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Week 9 Vaccination Drawing Winners Announced!

Week nine winners of the ����ɫ��ҹ University employee vaccination drawing have been announced. Check below to see if you're one of the luck ones!

Mahinda E. Gangoda	$100	Research Engineer, Sr
Leah J. Schmidt	$100	Faculty Part-time-Semester
David W. Haas	$100	Residence Hall Director
Brian J. Crescenzo	$100	Asst Dir, Admissions
Sue N. Averill	$100	Assoc Provost
James W. Holm	$100	Stationary Engineer
Cameron C. Lee	$100	Faculty Tenure Track-9 Mo
Lawrence Marks	$100	Faculty Non-Tenure Track-9 Mo
In Process	$100
Kimberly M. Casto	$100	Records Technician
Frank Renovich	$100	Assoc Dir, Energy Operations
Alicia C. Rainier	$100	Sr Advisor I
Dalton Phillips	$100	Faculty Part-time-Semester
Anoop Uchil	$100	IT User Support Expert I
Barry J. Carlson	$100	ACPM Specialist
Dawn R. Lipscomb	$100	Administrative Clerk
David Schuckert	$100	Painter
In Process	$100
Scott W. Hallgren	$100	Faculty Non-Tenure Track-9 Mo
Kathy M. Zarges	$100	Asst Dean, Adv, Stdt Success
Siobhan D. Hicks	$250	Prog Coord, McNair Scholars
Cindy L. Widuck	$250	Faculty Non-Tenure Track-9 Mo
In Process	$250
Tim Fritz	$250	Faculty Non-Tenure Track-9 Mo
Matthew E. Rogers	$250	Architecture Database Coord
In Process	$250
Matthew H. Marquis	$250	Mgr, Information Technology
Susan L. Veppert	$250	Administrative Assistant
Rian D. Roland	$500	AV Support Specialist
David A. Hassler	$500	Dir, Wick Poetry Ctr
Lisa D. Steigmann-Gall	$500	Lead Business Systems Analyst
Misty D. Williamson	$500	Sr Dir, Ops & Budget, DPAE
Kristin M. Reed	$1,000	Faculty Part-time-Semester
Carrie A. Tomko	$1,000	Faculty Part-time-Semester

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Stark Theatre's 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' Premieres

����ɫ��ҹ University at Stark Theatre held its first theatrical production of the 2021-22 season, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch", by John Cameron Mitchell and music and lyrics by Stephen Trask.
The show premiered Friday night at 8 p.m. on Friday in The Mary J. Timken Theatre in the Fine Arts Building.

Directed by ����ɫ��ҹ Stark Theatre Director TC Mavis Jennings, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" tells the story of the “internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth wall smashing East German rock ‘n’ roll goddess who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation. Hedwig is backed up by Yitzhak and the hard-rock band “The Angry Inch.” Hedwig transforms in this rock and roll tale by rising above the abuse, deceit and abandonment they have been carrying for many years. As Hedwig steps forward, courageously into the unknown, Yitzhak takes their rightful place as the shining star of rock and roll on the midnight radio.

Additional performances will be held at 8 p.m. on Nov. 19 and 20, and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 14 and 21.  Learn more.

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����ɫ��ҹ Tuscarawas Kicks Off 2021 For the Future Campaign

For ����ɫ��ҹ University at Tuscarawas students, the future is now! You can make a difference for local students by joining the Tuscarawas County University Foundation as it launches the 2021 impact campaign For the Future.

Beginning this month, the community can make the future forever brighter for our students by supporting local education. Doug Sopher, of Sopher Insurance, and Dr. Mariann Harding, professor of Nursing Technology at ����ɫ��ҹ Tuscarawas, will lead this year’s campaign.

Importantly, your generosity can provide an excellent, affordable experience for our students through the For the Future Founders Fund, which supports scholarships and student success. 

For students Joseph and Anita Miller, scholarships have been a blessing and have created unbounded opportunities. Read the full story.

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Program offers incarcerated individuals a chance to reenter the community with a degree

Beginning this fall, ����ɫ��ҹ University at Trumbull will offer Trumbull Correctional Institution incarcerated individuals a chance to complete a Bachelor of Technical and Applied Studies (BTAS). With substantial funding support from local foundations, ����ɫ��ҹ Trumbull and LaunchNET ����ɫ��ҹ will join Sinclair Community College (Dayton, OH) to complete this new 2+2 program partnership.

Sinclair has been offering an Associate in Business Management there for two years, so its first graduates will be ready to begin working on their bachelor's this fall. Along with the degree, students can complete a certificate in entrepreneurship through the program. 

"We chose the BTAS with entrepreneurship training because it is difficult for individuals with felonies to get hired by employers," said Kristenne Robison, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, criminology and justice studies. "By developing their entrepreneurial mindset and skills, as well as putting credentials in their hands, graduates of the program can start a business, pursue funding for their entrepreneurial efforts or offer value to local employers."

