News
Get the latest news happening at your alma mater, along with fascinating stories about alumni success, donor impact, scholarship recipients and more. Our collective legacy is woven by Golden Flashes around the world who inspire and transform communities far beyond 91ֿ’s campuses.
Featured Stories
“We were supposed to look like Betty Grable and play ball like Joe DiMaggio.”
Four decades before the iconic 1992 film “A League of Their Own,” alumna Lois Youngen, ’55, was earning her college tuition playing in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL).
Read More
Alumnus Shares Insights Through Behind-the-Book Interview
Lawrence R. Armstrong, ’79, ’80, recently shared insights from his first book, “Layered Leadership.” The author described his holistic, humanist approach to leadership and how that has propelled his firm, Ware Malcomb, into a globally recognized architecture and design powerhouse.
Read More
Faces of 91ֿ
Alumni and Donor Stories

Propelling Future Aviation Professionals
91ֿ has received a significant grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create an initiative to bolster the workforce for aircraft pilots and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operators in Northeast Ohio.

Ann Mariko Walter, ’96
Will Matthews, ’19, adds some flavor to Northeast Ohio’s food scene with Southern Comfort Kitchen, his New Orleans-inspired restaurant and food truck.

Daring Mighty Things - Lighter Than Air
First-year students in 91ֿ’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering were challenged to engineer and build propeller-driven aircraft suspended by helium balloons as part of the college’s “Lighter Than Air” competition.

Championing a Place for Women in Science
Aleisha Moore, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, is exploring how the brain can influence hormones and fertility. One area of research for Moore is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects nearly 10 percent of women worldwide.

Celebrating KSU’s First Female President
Carol A. Cartwright, Ph.D., became 91ֿ’s first female president in 1991 and was the first female president of any Ohio public college or university then. She was also a driving force in the establishment of 91ֿ Women’s Center.

Global Experience Fuels Alumna’s Career
McKenzie Morgan, ’22, appreciates the opportunities 91ֿ provided her that included completing her academic journey with the university’s education-abroad program in Florence, Italy. “Studying abroad was definitely my all-time highlight,” Morgan said.

Alumnus Brings Wild Animals (in Sunglasses) to Public Library

Black United Student Leader Thrives
Julian Grimes, a 91ֿ junior, is president of Black United Students (BUS) and is working to keep the organization thriving. BUS is one of 91ֿ’s oldest student organizations and is credited with starting the formal observance of Black History Month in 1970.

Community of Caring Supports Student
Shane Reese found a network of support and a community of caring at 91ֿ that surrounded him after his mother passed away during his freshman year. As a result, Reese became a resilient leader who is committed to giving back.

LaunchNET Supports Student Radio Program
91ֿ architecture student Joel Semancik is the creator of Gulp Radio, a program and podcast that airs on 91ֿ’s Black Squirrel Radio. He and his guests discuss songs that have had an impact on their lives and discuss their favorite 91ֿ memories and life stories.

Will Matthews, ’19
Will Matthews, ’19, adds some flavor to Northeast Ohio’s food scene with Southern Comfort Kitchen, his New Orleans-inspired restaurant and food truck.

Alumni Spotlight - Dexter Shreve, '13
Dexter credits the hands-on learning experiences for preparing him for the real-world challenges of his career. In particular, the Materials and Processes class provided him with essential skills in machining, welding, and casting, which he later applied in various engineering roles.

Adventures in Italy: A 91ֿ Love Story
Despite living in the same residence hall on the Kent Campus, Andrew “Andy” Wyatt, ’16, had to travel nearly 4,500 miles to get

Global Experience Transforms Student’s Future
When 91ֿ alumnus Carlton “CeeJay” Scott Jr., ’23, returned from his 2023 Spring Semester abroad as an exchange student in Cairo, he brought with him a transformed vision for his future as a filmmaker.

91ֿ Alumna Tiffany Roper Has a "Flair" for Entrepreneurship
Tiffany Roper, ’07, M.Ed. ’12, is a two-time alumna and recipient of one of the microgrants for , her events, personal styling and public speaking business.

Danny Pellegrino, ’07
For Danny Pellegrino, ’07, being an author and comedian has allowed him to meld his love of storytelling with making others laugh. Whether he’s on stage, on screen, behind the mic or at his computer, Danny is following his “true North,” as he says, by celebrating the things he loves and sharing them with others.

Former 91ֿ Educator and Student-athlete Honored with First-gen Award Named in Her Honor
Each November, the 91ֿ College hosts I AM FIRST Week to celebrate not only the students who will soon be the first in t

Regional Students Receive Intel® Scholarships
Two students in the College of Applied and Technical Studies at 91ֿ at Tuscarawas received Intel® Semiconductor Scholarship for Women awards. The scholarships support education-related expenses (tuition, fees, books,etc.) as well as other expenses including transportation and childcare.

I PROMISE Students Study Brain Health
91ֿ’s Brain Health Research Institute recently welcomed 94 fourth-grade students from the I PROMISE School in Akron, Ohio, for a day of activities aimed at sparking their interest in science and technology.

Planned Gift Endows Executive Director Position at 91ֿ’s Wick Poetry Center
The Wick family has a long history of philanthropy at 91ֿ that began in 1984 when brothers Bob and Walt Wick first established scholarships to support undergraduate poets at the university. This most recent gift of $1 million brings the family’s total lifetime commitment to the university to more than $3.5 million.

Scolin MacLean, ’90, Turns His Love of Athletics into Philanthropy
“I look at 91ֿ as a family member – everyone collectively – that I am connected to and plan to be for as long as I possibly can.

Personal Obstacles Inspire Alumnus to Champion Future Researchers
The experiences Earl K. Miller, ’85, Ph.D., had at 91ֿ inspired him to give back.

Scholarship Supports Student Leader’s Goals
Jenna Gilbreath, ’23, had a chance encounter with Michael John Gallagher II, '19, during one of her student visit days. He gave her some great advice about her future as a 91ֿ student.

Rising Scholars Students Partner With NASA
Rising Scholars students at the Columbiana campuses are partnering with NASA to create personal hygiene kits that astronauts may use during simulation training exercises. The goal is for each scholar to complete one hygiene kit.

Roe Green, MA ’80, To Receive Honorary Degree
91ֿ’s Board of Trustees will award Roe Green, MA ’80, a Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree in recognition of her contributions to the university and her advocacy for the arts in Northeast Ohio, the nation and around the world.

Legacies Change Lives: Emily Butz
Emily Butz is a junior music education and music performance major with an anticipated graduation date of fall 2022.

George L. Jenkins, ’63, and Gina Jenkins Impact Student Access and Honor a Mentor
George L. Jenkins’ generosity spans three decades and continues to support first-generation students and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

91ֿ’s Spirit of Motherhood Program for Pregnant Black Women Receives $100,000 Grant
Infant mortality rates in Northeast Ohio are three to five times higher for Black babies than white babies, an alarming statistic that is an issue across the country but particularly prevalent in this part of the state. A new $100,000 grant from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation will support innovative work being undertaken at 91ֿ, an elite research university with the esteemed R1 designation, to address this important issue.