164-587: The Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC) is an organization based at Kent State University which provides employees of businesses in Ohio with resources for establishing Employee Share Ownership Plans through worker buyouts of companies. The organization's first effort was the attempted worker buyout of the Atlantic Foundry Company from the Reymann family under the terms of an ESOP. However,
328-535: A bicycle-sharing system known as Flashfleet in partnership with the university and PARTA . The program offers yearly memberships or hourly rentals with locations on campus and in the downtown area. Kent is governed by a charter form of government with a council–manager system of nine council members and a mayor. The city is divided into six wards and voters select a mayor, a council member representing their ward, and three at-large council members in staggered four-year terms. The city charter, adopted in 1963,
492-710: A floristry developer and manufacturer, was founded in Kent in 1954 and operates a plant in the city. Their corporate offices were moved back to Kent from Cuyahoga Falls in September 2013, having originally moved there from Kent in 1992. Kent is also home to the corporate headquarters of the Davey Tree Expert Company , which serves as the city's largest private employer. In 2010 Davey Tree announced plans to relocate staff from its Davey Resource Group, who were previously in neighboring Stow, to Kent as part of
656-556: A public bus service and hike-and-bike trails. As the home of the Davey Tree Expert Company , Kent is known as "The Tree City" while residents are referred to as " Kentites ". The city has produced a number of notable individuals, particularly in politics, athletics, and the entertainment industry. The region was originally inhabited by various tribes of American Indians , including the early Mound Builders . Around 1780, Captain Samuel Brady achieved notoriety for his activities in
820-454: A sunset provision that requires the tax rate to return to 2.0% once debt is paid off on the new facility. In 2014, the city operated on a budget of approximately $ 40 million. The largest percentage of the budget, 31% or $ 11.9 million, was spent on public safety services followed by 22% or $ 8.5 million on basic utilities. Debt service accounted for $ 6.0 million or 17% of the budget while transportation projects accounted for 9% or $ 3.37 million of
984-551: A 1923 "credit war" where Ohio State refused Kent transfer credits and spread to several other schools taking similar action. It was this development – along with several other factors – which led to the firing of McGilvrey in January 1926. McGilvrey was succeeded first by David Allen Anderson (1926–1928) and James Ozro Engleman from 1928 to 1938, though he continued to be involved with the school for several years as president emeritus and as head of alumni relations from 1934 to 1945. He
1148-498: A 360-space parking deck and bus transfer station, a hotel and conference center, and three separate mixed-use buildings, began to take shape in 2010 following the demolition of several buildings in a four block area. New offices for Ametek and the Davey Tree Expert Company opened in late 2012 along with several new small businesses on the first floors of each building. The hotel, operated by Kent State University, opened in June 2013 and
1312-450: A 42.7% rate of owner-occupied housing, significantly below the percentages for the US, Ohio, and Portage County. In the city the 28.6% of the population aged 19 years and under, 40.5% aged 20 to 39, 15.5% from 40 to 59, 13.0% from 60 to 79, and 2.3% who were 80 years of age or older. The age bracket of 20 to 24 years is the city's largest, accounting for 25% of the total population. As a result,
1476-602: A 50-person lecture room, 12-station computer lab with instructor station, and a fashion design studio. Kent State's Cleveland Urban Design Center is located at 1309 Euclid Ave in the downtown Cleveland Theater District neighborhood, just off of East 14th Street. The Urban Design Center was created in 1983 under the sponsorship of the Urban University Program, which supports the outreach and community service efforts of Ohio's state universities working in urban areas. Under its founding director, Foster Armstrong,
1640-462: A 55,000-square-foot (5,100 m ), $ 13.5 million Fine and Performing Arts center that will enable the campus to expand academic and cultural programming. In addition to the eight campuses in northeast Ohio, Kent State operates additional facilities for programs in Cleveland , New York City , Florence , and Shanghai . KSU Florence is an international study abroad program that grants students
1804-708: A book collection of 166,407 items as of 2023. It is a school district library associated with the Kent City School District and is also part of the Portage Library Consortium, connecting it with Reed Memorial Library in Ravenna and the Portage County District Library, which maintains six branch libraries across the county and a bookmobile . The main campus of Kent State University is located in
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#17327723432771968-542: A cider festival in November, and the Festival of Lights Christmas celebration in early December. The Wizardly World of Kent, formerly known as Kent Potterfest, is a festival celebrating the book and movie series Harry Potter and debuted in late July 2016. It is held annually in the downtown area in late July. It features Harry Potter -themed vendors and activities, a 5k run through the campus of Kent State University,
2132-583: A closer look at public issues and policies, and work an internship of their choosing. The Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising has programs in Florence, Hong Kong, and New York City, and affiliations in Paris and London. It was named a top-ten fashion school in the United States by Runway Magazine . The Liquid Crystal Institute , founded 1965, is engaged in
2296-668: A common name or a common central area. They are: Within the University Housing Residence Halls, there are living-learning programs that place students with similar academic or extracurricular interests in the same dorms. Kent State University Culinary Services operates two dining halls, located in Eastway Center and the Design and Innovation Hub. Kent State also operates the Rosie's Diner located in
2460-572: A costume contest, and the transformation of Acorn Alley to resemble Diagon Alley . Kent Rainbow Weekend, the city's annual Pride festival, is held in October in multiple locations around the city and the campus of Kent State University. It originally debuted in 2020 and was held in early March, but was moved to October after the festival resumed in 2022. From May to October, the Haymaker Farmers' Market operates every Saturday morning in
2624-486: A female householder with no husband present, and 56.3% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size in Kent was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.86, which compares with the national average of 2.58 for a household and 3.14 for a family and the state average household size of 2.44 and average family size of 3.01. Kent has 12,052 housing units as of 2020 and
2788-805: A historical district along the Cuyahoga River adjacent to downtown that includes an area and structures that were important in Kent's early history. On the northwestern part of the Kent State University campus is the Ohio State Normal College At Kent district, which includes the school's five original classic revival buildings dating to 1913. There is also the West Main Street District just west of downtown that includes 20 private homes of architectural and historical significance from
2952-694: A home to the Corporate University, which provides training and learning exercises for area businesses and organizations. Kent State University at Stark offers 24 complete degree programs, including three associate degree, 18 bachelor's degree, and three master's degree programs. Kent State's Trumbull Campus is located just north of Warren in Champion Heights, Ohio , on SR 45 near the SR 5 – SR 82 bypass. As of 2021 , it has an enrollment of 1,158 students. It offers programs in 170 majors at
3116-530: A lake, outdoor classroom, and nature walk. Kent State University at Salem also owns and operates the "City Center" facility in the former home of Salem Middle School and Salem High School, in which administrative offices, classes, and student services are located. The Stark Campus is the largest regional campus of Kent State University, with an enrollment of over 2,900 students as of 2021 . The campus serves around 11,000 students total each year through professional development and other academic coursework classes. It
3280-1173: A large number of opportunities for student involvement at all its campuses, including student and professional associations, service organizations, performing ensembles, student publications, student government, and intramural and club athletics. Through the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music and the School of Theatre and Dance, the university offers performance opportunities in the performing arts, including three concert bands (Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, and Communiversity Band), Athletic Bands (Marching Golden Flashes and Flasher Brass), three jazz ensembles (Jazz Ensemble I, Jazz Ensemble II, and Jazz Lab Band), six choral ensembles (Kent Chorus, KSU Chorale, Women's Chorus, Men's Coro Cantare, Gospel Choir, and Nova Jazz Singers), one orchestra (KSU Orchestra), World Music Ensembles, as well as theater and dance opportunities. The Trumbull, Stark, and Tuscarawas campuses have theatre seasons featuring student actors. Each regional campus also offers their own performing arts opportunities. Kent State offers several student government options,
