2016 Staff Excellence Awards Announced

After nearly four decades at Kent State University, Denise A. Seachrist, Ph.D., is retiring from her role as dean and chief administrative officer of Kent State University at Stark and Kent State University at Salem. Her retirement on June 30, 2025, marks the conclusion of a career dedicated to education, community and the arts.

Reflecting on her time at Kent State, Seachrist said, “Kent State has been more than a workplace — it’s been home. The people here have shaped my career, my life and my sense of purpose. I will always carry that with me.”

This weekend marks a significant milestone for Kent State University’s Regional Campus system as more than 1,700 graduates are honored in commencement ceremonies across Northeast Ohio. On campuses spanning from Lake Erie to the Ohio River, these celebrations highlight the academic achievements and work readiness of its learners.

Kent State’s Regional Campuses were well-represented at the Association for University Regional Campuses of Ohio (AURCO) annual conference, during which Olivia Rice, a psychology student from Kent State Salem, earned a first-place ranking for her research poster. The conference was held earlier this month at Ohio University in Chillicothe.

Rice received the E. Ted Bunn Student Excellence Award-Best Poster for her research project titled “Undergraduate Student Benefits: Research Within Community Outreach.”