Success Stories Archive - July to September 2010

As Kent State University continues its Centennial celebration, it received a special recognition that reinforces the impact and reputation the university has in the world. Times Higher Education, a London-based higher education magazine, has ranked Kent State as one of the top 200 universities in the world. Kent State was the only public research university in Northeast Ohio to be awarded the honor and one of only four in the state of Ohio to make the list, along with Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati.

Kent State University continues its centennial celebration with news of its highest recorded enrollment in the university’s 100-year history. Kent State announced a 7.56 percent increase in enrollment for the fall 2010 semester across its eight campuses with the release of the university’s official 15th day census data.

After a series of sold-out pre-opening events and the 25 Years of Dazzle gala celebrating the museum’s 25th anniversary, the Kent State University Museum opens its highly anticipated exhibition Katharine Hepburn: Dressed for Stage and Screen on Oct. 2, 2010, making its world premiere. The new exhibit, which closes Sept. 4, 2011, showcases the screen legend’s performance clothes, which include stage and film costumes spanning Katharine Hepburn’s career, as well as apparel she wore for publicity purposes.

Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton delivered his fourth annual State of the University address Sept. 23 in the Kent Student Center Kiva. Members of the university community attended to hear the president review progress made toward the university's Excellence Agenda and look to opportunities and challenges in the coming year.

Kent State University is launching a new television campaign featuring several of its successful alumni, including the co-founder of the rock band Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh. The commercials premiered Sept. 18 during the Kent State vs. Penn State football game on ESPN. The three ads begin airing Sept. 20 on all networks statewide.

Dr. Alfreda Brown, vice president of Kent State University’s division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has rolled out the 100 Commitments initiative to the leaders of the university. The goal is to help each unit in the university engage faculty and staff, as well as students and alumni, in embracing inclusive excellence. The 100 Commitments team recognizes that each person here comes from different backgrounds, has different experiences and acquires different opinions and characteristics. Through 100 Commitments, members of the Kent State community will explore, learn, share and understand the uniqueness of the people who make up our community.

Kent State University's Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC) makes its debut in its new location in Cleveland's PlayhouseSquare District. A unique city-university partnership, Kent State's CUDC is a community service organization committed to improving the quality of urban spaces by providing design services, research and advocacy for cities, neighborhoods and institutions in the region. The new address of Kent State's CUDC is 1309 Euclid Ave., Suite 200, in Cleveland, placing the collaborative within PlayhouseSquare and directly on Cleveland's refurbished Euclid Corridor.

Kent State University’s Department of Recreational Services, in collaboration with the university’s Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, the Office of the Provost and Undergraduate Student Government, is pleased to announce the creation of a new bike-sharing initiative called Flashfleet. The program provides Kent State students, faculty and staff with a new form of transportation and recreation throughout the campus.

On the night of Marisa Manocchio’s 19th birthday, she and her mother, Tia, rented “My Sister’s Keeper,” a movie about a young girl’s battle with leukemia and her family’s struggle to keep her alive. Little did Manocchio know that three days later, she would face the same uphill battle.

The 15th Annual Aviation Heritage Fair will be held Saturday, Sept. 11, from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Kent State University Airport, located at 4020 Kent Road in Stow. The fair is hosted by Kent State University’s Aeronautics Program and the Stow-Munroe Falls Kiwanis Club.