During Flashes Give Back Week, nearly 1,100 volunteers strengthened our communities and more than 700 donors raised $165,000+ to support Kent State causes.
From April 13-18, Golden Flashes once again came together to make a meaningful impact during Flashes Give Back Week, a weeklong initiative celebrating the many ways the Kent State community gives back.
Joining in as a Compassionate Samaritan
Throughout the week, alumni and friends stepped up to be Champions of Kindness on campus and in communities nationwide. In partnership with campus and nonprofit organizations, more than 1,100 Golden Flashes across 32 states brought their blue and gold pride to 59 service sites, participating at food banks, park and neighborhood cleanups, clothing and donation drives, literacy initiatives and community outreach efforts.
Antoine Williams ’22, volunteered at the African American Cultural Gardens in Cleveland, and helped clean and restore the space. This was his fourth time participating in Flashes Give Back Week.
“There’s so much hope with volunteering. I just wanted to be a source of motivation,” Williams said. Reflecting on the experience, he added that being surrounded by passionate individuals working toward a shared goal made the impact even more meaningful. “Time spent volunteering is time well spent.”
Emily Eby, ’74, a board member for the Central Ohio Alumni Chapter, volunteered at Recreation Unlimited, helping with cleanup activities and spreading about 15,000 pounds of mulch at the campgrounds.
“It was hard work but it looked much better when we finished,” Emily said. For her, the experience is about Kent State connections. “I always like to meet new Kent State alums,” Emily said. “You meet people and share stories of your college years while gaining new perspectives from alumni of different ages.”
Golden Flashes made a tangible impact through their hands-on efforts. They supported organizations like Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and Greater Cleveland Food Bank, helping sort and pack thousands of pounds of food, including 1,077 one-pound bags of pretzels and 14,400 pounds of food for senior supplementary boxes, providing more than 16,000 meals. Through the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, alumni inspected and sorted clothing, packing more than 2,000 birdie bags. Volunteers also assembled 325 literacy kits through the Literacy Kits for United Way, packed 30 backpacks for students through the Newton Falls Community Backpack Program and served 120 families through the Dix Stadium Pop-up.
These efforts contributed to a collective total of more than 1,100 volunteers and more than 3,100 service hours, reflecting the wide range of impact across communities.
Giving Back as a Champion of Generosity
Kent State’s 24-hour Day of Giving brought together more than 700 alumni, friends, faculty and staff, raising more than $165,000 in support of students and programs across the university’s eight-campus system.
As a token of appreciation, donors who contributed $50 or more received a “flashy” pair of Kent State-themed socks. If donors contributed $50 or more to an athletics fund, they also received a Fearless Flash window cling.
Athletics teams once again participated in the Green Lending Challenge, where the team with the most unique donors contributing $50 or more to their enhancement fund received a $1,000 prize. This year’s winner was Kent State Field Hockey, with 40 unique donors.
Saying Thanks as a Grateful Golden Flash
On April 16, students, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate gratitude during Thank-a-Giver (TAG) Day, featuring interactive stations designed to highlight the impact of donor support. Activities included a prize wheel with philanthropy trivia, Mad Libs-style thank you cards and a “Student Vote,” where students selected a fund they would support - 65 of which will be randomly selected to receive real donations from the Foundation on behalf of those who participated.
Additional stations included a creative display of cookies, with a chunk missing, demonstrating the portion of Kent State’s budget, approximately 20 percent, that is supported by donors. Students collected punches at each station to enter a raffle for prizes such as a mini-fridge, speaker or a ride to and from classes on the Kent Campus in a golf cart for a day.
Thank-a-Giver Day also included a scavenger hunt across the Kent Campus where students searched for hidden Flash plushies called “Flashmallows.” The hunt took them to eight locations, all of which were impacted or made possible by donor support. Participants earned bonus raffle entries and a $50 donation made in their name to a fund of their choice through the support of the Foundation.
Flashes Give Back Week continues to highlight the strength and generosity of the Kent State community. Through volunteerism, philanthropy and gratitude, alumni, staff, faculty, students and friends of Kent State all demonstrated how to be Champions of Kindness.