eInside Events

Kent State University Welcomes New Building to Science Mall

“Science Springs Forward” event will celebrate addition of College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology to Science Mall

A new building on the Science Mall is under construction
for the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and
Technology. Kent State University will celebrate “Science
Springs Forward,” a midpoint construction event on
April 23 on the Science Mall.

Kent State University faculty, staff and students will notice a new building on the Kent Campus this fall when the university welcomes the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology to the Science Mall. A midpoint construction event, themed “Science Springs Forward,” will take place on Wednesday, April 23, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on the Science Mall in front of Henderson Hall and the construction site of the new building.

“Science Springs Forward” is free and open to faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members. Guests can enjoy food, music and informational displays at no charge.

Justin Hilton, senior associate vice president for university relations, says the event will highlight the progress of the building’s construction, as well as how the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology building fits within a larger campus and university initiative.

“This new building is a part of Kent State’s Foundations of Excellence initiative that incorporates all the improvements on the Kent Campus and Regional Campuses,” says Hilton. “It shows the renovations of old buildings, the construction of new buildings and the addition of sustainability elements to Kent State.”

Hilton says there will be a tent for guests to walk through that will display each college on the Science Mall, including the College of Nursing, College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology, and College of Arts and Sciences.

“The tent will highlight the new, exciting technologies these colleges are using,” Hilton says. “The nursing school will have a simulator for medical, interactive education on display.”

Robert G. Sines Jr., interim dean of the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology, says the advancement in technology led to the move from the college’s old home in Van Deusen Hall to the Science Mall.

“A fuel cell expert was just hired that will be doing top-notch research,” says Sines. “This will give our students an opportunity to work with him in a new facility. We will be able to provide our students with new equipment and labs and better educational experiences.”

The event will include a short presentation by Sines and Rachel Heidenreich, vice president of quality and continuous improvement for Rockwell Automation. The company contributed a significant in-kind donation of equipment and time spent engineering to make the new College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology lab -- Rockwell Automation Advanced Mechatronics Lab -- possible.

An I-beam signed by Kent State President Lester A. Lefton, Kent State cabinet members, students, faculty and staff – that will be installed into the new building – also will be on display.

For more information about the Foundations of Excellence initiative and the construction of the new College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology building, visit www.kent.edu/universityarchitect/foundationsofexcellence/projects/index.cfm.

Reception for 2014 Outstanding Research and Scholar Awardees

The 2014 Outstanding Research and Scholar awards will be presented at a ceremony at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, at Cartwright Hall.

Honorees will receive their awards and make brief remarks, and a reception will be held in their honor.

The annual awards recognize faculty members for notable scholarly contributions to their fields of study. The awards are sponsored by the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs and the University Research Council.

Wick Poetry Center to Host Poet Martín Espada

Poet Martín Espada will speak at Kent State University as
part of the Symposium on Democracy on April 24.

(Photo credit: Patrick Sylvain)

Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center will host poet Martín Espada as part of the Symposium on Democracy on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kent Student Center Kiva. The event is free and open to the public.

“The audience will be treated to a sampling of Mr. Espada’s beautiful poems, which are both lyrical and explicit, and which manage to strike the perfect balance between the personal and the political,” says Natasha L. Rodriguez-Carroll, graduate fellow at the Wick Poetry Center.

Known as the Latino poet of his generation, Espada has published more than 15 books as a poet, editor, essayist and translator. The Trouble Ball, Epsada’s latest collection of poems, is the recipient of the Milt Kessler Award, a Massachusetts Book Award and an International Latino Book Award. Another of his books, The Republic of Poetry, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Rodriguez-Carroll, a fan of Espada’s work for years, says, “I was first introduced to Latino poetry in high school when I read El Coro, which was edited by Espada. Since that time I’ve been an admirer of his work, and I’m very excited about his visit to Kent State University.”

Espada is a graduate of Northeastern University Law School and was formerly a tenant lawyer. Currently, he is a professor in the Department of English at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

The 2014 Symposium on Democracy is presented by the Wick Poetry Center, hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences, sponsored by the Office of the Provost, College of the Arts, College of Communication and Information, Honors College and University Libraries, and supported by the departments of History and English.

