Caliber System. Brown joined FedEx Corporation in 1998 as staff vice president - controller. He also held financial management positions at FedEx Corporate Services and FedEx Logistics before joining FedEx Freight in 2001. Brown is a graduate of the College of Business Administration with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is a certified public accountant.

Kent State’s Global Management Center strives to advance international business education opportunities, advances global research through industry partnerships and provides an international stage for students, faculty and the public to learn and engage in best global business practices.

To register or for more information, visit www.kent.edu/business or call Maria Avila at 330-672-9426.

Kent State University Libraries to Host Library Live Conference on Nov. 6

University Libraries will hold its ninth annual Library Live Conference on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the University Library on the Kent Campus. The free event is open to faculty, staff and graduate students who want to learn about library resources and services that can support their teaching and research. Programs include “A Flash in Time: The Black Student Movement at Kent State 1965-71,” Library Research Management Tools, Incorporating 3D Printing into Your Curriculum, Copyright Basics and Services and Student Plagiarism in Context.

Register online at www.kent.edu/library/librarylive. For more information about the conference, contact Anita Clary at 330-672-1656 or aclary@kent.edu.

Enjoy Free Coffee Oct. 16 at Nuts about Coffee

Don’t forget to stop by the Williamson Alumni Center’s Hospitality Tent at 1200 E. Main Street between 10 a.m. and noon on Thursday, Oct. 16, to enjoy free coffee samples. Downtown Kent coffee shops will offer samples of their signature blends for faculty and staff to taste. After sampling, vote for your favorite coffee to help decide which Kent coffeehouse can claim the best coffee in town.

For more information, visit www.ksualumni.org/nutsaboutcoffee.

The Dinner Party: Pairing Female Leaders with Emerging Female Leaders Over a Shared Meal

Blackstone LaunchPad and the Women’s Center collaborate for Oct. 13 event

Kent State University's Blackstone LaunchPad, in
collaboration with the Women’s Center, will launch “The
Dinner Party,” an informal mentoring initiative that allows
for emerging female leaders to network with established
female leaders over a shared meal.

Mentorship can take many shapes, from structured goal-setting programs to peer-to-peer information-sharing. On Oct. 13, Kent State’s Blackstone LaunchPad, in collaboration with the Women’s Center, will launch “The Dinner Party,” an informal mentoring initiative that allows for emerging female leaders to network with established female leaders over a shared meal.

“We developed ‘The Dinner Party’ to support our ‘All the CEO Ladies’ female entrepreneurship program,” says Kate Harmon, associate director of the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State. “Given the time constraints of many working women today and the benefit that even short-term mentoring can provide young women in their business and professional development, we anticipate this model will provide meaningful value to both mentee and mentor alike.”

“The Dinner Party” initiative allows for female-focused organizations (the guest) to identify a “host” female in the community to sponsor the dinner. That host then identifies female leaders from her network who are invited to the dinner party to share their professional experiences with emerging female leaders from the “guest” organization.

The inaugural dinner party will take place on Oct. 13 at
6 p.m. at the Kent State Women’s Center.

“The Women’s Center is thrilled to be collaborating with Blackstone LaunchPad in hosting the first ‘Dinner Party’ to celebrate and connect female leaders on campus and in the community with rising student leaders,” says Cassie Pegg-Kirby, assistant director of the Women’s Center. “This is a great way to bring individuals together to share successes and challenges and hopefully facilitate relationships that will continue beyond one evening. We are excited about using this model in future efforts to bring people together for conversation around other Women’s Center initiatives. Stay tuned!”

The inaugural dinner party will take place on Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Women’s Center. Esteemed female leaders invited to dine with “All the CEO Ladies” members include:

• Dana Lawless Andric, executive director, Diversity and Inclusion/Upward Bound TRIO Programs
• Tameka Ellington, Ph.D., assistant professor, The Fashion School at Kent State
• Gwen Rosenberg, owner, Popped
• Iris Meltzer, president, League of Women Voters
  

“Cassie and I encourage other female-focused organizations, in and outside the university, to adopt and repurpose this model for their own female mentoring and networking needs,” Harmon says.