3444-454: A lawsuit brought by 125 foundry retirees seeking the resumption of health and life insurance benefits derailed the ESOP negotiations, and the plant closed in 1989. OEOC has since helped in successful efforts at ESOPs for such companies as DimcoGray . The organization has served as the inspiration for similar organizations which bring organized labor and cooperative federations together, such as
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#17327723432773608-637: A living memorial to the events of May 4, 1970." Now known as The Center for Applied Conflict Management (CACM), it developed one of the earliest conflict resolution undergraduate degree programs in the United States. The university operates the Kent State University Press, which is located in the main library building and publishes 30 to 35 titles a year. It is a member of the Association of University Presses , which includes over 100 university-sponsored scholarly presses. The Press
3772-783: A local organization that promotes downtown Kent, created a family-oriented Halloween event downtown that precedes the unofficial celebration. Since 2007, Kent has hosted an annual environmental festival known as "Who's Your Mama?" which takes place in conjunction with Earth Day . The festival has events at various locations in the city, such as a vegan chef competition, concerts, a film festival, guest speakers, and booths on environment-based topics. Through Main Street Kent, additional events downtown include an ice cream social event in August, an outdoor concert series and "sidewalk cinema" between May and September, an art and wine festival in June,
3936-563: A member of the Association of Research Libraries in 1973. Kent State joined with the University of Akron and Youngstown State University in establishing the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in 1973. It was the world's first medical consortium. Today it includes a college of pharmacy and Cleveland State University as an additional consortium member. Kent State was again in
4100-713: A number of faculty exchanges as the two universities seek to pool their expertise both to enhance students' experiences and to better serve their respective regions. Admission to Kent State University is classified as "selective" by both the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and U.S. News & World Report . The Princeton Review gives Kent State an "Admissions Selectivity Rating" of 76. The college extends offers of admission to 87% of all applicants after holistic review that includes examination of academic rigor, performance and admissions test scores. Of all matriculating students,
4264-433: A planned downtown development and has stated long-term goals include having all corporate offices in Kent. The office, which included some office staff already in Kent at the main corporate headquarters, opened in August 2012. Davey added a third wing to its Kent headquarters building in 2022, along with 70 new jobs. It is also building a 180-acre (73 ha) training and research campus and arboretum for both employees and
4428-477: A residence hall association named Kent Interhall Council (KIC). KIC represents students who live in the on-campus residence halls and deals with policies and activities. Within the KIC is a programming board and individual councils for each residence hall. Kent State operates twenty-four on-campus residence halls, all of which are located on the main campus in Kent. Each hall is a part of a larger group, usually bound by
4592-489: A result, an industrial and business region was established along the east side of the river in what is now downtown Kent. Factories and mills were either planned or constructed along the Cuyahoga River, some of which either were never built or ultimately failed, due mostly to effects of the Panic of 1837 . A lock and attached arch dam, however, was completed in 1836. The canal officially opened in 1840, but would only operate into
4756-448: A result, several statistics are noticeably higher or lower than state and national averages including median age and the percentage of residents in the 18–24 age bracket, individuals below the poverty line, and percentage of residents with a college degree. Initial population growth in Kent was influenced by the location on the Cuyahoga River which led to the development of industrial and manufacturing jobs. Early settlers mainly came from
4920-546: A riot in downtown Kent and the burning of the ROTC building. The main cause of the protests was the United States' invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War . The shootings caused an immediate closure of the campus with students and faculty given just 60 minutes to pack belongings. Around the country, many college campuses canceled classes or closed for fear of similar violent protests. In Kent, schools were closed and
5084-469: A slight decline from 2010, which city leaders attributed to the census being taken just after many student residents left at the onset of the COVID restrictions. The racial makeup of the city was 81.4% White , 8.8% African American , 3.2% Asian , 0.2% Native American , 0.0% Pacific Islander , and 6.3% from two or more races. 2.8% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race. Though slightly below
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5248-560: A variety of construction and maintenance works as well as the city's water treatment and water reclamation systems while the Public Safety Department includes both the police and fire departments. The Kent Police Department is housed in the city's Safety Administration Building and includes 911 dispatch for Kent and Franklin Township . Kent State University also operates its own police department, which mainly patrols
5412-573: A world leader in the development of liquid crystals through the Liquid Crystal Institute and was the site of the first patent for the modern liquid crystal in the 1970s. In 2009 the university inaugurated the College of Public Health, the second public health program in Ohio. The Kent State library system, which includes the 12-story main library and houses over 2.6 million volumes, includes six additional department libraries on
5576-427: Is 103 °F (39 °C), set on July 7, 1988, with the record low of −22 °F (−30 °C) recorded January 17, 1982. During the spring and summer months, thunderstorms are fairly common and the area is susceptible to tornadoes , though the last recorded tornado in Kent occurred in 1973. Effects from tropical systems can also be felt, usually taking the form of increased humidity, rain, and wind, such as with
5740-629: Is a college town best known as the home of the main campus of Kent State University , founded in 1910, and as the site of the May 4, 1970 Kent State shootings . Historically a manufacturing center, education is the city's largest economic sector with Kent State University being the city's, and one of the region's, largest employers. The Kent City School District and the Kent Free Library provide additional education opportunities and resources. Many of Kent's demographic elements are influenced by
5904-724: Is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County . It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeast Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 28,215 at the 2020 Census . The city is counted as part of the Akron metropolitan area and the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton combined statistical area . Part of the Connecticut Western Reserve , Kent
6068-634: Is a member of the University System of Ohio and is classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education among "R1: Doctoral Universities – very high research activity". Kent State University was established in 1910 as an institution for training public school teachers. It was part of the Lowry Bill , which also created a sister school in Bowling Green, Ohio – now known as Bowling Green State University . It
6232-629: Is a member of the Six District Educational Compact with five surrounding districts to facilitate vocational education, with many of these programs housed at Roosevelt High School. Kent also has one private school, St. Patrick School, which serves around 300 students in grades K–8 from Kent and several surrounding communities. It is part of Kent's St. Patrick parish and is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown . The Kent Free Library
6396-718: Is also home to the Kent State University Museum, located in Rockwell Hall on the KSU campus. The museum focuses on the history of fashion design and decorative arts in the United States and around the world from the 18th century to the present. Each year in early May, the university hosts an annual commemoration of the Kent State shootings , which typically features several speakers, forums, artwork, and other related events. On campus, Kent State operates
