The past week has been one of incredible camaraderie here in Kent and at regional campuses. News broke April 7, 2016, that our beloved president, Beverly Warren, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She announced that she would be taking a small step back from her normal duties in order to fully recover from her surgery, which Senior Associate Provost Melody Tankersley announced the following Friday had gone successfully.
While this news would affect any campus, at Kent State it hit hard and close to home, inspiring students to initiate the #BevStrong movement. President Warren has created a family environment here at Kent State, as I found to be unanimously true when asking students to share their feelings after hearing of her diagnosis. Kelley, an RA in McDowell, feels proud to be a Flash saying, “Our students clearly really like her; you can tell that from every group posting pictures and tweets…it’s great that everyone is supporting her and standing behind her.”
#BevStrong has been sweeping through campus and across social media, but what do students think of it? Sky, a sophomore and member of Kent State’s Ice Hockey Club, said, “First of all, it shows a great sense of community throughout our Kent State family. Second, it shows what a great job Bev has done in her short tenure here. She has already garnered so much love and respect.” Additionally, Drew, a sophomore Sigma Phi Epsilon member, said, “It shows that the students not only respect her, but we also support and care about her well-being.”
For many young women on campus, this has been a wake-up call. Bethany, a sophomore transfer student, said, “I will definitely take more care to screen myself because I know more and more people who are being diagnosed with breast cancer.” Annual check-ups prove to be extremely important because not everything will manifest itself without an exam. Thankfully, there are instructions out there so even if women can’t get to the doctor, they can do a simple self-examination at home. Even taking ten minutes a week to do this can make the difference.
Spend five minutes talking with students about President Warren, and it will be clear that she is more than just the lady who sends us an occasional email about the school’s progress as a whole. She has a Twitter, @PresBWarren, and fully uses it to connect and chat with us. She attends many sporting events, whether club or varsity, as well as theatre productions, award ceremonies, etc. because she cares about our passions and dreams. She’s always smiling and willing to take time to get to know each student she comes in contact with. Here at Kent State, President Warren is more than our fearless leader. She is our “momma bear” looking out for her cubs, our biggest fan, our friend, but most of all she is our role model.
To President Warren, we are with you, behind you, and praying for strength for you in your journey back to us! In the words of Felisa, junior transfer student, “We can’t wait until she kicks cancer’s ass and is back on campus with her favorite flashes!” We believe in #FlashesForever, and we believe in you.
If anyone would like to send well wishes to President Warren, students may send them by email to president@kent.edu or deliver them to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, room 250 in the Kent Student Center.