Many policymakers focus on the benefits of a college education in reducing recidivism as it increases the chances for successful reentry. A 2013 Rand study found that individuals participating in a correctional education program while incarcerated were 43% less likely to reoffend in comparison to their peers who did not participate in correctional education. There is also a high need and interest in pursuing postsecondary education while incarcerated, particularly bachelor's degree programs. 

According to Daniel Palmer, Ph.D., interim dean and chief administrative officer of ����ɫ��ҹ Trumbull, the benefits of a program like this are vast. 

"As a public institution, a program like this helps ����ɫ��ҹ fulfill its mission of 'transform[ing] lives and communities through the power of discovery, learning and creative expression in an inclusive environment,'" he said.

The ����ɫ��ҹ prison education program, which does not have an official name yet, has been in the works since January 2020. Robison, along with Benjamin Tipton, ����ɫ��ҹ’s executive director of foundation relations, began the process of seeking the financial support necessary to make the program a reality. Trumbull Campus Director of Philanthropy Dave Smith supported their efforts by introducing the concept to potential funders from across the Mahoning Valley. 

A 2016 study by the U.S. Department of Education revealed that over the course of three decades — from 1979 to 2013 — state and local spending on prisons and jails increased at three times the rate of funding for pre-K-12. 

“So this becomes a community effort to prevent recidivism and reinvest in individuals who want to make a change,” Robison said. “Many of our local foundations realized the potential benefits for this program and made significant contributions to help launch it.”

Here is a list of funders:

• Burton D. Morgan Foundation
• The Raymond John Wean Foundation
• The Youngstown Foundation
• Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley
• The Thomases Family Endowment 

Congress reinstated access to Pell Grants for incarcerated students last December. The FAFSA Simplification Act is set to take effect no later than July 1, 2023. According to Robison, this should  alleviate the need for additional funding and make the program self-supporting

History

In the 1990s, Pell Grants were eliminated for incarcerated learners. The U.S. Department of Education, during the Obama administration, created the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program. Pell Grant access was made available to 10,000 incarcerated learners across the country.  The reinstatement provides a significant funding stream for college in prison programs. 

Incarcerated people earn pennies per hour for the work they do in prison. Pell Grants, the primary source of need-based financial aid, has made it possible for students to access higher education. 

"Our program begins near the 50th anniversary of the Attica Prison riots, which occurred in September 1971," Robison said. "The first college degree program in prison emerged out of the Attica Prison riots as it gave incarcerated individuals something positive to do with their time while incarcerated."

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2021 Winter Coat and Clothing Drive

From November 15 through December 10, ����ɫ��ҹ University will be collecting clean, gently used or new items for all ages, including warm clothing, hats, gloves, scarves and sweaters. Look for large boxes with Winter Coat and Clothing Drive signs at the buildings listed below. Winter coat and clothing donations will go to the Winter Warm-Up Stations at the Williamson House and Schwartz Center (room 261); and the Phyllis Zumkehr Portage County Clothing Center, which provides free items to homeless individuals, families, elderly, and veterans in need. Stop by the Winter Warm-Up Stations and take what you need.

Donation bins are at the following locations:

• Student Recreation and Wellness Center lobby
• Library first floor circulation desk (lobby)
• Student Center first floor outside room 106
• Schwartz Center room 261 (above admissions)

Winter Warm-Up Stations (Take what you need to stay warm!) are located at:

• Williamson House front entrance between the glass doors. 
• Schwartz Center room 261 (above admissions)

The Winter Coat and Clothing Drive is coordinated by ����ɫ��ҹ's Career Exploration and Development; Community Engaged Learning; ����ɫ��ҹ Student Center; Office of Sustainability; and the Women's Center.

Learn more.

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Webinar: Winter Workouts - Feel the Burrrn, Dec. 8, noon – 1 p.m. 

Staying active in the winter can be tough with snowy roads, icy sidewalks, and an overall lack of motivation. It’s no surprise most people gain a few pounds during these months and struggle to take them off during the new year.  

Even if you’re not worried about weight gain, it’s still important to maintain a level of physical activity in the winter. Join Be Well Solutions on Wednesday, December 8 for a webinar, which will cover: 

• How exercise supports a strong immune system 

• Outdoor workout safety 

• Indoor workout ideas 

• Finding and maintaining motivation to exercise 

 for this webinar, which is open to all full- and part-time staff and faculty.  

For questions related to health and wellness offerings for ����ɫ��ҹ University faculty and staff, please contact the Employee Wellness office at 330-672-0392 or wellness@kent.edu. 

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Labor Condition Application Notice

In accordance with 20 CFR § 655.734, ����ɫ��ҹ University is required to provide notice that a Labor Condition Application (LCA) for H-1B Nonimmigrant Alien Worker has been led by ����ɫ��ҹ University with the United States Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, United States Employment Service Certifying Officer. All LCA postings are provided for at the university's Legal Notices website.