6560-621: Is also the home of the Kent Twisters, a member of the Pennsylvania-Ohio Women's Hockey Association, an adult amateur women's ice hockey league. Kent also plays host to the Portage County Open tennis tournament, held annually at the tennis courts of Theodore Roosevelt High School . The city operates nearly 20 parks and preserves, the largest of which is the 56-acre (23 ha) Fred Fuller park along
6724-533: Is available for public recreational and instructional use outside of its use by the school for athletics and physical education. The pool hosts swimming lessons and serves as a home venue for the Hudson -based Hudson Explorers Aquatic Team, a competitive swimming program for ages five and above. Within the city are segments of the Portage Hike and Bike Trail, which is jointly managed with Kent State University,
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6888-489: Is expected to open in July 2024. Kent is located in west-central Portage County in Northeast Ohio approximately 10 miles (20 km) northeast of Akron and 30 miles (50 km) southeast of Cleveland . It is bordered by Franklin Township on the north and east, the unincorporated community of Brady Lake on the east, Brimfield Township on the south, and Stow on the west. Other nearby communities include Ravenna to
7052-508: Is held Saturday mornings from November through April. The Kent Stage , located downtown, is a performance venue for a variety of arts performances in music and theater. It hosts around 90 concerts, four theatrical performances, and four film festivals or movie premiers per year, including local, national, and international performers. Since opening in 2002, it has been visited by approximately 120,000 patrons from all over Ohio, 38 U.S. states, and 3 countries. In April, it hosts events related to
7216-604: Is located in New York City's Garment District . Surrounded by fabric and accessory shops, fashion showrooms, and designer studios; one-third of all clothing manufactured in the USA is designed and produced in this neighborhood. The District is home to fashion designers including Oscar de la Renta , Calvin Klein , Donna Karan , Liz Claiborne , and Nicole Miller . The facility is a 4,500-square-foot (420 m ) space and includes
7380-696: Is located on 200-acre (81 ha) in Jackson Township in Stark County . The campus includes seven major buildings and a natural pond. Additionally, the Stark Campus includes the Corporate University and Conference Center, an advanced meeting, training, and events facility that is one of only ten such centers in the state of Ohio affiliated with the International Association of Conference Centers. The center also serves as
7544-468: Is ranked 20th by U.S. News & World Report . Kent State has a complete undergraduate, master's, and doctoral sequence in translation and the only dual master's degree program in the nation. Faculty, staff and students collaborate at The Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence (ISPV). The Center for Peaceful Change, a response to the Kent State shootings of 1970, was established in 1971 "as
7708-406: Is reviewed by a charter commission every 10 years who then make recommendations for changes, the last review being in 2015. The city council hires a city manager who oversees the day-to-day operations in the various city departments and enforces policies set by council. The mayor serves a largely ceremonial role as president of the council and votes only in the event of a tie. Kent voters approved
7872-760: Is the Student Center and Risman Plaza, which is adjacent to the twelve-story main library. The university also operated the 18-hole Kent State Golf Course until 2017, and currently operates Centennial Research Park just east of campus in Franklin Township and the 219-acre (0.9 km ) Kent State University Airport in Stow . In addition to the Kent Campus, there are seven regional campuses. The regional campuses provide open enrollment and are generally treated as in-house community colleges as opposed to
8036-445: Is the main public library. It was established in 1892 after Kent became the first village in Ohio to use an 1892 state law which allowed municipalities under a population of 5,000 to tax residents for the upkeep of a library. Andrew Carnegie donated $ 10,000 in 1901 for construction of a permanent home for the library, which opened in 1903. The 2006 expansion to the library brought available space to 55,000 square feet (5,100 m ) with
8200-582: The 2012 College World Series . The 6,327-seat Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center , commonly referred to as the MAC Center, is the site of a number of athletic events in multiple sports, including wrestling , women's gymnastics , and women's volleyball in addition to men's and women's basketball. It is also a regular site for the Mid-American Conference's wrestling and women's gymnastics championships. In addition to hosting
8364-609: The Cleveland Browns held their training camp in Kent at Kent State University. The Kent State University Ice Arena serves as host to several local ice hockey programs including youth leagues, high school and professional teams, and as a site for OHSAA high school tournament games and ice skating competitions in addition to being home of KSU's club team, which competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association . The ice arena
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#17327723432778528-535: The Cuyahoga River , named after a former Kent Parks chairman. The park includes the Kramer Fields baseball and softball complex, which contains four fields, two of which are lighted. Several of the parks along the Cuyahoga River are on or near areas of historical significance. Franklin Mills Riveredge Park, which follows the Cuyahoga River through downtown Kent, passes through a large portion of
8692-571: The Davey Tree Expert Company released ten cages of black squirrels obtained from Victoria Park in London, Ontario , Canada, onto the Kent State campus. By 1964 their estimated population was around 150 and today they have spread in and around Kent and have become unofficial mascots of both the city and university. Since 1981, the annual Black Squirrel Festival is held every fall on campus. In 1965, chemistry professor Glenn H. Brown established
8856-507: The KSU football team , Kent State's 25,319-seat Dix Stadium has been a venue for high school football games both in the regular-season and the state playoffs. The adjacent Murphy-Mellis Field is a location for Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) field hockey tournament games and the Diamond at Dix is a regular venue for OHSAA regional softball tournament games. From 1975 to 1981
9020-684: The Kent State University Airport . In 2008, the university began offering a flight training certificate program through an affiliation with Premier Flight Academy in Akron. The Washington Program in National Issues, founded in 1973, is one of the longest running study away programs in Washington D.C. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, this program gives students the opportunity to live in Washington, get
9184-430: The Kent State athletic teams , the city also hosts a number of amateur and local sporting events at various times during the year. Kent is part of the Cleveland–Akron media market and is the city of license for three local radio stations and three television stations and includes the regional affiliates for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Local transportation infrastructure includes
9348-516: The Liquid Crystal Institute , a world leader in the research and development of the multibillion-dollar liquid crystal industry. James Fergason invented and patented the basic TN LCD in 1969 and ten liquid crystal companies have been spun off from the institute. In 1967, Kent State became the first university to run an independent, student-operated Campus Bus Service. It was unique in that it provided jobs for students, receiving funding from student fees rather than bus fares. Campus Bus Service
9512-509: The Ohio Army National Guard . Several memorials have been placed at the site over the years and commemorations have been held annually since 1971. In 2010 the entire site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Also during the late 1960s and into the 1970s, construction of Haymaker Parkway , completed in 1975, brought changes to the city's layout while eliminating ongoing problems with traffic congestion and blocked rail crossings. Kent received national attention in 1995 when
9676-632: The Prairie Labor-Worker Co-op Council (a collaboration between the Canadian Worker Cooperative Federation and Canadian Labour Congress ). Kent State University Kent State University ( KSU ) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio , United States. The university includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio located in Ashtabula , Burton , East Liverpool , Jackson Township , New Philadelphia , Salem , and Warren , along with additional regional and international facilities in Cleveland , Independence , and Twinsburg, Ohio ; New York City ; and Florence , Italy. The university
9840-400: The Second Empire style, and both the Aaron Ferrey and Charles Kent Houses as examples of Gothic Revival . Other buildings include the 1869 Kent Jail , now used by the Parks and Recreation Department, and the 1837 Franklin Township Hall , the site of eventual U.S. President James A. Garfield 's first nomination for public office in 1859. As part of its renovation and redevelopment,
