The second Run the World 5K run/walk is scheduled for this Saturday. The 5K is organized by the Office of Global Education and colleges within Kent State.

Ed Butch, race director and assistant director of educational programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Kristin Stasiowski, director of international programs and education abroad in the College of Arts and Sciences, first came up with the idea of a race for students to earn study abroad scholarships back in 2013. However, the first race didn’t begin until 2015.

“It’s been a long process, but it’s been enjoyable to see it develop and grow even just in its second year,” Butch said.

The number of scholarships to be awarded is still unknown at this time. After taking into account the number of registered participants and the total amount of money raised from sponsors and registration fees after the race, Butch will figure out the amount of scholarships to be given away.

“Hopefully ($10 thousand) is what we’re going to be able to give, but I’m hoping that we might be able to go up to ($12 or $14 thousand) potentially,” Butch said.

The Run the World 5K resulted in eight $1,000 scholarship awards last year. Any currently enrolled Kent State student who registers for the race is eligible to win a scholarship.

The race will start and finish at Risman Plaza, and it begins at 8:30 a.m. Online registration will continue until Thursday at 11:59 p.m.

An award ceremony will be held after the race to recognize the top three finishers — both male and female — in each age category, Butch said.

The scholarship winners will be announced at the Office of Global Education Abroad Expo at noon on Sept. 15.

Butch urges students of all majors and Kent State campus locations to come to the race, as well as make the decision to study abroad.

“A student being able to experience another country and another culture — even if it is just for a week — can really open their eyes to something that they’ve never experienced before,” Butch said. “Studying abroad is not one of those little side dish experiences that you do within your college years … it’s something that anyone from any major at some point in some way can take a part of, whether it’s a one week spring break trip or a full-semester academic year somewhere as well.”

The website to register for the race is www.kent.edu/RunTheWorld. Students can register Saturday morning, but the fee will increase from $30 to $35.

“We’re very walker friendly, and students can hopefully win the potential of a $1,000 scholarship to use toward a study abroad trip,” Butch said. “It’s a double win for a student to be out there.”

Mckenna Corson is the international / grad affairs reporter, contact her at [email protected].