A Campaign of Brilliant Proportions

A Campaign of Brilliant Proportions

Kent State University launched the public phase of a $350 million comprehensive fundraising campaign Saturday, Oct. 2, during a special halftime announcement at the Homecoming football game. Campaign co-chairs Sandra C. and Lawrence R. Armstrong, BS ’79, BArc ’80, joined 51�� President Todd Diacon to publicly unveil Forever Brighter to thousands of alumni, donors and friends.

“We are consistently recognized nationally for our success in graduating more students,” Diacon said. “Our graduation rate is already the highest in northern Ohio and the fourth highest in the state among universities, but we won’t rest until all students we enroll graduate with the skills to succeed in their first jobs, graduate programs and careers they haven’t even dreamed of yet. Philanthropy is key to illuminating a brighter future for our students and their communities.”

To date, more than $311 million has already been raised toward the $350 million goal during the quiet phase of the Forever Brighter campaign, which focuses on three key areas: prioritizing student success, expanding university initiatives and building the future. Within each of these areas are specific projects, programs and initiatives to enhance student experiences and elevate 51��’s reputation as a leader in student support, athletics, research and innovation—both nationally and internationally.

“It is a special time at 51��,” Sandra Armstrong said. “For too long, our alma mater had been a hidden gem amongst higher education institutions. Now, our reputation is strong, our rankings are soaring and our students are learning how to harness their passions to find their purpose in life.”

“We are launching into a new era at 51��, and we are so proud to co-chair this transformational campaign,” Lawrence Armstrong added. “We have been given the opportunity to fund scholarships and new programs for deserving students—and there is no more rewarding feeling for us than changing the course of our students’ lives in a positive and encouraging way. We call on all alumni and friends to join us in this effort to build a brighter future for 51��.”

This is a campaign for everyone, says Valoree Vargo, 51��’s vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement. “Whether you can give $100 to be used for a last Dollar Scholarship to enable a student to pay a final bill and make it to graduation or you can give millions of dollars to endow a professorship, every dollar is focused on the success of our hardworking and talented students. Our donors are truly transforming lives of students who need their support now more than ever. Our campaign tagline is ‘At 51��, what sets us apart is how we come together.’ It’s that spirit that will propel us forward in this effort to leave the university and the lives of our students Forever Brighter.”

Below are highlights of the campaign’s three primary priorities:

Forever Brighter Priorities Student Success Icon

PRIORITIZING STUDENT SUCCESS

Raising funds to align with scholarship needs enables the university to support students from the day they receive their letter of acceptance to the day they receive their degree. Scholarships assist students by:

Ensuring access to a 51�� education for all students, regardless of their financial situation.
Rewarding the highest-achieving students with additional support.
Providing high-impact experiences and study-away opportunities to elevate career readiness.
Fostering and supporting students as they complete a degree.

BY THE NUMBERS

82%of students need financial assistance to attain degrees

32%of the Class of 2024 is first-generation

572is the record number of Honors College freshmen in the Class of 2023

2xis the amount our four-year graduation rate has increased in 10 years

30%of first-year students are eligible for the federal Pell Grant

Goal: To raise $100 million to provide scholarship support for students.

“Students from backgrounds like mine are not supposed to make it to college. Some say we are forever bound to the environment we grew up in.”

—John McDermott, BA ’20, accounting major, scholarship recipient and first in his family to continue his education beyond middle school. Since graduating from 51��, he has completed a master’s degree and is employed as an accountant at Deloitte Cleveland.

Forever Brighter Priorities Expand Initiatives

EXPANDING UNIVERSITY INITIATIVES

During the last few decades, 51�� has gone from an academic, athletic and economic driver in Northeast Ohio to a thought-starter, fierce competitor and innovation leader at the national and international levels. Research and programmatic additions to the university—such as the following—have elevated the university’s reputation and cemented its place on the world stage:

Brain Health

The Brain Health Research Institute (BHRI) is a collaborative effort that taps passionate faculty members from across 51��—not just in science-based departments, but also in social sciences and humanities—to combine their unique strengths as they collaborate to solve brain-related challenges. The institute is the epicenter of training for undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in an environment that thrives on hands-on access, mentorship, resources and opportunities.

BY THE NUMBERS

25BHRI undergraduate fellows

176student participants

17pilot grant awardees

Goal: To elevate the profile of neuroscience and bring together people from different disciplines to expand discoveries in preventing and treating brain disease.

“This has been a great opportunity to do research, and I plan on having my own research lab once I graduate.”

—Nathan Ritchey, BS ’22, mathematics and neuroscience major, Brain Health Research Institute fellow, capstone project: “Increasing Quality of Life for Spinal Cord Injury.”

Design Innovation

The Design Innovation (DI) initiative focuses on developing solutions by reaching across academic fields and partnering with industry to enhance collaboration, communication skills and creativity.

Design Innovation is an ecosystem of physical, human and intellectual resources to help students become creative, intersectional problem-solvers. Coursework and co-curricular projects, competitions, hackathons and grand challenges bolster this “challenge-based innovation” strategy.

51�� was recognized in ��ɲ��ɱ��’s 2021 list of the , an international list that includes some of the most prestigious universities in the world.

BY THE NUMBERS

30DI nodes (makerspaces and resource laboratories) across 51�� campuses)

28DI fellows

1DI Hub

Goal: To leverage and elevate the entire Design Innovation Ecosystem to create a powerful and diverse community of fearless collaborators in the face of complex problems.

“I was excited about the biology aspect of the course because I was not familiar with integrating biology and fashion for the purpose of creating an innovative product.”