10004-405: The Underground Railroad . With the decline of the canal and the emergence of the railroad, the town became the home of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad maintenance shops through the influence of Marvin Kent . In 1864 the town was renamed Kent in honor of and in gratitude for Marvin Kent's efforts. It was incorporated as a village in 1867 and became a city after the 1920 Census . Today Kent
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#173277234327710168-428: The liquid crystal industry. Kent has an additional Joint Economic Development District with Brimfield Township . Through the Kent Regional Business Alliance, the city also supports two business incubators . As of 2020, the educational, health, and social services fields were the city's largest sector, and employed 28.4% of Kent's workforce. This included the city's two largest employers, Kent State University and
10332-488: The " Kent State Normal School ". The site for the school was on 53 acres (21 ha) of land donated by William S. Kent, son of Marvin Kent, on what was then the eastern edge of town. By 1929 the school was renamed Kent State College after the establishment of a college of liberal arts and degrees in the arts and sciences and in 1935 was renamed Kent State University after it was given authorization to grant advanced graduate degrees. The bill giving Kent State university status
10496-413: The "Who's Your Mama?" Earth Day festival and in June, it is one of the host venues for the Kent Folk Festival, an annual event in folk music since the late 1960s. The festival includes multiple folk music acts at venues throughout the city over a period of several days. The Kent Stage also hosts the Kent Blues Festival and a local artist music festival known as the Up From The River Music Festival. Kent
10660-417: The 1860s. By the 1870s the canal was completely shut down. In the era leading up to the American Civil War , Franklin Mills was an active stop on the Underground Railroad , giving fugitive slaves shelter on their escape to Canada . There were three notable stops in Franklin Mills, one of which still stands as of 2010. During this period, from 1835 to 1839, noted American abolitionist John Brown moved to
10824-465: The 2020 census, Kent remains the county's largest city. Most recent population measurements of the city have shown the effect of changes in the city's overall population coinciding with changes in the number of students living on campus as well as a reduction in the number of persons per housing unit. As of the 2020 Census , there were 28,215 people living in the city for a population density of 3,059.5 people per square mile (1,181.3 people/km ),
10988-463: The Center expanded on the existing outreach and public service activities of Kent State's architecture school, focusing primarily on historic preservation and the problems of Northeast Ohio's smaller towns and cities. In 2003, the CUDC began a collaboration with the Dresden University of Technology , Kent State's sister university in Germany, with a joint vision on the revitalization of the lower Cuyahoga Valley in Cleveland. Since then, there have been
11152-405: The Center for Peaceful Change, now known as the Center for Applied Conflict Management, as a "living memorial" to the students who had died. It offers degree programs in Peace and Conflict Studies and Conflict Resolution and is one of the earliest such programs in the United States. In response to, and protest of, the Kent State shootings, Neil Young wrote the song " Ohio " which was performed by
11316-493: The College of Architecture and Environmental Design along the Esplanade extension and also relocated the former home of May Prentice, the first female faculty member at Kent State, to the extension as the home for the Wick Poetry Center. Construction on the architecture building started in October 2014 and was completed in August 2016. A new 55,000 square feet (5,100 m ) facility for the College of Aeronautics and Technology opened in January 2015, but rapid enrollment growth of
11480-426: The Federal level, Kent is included in Ohio's 13th congressional district , represented since 2023 by Republican Dave Joyce of Geauga County . Preschool , elementary , and secondary education is mainly provided by the Kent City School District. The portion of the city south of State Route 261 is part of the neighboring Field Local School District. The Kent district was created around 1860 and later merged with
11644-449: The Franklin Township and Brady Lake school districts in 1959. It serves most of Kent and Franklin Township, the village Sugar Bush Knolls and a small part of southern Streetsboro . Kent has four neighborhood elementary schools that serve students in grades K–5 , Stanton Middle School for grades 6–8, and Theodore Roosevelt High School for grades 9–12. The district also operates a preschool program housed at Davey Elementary School, and
11808-817: The Institute for African American Affairs, the Garrett Morgan Computer Lab and the African Community Theatre. The 1950s and 1960s saw continued growth in both enrollment and in the physical size of the campus. Several new dorms and academic buildings were built during this time, including the establishment of additional regional campuses in Warren (1954), Ashtabula (1957), New Philadelphia (1962), Salem (1962), Burton (1964), and East Liverpool , Ohio (1965). In 1961, grounds superintendent Larry Wooddell and Biff Staples of
11972-561: The KSU campus and KSU property in and out of the Kent city limits. The two departments frequently communicate and for several years were headed by identical twin brothers: James Peach in the city and John Peach at the university. The fire department operates two stations, the main station adjacent to the Safety Administration Building and the West Side Fire Station along North Mantua Street on
12136-501: The Kent Campus and at the regional campuses. In September 2010, the university announced its largest student body ever, with a total enrollment of 41,365. U.S. News & World Report 's 2017 rankings put Kent State as tied for #188 for National Universities and tied for #101 in Top Public Schools. Kent State had a Fall 2015 acceptance rate of 85%. Kent State University is an eight-campus system in Northeast Ohio , with
12300-415: The Kent City School District, as well as University Hospitals Portage Medical Center , which operates an outpatient surgery center and general medical facility. 19.4% of the workforce is employed in arts, entertainment, and food service, with 11.2% employed in retail. Manufacturing accounts for 8.6% of the workforce with a Land O' Lakes plant being the largest employer in the sector. Smithers-Oasis ,
12464-703: The Kent Industrial District along with Heritage Park and includes sites related to the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal. Adjacent on the south is the John Brown Tannery Park, on the site of the former tannery John Brown helped fund with Zenas Kent in the 1830s, while Brady's Leap park, adjacent to the north, is at the location of the famed leap over the Cuyahoga River by Captain Samuel Brady circa 1780. The parks and recreation department, in addition to operating and maintaining
12628-625: The Kent campus. During the late 1960s and early 1970s the university was known internationally for its student activism in opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War , due mainly to the Kent State shootings in 1970. As of 2022 , Kent State was the third-largest university in Ohio with an enrollment of over 34,000 students in the eight-campus system and over 25,000 students at the main campus in Kent. Kent State offers over 300 degree programs, among them 250 baccalaureate , 40 associate , 50 master's , and 23 doctoral programs of study. It
12792-527: The May 4 Visitors' Center, which covers the shootings and the events surrounding them. It is housed in Taylor Hall on the site added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 and includes three galleries covering art and media from the era of the 1960s leading up to the shootings, images from the actual event, and the local and national impact after the shootings. The center opened to
12956-469: The National Guard restricted entry into the city limits, patrolling the area until May 8. With the campus closed, faculty members came up with a variety of solutions—including holding classes in their homes, at public buildings and places, via telephone, or through the mail—to allow their students to complete the term, which was only a few weeks away at the time. In 1971, the university established
13120-505: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. To preserve the historic dam, a small park was built behind the dam and the river was rerouted through the old canal lock. During warm-weather months, water is pumped over the dam. The park, known as Heritage Park, was formally dedicated in May 2005. From 1881 to 2016, downtown Kent was home to a flour mill, housed in a complex originally built from 1880 to 1881 by
13284-569: The Portage Park District, and the city of Ravenna. The main portion of the trail follows the Cuyahoga River in Kent with most of the trail paved with asphalt. In August 2012, as part of several redevelopment projects in the downtown area, Kent State University began construction of the Esplanade Extension, which was completed in August 2013 and connects the university's portion of trail extending to Dix Stadium, known as
