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The groundbreaking for �Ը������� University’s new Center for Architecture and Environmental Design occurred Oct. 3. The building will serve as the new home of �Ը�������’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, bringing all of the programs of the college under one roof. It will be located between South Lincoln and South Willow streets, just south of the Lefton Esplanade and across the street from Franklin Hall.

What began as a job to help pay for college and meet new people turned into a bigger reward than �Ը������� University senior Carissa Deeds could have imagined.  A few months ago, Deeds was awarded the first �Ը������� University Libraries Student Assistant Scholarship. In the essay that secured her award, Deeds wrote about how working at the library helped her meet new people and made the transition from high school to college smoother.  

Before the fall semester starts on Aug. 25, new students are invited to participate in Welcome Weekend, a four-day orientation program that ran Aug. 21-24 and helped students familiarize themselves with the �Ը������� University community. The events during the weekend served as an opportunity for students to transition into the university environment and learn about the academic and social opportunities that exist at �Ը�������.

�Ը������� University Fashion School graduate Anastasia Iafrate was named this year’s winner of the prestigious Supima Design Competition during a Sept. 4 event at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Iafrate, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts in fashion design, beat out finalists from five other institutions to win the award, which carries a $10,000 prize.



�Ը������� University is embarking on a campaign to motivate and assist students toward timely graduation. The university’s “Formula to Finish” initiative encourages students to register for and pass at least 15 credit hours per semester in order to graduate in two years to get their associate degree or four years for a bachelor’s degree, and save time and money in the process. �Ը�������’s Undergraduate Studies oversees the “Formula to Finish” initiative for all students at �Ը�������’s eight campuses.

�Ը������� University President Beverly Warren recently joined U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in a meeting with regional leaders about the state of Ohio’s infrastructure and the need for increased funding to improve deficiencies.  The group met Sept. 5 in Kent at the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority’s Kent Central Gateway multimodal transit center. Ryan discussed a report that awarded the United States an overall D+ grade in infrastructure and suggested that the nation needs to invest trillions of dollars in future transportation.

�Ը������� University continues to set records and reach its enrollment goals. The university released its official 15th day census data for the 2014 Fall Semester, reporting the highest retention rate for the Kent Campus in the university’s 104-year history. Retention of Kent Campus freshmen has increased to 81.7 percent, up from last year’s record retention level of 77.6 percent. This represents the percentage of freshmen who continue their studies at the university for their sophomore year. 

Transforum Theatre, a student organization in �Ը������� University’s School of Theatre and Dance, performed last month at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dedicated to helping students pursue their passions and explore their creativity through art, Transforum Theatre was invited by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to perform an original work, “A Collection of Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” at the Greenside @ Nicholson Square venue Aug. 18–23.

A �Ը������� tradition for 33 years, the annual Black Squirrel Festival took place Friday, Sept. 5, from 12-6 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. The event included live music, inflatables, rock climbing wall, photo booth, food, local vendors, student organizations and thousands of giveaway items.