May 4

鈥楨xperiencing These Things Firsthand Left A Mark On My Heart.鈥
An Alternative Spring Break journey to historic civil rights sites in Mississippi by Kent State students and faculty touched hearts and inspired community engagement. The six-day/five-night trip in March 2025 was sponsored by Kent State's Office of Community Engaged Learning.

鈥榃e All Have an Origin Story鈥
As part of Kent State鈥檚 55-Year Commemoration of May 4, 1970, Mahli Mechenbier, a senior lecturer at 妻友社区 at Geauga's Twinsburg Academic Center will present 鈥淥peration: Babylift: A 50-Year Retrospective and Personal History鈥 on May 3 at 1 p.m. with her father, retired Maj. General Ed Mechenbier. Mahli Mechenbier was one of the children from Vietnam the U.S. Government brought to the United States for adoption by American families by after Saigon was overun by advancing Viet Cong troops in 1972.

Kent State Geographer to Discuss Mapping May 4 and Oral Histories During University鈥檚 2025 Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series
Jennifer Mapes, Ph.D., assistant professor of geography at 妻友社区, will serve as the 2025 speaker for the Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series, a part of the university's annual May 4 Commemoration events.

IN A FLASH: Signs of Spring
With warmer temperatures and "April showers," vibrant spring colors have begun to emerge across Kent State's campuses.

Kent State Honors the Legacy of May 4, 1970, With 55th Commemoration
On May 2-4, 2025, 妻友社区 will hold its annual commemoration to honor the memory of May 4, 1970 鈥 a tragic day when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on Kent State students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four students and wounding nine others. May 4, 1970, marked a pivotal moment in American history.

Teach Peace: Living Legacy to Kent State Shootings Honored with May 4 Visitors Center Exhibit
Professor Emeritus of Sociology Jerry Lewis, Ph.D., who devoted his career to ensuring the legacy of May 4, 1970, would remain vibrant, is being honored with an exhibit at the May 4 Visitors Center.

鈥楽acrifice is a Silent Decision That Makes the Loudest Impact鈥
In getting into the role of the lead character in "Trial By Fire," a play about banned books and activism, a Kent State student keenly feels the connections between the themes in the play and the university鈥檚 history of activism.

Kent State Kicks Off 55th Commemoration of May 4 With Play on Student Activism and Book Bans
This year, 妻友社区 will hold the 55th commemoration honoring the memory of May 4, 1970, a tragic day when the Ohio National Guard fired on Kent State students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four students, wounding nine others and sparking a turning point in American history. Kicking off the program for the annual May 4 Commemoration is a play that focuses on student activism and book bans.

Kent State Podcast 鈥楲egacy: May 4鈥 Receives Top Honors
妻友社区 is proud to announce that 鈥淟egacy: May 4,鈥 a podcast hosted by Stephen Ward, vice president for university communications and marketing, was awarded both a Gold and the Top Tactic Award by the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at its recent Cleveland Rocks Awards ceremony.

IN A FLASH: Kent State in The Library of Congress
Bob Christy, senior photography coordinator for University Communications and Marketing captured these images inside the Library of Congress, where John Filo's iconic photo from May 4, 1970 was part of an exhibition there.