alumni-news

Meet Anthony Claytor, the First I PROMISE Program Scholar to Graduate From Kent State
In 2020, Kent State University President Todd Diacon announced to a group of high school juniors and their families that Kent State would cover four years of tuition costs and one year of room and board. Now, for the LeBron James Family Foundation鈥檚 first I PROMISE class, the hard work these students had put in since third grade is paying off.

Carl Walz, 鈥77
Carl Walz, 鈥77, has spent 231 days in space - and it all began with a physics degree and the Air Force ROTC program at Kent State. From a nuclear lab to the cockpit of a jet plane to the crew compartment in a rocket ship, Carl attests that his career has been 鈥渁 wild ride.鈥

From Passion to Purpose
Drawn to healthcare as a child, Athalia James pursued that passion all the way to a fulfilling career in nursing.

Institute Explores Peace and Conflict
LaKaleb Bowen, 鈥24, is a criminology and justice studies major who admits to becoming captivated by Kent State鈥檚 education-abroad programs, noting that his most recent trip to Kigali, Rwanda, was an extraordinary experience focused on peace and conflict in the country.

Kent State Secures Two $1 Million Gifts in Support of Global Education
Kent State University has announced two substantial philanthropic gifts in support of the Global Education Endowment, which was established in 2022 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Kent State鈥檚 education-abroad presence in Florence, Italy.

Sharing Their Love of Education with Future Generations
Kent State University has held a special place in the hearts of Lynda Grieves and her husband George 鈥淏ill鈥 Grieves Jr., 鈥58, who passed away in 2019. For their 60th wedding anniversary, Bill and Lynda chose to create a scholarship through a charitable gift annuity instead of having a party.

Rollie, 鈥64, and Frances Layfield Help Students Build Skills for Success
Hard work and discipline are a driving force for Rollie Layfield, 鈥64, and they have served him well throughout his life and his career in business. He credits both his degree program in business administration and his time in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program at Kent State University for helping him develop the leadership, entrepreneurship and organizational skills to thrive after graduation.

Modern Humans Using Ancient Tools
Kent State anthropology professor Metin Eren, Ph.D., has a hands-on approach when teaching students about prehistoric stone tools that involves immersing themselves in a specially equipped lab in Lowry Hall that features everything from flint arrowheads to a ballistics station.

Dean Kahler鈥檚 'One Bad Day' Fuels a Lifetime of Purpose
Dean Kahler, 鈥77, one of the nine wounded in the May 4, 1970, shootings, wasn鈥檛 supposed to be at Kent State that day.

Alumni Support Global Education Experiences
Kent State has received two $1 million donations in support of Global Education experiences for students. These gifts will make education-abroad experiences available to more students through the Global Education Endowment fund that was created in 2022.