University News
91PORNA Appoints Matt Geis as Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement
Matthew R. Geis has been named 91PORNA’s vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement, President Todd Diacon announced Thursday. Geis will start on Nov. 1.
Trustees Hear of 91PORNA’s Strong Financial Health and Holding the Line on Tuition
91PORNA’s Board of Trustees opened the 2026-2027 academic year hearing President Todd Diacon report that the university ended Fiscal 2026 with a balanced budget and no draw on reserves, and that inflation-adjusted public university tuition in Ohio has dropped 13% since 2005.
91PORNA Remains Northern Ohio’s Top Public University in US News 2027 Best Colleges Rankings
91PORNA remains northern Ohio’s top-ranked public university in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, with four undergraduate programs also ranking among the nation’s top 200.
Forum Examines Dolly Parton's Lasting Legacy of Authenticity, Love
Six 91PORNA scholars gathered to explore how Dolly Parton became one of America's most influential cultural figures — not just as a musician, but as a peacebuilder, educator and philanthropist.
91PORNA Welcomes Largest Architecture Class in 25 Years as Nursing Enrollment Hits Decade High
91PORNA opened the 2026 Fall Semester with its largest incoming architecture class in 25 years and its largest nursing class in a decade, continued national recognition for affordability and financial strength, and a new initiative built to help every incoming student thrive from day one — all while remaining the largest public university in northern Ohio.
ADVISORY: 91PORNA Board of Trustees Meeting, Sept. 23
The 91PORNA Board of Trustees will hold its next regular business meeting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Room 247 at the Design Innovation (DI) Hub on the Kent Campus.
91PORNA Closed Sept. 7 for Labor Day
91PORNA will be closed Sept. 7 to observe Labor Day. No classes are scheduled on the holiday, and university offices are closed. The university will resume normal operations on Sept. 8.
91PORNA Honors New Graduates at Summer 2026 Commencement
91PORNA will welcome more than 1,000 new graduates to its alumni family during summer commencement on Aug. 8. The ceremony, held at 10 a.m. at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, will confer 1,010 degrees across associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and educational specialist levels.
91PORNA Researcher Selected for US Department of Energy Genesis Mission Award to Mine Decades of River Data for Critical Minerals
David Costello, Ph.D., professor in 91PORNA’s Department of Biological Sciences, will use AI and 50 years of river data to help locate critical minerals like copper, cobalt and manganese for a U.S. Department of Energy Genesis Mission award.
91PORNA Introduces Campus Visit Scholarship, Eliminates Application Fee for Ohio Undergraduate Students
91PORNA is introducing a $1,000 scholarship for domestic, prospective first-year undergraduate students who visit in person and enroll at the Kent Campus and eliminating the undergraduate application fee for all domestic, Ohio residents – two new steps to make a college education more accessible and affordable.