For more information on how to be a part of “The Dinner Party” initiative, visit http://www.thedinnerparty.me/. For more information about “All the CEO Ladies” and the Blackstone LaunchPad program, visit www.kent.edu/blackstonelaunchpad.

For more information about the Women’s Center, visit http://www2.kent.edu/womenscenter/index.cfm.

Kent State Celebrates Newly Renovated Tri-Towers Residence Halls

Interior spaces of Kent State University's Tri-Towers
residence hall complex were renovated to enhance
students' residential hall experience.

Kent State University will celebrate the newly renovated Tri-Towers residence hall complex on Oct. 15 at 4:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Kent State President Beverly Warren, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Greg Jarvie and Kent Interhall Council President Brie Jutte will speak during the celebration. Following the remarks, participants can tour the renovated residence halls and enjoy light refreshments.

“I imagine people are curious and want to see what the final product looks like,” says Jill Church, director of Kent State’s Residence Services. “We definitely welcome faculty, staff and students to join us.”

The internal and external renovation of Tri-Towers began this past summer and continued until the end of September.

Koonce and Wright halls now have bird’s-eye-view lounging areas for residents, called Sky Lounges. Sky Lounges were placed on the entire 10th floor of both residence halls in order to promote community building within the halls.

New Sky Lounges offering bird’s-eye views have been
added to Koonce and Wright halls.

“We created a space for students to engage in group activities or just hang-out,” Church says. “I think the renovations make it feel more like a place for students to call home.”

Students like Morgan LaRue, a sophomore psychology major living in Wright Hall, love visiting the Sky Lounge to be with their peers, while studying or taking a break.

“Our Sky Lounge is phenomenal,” LaRue says. “There is a complete sense of community up there; it’s so serene.”

In addition, Leebrick, Koonce and Wright halls now have new roofs, windows, carpet and paint, as well as new metal paneling on the exterior of the buildings.

“Buildings need upkeep throughout their lifespan,” Church says. “The work we did with these buildings will give them at least another 20 years of good use.”

The Tri-Tower renovations are a part of the Foundations of Excellence: Building the Future initiative, which involves the construction of new buildings, facility upgrades and establishment of dynamic, new spaces. The goal of Foundations of Excellence is to create an outstanding academic experience for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater university community.

For more information about Kent State’s Residence Services, visit www.kent.edu/housing.

Kent State’s Wick Poetry Center Presents Celebrating Our Own on Oct. 15

A student reads to the audience during the Kent State
University Wick Poetry Center's "Celebrating Our Own"
event, the annual undergraduate and high school
scholarship reading.

Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center invites faculty, staff, students and other members of the community to "Celebrating Our Own," the annual undergraduate and high school scholarship reading, on Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The reading will take place at the new home of the Wick Poetry Center located on the Lefton Esplanade between Lincoln and Willow streets.

A total of $7,500 was awarded for the poetry submitted to the Wick Poetry Center. Poet Michael Mlekoday, winner of the 2012 Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize, judged the contest.

Winners of the undergraduate scholarship poetry competitions include Kent State students Ryan Lind, Amber Dean, Kinsey Brown and Corinne Engber. The high school student winner who will be recognized at the event is Sydney Vargo.

“'Celebrating Our Own' is the yearly event that is at the heart of our center’s mission, which is to support young writers and their stories,” says Jessica Jewell, program manager for the Wick Poetry Center. "Talent in the arts is something that certainly warrants scholarship support from the university, and we are thrilled that our center and the College of Arts and Sciences value the contribution that these young writers make to poetry and the artistic community of Kent State.”

For more information about Kent State’s Wick Poetry Center, visit www.kent.edu/wick.