In 2026, The Kent Stater turns 100. Searchlight was the first student newspaper, beginning in February 1926. A few months later, Searchlight disbanded and was replaced by The Kent Stater, which published its first issue July 29, 1926, under the leadership of its first editor-in-chief, Peg Hayes. Since that time, The Kent Stater has remained an independent, fully student-run news source, training generations of journalists, designers, photographers and media leaders.To mark the centennial, Student Media and The Kent Stater are planning a year of celebration and reflection. This spring, ori...