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University to hold Sept. 7 event to celebrate achievement At the start of the 2016 academic year, Kent State University becomes the first university in the country to feature an entirely gluten-free dining hall on campus. Kent State restructured Prentice Café after administrators noticed that the number of students arriving on campus with gluten intolerance was rising each year. The new dining facility will meet the ever-increasing demand for gluten-free foods.

A Kent State University tradition for 35 years, the annual Black Squirrel Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 9, from 12-5 p.m. on the Student Green and Risman Plaza. The Black Squirrel Festival, which is hosted by Kent Student Center Programming, attracts more than 3,000 students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the Kent community.

Scholar of the Month Brian Castellani Professor of Sociology Kent State University at Ashtabula 2002-present The Kent Campus is big, but still not big enough to fit all the great scholars who are part of the Kent State University family. So much of Kent State’s great research is happening at its Regional Campuses, and Sociology Professor Brian Castellani, Ph.D., of Kent State University at Ashtabula is just one of the shining examples.

The Aeronautics Department in Kent State University’s College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology will host its 20th Aeronautics Fair on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Kent State University Aeronautics Fair takes place 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Andrew W. Paton Field at the Kent State University Airport, located at 4020 Kent Road in Stow.

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced the presentation of the Cartwright Award to Kent State University for its program excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship during the 2015-16 school year. It is the program’s third Cartwright Award honor in the last seven years, the most of any program in the MAC.

Saying goodbye was more difficult than Riley Jernejcic could have ever imagined. Crouched down on the cobblestone street with her arms stretched out from one end to the other, Jernejcic cried out, “Adios. Abrazo,” which means goodbye and hug in Spanish. About 50 feet away, a little boy, known as Wilder, came running up the hill. “He jumped into my arms, and we both started to cry,” Jernejcic said. “I’ll never forget him. He made such an impact on my life.”

Kent State University President Beverly Warren recently presented 14 Kent State faculty members with the President’s Faculty Excellence Award, which recognizes exceptional performance that leads to the achievement of national or international recognition. This year, each recipient receives a special salary adjustment of $10,000.

The Center for Student Involvement and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics are welcoming back the Kent State University community in a big way. To kick off the academic year, students, faculty and staff are invited to enjoy a week packed full of food, giveaways and some Kent State pride! From Aug. 29 through Sept. 2, Kent State students are encouraged to stop by Risman Plaza between classes to meet new people and to take part in the excitement of the first week of classes.

Kent State University students will celebrate the start of a new school year at the university’s annual back-to-school celebration that occurs the day before fall classes begin. Blastoff will take place on Sunday, Aug. 28, from 6-9:30 p.m. on the Student Green and Manchester Field on the Kent Campus. Blastoff serves as the culminating event of Welcome Weekend, a four-day orientation program that helps new students transition into the university environment.

Welcome Weekend, Kent State University’s four-day new student orientation, took place on Aug. 25-28. Students were able to select from approximately 50 different events held from Thursday to Sunday. The weekend event helped students transition into the university community and learn about academic and social opportunities at Kent State.