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Infant mortality rates in Northeast Ohio are three to five times higher for Black babies than white babies, an alarming statistic that is an issue across the country but particularly prevalent in this part of the state. A new $100,000 grant from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation will support innovative work being undertaken at Kent State, an elite research university with the esteemed R1 designation, to address this important issue.

KeyBank Foundation has awarded a new $200,000 gift to ºÚÁÏÍø to continue KeyBank Foundation’s support for the successful Key Connections program offered by University College at Kent State. The Key Connections program will continue to support student success initiatives for underserved students, including first-generation students and students from limited income backgrounds who will enroll in Fall Semester 2022.

ºÚÁÏÍø officially broke ground on Crawford Hall, the future home of the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, on March 8 in a ceremony attended by more than 400 people, including university officials, donors, alumni, students, elected officials and special guests.

The PNC Foundation has awarded $75,000 to ºÚÁÏÍø to help ensure success among students who commonly face barriers in college. This grant aligns with PNC’s focus on addressing economic inequality among Black American and low- to moderate-income communities, and it will provide resources for students that will help them complete college and establish a strong foundation on which to build their careers.

During its regular quarterly meeting held Wednesday, Dec. 15, the ºÚÁÏÍø Board of Trustees approved naming resolutions for 17 spaces to be located in the future Crawford Hall based on philanthropic gifts of $100,000 or more. An additional nine named spaces were approved by Kent State President Todd Diacon that were below the required Board approval threshold.

During its regular quarterly meeting held Wednesday, Dec. 15, the ºÚÁÏÍø Board of Trustees approved naming resolutions for 17 spaces to be located in the future Crawford Hall based on philanthropic gifts of $100,000 or more. An additional nine named spaces were approved by Kent State President Todd Diacon that were below the required Board approval threshold.

This year, ºÚÁÏÍø donors demonstrated the power of philanthropy by giving at unprecedented levels. The 2021 Giving Tuesday campaign shattered the previous records, more than tripling last year’s record of $2.2 million.

ºÚÁÏÍø’s season of giving launched on Nov. 1 with Giving Tuesday, a monthlong celebration of philanthropy. Now halfway through the campaign, the generosity of the Kent State community has already begun to shine. 

ºÚÁÏÍø’s Brain Health Research Institute celebrated the grand opening of its new lab spaces on Friday, Nov. 5, with an afternoon of activities that included a keynote presentation, space dedication, tours and student research demonstrations. The new space, featuring interdisciplinary research facilities, is located on the lower level of the Integrated Sciences Building on the Kent Campus.

ºÚÁÏÍø, which has gained national recognition for its creative and successful Giving Tuesday campaigns, launched its monthlong celebration of philanthropy on Nov. 1. Giving Tuesday, now in its eighth year at Kent State, has raised nearly $7 million during that time, which illuminates the impact that can be made when Golden Flashes come together.