Æðµã´«Ã½

Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Antonio Gates at HOF

Kent State Alumnus Antonio Gates Takes First Steps Toward Enshrinement

Æðµã´«Ã½ alumnus Antonio Gates has begun his journey to football immortality, recently visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, to meet with officials and begin preparations for his enshrinement. The former basketball standout at Kent State will become just the second Golden Flash to earn a gold jacket, joining linebacker Jack Lambert who was enshrined in 1990.

Tags: University News , Sports , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , Alumni , Nationally Distinctive , Department of Intercollegiate Athletics

Kent State Today

Silas Ashley

Silas Ashley ’74

Silas Ashley, ’74, was told by his high school guidance counselor that he “was not college material," but after applying and being accepted to Kent State, Silas immersed himself in student life. He was a senator in Undergraduate Student Government and became the president of Black United Students (BUS). Following graduation, Silas earned a master's degree in communications and a Juris Doctorate from Southern University at Baton Rouge and served as the president of Kent State's Black Alumni Chapter.

Tags: Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Tower of Snow statue in winter

What’s That Statue Near the Esplanade Arch?

A dramatic, 15-foot-tall bronze sculpture stands on the Lefton Esplanade near the intersection of East Main Street and Haymaker Parkway. It’s a gift from a Kent State alumnus and outstanding supporter of the university. 

Tags: Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , Arts & Culture , Alumni , Community Impact , Sculpture

Kent State Today

Fonda and John Elliot pictured in their caps and gowns during Æðµã´«Ã½'s fall 2024 commencement ceremony. (Photo credit: Bob Christy)

John and Fonda Elliot Create New Scholarship Program With $1 Million Gift to Kent State

John Elliot, a 1970 Æðµã´«Ã½ graduate, and his wife, Fonda, have created The Elliot Scholars program at Kent State with a $1 million donation. This new scholarship program will provide support to first-generation students of any major who require financial support to attend Kent State.

Tags: University News , Students First , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Kent State Today

Fonda and John Elliot receive their honorary degree from Æðµã´«Ã½.

John and Fonda Elliot Receive Honorary Degrees for Their Extraordinary Contributions

On Saturday, Dec. 14, both John and Fonda received their Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the healthcare field and to Kent State.

Tags: alumni-news , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Giving Tuesday graphic that indicates $4,959,366+ were raised to support causes across Æðµã´«Ã½'s eight-campus system.

Kent State’s Giving Tuesday Campaign Raises More Than $4.9 Million for Causes Across Its Eight-Campus System

Members of the Æðµã´«Ã½ community joined together to cause a ripple effect of change reaching far beyond Kent State, raising more than $4.9 million to support scholarships and programs across the university for its Giving Tuesday 2024 campaign.

Tags: University News , Students First , Organizational Sustainability , Giving Tuesday , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Kent State Today

Associate professor Daniel Palmer, Ph.D.

Professor Gives Back By Supporting Students In Need

This Giving Tuesday season, Daniel E. Palmer, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at Æðµã´«Ã½, has pledged a matching gift for the Trumbull Campus Last Dollar Scholarship as a symbol of his appreciation for the people who work and study at Kent State Trumbull.

Tags: Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement

Alumni and Giving

Pictured are the 2024 Æðµã´«Ã½ Alumni Award winners at the awards ceremony, held Sept. 27 during Homecoming weekend at the Æðµã´«Ã½ Hotel and Conference Center in Kent, Ohio. (Photo credit: Andrea Hallgren)

Kent State Honors 11 Alumni Award Recipients During Homecoming Weekend

Sponsored by the Kent State Alumni Association, the Alumni Awards are the university’s most prestigious alumni honors. The 2024 Alumni Award recipients include seven alumni, two recent graduates, one staff member and one current student.

Tags: University News , Students First , alumni awards , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Kent State Today

Dog Days of Summer 2024

The Dogs Have Their Day on Campus

Each August, Kent State welcomes alumni and their canine companions to campus for one of the most anticipated events of the year, the "Dog Days of Summer." 

Tags: Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , Police Services , Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship , International Admissions , Community & Society , Alumni , Community Impact , Safety

Kent State Today

New Æðµã´«Ã½ graduates smile and celebrate as blue and gold streamers are launched into the air at the end of their commencement ceremony held at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.

Kent State Raises $383 Million in Record-Breaking Fundraising Campaign

Æðµã´«Ã½ recently concluded its most successful fundraising campaign in its 114-year history. The Forever Brighter campaign ended in June 2024, having raised more than $383.2 million total. 

Tags: University News , Students First , Organizational Sustainability , Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement , alumni-news

Kent State Today