91�ֿ�

As part of  91�ֿ�’s 55-Year Commemoration of May 4, 1970, Mahli Mechenbier, a senior lecturer at 91�ֿ� at Geauga's Twinsburg Academic Center will present “Operation: Babylift: A 50-Year Retrospective and Personal History” on May 3 at 1 p.m. with her father, retired Maj. General Ed Mechenbier. Mahli Mechenbier was one of the children from Vietnam the U.S. Government brought to the United States for adoption by American families by  after Saigon was overun by advancing Viet Cong troops in 1972. 

A star-studded lineup of scientists will return to 91�ֿ� on April 25-26 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute.

On March 18, a watery landing by NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore ended an unexpected nine-month stay in space. Two 91�ֿ� professors walk us through the out-of-this-world impact that an extended stay away from gravity can have on the human body.

Since 2009, Golden Flashes have come together to volunteer for our blue and gold communities around the world. What was once a day of service is now a weeklong initiative, offering even more ways to give back. 

91�ֿ� President Todd Diacon recently addressed multiple challenges facing the university with the Akron Beacon Journal, including the $1.5-$2 million cost of implementing Senate Bill 1, budget constraints from capped tuition increases, and enrollment declines. 

Every April, 91�ֿ� celebrates Earth Month by having Earth-related events all month long. April 22, 2025, is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, with this year’s theme being “Our Power, Our Planet.”  

Meet Lance Delisle, a junior aeronautical studies major with an aviation law and policy minor from Woodstock, Georgia, who balances his studies with his responsibilities as an Air Force reservist.

From mornings at Tree City Coffee to late nights at Barflyy, 91�ֿ�’s community has plenty of food and entertainment options thanks to the help of Main Street Kent, now a Nationally Accredited Main Street program for 2024.

Research Writing Retreats, sponsored by 91�ֿ�’s Graduate College, offer a distraction-free environment for graduate students to work on their research and writing projects. While “giving them permission” to put other aspects of life aside and focus on their writing, the retreats also create a supportive community that enhances productivity while also offering welcome accountability from their peers. 

91�ֿ� alumna Emily Clark discusses her journey from an English degree to her high-tech career, where she solves business challenges using artificial intelligence. Clark credits much of her success to her education at 91�ֿ�.

91�ֿ�’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering thoroughly prepares graduates for successful careers in aviation – whether that means piloting a fixed-wing airplane or one of America’s most beloved aircraft. 

Sophia Matar, B.S. ’24 was inspired by robotics at a young age and knew she wanted to pursue a career in nformation technology (IT), majoring in computer science. See how her passion for AI and robotics has led to a career at Sherwin-Williams and an opportunity to mentor and lead the next generation of tech trailblazers.

This March, senior fashion design and marketing major Rachel Stauffer will take her fashion research to the international stage.

It’s 91�ֿ�’s biggest international event of the year. Providing a fantastic finish to I Heart Travel Week’s five days of activities, Global Safari Fest celebrates 91�ֿ�’s international students with performances, a country fair and global cuisine.  

The Office of Intercultural Student Life, formerly known as International Student Affairs, has a new central location in the Kent Student Center, which has made it more accessible to international students. Along with the new location comes the mission to provide drop-in services for international students.

While more than 90% of Ohio’s wetlands have vanished over the past few centuries, a new nature docuseries aims to show there is hope — and a lot of work being done to protect what remains.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Qiang Guan, Ph.D., an associate professor in 91�ֿ�'s Department of Computer Science, redirected his research to focus on drug discovery and began partnering with Cleveland Clinic to merge biology and computing for better health outcomes.

Kendric Hood, who earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in computer science at 91�ֿ�, is now a third-year doctoral student and adjunct instructor researching the practical applications of neuromorphic AI models and transformer-based large language models (LLMs).  

Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., professor of psychology at 91�ֿ�, discussed what burnout is and gave a few tips on how to identify and deal with burnout on WBUR's Here and Now.

Ivory Kendrick, the newly elected president of the University Student Government, spoke his destiny into existence last year when he set his sights on leading the organization. Now, Kendrick is ready to hit the ground running.

POV shares insights from the 91�ֿ� community on important topics. Jennifer Mapes, assistant professor of Geography, will deliver this year's address for the Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series. 

If you have attended Porthouse Theatre in the past 25 years, you know the name Terri Kent. At the heart of this theatre, Terri Kent has brought a liveliness that spans decades and communities.

The nationally and internationally ranked 91�ֿ� School of Fashion is thrilled to announce its acclaimed Annual Fashion Show will take place April 24-26, in Crawford Hall on the Kent Campus.

Fashion shows are alluring, no doubt. But what is the actual influence of a runway show on a person's everyday life? 91�ֿ� professors and students in the School of Fashion break it down.

91�ֿ� alumnus Corey Conners finished tied for eighth at the 2025 Masters Tournament after struggling to a 3-over par final round Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.

91�ֿ� continues to excel in hands-on learning, as shown by the ESPN+ livestream broadcast of the 91�ֿ� Men’s Basketball team’s victory over the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Produced entirely by digital media production undergraduates in the School of Media and Journalism, what could have been a chaotic, high-profile evening was business as usual. 

Senderoff, who took over the program in April 2011, has transformed 91�ֿ� basketball through sustained success and community engagement. After the 2024-2025 campaign, he has totaled 288 wins, and has guided the program to nine 20-win seasons, the most by any coach in school history.