Kent State has received two $1 million donations in support of Global Education experiences for students. These gifts will make education-abroad experiences available to more students through the Global Education Endowment fund that was created in 2022.
This fund was created in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Kent State’s education-abroad presence in Florence, Italy, and has a goal of raising $20 million to provide every incoming undergraduate student with some level of scholarship support for an education-abroad experience.
“At Kent State, we believe that experiencing other cultures through education is vital to a greater understanding of the world around us,” said Marcello Fantoni, Ph.D., Kent State’s vice president for global education. “We know that an international experience is one of the most direct and effective ways to change the life of a student for the better.”
Donations from these alumni will create the Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong Architecture Study Abroad Program and the Phares Program in Global Issues.
The Lawrence R. and Sandra C. Armstrong Architecture Study Abroad Program will provide students with the opportunity to encounter the rebirth of architecture in Europe and witness the historical evolution of European art, interior design and urbanism – including the chance to explore the contemporary art and design scene in Italy.
The Armstrongs are longtime partners of Kent State. The Armstrongs’ time, talents and treasure have supported several areas across the university with a particular focus on the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, the School of Theatre and Dance, the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. “For us, the ability to support global education is a way to help other students open their minds and see the world differently,” said Lawrence Armstrong, ’79, B.Arch., ’80. “Hopefully, it will change their lives by being able to be here and experience this.”
The Phares Program in Global Issues promotes interdisciplinary coursework at Kent State Florence to enable students to study a wide range of pressing global issues and gain firsthand experience in policy and decision-making.
Judi Phares, ’66, studied sociology at Kent State and credits her education for helping cultivate her entrepreneurial spirit and life and business skills, which prepared her for a successful career. The couple also created an endowed study abroad scholarship in 2020.
“Global experiences expand academic, professional and personal horizons and lead to greater employment opportunities,” said Valoree Vargo, Kent State Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement. “Kent State’s Global Education Endowment will provide unprecedented access to global education, allowing more students to dream big and gain an expanded worldview. We are so grateful that Judi and Tom Phares and Larry and Sandy Armstrong support this vision and are helping more students have these opportunities.”