Arriving from different parts of campus, the more than 4,000 members of Kent State University’s Class of 2029 filled the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center for the university’s 2025 Convocation.
Convocation serves as the official welcome from the Kent State community to the new students as part of KSU Kickoff – a full week of activities that begins with move-in days and orientation activities and continues with Convocation. The newest Golden Flashes also participated in the annual class photo, where students form a giant “K.” This is followed by Flashes First Friday downtown discovery and will conclude Sunday with the Blastoff celebration on the Kent Campus.
Yvonna Washington-Greer, Ph.D., associate vice president in Kent State’s Division of Student Life was master of ceremonies for the event. She welcomed the students, thanked all the peer student mentors and ramped up the excitement as she introduced 15 university leaders, beginning with Josh Perkins, Ph.D., associate vice president and Dean of Students and concluding with Todd Diacon, Ph.D., president, Kent State University.
Washington-Greer teased the spirit competition between the colleges that would come later in encouraging students to cheer for the university leaders as they arrived.
“This is practice,” she said. “Get ready!”
Washington Greer introduced Melody Tankersley, Ph.D., executive vice president and provost, Division of Academic Affairs as the next speaker who kept the energy level high as she danced and said, “Let’s get this started!” Before Tankersley introduced the college deans, she proudly said that our Kent State faculty is “the best of the best” and empathized their important role in “helping our students in becoming their best selves.”
Moved by Their School, or Rather College, Spirit
The spirit competition began as Tankersley introduced the deans as they entered the center of the floor and the students in each college were encouraged to “stand (and cheer) for their dean.”
As each college’s dean was introduced, different sections of the crowd erupted with cheering and swinging towels, with each of the 13 colleges represented by towels of a different color. Some of the smaller college populations equaled the larger ones by ramping up their enthusiasm and volume. The energy in the air fueled by the excitement and passion of these first-year students as they embraced their colleges – and their futures.
The Importance Kent State's Core Values
Next, Kent State President Todd Diacon, Ph. D., addressed the new students and spoke of the foundational importance of the university’s “core values of respecting freedom of speech and kindness and respect in all we do.”
Diacon went on to clarify what those values can mean in our nation’s current political climate in our dealings with those people with whom we disagree. “Allow someone to disagree with you without demonizing them. Don’t make a person’s political opinions your single measuring stick for what kind of person they are,” he said. “Reality is far too complicated to draw such sharp distinctions.”
“You’ll experience your own storms during your four years here.”
As a metaphor for the student journey at Kent State, Diacon shared sections of “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” by jazz musician Pharaoh Sanders. The song begins with lyrics over soothing music, then progresses as “the sonic waters grow choppy, the calm dissipates, and there’s a suggestion that a storm is coming.” When the storm comes, Diacon said “It’s gonna be loud; a cacophony.”
“Afterwards,” he said, “the storm subsides, melodic tranquility resumes. We’ve made it through to the other side.”
Diacon encouraged students to embrace the mood of the music “Know that you’ll experience your own storms during your four years here,” he said. “But more importantly, know that we are here to help you navigate these roiled waters. We are here to help you get to the other side. We are here as a community that respects each person’s right to their own identities and beliefs.”
Senior Ivory Kendrik, president, University Student Government took the podium after Diacon. He shared wisdom from his personal experience at Kent State to inspire students and underscored part of the president’s message that everyone at Kent State is here to help students. He said that there was always someone here to help him when he needed it.
Convocation concluded with the introduction and arrival of The Marching Golden Flashes to play the Kent State Fight Song and then lead the students to Centennial Green for the annual tradition of “Making the K” in a group photo of Kent State’s Class of 2029.
“I Really Loved the Energy.”
After the event, as they were assembling to “make the K,” students shared their impressions about Convocation and the last few days on campus. Matthew Bailey, a first-year, mechatronics major from Russell, Ohio is a new member of The Marching Golden Flashes. The band helped coordinators by lining up to form the edges of the giant “K.” He said, “I’m glad to be here with the band and glad to be seeing all these faces that will be graduating the same year as me.” He said that his campus experience has been “wonderful.” “I think being in the marching band has been a wonderful introduction to campus and getting the lay of the land and just knowing what college is going to be like,” Bailey said.
Miracle Cohen and Nilah Johnson appreciated the energy of Convocation. Cohen is majoring in art history with a minor in Spanish. She thought the event was “really fun.” “I liked the energy. I’m a big energy person,” she said. “So, if people don’t have energy, I’m not going to have any. I really, really enjoyed the band.” Johnson agreed, “I loved the energy. It was really hype, especially for my college, The College of The Arts. I liked how it was organized with the band and the different colleges and the towels and the energy.”
Both new students enjoyed their time on campus so far. Cohen said, “Moving was smooth, getting around campus is smooth. I really liked the guides.” “It feels very ‘guide-ful,’” she said. I don’t feel like I’m stuck, or I don’t know what I’m doing. I like the schedule, and the events are good as well.”
Johnson said she that it’s only her second day on campus, but she’s had a lot of fun. “I’ve met a lot of different people from other colleges and from my college as well,” she said. “And I’ve made some new friends and got to mingle around and do bingo last night.” Johnson laughed, “I didn’t win anything but it’s fine.”
