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51�Թ��� held its 14th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. in the Kent Student Center Ballroom. The keynote speaker for the event was Joy-Ann Reid, national correspondent for MSNBC and author of “Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons and the Racial Divide.” A book signing and reception followed the event at the Kent Student Center Ballroom Balcony.

The 51�Թ��� community will be treated to a week of welcome-back festivities to kick off the spring semester.

From getting deployed to Afghanistan, to being unable to pay for classes, to starting a family, and even accepting a job at a winery in southern Germany. The reasons for leaving 51�Թ���, before completing a bachelor’s degree, fall across a wide spectrum for some students. For student Andrew Sonnanstine, it was an easy choice to trade in the last few classes his senior year for a professional baseball contract.

Scholar of the Month Cassandra Storlie Assistant Professor   College of Education, Health and Human Services 2013-present Cassandra Storlie is an assistant professor in the School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences at the College of Education, Health and Human Services. She has built a research program that addresses important diversity issues.

Watch this video of 51�Թ��� President Beverly Warren offering a holiday message to the 51�Թ��� community while the Kent Clarks singing group performs its version of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”    

They’re back! 51�Թ��� Libraries invites all 51�Թ��� students, faculty and staff to take a break and relax with therapy dogs on Monday, Dec. 14, and Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 3-5 p.m. There will be free popcorn and beverages for attendees.

51�Թ��� congratulates its newest graduates. The university held its Fall 2015 Commencement ceremonies for the Kent Campus on Dec. 18 and 19 at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (MAC Center). 51�Թ��� conferred 2,154 degrees, including 1,565 bachelor’s degrees, 526 master’s degrees, 60 doctoral degrees and three educational specialist degrees. Across the university’s eight-campus system, 2,489 students graduated from 51�Թ��� this fall, including those receiving associate degrees.

Scholar of the Month Danielle Sarver Coombs Associate Professor   College of Communication and Information 2007-present Danielle Sarver Coombs is an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the College of Communication and Information. Her research focuses on sports, politics and the politics of sport.

The 51�Թ��� community gave generously on Giving Tuesday this Dec. 1, far exceeding expectations. As promised, President Beverly Warren personally matched $25,000 in a gift to the Distinctive 51�Թ��� Fund, a fund that will support the university’s five priorities for a distinctive 51�Թ���.  

51�Թ���’s Fraternity and Sorority Life recently hosted Songfest, its largest annual philanthropic event. After totaling ticket sales, fundraising efforts and some last-minute donations, the Greek community was able to raise $56,500 for the King Kennedy Community Center.    This breaks the record previously set in 2013 when 51�Թ���’s Greek community raised $49,027 for RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network).