Lester Lefton Lester Lefton - Kent State University
Lester Lefton Lester Lefton - Kent State University
Lester Lefton Lester Lefton - Kent State University
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Photograph by B o b C h r i s t y, ‘ 9 5<br />
<strong>Lefton</strong> tours the Oak Clinic for<br />
Multiple Sclerosis with founder<br />
James Oelschlager. <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong><br />
has a research partnership with<br />
the clinic.<br />
of South Carolina, George<br />
Washington <strong>University</strong> and<br />
Tulane <strong>University</strong>.<br />
Looking ahead, I would<br />
be proud to say that I<br />
encouraged <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong>’s<br />
faculty, staff and students<br />
to dream of a greater university<br />
and worked with<br />
them step by step to realize<br />
many of those dreams.<br />
Through a transparent and<br />
collaborative approach to<br />
education and outreach,<br />
I believe we can improve<br />
the experience of every<br />
<strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong> student and<br />
employee, and that we can<br />
be a leader in revitalizing<br />
Northeast Ohio’s economy.<br />
In loftier terms, I would<br />
like to help take this gem<br />
of an institution and make<br />
its multiple campuses the<br />
brightest jewel in the crown<br />
of Ohio higher education.<br />
KSM: What will it<br />
take for <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong><br />
to become that crown<br />
jewel?<br />
LL: To meet the growing<br />
needs of our campuses and<br />
our state, we must increase<br />
the size and quality of the<br />
faculty. That includes adding<br />
endowed chairs and<br />
professorships that attract<br />
world-class scholars. We<br />
also need to complete technological<br />
enhancements<br />
such as bringing wireless<br />
capability to every classroom<br />
and residence hall.<br />
And we must ensure that<br />
students and faculty on<br />
every campus have access<br />
to first-tier laboratories and<br />
teaching spaces.<br />
KSM: What other<br />
challenges are critical<br />
to <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong>’s future?<br />
LL: As the number of<br />
high school graduates going<br />
on to college decreases,<br />
<strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong> will be challenged<br />
to keep enrollment<br />
robust. We must rethink<br />
and intensify our efforts to<br />
inform prospective students<br />
about the quality experience<br />
offered on our campuses.<br />
And we should enroll more<br />
out-of-state students, which<br />
will help the bottom line<br />
and create a more diverse<br />
learning environment.<br />
It is imperative that we<br />
improve our track record<br />
in recruiting and retaining<br />
students and faculty of color.<br />
We must retain our current<br />
students and help ensure<br />
that they graduate and succeed.<br />
This will enhance our<br />
reputation and expand our<br />
ability to meet the needs of<br />
Ohio employers.<br />
KSM: Tackling such<br />
challenges undoubtedly<br />
will require private support.<br />
You have stressed<br />
the need to develop a<br />
“culture of philanthropy.”<br />
What do you mean?<br />
<strong>Kent</strong> <strong>State</strong>’s New President<br />
At-a-Glance<br />
Name:<br />
<strong>Lester</strong> A. <strong>Lefton</strong><br />
Age:<br />
60<br />
Hometown:<br />
Boston<br />
Education:<br />
B.A., psychology, Northeastern <strong>University</strong>, 1969<br />
Ph.D., experimental psychology, <strong>University</strong> of<br />
Rochester, 1974<br />
Career Capsule:<br />
Senior vice president for academic affairs and provost,<br />
Tulane <strong>University</strong>, 2001-06<br />
Dean, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, George<br />
Washington <strong>University</strong>, 1997-2001<br />
Professor, psychology department chair and dean,<br />
College of Liberal Arts, <strong>University</strong> of South Carolina,<br />
1972-1997<br />
Family:<br />
Wife, Linda J. <strong>Lefton</strong><br />
Two daughters, Sarah and Jesse; son-in-law,<br />
Amit; new grandson, Zeve<br />
Hobbies:<br />
Exercising<br />
Creating stained-glass windows<br />
All things related to theatre<br />
Special love of Australian Aboriginal art<br />
<strong>Lefton</strong> talks with students at the Black United Students (BUS) picnic<br />
prior to the start of fall semester.<br />
LL: I refer to a culture<br />
in which alumni recognize<br />
and embrace their unique<br />
opportunity to provide critical<br />
resources for their alma<br />
mater — support for top<br />
faculty and staff, scholarships,<br />
facilities from biology<br />
labs to baseball diamonds,<br />
Photograph by G a r y H a r w o o d , ‘ 8 3<br />
and most important, for an<br />
endowment that provides a<br />
perpetual financial safety net.<br />
There is no question<br />
that we have loyal alumni,<br />
including thousands of<br />
graduates who remember<br />
their college days fondly,<br />
follow Golden Flash teams<br />
p a g e<br />
6<br />
2