For more information about this year’s symposium, “Voices of the American Experience,” which takes place April 22-24, visit www.kent.edu/democracy.

Kent State School of Theatre and Dance Presents Annual Roe Green Visiting Director Series

Joseph Hanreddy directs his adaptation of Pride and Prejudice

Pictured are Cody Hernandez as
Mr. Darcy and Madeleine Drees as
Elizabeth Bennet in the production of
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice,
co-adapted for the stage and directed by
Roe Green Visiting Director Joseph
Hanreddy.

Kent State University’s School of Theatre and Dance concludes its 2013-2014 season with the annual presentation of the Roe Green Visiting Director Series. This year’s production of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is co-adapted for the stage and directed by Roe Green Visiting Director Joseph Hanreddy. The production runs from Friday, April 18, to Sunday, April 27, in the E. Turner Stump Theatre, Center for the Performing Arts, 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus.

For tickets, call 330-672-ARTS (2787), purchase online at www.theatre.kent.edu or in person at the Performing Arts Box Office located in the Roe Green Center lobby of the Center for the Performing Arts, Monday – Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for Kent State alumni, faculty and staff, $12 for seniors (60+), and non-Kent State students age 18 and under are $8. Tickets are free for full-time, Kent Campus undergraduate students. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $10 per person. The box office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash.

Adapted by Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan from the novel by Austen, the School of Theatre and Dance’s production of Pride and Prejudice brings the beloved work of literature to life on stage. Set in early 19th-century England, Pride and Prejudice portrays the period’s class structures and social nuances through the sometimes-tumultuous love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Described by director Hanreddy as “Jane Austen’s most-accessible novel,” Pride and Prejudice is “full of sparkling wit, good humor, and [features] a delightful heroine, a handsome, intriguing and complex hero and a dream ending.” Audiences will be treated to a “production that moves at a crackling pace while capturing the essence, nuance, drama and comedy of the original.”

Hanreddy recently directed a production of Shakespeare’s Richard III featuring Kent State alumnus Chris Richards at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. He is the former artistic director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Hanreddy describes the students he has worked with at Kent State as “extremely talented, focused and very generous of spirit,” which has made it “a privilege and a lot of fun to create this production.”

The production of Pride and Prejudice is assistant directed by Dan Ebert and stage managed by Joshua Brown. Choreography is by Amy Fritsche, scene design by Ryan Patterson, costume design by S.Q. Campbell and Kerry McCarthy, lighting design by Tom West and technical direction by Steve Pauna.

The Roe Green Visiting Director Series, currently in its 11th year, was established in 2003 following a generous donation by local arts patron Roe Green.

Kent State Hosts an Out of the Darkness Campus Walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Kent State University Associate Professor Teresa Rishel,
Ph.D., coordinator of the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk
at Kent State, poses for a photo with Flash, the university
mascot.

The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks are part of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's signature fundraising campaign, designed to engage young people in the foundation’s mission and programs with 3- to 5-mile walks each spring at colleges and high schools across the country.

When you walk in the Out of the Darkness Campus Walks, you join the effort with thousands of people to raise funds and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's vision to create a world without suicide.

Please create a team or join an existing team and walk with us on April 19 from 4-6 p.m. Check in between 3 and 4 p.m. at the Risman Plaza/Student Green on the Kent Campus. If you cannot join us, please consider making a donation on the website.

For complete details, visit the Kent State Campus Walk website or contact Teresa Rishel, Ph.D., from the College of Education, Health and Human Services, at 330-607-7229 or trishel@kent.edu.

Register Now to Attend Alumni Weekend

Participants in last year's Alumni College pose for a photo.
This year's Alumni College, co-sponsored by Kent State
University's Department of Recreational Services, will
focus on health and wellness topics.