13448-604: The Robert S. Morrison Health and Science Building. It is on a 125-acre (51 ha) site in Ashtabula , just south of Lake Erie . The campus offers 27 associate and bachelor's degree programs of its own, with the nursing program being the largest. Approximately 75% of registered nurses working in Ashtabula County graduated with an associate degree in nursing from Kent State at Ashtabula. The East Liverpool Campus
13612-548: The Seneca Chain Company in 1909 led to the creation of the Kent Board of Trade—an early Chamber of Commerce—which was successful in getting Kent selected in 1910 as the site of what would become Kent State University. Changes in the structure of the railroad and declines in the manufacturing sector during the mid-20th century combined with the rapid growth of Kent State University following World War II led to
13776-762: The Tri-Towers Rotunda, the Student Center Hub dining offerings, the Summit Street Café, the George T. Simon III Café, and the Fork In The Road food truck. Alongside their main dining offerings, Kent State Culinary runs two market locations on campus where students can purchase grocery products and some personal care/hygiene products. These are located in the Eastway Center and Tri-Towers Rotunda spaces. Kent, Ohio Kent
13940-555: The U.S. that offer a BM, a MM, and a PhD in music education. The Kent/Blossom Music program partners with the Cleveland Orchestra each summer for its classical music festivals. The School Psychology Program (SPSY) is accredited by APA and NASP . The program's graduates comprise about 18% of all SPSY professionals in Ohio. Kent is the only institution in Ohio to offer a degree in Library and Information Science , Kent
14104-753: The USG Programming Board which hosts various concerts, comedians, and performers, as well as the USG Allocations Committee which disburses conference and programming funds to the over 250 registered student organizations on the Kent Campus. Elections for USG are held annually in March, and officers are typically inaugurated in late April. In addition to the USG, Kent State also has the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) and
14268-472: The United States ($ 75,149). The mean household income in Kent was $ 67,640, compared to $ 90,958 for Ohio and $ 105,833 for the U.S. For families, the mean income in Kent was $ 100,435 with a median income of $ 97,250, both of which were closer to the state ($ 86,508 mean, $ 110,726 median) and national ($ 92,646 mean, $ 124,530 median) averages. 25.5% of the population is below the poverty line , including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over. While
14432-512: The University Esplanade extension, designed to link campus with downtown, started in August 2012 after several of the buildings in the area, most of which had been rental homes, were demolished or moved. The Esplanade extension continued a segment of the Portage Hike and Bike Trail that extends to Dix Stadium and was completed in October 2013. Kent State constructed a $ 48 million, 110,091 square feet (10,227.8 m ) facility for
14596-570: The University Esplanade, to downtown Kent. The trail connects with the hike and bike trails in neighboring Summit County and links Kent with nearby communities in Portage County. The city is also home to the Cooperrider-Kent Bog State Nature Preserve , located in the southern edge of Kent. It is one of the most intact bogs in Ohio, with the southernmost and largest stand of tamarack trees in
14760-742: The Williams brothers and later acquired by the Star of the West Milling Company. The mill closed in 2016 after Star of the West consolidated operations to Willard, Ohio , and the complex was sold to a local developer in 2019. On the morning of December 2, 2022, part of the complex caught fire. In addition to the Kent Fire Department, 11 additional area fire departments and multiple other agencies responded. The fire destroyed part of
14924-791: The Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center. The Tuscarawas Campus in New Philadelphia, Ohio offers 19 associate degrees, six bachelor's degrees, and the Master of Technology Degree. Bachelor's degrees are offered in business management, general studies, justice studies, industrial technology, nursing and technology 2+2. As of 2021 , it has an enrollment of 1,245 students. The Science and Advanced Technology Center provides 50,000 square feet (5,000 m ) of laboratory and classroom space for science, nursing and workforce development. The Tuscarawas Campus has constructed
15088-466: The age of 25 had obtained a college degree compared to 31.4% of the same population in Portage County, 30.4% statewide, and 34.3% nationally. Kent's location along the Cuyahoga River and later the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal and multiple railroad lines made it attractive initially for the establishment of small gristmills for the production of flour and various factories. Progressively larger factories later developed due to increased power available from
15252-532: The area and began constructing buildings just north of the village forming the "Upper Village" that would come to be known briefly as Carthage. In the 1820s, Franklin Mills was included in the route of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal (P & O Canal). When construction began on the canal in the mid-1830s, land speculation was rampant in many areas of northeast Ohio along the canal, including Franklin Mills. As
15416-403: The area declared a National Historic Landmark , which ended up being unsuccessful. Additional rallies were held that year, including one attended by Joan Baez on August 20. After several additional unsuccessful legal challenges, construction finally began on September 19 and was finished in 1979. In March 1991, Kent State once again made history by appointing Carol Cartwright as president of
15580-401: The area, including his famous leap of 21 feet (6 m) over the Cuyahoga River to avoid capture by an unknown band of American Indians. The site, known as Brady's Leap, is now a city park. Settlement by Europeans began in the late 1790s and early 19th century. As part of the Connecticut Western Reserve , the area was divided into survey townships in 1798 and almost all of what is now Kent
15744-584: The average high school GPA is 3.61. The interquartile range for SAT scores in math and reading are 500-600 and 500-610 respectively, while the range for ACT scores is 19–25. In the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings, Kent was tied for the No. 227 national university in the United States, and the university has received several other positive rankings at both the national and global level. For several years, Kent has also gained recognition for LGBTQ inclusion. For instance, Kent has been ranked as one of
15908-618: The best campuses for LGBTQ students in the country for multiple years. In 2022, Kent retained their top national ranking for LGBTQ inclusion. Kent State has 12 academic colleges: The university also has interdisciplinary programs in Biomedical Sciences, Digital Science, Financial Engineering, and Information Architecture and Knowledge Management. The College of Aeronautics and Engineering offers four aeronautics degrees; Flight Technology, Aviation Management, Air Traffic Control and Aeronautical Engineering, and holds courses via
16072-544: The budget, 8% or $ 3.33 million towards general government expenses, and $ 2.35 million allocated for construction of a new police station. At the state level, Kent is in the 72nd district of the Ohio House of Representatives , represented since 2021 by Republican Gail Pavliga , of Atwater . In the State Senate , Kent is part of the 28th district, represented since 2022 by Democrat Vernon Sykes of Akron . At
16236-421: The campus. While the university's official mascot is Flash the golden eagle , the campus also has an unofficial mascot in the squirrels , which were brought to Kent in 1961 and can be found on and around the campus. The campus is divided into North, South, and East sections but many areas have come to be referred to as Front Campus, Residential Campus, and Science Row. The main hub of activity and central point
16400-424: The cemetery, and performed experiments on trees. In 1901, he published his theories on tree surgery with his book The Tree Doctor , and later established the Davey Tree Expert Company in 1909. The efforts of Davey and the presence of Davey Tree led to the establishment of "The Tree City" as a nickname for Kent, which is reflected in the city's seal. The company continues to be headquartered in Kent and serves as
16564-431: The change from a mayor-council system to council-manager in 1975 and it went into effect in 1977. Jerry Fiala began his term as mayor January 1, 2010, and Dave Ruller began serving as city manager June 15, 2005. As part of the city government, Kent also has departments of community development, health, human services, law, parks and recreation, public safety, and public service. The Public Service Department oversees
