91²Ö¿â

IN A FLASH: An Olympic Dream Realized

Alex Newnes and friends in front of the Olympic Rings.
Alex Newnes, second from right, with a group of friends she met while studying at the 91²Ö¿â Florence Center.

 

Alex Newnes is a sophomore with junior credit who was able to make her dream of attending the Olympic Games a reality while studying at 91²Ö¿â Florence Center this spring. 

Alex Newnes standing near an Olympic wall.

Newnes will be studying abroad for the entire semester while also working as a mentor for 91²Ö¿â's Exploratory Program, so she will be in Florence to welcome 91²Ö¿â students participating in the Florence spring break program. Six of the nine students traveling to Italy this spring are either current or former Exploratory students. 

Alex Newnes at an Olympic women's hockey game.
Newnes at the Czechoslovakia vs. Switzerland women's hockey match at the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan. 

 

Since Milan is just a two-hour train ride from Florence, Newnes and a group of friends traveled there to see a women's hockey game in the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena. Realizing her Olympic dream inspired Newnes to be a volunteer at the 2028 Olympic Games in the United States. To read more about her experience, 91²Ö¿â's Education Abroad and Exploratory programs and 91²Ö¿â Florence Center, follow this link.

Want to see YOUR photos in “IN A FLASH?†Submit your 91²Ö¿â-related photos to InAFlash@kent.edu and you may see them in a future 91²Ö¿â Today post. Photos should be framed -horizontally- and include a brief description of what’s happening in the photo along with when and where it was taken.

 

POSTED: Monday, February 23, 2026 02:24 PM
Updated: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 02:55 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Phil B. Soencksen
PHOTO CREDIT:
Alex Newnes