The Kent State University Alumni Association is hosting Alumni Weekend on Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7. Kent State faculty and staff are invited to attend these two days of activities, which include a golf outing, campus and downtown tours, canoe or kayak trips down the Cuyahoga River, a rock concert and Alumni College.

This year’s Alumni College is co-sponsored by the Department of Recreational Services and focuses on health and wellness topics. The event will conclude with an interactive wellness session that features chair massages, fitness assessments, cooking demonstrations and more.

Register to attend by May 23 at www.ksualumni.org/alumniweekend2014.

College of the Arts Sponsors Stratosphere Juried Art Competition

Award winners announced during Spring for the Arts on April 24

A new, juried art competition, called Stratosphere,
launched by the Kent State University College of the Arts,
in conjunction with the School of Art, allowed
undergraduate students from any major to submit up to
three works in any two- or three-dimensional medium.

The Kent State University College of the Arts, in conjunction with the School of Art, has launched a new, juried art competition, called Stratosphere. The competition, which was open to Kent State undergraduate students of all majors, allowed applicants to submit up to three works in any two- or three-dimensional medium. The theme for this year’s submissions is “Art and the Body.” The Stratosphere finalists’ works will be on display from April 14 - May 10 in the Downtown Gallery, located at 141 E. Main St. in Kent.

“We are extremely pleased with the positive response from the undergraduate student body,” says John R. Crawford, dean of the College of the Arts. “The nearly 130 submissions were received from students in a variety of majors, including chemistry, business, education, dance, art, visual and communication design, and psychology.”

Visitors to Stratosphere during the exhibit’s first 10 days, from April 14 - 23, will be able to vote for their favorite piece. The piece with the most votes will receive a special People’s Choice award, which carries a $500 prize. That award — along with awards for Best in Show ($1,000), second place ($500) and third place ($250) — will be announced and presented at a special reception on Thursday, April 24, from 5 - 7 p.m. Both the gallery and the reception are free and open to the public.

This year’s Stratosphere juror is Scott Sherer, Ph.D., associate professor of art history and gallery director at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Sherer received a B.A. in architecture from Yale University, an M.A. in art history from the University of Kentucky and a Ph.D. in comparative studies in discourse and society from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Sherer teaches a range of courses and seminars in modern and contemporary art, and organizes exhibits and programs featuring regional, national and international artists. His research furthers philosophical and artistic traditions that examine the inherent conceptual distance between lived sensory experience and artistic representations.

Sherer was responsible for selecting Stratosphere’s 25 finalists and top three award winners. He will be on hand at the Downtown Gallery to present awards during the April 24 reception.

For more information, visit http://galleries.kent.edu.

Free Bokwa Cardio Fitness Class for Kent State Employees and Students

Kent State University faculty, staff and students can attend
a free Bokwa cardio fitness demo class on April 25. Bokwa
is a hip-hop fueled fitness format.

A free Bokwa cardio fitness demo class will be offered to all Kent State University students, faculty and staff. The free, one-hour class will be held on Friday, April 25, at 6 p.m. in the MACC Annex, 132B Gymnasium. Bokwa is a new and completely different approach to cardio group fitness exercise. This hip-hop fueled fitness format is perfect for all fitness levels and does not require counting steps or choreography. Please bring a water bottle, towel and clean, dry shoes.

Pre-registration is recommended by April 23. Go to www.eventbrite.com/e/free-bokwa-demo-class-at-ksu-tickets-9022395227.

For more information, contact Shonnie Van Nostran at svannos1@kent.edu.

Office of Global Education to Offer Sessions about International Graduate Applicants

Kent State University’s Office of Global Education will host three information sessions to provide assistance for international graduate applicants. The meetings will address issues such as English proficiency tests, conditional admission and scholarship programs.

Graduate coordinators and departmental secretaries are invited to attend the meetings, which will be in Room 333 at the University Library. The schedule is as follows:

• Monday, April 21, 2 – 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 22, 9 – 10 a.m.
• Wednesday, April 30, 3 – 4 p.m.
  

For questions, email Kristen Summers at ksummer7@kent.edu.