16728-407: The city and are often used as unofficial mascots and symbols. In early May 1970, protests began on the campus of Kent State University over the United States' invasion of Cambodia in the Vietnam War . These protests and demonstrations, which included rioting in downtown Kent on May 2, culminated in the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970, where four students were killed and nine were wounded by
16892-558: The city and university the 2013 Larry Abernathy Award from the International Town–Gown Association in recognition of the positive town–gown cooperation and collaboration. Additional development has been ongoing on the campus of Kent State University and the largely residential neighborhood located between downtown Kent and the western edge of campus. The university began buying properties in that neighborhood in 2007 and by December 2012 had acquired 43. Construction of
17056-488: The city has a total area of 9.28 square miles (24.04 km ), of which 9.17 square miles (23.75 km ) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km ) is water. Kent's climate is classified as a humid continental climate in the Dfa Köppen climate classification meaning it typically has very warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters with moderate and variable spring and autumn seasons. The record high temperature
17220-470: The city's largest private employer. After a fire destroyed the Seneca Chain Company in 1909, one of the city's main industries at the time, city leaders created the Kent Board of Trade in 1910, a forerunner to the Chamber of Commerce. The new Board was successful later that year in having Kent selected out of twenty northeastern Ohio cities as the site of a new teacher training college, which became known as
17384-461: The city's parks and preserves, also operates a recreation center on the city's south side and offers several sports, arts, and education programs at various locations in Kent. The department also sponsors events throughout the year including Art in the Park, an ice-skating party, hayrides, and Santa's Arrival. The Kent City School District operates an indoor pool at Theodore Roosevelt High School that
17548-537: The city's water was named "Best Tasting Municipality Water" at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting . The water and mayor Kathleen Chandler were featured on the March 3 episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno . Since then, Kent has placed in the top five a total of six times with the most recent being a fifth-place finish in 2011. In 2003, the 1836 arch dam was bypassed to meet water quality standards set by
17712-691: The continental United States. Through partnerships with Kent State University Recreational Services and other local agencies, additional recreational opportunities are available to city residents. A livery known as Crooked River Adventures is available at Tannery Park. The livery generally operates from May to October depending on weather and water levels. Canoe, kayak, tubing, and bicycle rentals are available to residents and students with kayak and canoe service as far as Brust Park in Munroe Falls and Water Works Park in Cuyahoga Falls . Kent also has
17876-539: The downtown area adjacent to and under the Greer Bridge of Haymaker Parkway . The location is marked by a commissioned mural completed in October 2012 on the two bridge supports that line each side of the market's area. The market was established in 1992 and includes over 40 vendors, making it one of the oldest and largest farmers' markets in Northeast Ohio. An indoor Winter Market, established in 2008,
18040-518: The downtown area. The United States Geological Survey lists the city's elevation at 1,056 feet (322 m) above sea level at a point near Kent's geographic center. Elevations vary slightly within the city limits with several buildings on the Kent State University campus at altitudes in excess of 1,160 feet (350 m) and points as high as 1,200 feet (370 m). According to the United States Census Bureau , as of 2010
18204-609: The east and Sugar Bush Knolls and Streetsboro to the north. It is included in the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area and the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area . Located on the western end of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau , the topography of Kent includes rolling hills and varied terrain. The Cuyahoga River passes through the city, cutting a gorge with a drop of nearly 40 feet (10 m) adjacent to
18368-535: The faculty at Kent State and also made him the first African American professor to serve on the faculty of any state university in Ohio. In 1977, the former Student Union, which had been built in 1949, was rededicated as Oscar Ritchie Hall in his honor. Recently renovated, Oscar Ritchie Hall currently houses the department of Pan-African Studies the Center of Pan-African Culture, the Henry Dumas Library,
18532-409: The folk rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young . In remembrance of the tragedy, a group of professors and students created a website that features a map with oral histories and eyewitness accounts of the event. Also in 1970, the university opened its 12-story library, moving from the previous home of Rockwell Hall to the tallest building in Portage County . Dedicated in 1971, the library became
18696-504: The former Franklin Hotel , first opened in 1920, was added to the NRHP in 2013 for its local historical significance and its connections to notable people. The former L.N. Gross Company Building , built in 1928 and designed by Kent architect Charles Kistler, was added to the NRHP in 2016 as part of its restoration and renovation. As the home of Kent State University, Kent is also the home of
18860-410: The freshman and sophomore level, as well as 18 certificates and 15 associate degree programs. In addition, there is upper division coursework for baccalaureate degree completion in nursing, justice studies, technology, business management, Theatre, and English, as well as general studies and psychology degrees. In 2004 the campus opened a 68,000-square-foot (6,300 m ) Technology Building that includes
19024-506: The homecoming festivities for Kent State University, including a parade down East Main Street as well as other events and activities both on campus and around the city. Also in October, the downtown area hosts an annual, yet unofficial, Halloween celebration, which usually takes place the last Saturday of October. The event typically draws thousands, largely Kent State students, and includes many who dress in costume. In 2007 Main Street Kent,
19188-528: The large university feel of the Kent Campus. Students at the regional campuses can begin any of Kent State's majors at their respective campus and each campus offers its own unique programs and opportunities that may or may not be available in Kent. Regional campuses include: The Ashtabula Campus was established in 1958 and is made up of four buildings: Main Hall, a library, the Bookstore Building, and
19352-848: The largest of which is the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), which represents students from all campuses of the university and has been in some form of operation since 1924. The current 25 person governing body was formed after the merger of the All-Campus Programming Board (ACPB) and the Undergraduate Student Senate (USS). USG is led by an executive director and is composed of eight directors, ten college senators, one senator for residence hall students, one senator for commuter and off-campus students, one senator for undergraduate studies, and 3 senators-at-large. USG oversees
19516-591: The main administrative center and largest campus in Kent . Within the Kent State University system, the main campus is officially referred to as the "Kent Campus". The Kent Campus is a landscaped suburban environment in the Greater Akron area . It covers approximately 866 acres (3.5 km ), which house over 100 buildings, gardens, bike trails, and open greenery. There are also thousands of additional acres of bogs, marshes, and wildlife refuges adjacent to or near
19680-447: The median age was in 2020 was 23.8 years, which was well below both the median age for Ohio (39.9) and the United States (38.5). The city's population was 46.4% male and 53.6% female. The rate differs slightly from the national average of 49.5% male and 50.5% female and the state average of 49.2% male and 50.8% female. The median income for a household in the city was $ 37,505, well below the median household incomes for Ohio ($ 65,720) and
19844-420: The name to Kent State College as it allowed the school to establish a college of arts and sciences. McGilvrey's vision for Kent was not shared by many others outside the school, particularly at the state level and at other state schools. His efforts to have the state funding formula changed created opposition, particularly from Ohio State University and its president William Oxley Thompson . This resulted in
20008-415: The national averages for diversity, Kent has similar racial percentages as Ohio and slightly higher minority percentages than Portage County. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, the city saw slight increases in the number of minority residents. There were 10,225 households in 2020, out of which 20.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.5% were married couples living together, 12.5% had
