The Kent State Women’s Center hosted the “Mothers, Mentors and Muses” fourth annual scholarship fundraiser reception in the Student Center Ballroom Tuesday evening.

“Tonight is a celebration of the extraordinary efforts of our honorees who have impacted lives of students, colleagues and the campus community,” said Jennifer Kulics, president of the Women’s Center Advisory Board.

The mothers, mentors and muses gathered in the ballroom to acknowledge 54 new members, who are rising female leaders at Kent State. The women were invited to celebrate each other and the accomplishments they have made in the past year.

During the reception, Kulics gave a speech called, “The Gift of Being Present.” She said, “When we are present, we are kind, we are positive, we are our best self, our most genuine and authentic self. It is a gift for others, but it is a precious gift to yourself.”

After Kulic’s speech, the 2013 honorees were acknowledged. Each honoree’s picture and quote was put on a screen as she came up to accept her membership certificate. The room filled with cheers and applause as each new member was called to the stage.

Amy Dezee, a graduate student in higher education and student personnel, was among those nominated as a 2013 honoree.

“I feel honored a lot because my mentors and the people I look up to have been inducted in it, so I am honored to follow in their foot steps,” she said. “I think it’s an empowering thing, something that I can look to as inspiration.”

After the new members were announced, all of the current members were asked to stand up together to be recognized as a whole.

Donation cards were available at each table for guests to donate to the Women’s Center, which exists to “facilitate the advancement of and to enhance the quality of educational experience and professional life for women students, faculty and staff of all campuses,” according to Kent.edu.

Contact Abby Bradford at [email protected].