Borowitz Lecture Studies Media Coverage of Famous Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

Thomas Doherty, Ph.D., a cultural historian with a special
interest in Hollywood cinema, professor of American
studies, and chair of the American Studies program at
Brandeis University, will deliver a lecture on April 17
to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Borowitz
Crime Collection at Kent State University.

The Kent State University Libraries is marking the 25th anniversary of the Borowitz Crime Collection through a major exhibition and other events held during the 2013-2014 academic year.

Established at Kent State in 1989 by Albert Borowitz and Helen Osterman Borowitz of Cleveland, the collection includes both primary and secondary sources on crime, as well as works of literature based on true crime incidents.

The Kent State University Libraries has held a regular lecture event in connection with the Borowitz Collection. The 25th anniversary Borowitz Lecture will feature Thomas Doherty, Ph.D., a cultural historian with a special interest in Hollywood cinema, professor of American studies, and chair of the American Studies program at Brandeis University.

The lecture is free and open to the public and will be held on Thursday, April 17, at 4 p.m. in the Read Special Collections Classroom (Room 1018) at the university library on the Kent Campus.

Doherty’s lecture, "Little Lindy Is Kidnapped: The Media Coverage of the Crime of the 20th Century," will explore the media coverage of the Lindbergh case and its legacy in American culture. The kidnap-murder of the Lindbergh baby in 1932 and the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann in 1935 was arguably the most widely publicized and influential criminal case of the 20th century. Of course, the innate sensationalism of the Lindbergh case — the murder of the child of the most famous and beloved couple in America —guaranteed the transfixed attention of the nation. And the blueprint for modern-day media sensationalism was laid: syndicated newspapers, radio and the newsreels.

For more information, contact Cara Gilgenbach, head of the University Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives, at cgilgenb@kent.edu or 330-672-1677, or visit www.library.kent.edu/specialcollections.

Cleveland Chef Rocco Whalen to Speak at Kent State About His Journey, Love for Inventing New Cuisine

Chef Rocco Whalen of Cleveland’s
Fahrenheit restaurant will speak about
his journey as a chef and his love for
inventing and sustaining American cuisine
on Thursday, April 17, at 4 p.m. in the
Ritchie Hall Theatre.

Former “Fat Chef” Rocco Whalen of Cleveland’s Fahrenheit restaurant will speak about his journey as a chef and his love for inventing and sustaining American cuisine on Thursday, April 17, at 4 p.m. in the Ritchie Hall Theater at Kent State University. This free event is open to the public and is sponsored by the Schwebel Baking Company. It is organized by the faculty and students in the Hospitality Management program at Kent State.

Whalen credits his mother for his love of cooking. He has evolved from his mother’s kitchen to owning several restaurants in the Cleveland area. After five years of cooking with Wolfgang Puck at nearly every one of his restaurants on the West Coast, to a stint as executive chef at Blue Point Grille in Cleveland in 2001, he jumped at the chance to open his own restaurant, Fahrenheit, in September 2002, at the age of 24. From the get-go, Fahrenheit has been an enormous success with a packed house on a regular basis, helping Whalen emerge as one of the best chefs in Cleveland. He has been busy showing off his culinary skills with Rosie & Rocco's Italian Eateries inside the Horseshoe Casino and FirstEnergy Stadium, and Rocco's at the Q inside Quicken Loans Arena.

Whalen’s latest addition, “Fahren-Lite,” are new menu items that are light in calories and fat; a deliberate spin-off of Whalen’s role in the Food Network show, “The Fat Chef,” that highlighted what he did to overcome his struggle with obesity. He lost 130 pounds and is updating his menus to fit his new lifestyle.

Whalen had been asked to open a spectacular new restaurant located atop a 20-story, mixed-use high-rise, dubbed Skye (SKYEcondos.com) in downtown Charlotte. Fahrenheit-Charlotte opened there on March 3. For more information about Whalen, visit www.chefroccowhalen.com.

For more information about a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or a master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management, visit www.kent.edu/ehhs/hm.

For more information about the 2014 Schwebel Lecture, call 330-672-2012.