20172-675: The national spotlight in 1977 when construction was set to begin on the Memorial Gym Annex, adjacent to the area where the Kent State shootings had occurred in 1970. Protesters organized a tent city in May, which lasted into July. Several attempts were made to block construction even after the end of the tent city, including an appeal to the United States Congress and the Department of the Interior to have
20336-505: The new home to the Kent location of Buffalo Wild Wings and also houses offices, a wine and jazz bar, and apartments. A five-story mixed-use building called The Landmark was completed in 2014 and construction started in November 2015 on an additional five-story mixed-use building featuring microapartments , scheduled to be completed in 2016. The developments attracted the attention of The Plain Dealer and The New York Times and earned
20500-698: The new parking garage, operated by the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority (PARTA) opened April 30, 2013, as the Kent Central Gateway. In addition to parking, the facility functions as PARTA's main bus transfer station and has storefronts on the ground level facing East Erie Street. Included in the redevelopment was the purchase and renovation of the old Kent hotel , which first opened in 1920. After being mostly vacant since 1979 and completely vacant since 2000, it re-opened on April 1, 2013, as
20664-419: The next year, and built a gristmill in 1807. Initial growth in the area was slow, but eventually two small villages would develop due to the potential for power generated by the Cuyahoga River that could be used in gristmills and manufacturing. The first village, known as Franklin Mills, or locally as the "Lower Village", developed mostly around the original Haymaker property. In 1818, Joshua Woodard arrived in
20828-402: The north closer to Lake Erie . While temperatures below the freezing point are typical in the winter months, thaw periods where temperatures exceed 50 °F (10 °C) and even 60 °F (16 °C) are not uncommon in January and February. As a college town , Kent's demographic and population statistics are greatly affected by the presence and growth of Kent State University. As
20992-522: The northeastern United States and were largely of German descent. After the arrival of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad in 1863, growth was steady into the early 20th century with the village battling Ravenna for the position of Portage County's largest city. By the 1930 Census, Kent had passed Ravenna as the county's most populous city with even larger population growth in the 1950s and 1960s rising from 12,148 in 1950 to 28,183 by 1970. As of
21156-424: The number of individuals below the poverty line is significantly higher than both the state and national averages, measures of high poverty rates in similar college towns, however, is not uncommon across the U.S. Educationally, Kent is above the national, state, and local averages for residents who have attained a bachelor's, master's, or above a master's degree. At the 2020 Census, 44.5% of Kent's population above
21320-587: The opportunity to study in historic Florence , Italy at the Palazzo Vettori . Formerly, the campus was housed in Palazzo dei Cerchi , a prestigious and ancient building located in the heart of Florence at the corner of Via della Condotta and Vicolo dei Cerchi next to the famous Piazza della Signoria and the birthplace of literary genius Dante Alighieri . Kent State acquired this facility in 2003 and undertook its complete renovation. The original exterior
21484-455: The original 1881 mill building and the grain elevator, built in 1890, and damaged other parts of the complex. The adjacent taller white silos, built in 1936, were not damaged. Beginning in 2008, several redevelopment projects in the downtown area, some of which had been discussed for decades, were put into motion and resulted in nearly $ 110 million (~$ 153 million in 2023) in total investment from public and private sources. The first of these
21648-541: The post-Civil War and early 20th century periods. The district includes the Kent Masonic Center , which was originally built in the early 1880s as the home of Marvin Kent and his family, and the former residence of Martin L. Davey , who served as Governor of Ohio . Buildings in Kent listed on the register include three private homes noted for their architecture styles: the John Davey House for
21812-409: The presence of the university, particularly the median age, median income, and those living below the poverty level. The city is governed by a council-manager system with a city manager , a nine-member city council, and a mayor. Kent has nearly 20 parks and preserves and hosts a number of annual festivals including ones related to Earth Day , folk music, and the U.S. Independence Day . In addition to
21976-530: The program led to the university approving expansion of the facility in 2021, with a new 44,000 square feet (4,100 m ) addition scheduled to be completed in 2023. The university is also constructing Crawford Hall, a new facility for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, set to open in 2024. The city and county have also seen developments in the same area. A new county municipal courthouse on East Main Street
22140-676: The public October 20, 2012, during the Kent State Homecoming weekend. The site was named a National Historic Landmark in December 2016. In addition to the Kent State Shootings Site near the center of campus, there are also a number of additional sites and districts in Kent on the National Register of Historic Places, some of which are open to the public. The Kent Industrial District is
22304-506: The public which is scheduled to be complete in 2025. Most of the land was annexed from Franklin Township and the rest was obtained from the site of the former Franklin Elementary School. As of 2020, 67.6% of those employed commuted alone to work by way of a car, truck, or van with another 4.9% carpooling . 8.2% of workers walked to work with 1.4% using public transportation and 16.8% working from home. The average commute time
22468-433: The railroad would play an important part of Kent's industry and development through the early 20th century before the shops were completely shut down in 1930. To honor Marvin Kent, the village was renamed Kent in 1864, although this change was not official until the village was incorporated on May 6, 1867. John Davey came to Kent in 1881 as head grounds keeper at Standing Rock Cemetery, and planted several trees, landscaped
22632-559: The remnants of Hurricane Ike in September 2008. During the winter months, snowfall is common and can occur in large quantities with considerable cloud cover . Kent is not considered part of the Lake Erie snowbelt , though lake-effect snow does occur at times. The city is in what is referred to as the "secondary snowbelt", meaning it will receive heavier snowfall totals from lake-effect snow when certain wind directions are more prevalent, but typically sees far less snowfall than areas to
22796-495: The research and development of liquid crystal optoelectronic materials, technology, and consumer products in connection with the National Science Foundation as part of ALCOM. The Hugh A. Glauser School of Music offers degrees in music education, music performance, music theory and composition, ethnomusicology, chamber music, and a new minor in jazz studies. The School of Music is one of the few colleges in
22960-569: The river and eventually due to the ease and lower cost of transportation of goods to other markets. During the latter half of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, the city's largest employers were all industrially based, including the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad and its successors, which operated its main maintenance shops in the village; the Seneca Chain Company; and bus manufacturer Twin Coach among others. A disastrous fire at
23124-489: The school as a large university, instructing architect George F. Hammond , who designed the original campus buildings, to produce a master plan. Classes began in 1912 before any buildings had been completed at the campus in Kent. These classes were held at extension centers in 25 cities around the region. By May 1913, classes were being held on the campus in Kent with the opening of Merrill Hall. The school graduated 34 students in its first commencement on July 29, 1914. In 1915,
23288-405: The school was renamed Kent State Normal College due to the addition of four-year degrees. By then additional buildings had been added or were under construction. Kent State's enrollment growth was particularly notable during its summer terms. In 1924, the school's registration for summer classes was the largest of any teacher-training school in the United States. In 1929, the state of Ohio changed
23452-491: The southeastern part of the city. The campus itself occupies 866 acres (350 ha) and the university owns thousands of additional acres adjacent to the campus. Additional facilities include a research park and golf course just east of the city limits in Franklin Township and the Kent State University Airport , just west of Kent in Stow . Founded in 1910 as a teacher training institution, the university has become
23616-514: The student senate, faculty senate and graduate council were organized. Although it had served Stark County from the 1920s, in 1946, the university's first regional campus, the Stark Campus , was established in Canton, Ohio . In the fall of 1947, Bowman appointed Oscar W. Ritchie as a full-time faculty member. Ritchie's appointment to the faculty made him the first African American to serve on
