eInside Events

Learn About Do-It-Yourself World Leadership From Women in Congo Activist Lisa Shannon

Kent State University will feature Lisa Shannon, a passionate activist for the safety of women in Congo, as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series for International Education Week on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Kiva. The event is free and open to the public.

Shannon will discuss her efforts to help the women of Congo during her lecture “Do-It-Yourself World Leadership.” The lecture is part of International Education Week at Kent State, which aims to educate students, faculty and community members about the benefits of the international experience.

“When we’re 18 and 19 years old, sometimes we don’t believe we can have an impact,” says Linda Robertson, director of Kent State’s Center for International and Intercultural Education. “Maybe this lecture is the inspiration students need to have that impact.”

Shannon’s story is that of individual strength and dedication as she left a lucrative business and photography career in order to pursue activism. Shannon has now raised more than $11 million dollars to aid the women and children in Congo, and is the author of A Thousand Sisters: My Journey Into the Worst Place on Earth to be a Woman.

“I think in this day and age, that with the breakdown of barriers and borders because of social media – and the ways you can talk to anyone all over the world immediately – the power of one is even more important,” Robertson says. “So, the do-it-yourself world leadership idea is really more important to this generation.”

Following the lecture, daily events will celebrate International Education Week through Nov. 21. Kent State students, employees and other community members will have the opportunity to learn about a number of cultural opportunities and traditions. A couple of these events will include “In Search of … Travel the World Without a Passport” on Nov. 19, and participation with various tea and coffee traditions from all over the world on Nov. 20. Public events throughout International Education Week will be held in Room 200 at White Hall.

On Nov. 21, four faculty members from the College of Education, Health and Human Services who were Fulbright Specialists last summer will present research they conducted overseas. The Fulbright Scholar Program is one of the most prestigious and highly competitive programs worldwide, providing grant money to study and help increase a mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through an exchange of knowledge and skills. The faculty presentations will start at noon in Room 200 at White Hall. At 2 p.m., students and faculty will learn how to apply to be a Fulbright Scholar.

“When you have that kind of commitment to help others, it’s always motivational and good for our students and our faculty to hear about it,” says Robertson. “That’s a message about caring for others and world peace that we would like to promote.”

For more information about International Education Week, visit http://www2.kent.edu/ehhs/ciie/events/index.cfm.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014 | Samantha Tuly

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Kent State Orchestra Joined by Cleveland Orchestra’s Associate Concertmaster Amy Lee

Featuring the glorious sounds of some of the world’s best-loved French symphonic music

The Kent State University Hugh A. Glauser School of Music Orchestra is honored to feature Cleveland Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Amy Lee during its upcoming performance on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. in University Auditorium at Cartwright Hall. Cartwright Hall is located at 650 Hilltop Drive on the Kent Campus, with free parking located off Terrace Drive.

This all-French program will include Gabriel Fauré’s Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80; Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Violin and Orchestra by Camille Saint-Saëns; Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune; and Emmanuel Chabrier’s Suite Pastorale.

The program will move the audience through ethereal, meditative and commanding moments.

“Our Nov. 23 concert features some of the most gorgeous music ever composed,” says Charles Latshaw, director of the Kent State University Orchestra. “From the Sicilienne of Fauré's Pelleas et Melisande, to Debussy's Claire de Lune, it will be an afternoon filled with sumptuous sonorities and exquisite beauty.”

Violinist Lee joined the Cleveland Orchestra as associate concertmaster in March 2008. At age 15, she appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Following her debut, she has performed with Germany’s Baden-Baden Philharmonic, the Curtis Chamber Orchestra, National Gallery Orchestra, the Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra, where her solo performances have included the Stravinsky Concerto and Dallapiccola’s Tartiniana No.1. She won first prize in San Francisco’s Irving M. Klein International Competition and at the Corpus Christi International Competition. She has collaborated with Kim Kashkashian, Kavafian, Samuel Rhodes, David Soyer, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley and the Miami String Quartet. Lee graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with violinist Ida Kavafian. In 2007, she graduated with a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Ronald Copes and Donald Weilerstein.

Tickets for the performance are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and Kent State faculty and staff, $10 for groups of 10 or more patrons, $8 for non-Kent State students, $5 for children and free for full-time Kent Campus undergraduate students.

