President Beverly Warren introduced Kent State’s new branding campaign to the the university at an event on Monday night.

Banners with the slogans “The future should prepare for you” and “Breaking the mold means shaping the world” were on each side of Warren as she called Kent State “the best kept secret in higher education” and announced the purpose of the new branding is to tell the rest of the world what Kent State is truly about.

Warren went on to say that when she talks to students about what they like most about Kent State they all give the same answer: a sense of community and a place to call home.

Warren said that strong sense of community is something she finds to be so incredibly unique and important about Kent State that it inspired the new tagline for the branding, “Undeniably Kent State.”

This new tagline, which took the place of “Excellence in Action,” will be used to propel the message the university is trying to communicate to the rest of the world.

The first step in communicating that message is the new anthem video shown at the event. While the whole video can be found on Kent State’s website, Warren said that clips of the video will be used for television and internet advertisements as a way to tell Kent State’s story.

“Telling our story attracts talented students, faculty and staff … because of what we can create together,” Warren said while explaining what this new image can do for the university.

Warren also said that telling Kent State’s story will attract people who want to help support the school’s future and be a part of the amazing things that happen at the university.

Along with the anthem video on Kent State’s website there is also a webpage allowing people to tell their stories about Kent State and how the institution changed their lives. These stories will be posted for other people to read.

The two-part event began at the Kent Student Center Ballroom at 4 p.m. where attendees were given a glow stick and a card with Kent State’s new branding message, while live music was being played and refreshments were being served.

After Warren, and the three speakers before her, were done speaking the event was then taken outside to Manchester Field where attendees were invited to warm up around a bonfire and help themselves to food, games and free T-shirts promoting the new branding.

Among the speakers before Warren was Kent State alumni April Goss, who last year became the second woman ever to score in a first division college football game after a successful extra point. Goss talked about how much Kent State has meant to her and how the school gave her an opportunity she won’t ever forget.

Zachary Ezzone is the Recruiting and Retention reporter for the Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].