23780-569: The university becoming the city's largest employer and influenced the development of other areas of the city's economy. Beginning in the late first decade of the 21st century, the university, along with the city and private investors, began to play a more active role in the redevelopment of downtown Kent and has aided in the development of local high tech companies. Kent State operates Centennial Research Park, along Ohio State Route 59 in Kent's Joint Economic Development District with Franklin Township, which houses two high tech start-up companies in
23944-429: The university's athletic teams, the Golden Flashes , who compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as a member of the Mid-American Conference East Division. Several of Kent State's teams have enjoyed league and national success, the most notable being the men's basketball team's run to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament and the baseball team's appearance in
24108-464: The university, the first female to hold such a position at any state university in Ohio. In 1994, Kent State was named a "Research University II" by the Carnegie Foundation. Beginning in the late 1990s, the university began a series of building renovations and construction, which included the complete renovation of the historic original campus, the construction of several new residence halls, a student recreation center, and additional academic buildings on
24272-436: The village, partnering with Zenas Kent to build a tannery along the Cuyahoga River. In 1863 the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad was constructed through Franklin Mills, due largely to the efforts of local businessman Marvin Kent , son of Zenas Kent. Marvin Kent had started his own railroad company, the Franklin and Warren Railroad , in 1851 after Franklin Mills, already home to several Kent family ventures and properties,
24436-449: The western side of the Cuyahoga River. Kent Fire also provides fire and emergency medical service coverage for Franklin Township and the village of Sugar Bush Knolls. The city's main sources of tax revenue come from income tax , set at 2.25%, and property tax . Voters approved an increase in the income tax rate from 2.0% in November 2013 to fund a new police station and the new rate took effect January 1, 2014. The rate increase includes
24600-500: Was 21.7 minutes. The employment rate for Kent in 2020 was 56.9% Cultural elements in Kent include various arts, environmental, and entertainment events during the year, as well as the Kent State University Museum. The Kent Heritage Festival is held every July in the downtown area, coinciding with the U.S. Independence Day . The festival includes crafts, booths, entertainment, train rides, 5K and 10K races, and fireworks, drawing approximately 25,000 people each year. In October, Kent hosts
24764-421: Was bypassed by the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad that same year. Kent was also successful in getting the village named as the location of the railroad's maintenance yards and shops in 1864. The geographic location along the railroad and being home to the shops reinvented and revitalized the village as an important stop on the east–west line between St. Louis and New York City . The shops would open in 1865 and
24928-429: Was completed in April 2014, and in 2015, Kent City Council approved the sale of the city hall complex to a private developer for construction of a five-story apartment building on the site, which opened in August 2016. A new city hall is being constructed on the site of the previous police station, a building that was originally built as the main fire station and was also used for city hall various times. The new city hall
25092-439: Was established in 1910 as a normal school . The first classes were held in 1912 at various locations and in temporary buildings in Kent and the first buildings of the original campus opened the following year. Since that time the university has grown to include many additional baccalaureate and graduate programs of study in the arts and sciences, research opportunities, as well as over 1,000 acres (405 ha) and 119 buildings on
25256-424: Was established in 1964 and, as of 2021 , has an enrollment of 1,276 students. Six associate degree and seven baccalaureate degree programs can be taken in their entirety at the campus. The Geauga Campus also administers the Regional Academic Center, a facility located in Twinsburg, Ohio . Kent State at Salem is located in Salem Township , just south of the city of Salem . The 100-acre (40 ha) campus features
25420-407: Was established in 1965 from facilities formerly owned by the East Liverpool City School District , occupying a downtown site overlooking the Ohio River . It is composed of the Main Building, Memorial Auditorium, Mary Patterson Building, and a Commons area. The Geauga Campus is located on an 87-acre (35 ha) campus in Burton Township , just north of the village of Burton in Geauga County . It
25584-436: Was established in 1965, and initially published literary criticism; in 1972 its publishing program was expanded to include regional studies and ethnomusicology. Further expansion began in 1985 when the Press began publishing works related to the American Civil War and Ohio history . Notable recent titles include Dear Vaccine , a poetry collection responding to Covid, which was featured on PBS NewsHour. The university offers
25748-399: Was initially known under the working name of the Ohio State Normal College At Kent , but was named Kent State Normal School in 1911 in honor of William S. Kent (son of Kent, Ohio , namesake Marvin Kent ), who donated the 53 acres (21 ha) used for the original campus. The first president was John Edward McGilvrey , who served from 1912 to 1926. McGilvrey had an ambitious vision for
25912-501: Was maintained and reflects Florence as it was in the 13th century. The restoration carefully preserved the original structure while creating an efficient space for academic purposes, with an interior that houses state-of-the-art classrooms. After using the recently restorated Palazzo Vettori since January 2016, on April 17, 2016, the Kent State University Florence campus was officially moved from Palazzo dei Cerchi and Palazzo Bartolini Baldelli to Palazzo Vettori. The New York City Studio
26076-516: Was originally part of Town 3 Range 9, which would eventually be known as Franklin Township . Aaron Olmsted , a wealthy Connecticut merchant, had purchased the 16,000-acre (6,500 ha) township and named it for his son Aaron Franklin Olmsted. Franklin Township was surveyed in 1803 and settled in November 1805 when John Haymaker and his family moved west from Warren to the banks of the Cuyahoga River. They were joined by John's brother George and their father Jacob Haymaker and their families early
26240-403: Was present in Columbus on May 17, 1935, when Kent native Governor Martin L. Davey signed a bill that allowed Kent State and Bowling Green to add schools of business administration and graduate programs, giving them each university status; the college's name was thus changed to Kent State University . From 1944 to 1963, the university was led by President George Bowman. During his tenure,
26404-412: Was settled in 1805 and was known for many years as Franklin Mills . Settlers were attracted to the area due to its location along the Cuyahoga River as a place for water-powered mills. Later development came in the 1830s and 1840s as a result of the settlement's position along the route of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal . Leading up to the American Civil War , Franklin Mills was noted for its activity in
26568-530: Was signed into law by Ohio governor and Kent native Martin L. Davey , son of tree surgeon John Davey. During the 1950s and 1960s the growth of Kent State University combined with the effects of suburbanization resulted in significant population growth for the city, rising from just over 12,000 residents at the 1950 census to over 28,000 by 1970. Black squirrels were brought to the campus from Canada in 1961 by Kent State University head groundskeeper Larry Woodell. The squirrels have become an icon for both KSU and
26732-416: Was the Phoenix Project, a development privately financed by Kent resident Ron Burbick that renovated and expanded a section of commercial space along East Main Street. Included in the project was construction of a pedestrian alleyway lined with small shops, eventually known as Acorn Alley, which opened in 2009. A second phase of Acorn Alley opened in late 2011. Other aspects of the redevelopment, which include
26896-573: Was the largest such operation in the country until it merged with the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority in 2004. 1969 saw the opening of a new Memorial Stadium on the far eastern edge of campus and the closure and dismantling of the old Memorial Stadium . Kent State gained international attention on May 4, 1970, when an Ohio Army National Guard unit fired at students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four and wounding nine. The Guard had been called into Kent after several protests in and around campus had become violent, including
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