Tickets are available weekdays, noon to 5 p.m., at the Performing Arts Box Office, located in the lobby of the Roe Green Center in the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus. The Performing Arts Box Office accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, in addition to cash and checks.

The Cartwright Hall box office will open one hour prior to the performance for walk-up sales, and will accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets and more information are available by calling 330-672-ARTS (2787) or visiting www.kent.edu/music.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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Kent State Students Reach Out to Raise Awareness About Human Trafficking

Speaker Stacy Jewell Lewis shares her story of captivity and triumph on Nov. 12

When Stacy Jewell Lewis was just 19 years old, she thought she was getting a ride from an elderly grandpa. Instead, the man held her at gunpoint and delivered her to a pimp. Lewis spent two years in captivity as a victim of human trafficking.

On Nov. 12, Lewis will share her story at Kent State University in the Kent Student Center Ballroom from 7-9 p.m.

Lewis’ story of abuse and triumph caught the attention of freshman and sophomore students at Kent State who are taking a sociology class taught by Nicole Rousseau, Ph.D. In an effort to raise money and awareness of human trafficking, and to show their commitment to women’s rights, the students invited Lewis to share her story through a spoken word performance where she will discuss what made her vulnerable and how she escaped the manipulation and abuse.

“We were inspired by her story and her age at the time she was captured,” says Kent State student Anna Graft. “She was just 19 years old like many of us in class. It had a huge impact on us.”

The event is free and open to the public, but donations are welcome. All proceeds raised will go to the Sun Gate Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that helps victims get the education they missed while in captivity.

The event is co-sponsored by Kent State’s Department of Sociology, the Division of University Relations, the Department of Pan-African Studies, Undergraduate Student Government and Black United Students.

For more information about Kent State’s Department of Sociology, visit www.kent.edu/sociology.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014 | Kristin Anderson

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Research 101: How to Find Funding

Need funding for your research? Kent State University’s Division of Research and Sponsored Programs will hold a workshop on “Finding Funding” on Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. in Room 141, Cartwright Hall. The workshop will focus on federal, state and private funding resources, how to use the Web-based COS Pivot funding search efficiently and how to work with the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs to identify potential funding agencies. This two-hour workshop is appropriate for anyone seeking funding or working with researchers who are looking for funding. To register and learn about future Research 101 workshops, contact Sheila Pratt at spratt@kent.edu or 330-672-0701.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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Blackstone LaunchPad at Kent State Offers a Wealth of Events During Global Entrepreneurship Week

Global Entrepreneurship Week runs Nov. 17-23

Kent State University stakeholders with entrepreneurial aspirations are encouraged to attend one of the many events being offered Nov. 17-23 by the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is an annual focus on promoting entrepreneurial activities and engagement,” says Zach Mikrut, senior marketing manager for the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State. “This year, we are fortunate to partner with several Kent State departments and regional organizations to provide a rich offering of events to the Kent community.”

One of the partner events being offered during Global Entrepreneurship Week is “Cece Couture: The Startup Process for Independent Clothing Retailers,” an event coordinated by the Fashion School’s TechstyleLAB.

“The value of having an outstanding entrepreneur like Cecelia Haren speak about opening up her business is that she is so similar in age and experience to our audience,” says Kevin Wolfgang, manager of the TechstyleLAB. “Cecelia started Cece Couture as she was finishing her degree at Youngstown State University, demonstrating a new range of entrepreneurial avenues for our graduating seniors.”

All Global Entrepreneurship Week events are free and open to the public. Advance registration is required for some events. The complete list of Global Entrepreneurship offerings include:

Monday, Nov. 17
6-7 p.m.
Sponsored by the Fashion School’s TechstyleLAB
“Cece Couture: The Startup Process for Independent Clothing Retailers”
TechStyleLAB, Room 302 Rockwell Hall

Tuesday, Nov. 18
6-7 p.m.
Sponsored by the College of the Arts and Blackstone LaunchPad
“Learn to Pitch for Your Arts-Based Business”
Blackstone LaunchPad Office, First Floor, Kent Student Center
Register here

Wednesday, Nov. 19
6-8 p.m.
Sponsored by Bad Girl Ventures and Blackstone LaunchPad
#GirlPower Pitch Night
Toast, 1365 W. 65th Street, Cleveland 44102
Register here

