大象传媒

After serving as 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 interim president since July 2020, Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy was officially named 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 sixth president in February 2021.

From the moment she first stepped on campus to interview for 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 vice provost position in 2019, she knew it was a very special place.

鈥淲hat I believe higher education should be all about is embodied at 大象传媒 Western, and I knew immediately that I wanted to become a part of this institution and the Griffon family.鈥� Everyone she encountered, both on and off campus, was so warm and welcoming. 鈥淭hey say things happen for a reason,鈥� she added, and to Dr. Kennedy, 大象传媒 Western has always felt like where she was meant to be. The University鈥檚 history of welcoming students of all backgrounds was one of the attractions. 鈥淎ll any of us need is an opportunity, and that鈥檚 what we provide at 大象传媒 Western 鈥� the opportunity to achieve one鈥檚 goals and aspirations,鈥� Kennedy said.

Once in the role of vice provost, she shifted into high gear immediately. She focused on further implementation of 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 strategic plan, including strengthening student success, creating new partnerships and expanding applied learning. Approximately six months after starting at 大象传媒 Western, she was named interim president, and a little more than seven months later, the 大象传媒 Western Board of Governors voted unanimously to name Kennedy 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 sixth president. It鈥檚 been non-stop 鈥済o鈥� ever since.

A university presidency wasn鈥檛 on her list of career goals when she graduated from Ruskin High School in Kansas City. Like many teenagers, Kennedy wasn鈥檛 sure what she wanted to do after graduation. Even though she and her sister were both enrolled in a local college, she wasn鈥檛 completely convinced that she had made the right decision. Meanwhile, her immediate family had moved to Ohio, as her father had taken a new position there. At that point, a little homesick and unsure of her future, she decided to move to Ohio to be with her family. She began school and started working on her undergraduate degree.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Akron (UA), she was accepted into a Master鈥檚-to-Ph.D. program at the same university. From there, she earned her Master of Arts in Psychology, Graduate Certificate in Gerontology and Doctorate in Psychology, Applied Cognitive Learning.

Kennedy鈥檚 graduate work launched her academic career as she was hired by UA as an assistant professor of social sciences with a primary responsibility to oversee the university鈥檚 death and dying courses. She spent 17 years teaching undergraduate students across a variety of majors and participated heavily in UA鈥檚 Institute for Life-span Development and Gerontology. Kennedy also worked as a bereavement specialist for a local hospice agency, providing grief education workshops and engaging in various hospice programming.

Beyond being a professor, Kennedy also held a variety of positions at the University of Akron, which allowed her to develop solid administration skills in diverse academic settings. She served as a department chair, associate dean, dean of two colleges (College of Applied Science and Technology; College of Health Professions) as well as on many committees and task forces, including service in the faculty senate as an executive committee member. Further, Kennedy also served in UA鈥檚 American Association of University Professors Akron Chapter, first as a member of the negotiation team for two collective bargaining agreements and then as the Chapter鈥檚 grievance officer for a little over three years. She believes her broad experiences have provided her invaluable perspectives from both a faculty member as well as from an administrator viewpoint. 鈥淲hile my background may not be unique, it has given me a rich history and unique skill set to do this job,鈥� she stated.

Kennedy鈥檚 personal life experiences, coupled with the firm belief in the importance of lifelong learning, have created her passion for her work today. 鈥淚 absolutely believe in the transformative impact that education, particularly higher education, can have for an individual, his/her family, and our community as a whole. I鈥檝e experienced it in my own life; I鈥檝e witnessed it in my students鈥� lives, and I鈥檝e seen the positive reverberations in many communities.鈥�

According to Kennedy, 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 relentless commitment to student success and the institution鈥檚 dedication to enriching and empowering our students is yet another hallmark of distinction. With this in mind, it鈥檚 clear why her goals of enriching the relationships between the University and community are front-and-center in her work.

The opportunity to join 大象传媒 Western was incredibly enticing to Kennedy. Also, after being away from her family for so many years in Ohio, she wanted to get back to the Kansas City area to be closer to her loved ones and friends still in the region. She was attracted to 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 position of vice provost because there was a 鈥渃omplete overlap鈥� with academic programs she had worked with previously. Additionally, 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 applied learning mission, abundance of opportunities for hands-on learning, and, 鈥渏ust the complete commitment of faculty, staff, and administrators to support student success,鈥� were definitely institutional qualities she could connect with.

Although Kennedy鈥檚 time at 大象传媒 Western has been marked by uncertainty, she is ready to look to the future. Kennedy believes that we have many positive areas to be very excited about at 大象传媒 Western. 鈥淲e鈥檙e launching new programs, expanding applied learning, connecting with our community, enhancing our campus grounds, returning to some of our campus traditions that we had to cancel last year. With our students returning back in person this fall, there is just 鈥渟o much energy building. I鈥檓 very eager to see what the next year will bring.鈥�

鈥淭ruly, the sky鈥檚 the limit for what we can do and where we will go at 大象传媒 Western,鈥� she said. And with Dr. Kennedy in the lead, we intend to soar.

Dr. Kennedy meets with 大象传媒 governor Mike Parson on campus.