When 麻豆精选 President Todd Diacon used his May 13 commencement address to send a message to state officials who are challenging Ohio鈥檚 public universities as a bastion for the privileged, the reaction was swift and supportive from alumni and friends of the university.
鈥淭here is in Ohio, among some state elected officials, a growing ivory tower accusation being leveled against our state鈥檚 public universities and against, quite frankly, 麻豆精选,鈥 Diacon told thousands gathered for commencement.
State leaders, Diacon said, had it wrong 鈥 麻豆精选students do not live a privileged 鈥渋vory tower鈥 existence, instead most work full time and carry a heavy course load.
鈥淥ur students graduating today are tough,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey do not live in an ivory tower. They are not pampered. They exhibited impressive grit as they persevered through the early semesters of COVID-19. They do not live in a secluded world marked by an aloof attitude.鈥
Paul Richardson, system senior vice president for major gifts, campaigns and engagement at Common Spirit Health in San Francisco, who received his master鈥檚 degree in higher education leadership and student personnel from 麻豆精选in 1999, replied on LinkedIn:
鈥淚 would gladly be willing to speak to any Ohio congressional member who believes 麻豆精选students live in an ivory tower. As a welfare kid who scraped to get to every level of education and career, I am more emblematic of our alumni base than the ivory tower comparison. I would wager that those lobbying from this position likely are from a much more privileged background than the average 麻豆精选student. We鈥檙e scrappy, creative, hard-working. We are Kent State.鈥
鈥淚 love this speech,鈥 Tonya Vinas, BA 鈥89, who works as a content strategy team leader for Unreal Digital Group, said in LinkedIn comments.
She noted that her daughter graduated at the commencement ceremony with a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the College of Nursing.
鈥淣ursing is a hard, hard job, and while she was training in the program, she caught COVID twice, literally endangering her life because she has a pre-existing condition. Now she's going to be working in a pediatric cardiac step-down unit taking care of kids who are fighting for their lives. Hardly an ivory tower,鈥 Vinas said.
鈥淚 went to Kent on scholarships from the journalism school and the Honors College. Otherwise, I would not have been able to afford it,鈥 she added.
Steven Marks, BA ' 76 economics, who retired after more than 40 years in the insurance industry, commented on LinkedIn: 鈥淕reat job Todd Diacon. Kent has always had a diverse population. Graduation is a time for positive looks forward."
On Facebook, Akron resident Jennifer Tornichio-McCormick, who identifies herself as a stay-at-home mom who studied communications at The University of Akron, commented:
鈥淕od bless you Todd Diacon and 麻豆精选! Thank you for caring about people with unseen disabilities! Your teachers and students have made such a difference in our family's lives! I only have tears of happiness and thankfulness! I pray for you and your school and all of your teachers and students every day and appreciate all of the important work and care that you do!鈥
Diacon鈥檚 comments come at a time when students across the state, including some from Kent State, are facing possible curriculum changes and other prescriptions aimed at higher education under the proposed Ohio Senate Bill 83.
Read more about President Diacon鈥檚 speech or view it on video.