By BILL BURGESS
Marketing Coordinator, Kent State Trumbull
WARREN, Ohio – Kent State University at Trumbull is dedicated to identifying relationships that build value for local students and the Mahoning Valley.
Dr. William Ayres assumed the role of dean and chief administrative officer in January. He looks forward to building on momentum from 2021, exploring additional approaches to save money, bring benefit to the community, and most important, to better serve students.
Among the recent initiatives introduced at KSU Trumbull is the Trumbull Correctional Institution Prison Program.
Kristenne Robison, assistant professor of sociology, criminology and justice studies, spearheads the program, which allows incarcerated individuals at Trumbull Correctional Institution a chance to complete a baccalaureate in technical and applied studies.
Kent State Trumbull and LaunchNET Kent State, backed by funding support through local foundations, joined Sinclair Community College in Dayton to complete a new 2+2 program partnership.
Local foundations that participate in this effort include Burton D. Morgan Foundation, The Raymond John Wean Foundation, The Youngstown Foundation, Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, and The Thomases Family Endowment of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation
Working toward better relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve is a primary component of KSU Trumbull’s Police Academy program.
Since graduates of the academy primarily serve in local communities, the emphasis is to address needs within these areas. While the academy is following the state-mandated curriculum, KSU Trumbull is committed to developing an enhanced curriculum that establishes a more harmonious relationship between the police and community.
Josna Neuman, interim assistant dean, says the campus is planning strategic discussions with local residents to explore a vision for the academy.
“We hope that through these ongoing community focus group events, we can improve interactions between police officers and community members and work toward building a climate of mutual respect and understanding,” Neuman says.
Other efforts on campus last year addressed the growing needs of students. Last fall, KSU Trumbull’s Care Closet opened its doors to provide food, personal items and clothing to students in need. The Care Closet – a fund created by student government during the 2020-2021 academic year – is open to donations from faculty, staff and the community.
Kent State Trumbull this year also welcomes the return of STEM Trumbull County: A Conference for Innovative Young Women. Valerie Cubon-Bell, associate professor, chemistry and biochemistry, has organized two programs for young women in 10th and 11th grades. The one-day event focuses on careers in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine.
The campus has also introduced several new academic programs in response to growing demand in information technology and behavioral science.
A fully online associate of applied business degree in cybersecurity has been added to address the ever-growing threat to sensitive and critical data and its potential impact on businesses and individuals.
In addition, campus counselor Barbara Ozimek, leads a new addictions counseling certificate program. This provides students at the undergraduate level who are enrolled in a behavioral science degree program with the educational content necessary to apply for chemical dependency counselor licensure by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board.
Students with a high school diploma or GED are also able to sit for licensure but at a lower level.