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Stark Campus Hosts Heart Walk Sept 18, Dean Seachrist Shares Personal Story

Kent State Stark is proud to host the 2021 Stark County Heart Walk on Sept. 18.

Susan Seachrist lived for just two decades, but during that time, she inspired a community to come together to provide another chance at life. And while she died during her third open heart surgery in 1962, Susan’s memory lives on.

Dean Denise A. Seachrist, Ph.D., will help lead the 2021 Stark County Heart Walk as part of its Executive Leadership Team. She walks for cousin Susan, and many others in her family, including her father, who died from rheumatic heart disease when Seachrist was just 4 years old. She also walks for her brother, a heart attack survivor.

“Heart disease can go undetected. People may have high cholesterol without even knowing it, and high blood pressure is known as the silent killer,” Seachrist explained. “There are so many reasons to participate in activities that generate awareness about heart disease and its many causes – whether heart issues run in your family, or not. You may be saving a life.”

Read the full story. Learn more about and register for the Stark Campus Heart Walk.

Geagua/TAC Grad Pursues Business Venture

Hands-on training is essential for anyone pursuing a career in cosmetology. But when your goal is to leverage those skills to open a business of your own, the ability to do hair and nails is not quite enough. That’s what Lanetta Rucker realized.

“So, when I saw you could get an associate’s degree focused on business courses, I figured that was the little ‘something extra’ I needed,’ she says. “It’s good to have something special under your belt when you want to open your own beauty supply store.”

Lanetta RuckerRucker graduated from Paul Mitchell the School Cleveland (PMTS) with her cosmetology license in 2018, then earned her Associate of Technical Study degree from Twinsburg Academic Center (TAC) in Fall 2020. She was one of the first graduates to benefit from the partnership between PMTS and TAC, both located in Twinsburg. Read the full story.

Fall Faculty and Staff Group Exercise Classes

Fall 2021 semester faculty and staff group exercise classes will be offered in a hybrid format, meaning classes will be available in-person and virtually.  Employee Wellness and Recreational Services offers free weekly sessions listed below.  For fall, the classes and days remain the same, but employees can now choose how they will attend. 

Classes are open to all full- and part-time employees at all campuses. The in-person sessions will take place at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center on the Kent campus and will be streamed via Zoom so employees can also attend remotely.  

Those participating in the wellness rewards program earn 10 Tier 2 points for each session they attend.  Pre-registration is required. Visit the Employee Wellness calendar to register for each session you would like to attend. Be sure to select the link for your preferred attendance format.

For questions related to faculty/staff exercise classes, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or 330-672-0392. For questions related to the SRWC open house, contact Beth Michel at emichel2@kent.edu or 330-672-4732.  

Join Recreational Services for an Open House on August 5 

On Thursday, August 5, Kent State faculty and staff will have full access to the SRWC and may use the facility free of charge for the entire day. Upon arrival, employees should stop in the SRWC Pro Shop (located to the right when you first enter through the main front doors) to get a free day pass.  

Included as part of the Open House, Recreational Services will host Fitness & Wellness orientations from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., which will include information about equipment and explanations of programs and services offered at the SRWC. Orientations will begin every 30 minutes starting at 11 a.m. To join an orientation, stop in the Fitness Suite to meet up with Beth Michel, Fitness and Wellness Coordinator. The Fitness Suite is on the lower level next to the Equipment Checkout Desk.  

For questions related to faculty/staff exercise classes, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or 330-672-0392. For questions related to the SRWC open house, contact Beth Michel at emichel2@kent.edu or 330-672-4732.  

August Wellness Offerings Focus on Preventive Care 

Preventive care is one of the most important steps you can take to manage your health. Services like screenings, annual check-ups, and immunizations are key to keeping people healthy. 

Taking an active role in your own preventive care can mean fewer trips to healthcare facilities to treat problems associated with preventable risk factors, leading to a higher quality of life and more money in your pocket. But for a variety of reasons, many people do not receive the preventive care they need, one being a lack of awareness about recommended preventive services. 

Join Employee Wellness this August to learn about preventive care via webinars on topics ranging from  to recommended . You might even consider working with a health coach to create your preventive care plan (onsite health coaching is back.)  

For the full list of offerings, including a special evening webinar on , visit the Employee Wellness August focus page.  

For questions related to health and wellness offerings for staff and faculty, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or 330-672-0392.  

The Next Mindful Mondays Session is August 2 

Mindful Monday sessions are hosted by one of the most skillful and down to earth mindfulness coaches, Daron Larson. Daron shares doable, challenging and liberating ways to practice mindfulness. Develop your attentional skills and feel more at home in the messiness of real life by savoring pleasant moments more and fighting less with the unpleasant ones.  

Open to all full- and part-time employees, the next Mindful Mondays session is August 2, from 8:30 - 9 a.m. For those participating in the wellness rewards program, each session is worth 10 Tier 2 points. . 

Visit the Mindful Mondays page to learn tips for practicing on your own between sessions, and access related resources like Daron's FAQs. 

Interested in one-on-one mindfulness coaching? Call the Impact Solutions Employee Assistance and Work/Life Program at 1-800-227-6007 to schedule a mindfulness coaching session. You can request Daron as your coach. 

For questions related to health and wellness offerings for staff and faculty, contact Employee Wellness at wellness@kent.edu or 330-672-0392.