Community Impact
Ready to serve the community from the ground up, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ’s College of Podiatric Medicine welcomed 88 new graduates in its spring Class of 2024.
![Police Academy now in Twinsburg](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/police%20academy%20%281500%20x%20600%20px%29.png?VersionId=eaOR9zupdGyTpmp3hSI_QRdB1qjkKXTJ&h=68adb54f&itok=3pNpb6oB)
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ hopes to address the police officer shortage by expanding its police academy to Twinsburg, Ohio, this fall.
Exuberant celebrations and tears of joy punctuated one of the biggest weekends of the year at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ as the university welcomed its spring Class of 2024 graduates.
Karamu Ya Wahitimu/Celebración De Los Graduados is an annual tradition celebrating all of °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ's graduating African American, Native American, Latinx, Hispanic and Multiracial undergraduate and graduate students.
![Pamela Brigger presents at the 2024 ESDRI Showcase](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/2024%20ESDRI%20Showcase%20Banner.jpg?VersionId=x_Tc.dNVHoiJOfzoWbpjOqNav4A9vdEt&itok=MhSSeF1O)
The environment is something that many people take for granted. But it affects us all. Some recent °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ students spent the semester putting environmental issues front and center.
![Chief Dean Tondiglia retires after 43 years on °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Police Department. Chief Dean Tondiglia retires after 43 years on °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Police Department.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/tondiglia%20retirement.jpg?VersionId=57z3.0so6cvzY_DxzMdxpsciYDYQnpWv&itok=WvpD83p7)
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Police Chief and Director of Public Safety Dean Tondiglia wasn’t legally old enough to be a police officer when he was hired by the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ Police Department.
![A man runs on a treadmill in a gym](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/pexels-willpicturethis-1954524.jpg?VersionId=XNnYn0AXfJdID8HQL6YIPuqozg4wIncG&itok=_dBtZs_7)
Researchers are trying to determine how many athletes are using cannabis products as part of their workouts and why. The results indicate it's more common than was thought.
![Bird Image courtesy of https://macaulaylibrary.org](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/BirdMigration.png?VersionId=oKxz6glN2EF7_.7Y9_4RmpcsHBWQSqXu&itok=tM_fRMJs)
Every spring and fall millions of birds migrate through Northeast Ohio on their way to or from their breeding grounds. With their song and bright colors, birds help brighten our campus after a long winter.
![Alison Caplan in Washington DC Alison Caplan in Washington DC](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Unknown-2_5.jpeg?VersionId=AiWVl5_mBCAEr5YrmzStcFQeVOtZT7vk&itok=qJZVaFYz)
In her first year as the director of the May 4 Visitor Center, Alison Caplan has enjoyed uniquely wonderful and "magical" experiences in how °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ's history creates connections and inspiration.
![McGilvrey Kidnap McGilvrey Kidnap](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/Screenshot%202024-04-12%20at%202.05.39%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=1v1cdJLKYPFD97W6SDQRDYDsmNx.sdCn&itok=WMOzNVtj)
In 1941, a writing exercise for high school journalists visiting °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ was centered around a fictional kidnapping of the university's first president, John E. McGilvrey. In a pre-internet version of a "home page takeover," the stories ran on the front page of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏr - without including information revealing that they were not real!