Thursday, Nov. 20
All-Day
Blackstone LaunchPad Sale Day
Blackstone LaunchPad Office, 1st Floor, Kent Student Center
Must be registered Blackstone LaunchPad business to participate

Public Speaking 101 – EOx
3:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Entrepreneurs Organization and Blackstone LaunchPad
Governance Chamber, Second Floor, Kent Student Center

Maker Meetup
6-8 p.m.
Sponsored by the Fashion School’s TechstyleLAB
TechstyleLAB, Room 302 Rockwell Hall

Friday, Nov. 21
Road Trip to TinyCircuits
2 p.m.
Sponsored by TinyCircuits and Blackstone LaunchPad
Leave from Blackstone LaunchPad Office, First Floor, Kent Student Center
Register here

About Global Entrepreneurship Week
During one week each November, thousands of events and competitions around the world inspire millions to engage in entrepreneurial activity, while connecting them to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors. In six years, Global Entrepreneurship Week has expanded to 150 countries — building and strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. Powered by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and sponsored by Dell, the initiative is supported by dozens of world leaders and a network of roughly 10,000 partner organizations. For more information, visit www.gew.co.

For more information about the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/blackstonelaunchpad.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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Kent State School of Theatre and Dance Presents Dance ’14: In Flow

Dance faculty present diverse program, guest choreography by Tony winner Garth Fagan

Kent State University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present its annual faculty dance concert Dance ’14: In Flow from Nov. 21-23 in E. Turner Stump Theatre at the Center for the Performing Arts on the Kent Campus. The evening of choreography, created by dance faculty members, also features guest choreography by Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan.

For tickets, call 330-672-ARTS (2787), purchase online at www.kent.edu/theatredance or in person at the Performing Arts Box Office located in the Roe Green Center lobby of the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive, Monday – Friday, noon to 5 pm. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for Kent State alumni, faculty and staff, $14 for seniors (60+) and non-Kent State students age 18 and under are $10. Tickets are free for full-time, Kent Campus undergraduate students. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $12 per person. The box office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash.

The concert highlights the versatility and diverse artistic approaches of Kent State dance faculty members MaryAnn Black, Kimberly Karpanty, Joan Meggitt, Tanya Mucci (BFA ’00) and Andrea Shearer. The concert involves more than 75 dancers, designers, faculty members and staff. School of Theatre and Dance Professor Emeritus Chuck Richie will serve as the guest emcee. Senior dance major Roberta Bailey serves as assistant artistic director.

Guest choreographer Garth Fagan joins the concert as the 2014-2015 Armstrong Family Visiting Artist, a residency made possible by the generosity of Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong. Fagan’s work, Two Pieces of One: Green, will be performed by members of the Kent Dance Ensemble under the direction of Karpanty.

Fagan has enjoyed an extensive career as a dancer and choreographer, creating more than 70 works for the theatre and concert stage. He won critical acclaim, as well as the Tony Award, for his choreography of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Broadway production of The Lion King. A trailblazer in the dance community for more than 40 years, Fagan formed his dance company, now known as Garth Fagan Dance, in 1970. Today, Garth Fagan Dance is an internationally acclaimed company, a school that annually provides dance training to more than 450 students and an innovative outreach program designed to serve the greater Rochester, New York, community through educational performances and dance instruction.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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Tartan Terrors to Perform at Kent State Tuscarawas

Tartan Terrors, North America's premier Celtic act, are coming to the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas in New Philadelphia on March 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Tartan Terrors are their own Celtic Invasion, mixing rock's energy with traditional folklore, dance and humor. With an arsenal featuring classic pipes and fiddle, driving drum tones and signature guitar styles, standing-room only audiences understand why Dig This Magazine declares "(The Terrors) are one act to keep an eye on!" The Terrors use their sonic blitz to score award-winning step and highland dancers and internationally recognized comedic performers alike.

“This pre-St. Patrick’s Day celebration combines humorous anecdotes, bagpipes, Irish singing and dancing for one hilarious performance,” says Mike Morelli, Ph.D., general manager of the Performing Arts Center. “Audience members often get into the celebration by wearing kilts and painting their faces blue. When our patrons repeatedly asked about this multitalented, Celtic group, I knew they would be an excellent addition to our season and a good fit for our theatre. It’s a family show that keeps the audience laughing!”

