Success Story
![The ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ Board of Trustees has appointed Todd Diacon, Ph.D., ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ’s executive vice president and provost, as its next university president. President-elect Todd Diacon](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Diacon2media.jpg?VersionId=05j47H3AaWfcGuZEqkRgvxmV4R4okNJg&h=56d0ca2e&itok=1uqLa_qa)
The ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ Board of Trustees has appointed Todd Diacon, Ph.D., ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ’s executive vice president and provost, as its next university president at a special Board meeting held Monday, April 29.
![J.R. Campbell, executive director of the Design Innovation Initiative at ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ, speaks during the construction launch event for the Design Innovation Hub.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/DesignInnovate_006sm.jpg?VersionId=CFqGucFq09Etcg2xhRHvDZJVeTLl9B9l&h=eb2183be&itok=M3VvLzco)
¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ celebrated the launch of a dynamic new space, the Design Innovation (DI) Hub, which will bring innovations from many disciplines together in a 68,000-square-foot building near the center of the Kent Campus.
![Legendary journalist Bob Woodward will speak at ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ the evening of May 4 as part of the university’s Presidential Speaker Series. (Photo credit: Lisa Berg) Legendary journalist Bob Woodward will speak at ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ the evening of May 4 as part of the university’s Presidential Speaker Series. (Photo credit: Lisa Berg)](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/03.28.19%20Photo%20of%20Bob%20Woodward%20-%20credit%20to%20Lisa%20Berg.jpg?VersionId=u3OY1CVlvSTVA358h_eN9qazV6MJ.Wqt&h=18c3f876&itok=sgN61Nqm)
On Saturday, May 4, legendary journalist Bob Woodward comes to ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ as part of the Presidential Speaker Series. He will speak at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (MAC Center).
![Michael N. Lehman, Ph.D., a leader in the field of neuroendocrinology and circadian rhythms, is the newly appointed director of ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ’s Brain Health Research Institute.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/02.25.19-photo---Dr.-Michael-Lehman---NEW.jpg?VersionId=BSmrTjcq_V7wz6c.AdlEAD_fU6N1OKsi&h=e6f36a9c&itok=5reiKFEL)
Michael N. Lehman, Ph.D., a leader in the field of neuroendocrinology and circadian rhythms, is the newly appointed director of ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ’s Brain Health Research Institute.
![¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ College of Nursing juniors (from left) Aaliyah Davis, Adam Roman and Christina Hansen serve their clinical rotations at University Hospitals of Cleveland.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Nursing%20Students%20%281%29_4.jpg?VersionId=_9pPjW9JXy63OXDxqXWVFo7e_G6aVOGr&h=cd8dcc5a&itok=8GcGoGEv)
University Hospitals and ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ are joining forces to address the ongoing nursing shortage in Northeast Ohio through a new nursing education initiative that will increase the number of baccalaureate-degreed nurses who enter the workforce each year.
![Julian Edelman makes a big play as a wide receiver with the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XLIX. (Photo courtesy of the New England Patriots) Julian Edelman in the NFL](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/Edelman2_0.jpg?VersionId=sgZbockoTslNzM.l86q7vqZyNSOwt_uU&h=e6f36a9c&itok=AFLnud02)
Julian Edelman capped off Super Bowl LIII with a victory for the New England Patriots and claimed the highest honor awarded to a player during the championship game of the National Football League (NFL).
![Angela Rye meets with ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ students prior to her keynote speech at the university’s 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/ARye4.jpg?VersionId=rrrf84vxvfqCpiOGJyhLNl92sEmEDKE.&h=3a3f8921&itok=NLHSRXLn)
A prominent political strategist, lawyer and advocate for positive change in the political process served as the keynote speaker at ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Angela Rye, principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, joined the university in celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 23 in the Kent Student Center Ballroom.
![¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ Police Services is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its first K-9 unit, which features 7-year-old German Shepherd Coco and her handler, Officer Anne Spahr. ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ Police Services is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its first K-9 unit, which features 7-year-old German Shepherd Coco and her handler, Officer Anne Spahr.](https://www-s3-live.kent.edu/s3fs-root/s3fs-public/styles/1_5_2_thumbnail/public/article/AnneCoco3%20sized.jpg?VersionId=uu7zfaPg4y.DxFGMv3wJ5bkawIr8JbAe&h=e6f36a9c&itok=bHYli8MF)
¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ Police Services is celebrating the five-year anniversary – or the 35 dog-year anniversary – of its first K-9 unit, which features 7-year-old German Shepherd Coco and herhandler, Officer Anne Spahr.
Coco was the first police dog at ¶¶MÅ®ÆÍ. She is now one of two police dogs at the university.