—Janda Van Dyk, BFA ’22, fashion design major, one of a team of 51�� biology and fashion design students that received the Outstanding Science Award from the Biodesign Challenge Summit 2020. The fashion industry currently uses synthetic dye to create the color black, so the team worked with bacteria to create an eco-friendly replacement.

Employee Talent

51��’s rising stature among the nation’s best research institutions depends on the success and achievements of its employees. Perpetual support allows faculty, administrators and staff to advance their work, assist in research, purchase equipment and push the boundaries of the unknown for generations to come.

BY THE NUMBERS

5,000+/- employees work across 51��’s eight campus system

17faculty positions are endowed

73%of faculty members have doctoral degrees

12+is the average for years of service by 51�� employees

Goal: To double the number of endowed chairs, professorships and other positions across the eight-campus system and provide perpetual support for the university’s most distinguished employees and their corresponding work.

“This model is an explicit example of how cross-disciplinary work is essential to holistically examine the processes that lead to improved safety outcomes.”

—Sarah Bayramzadeh, PhD, coordinator of and Elliot Professor in the Healthcare Design Program at 51��’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, was awarded a $2.47 million grant to improve efficient care in Level 1 trauma room design. The project brings together a team of researchers from 51�� and Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital for the next four years.

Intercollegiate Athletics

51�� Athletics’ vision is to be a nationally recognized, comprehensive athletics program that inspires communities and transforms lives. The landscape of Division I intercollegiate athletics is changing constantly and the need for resources is at an all-time high. Philanthropy is integral to the program’s innovative mindset in resource management, with a focus on sustainability and sound financial stewardship. More resources are needed to focus on its mission to win championships and graduate student-athletes who are prepared for life after sport.

BY THE NUMBERS

$6.1million in scholarships awarded annually

476+/- student-athletes

81 athletics endowments

19varsity sports

19straight semesters with department grade point averages of 3.0+

Goal: To increase the number of athletics endowments by 20%.

“My goal is to become an audiologist and work in a hospital setting or work with children in an elementary school. I would not have been able to complete my college journey without my scholarships and, for that, I will be forever grateful.”

—Vanessa Vodan, BS ’20, (softball, track and field) speech and pathology major, winner of the 2020 Judith K. Devine Award for excellence in leadership in all facets of college life.

Forever Brighter Priorities Build A Future Icon

BUILDING THE FUTURE

51��’s vision is to be a magnet for talented students who want to change the world and a flagship for faculty and staff who have the talent to lead such a bold initiative. To achieve this, its physical spaces must match the innovative and transformative experiences taking place across its educational system. New and updated facilities for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the College of Aeronautics and Engineering will lay a foundation for what is possible when physical spaces accurately reflect stellar programs.

Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship

This is the home for students who will go on to become global business leaders, transforming their future industries across every aspect of society. It has experienced double-digit enrollment gains since 2010 and is one of Ohio’s largest business colleges. The college’s proposed building, Crawford Hall, will enable teamwork and the use of new technology to prepare students for future careers in business.

BY THE NUMBERS

8,400+students enrolled in business classes

3,700business majors study across the 51�� system

200+business students who have studied abroad in recent years

40countries represented by business students

50%+/- more square footage will be added in the new building

Goal: To continue to attract and retain top faculty and scholars.

“Going to New York City and getting to represent Golden Flash Asset Management was something I’ll always remember.”

—Anne Ritts, BBA ’21, finance major, member of the GFAM team that took first place with their Fixed Income portfolio at the nation’s largest student finance competition, the Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education Forum in 2019. Her accomplishments have inspired other women to participate in GFAM as well.

College of Aeronautics and Engineering

The College of Aeronautics and Engineering (CAE) has grown in both size and stature in recent years. With the addition of notable faculty and related research funding, the college's impact on future industries will be remarkable. Passionate students experience immersive instruction that will prepare them to compete in a rapidly changing global economy. The college's academic program is supported by cutting-edge research and state-of-the industry facilities designed to prepare students in the fields of aerospace engineering, mechatronics engineering and cybersecurity engineering, all of which are vital to business, manufacturing and aviation.

BY THE NUMBERS

$2.6million is awarded in scholarships

83%of students receive scholarships

29%of freshmen are first-generation students

3.7%is the increase in underrepresented enrollment

3%is the increase in women enrollment

4xis the amount of growth in research funding

Goal: Our research leverages the unique synergy of aeronautics and engineering to enable innovative engineered systems for a smarter, more secure and sustainable future. To accommodate increased enrollment, we must expand our physical spaces.

“Joining the robotics team had the biggest impact on my career. I had the opportunity to learn and experience so much by being involved with the organization.”

—Michael Parker, BS ’20, mechatronics engineering/mechatronics engineering technology. As president of the 51�� Robotics Club, he attended the NASA Robotics Mining competition held at the Kennedy Space Center. One of his internships was with The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. doing process development with its innovation team. He has been a mechatronics engineer with Goodyear since graduation.

What Sets Us Apart Is How We Come Together

There are many ways you can transform the lives of our students with your generosity. Philanthropic gifts enhance academic excellence and innovation, expand breakthrough research and provide contemporary, high-tech facilities for learning, study and research. Together we are a force for the future—and a source for good. Together we will make the world Forever Brighter. Help us achieve our goal of raising $350 million to support our students.

Here’s How You Can Give

Cash, checks, credit card, PayPal
Gifts of securities
Real estate
Gift planning
Payroll deduction
Matching gifts

Learn More about the Forever Brighter campaign

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POSTED: Wednesday, November 24, 2021 02:09 PM

UPDATED: Monday, December 11, 2023 05:20 PM

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