Members of the Tartan Terrors have performed on four different continents, in some of the most prestigious festivals, highland games and theatres of North America, including Lone Tree Center for the Arts, Colorado; Strand Capitol, Pennsylvania; Oshkosh Opera House, Wisconsin; Dublin Irish Festival, Dublin, Ohio; Newport Irish Festival, Newport, Rhode Island; and on ABC’s Good Morning America.

Tickets range in price from $15-25 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at www.tusc.kent.edu/pac or by calling 330-308-6400. The box office is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free parking is available for all shows.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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12-hour Knit-a-Thon Takes Place Nov. 14

Join the students, faculty and staff of Knitting for Those in Need, a student organization and nonprofit organization for a Knit-a-Thon on Friday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Kent State University Library. The volunteer service organization promotes the use of the yarn arts of loom-knitting, needle-knitting and crochet to create warm items to serve people in need in the community. The event is free and open to the university community and the public.

Both experienced and non-knitters are welcome. Supplies will be provided and a simple form of knitting will be taught during the event. Come when you can, leave when you need to.

For more information about the event or Knitting for Those in Need, contact Louise Ditchey at lditchey@kent.edu or at 330-672-1239.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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Reggae Meltdown Returns to Downtown Kent Nov. 14

Reggae Meltdown, Kent’s Island Music Festival, will take place in downtown Kent on Friday, Nov. 14. The popular festival will bring feel-good reggae rhythms and island sounds to 14 venues in the downtown district. The venues are 157 Lounge, Bar 145, Brewhouse Pub, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dominick’s, The Loft, The Pub, Pufferbelly, Ray’s Place, Secret Cellar, Tree City Coffee & Pastry, Venice Café, Water Street Tavern and Zephyr Pub. This event is coordinated by Crooked River Arts Council, the same organization that transforms downtown Kent into one giant live music venue with the Kent Blues Fest, Beatlefest, and the 'Round Town Music Festival.

Admission is free at all venues, and shows will begin at 5:30 p.m., continuing throughout the night. Some performers you can expect to see are Pat Dailey, Shade Flex, Rhodes Street Rude Boys, Carlos Jones and Tropedelic. For a complete entertainment schedule, visit www.reggaemeltdown.com. The downloadable event map and band information also are available on the website.

Event sponsors include Coors Light, PARTA, BioDynamics Foundation, Cascade Subaru, Hungry Howie’s, Apollo Heating & Cooling and Kent Apartments. Media sponsors include WNIR 100 FM, WKSU, the Record-Courier, Scene and The Summit FM.

Main Street Kent is a nonprofit organization focused on the revitalization of downtown Kent. It is an affiliate of the national Main Street program and the Heritage Ohio program

Contact Main Street Kent at 330-677-8000 with any questions.

Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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Maj Ragain to Give Poetry Reading at Kent Student Center

Long-time Kent State University Professor and Poet Maj Ragain will give a poetry reading on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Room 306 ABC at the Kent Student Center as part of the Wick Reading Series.

Ragain works with a veteran’s writing circle through Kent State’s Wick Poetry Center and Warriors’ Journey Home. He has been writing poetry, teaching creative writing at Kent State and inspiring new voices for more than 40 years.

"There aren’t many words or phrases I could use without boxing him into connotation, and he lives outside of that box,” says Avery Leclerc, one of Ragain’s students. “He taught me that poetry is an attempt to ‘come awake’ somehow, and to say the things that can’t be said.”

In addition to his scholastic activities, Ragain has hosted a continuous, monthly, open reading that now takes place in downtown Kent at Last Exit Bookstore, says David Hassler, director of the Wick Poetry Center.

“With his generosity of spirit and selfless labor, Maj has tilled the fields, making Kent fertile ground for poetry,” says Hassler. “He is one of our community’s great treasures.”

The most recent of his five collections of poems is A Hungry Ghost Surrenders His Tackle Box.

"Poetry is an ongoing conversation, yoking solitude and community," Ragain says.

For more information about Kent State's Wick Poetry Center, visit www.kent.edu/wick.
Posted Nov. 10, 2014

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