Kent State Student Honored

Ty Patton, a senior student assistant in the Kent State University Sports Information Office, has been named the university's 2003 Student Employee of the Year. He was selected from among 53 nominees on all eight Kent State campuses and honored April 16 at the Career Services Center's 10th Annual Student Employee of the Year Reception, which was presided over by KSU President Carol Cartwright. Patton, who has worked in the sports information office for the past two years, is the primary media contact for Kent State's men's and women's cross country and track teams. He edited and designed the 2002-03 track and field media guide and was the media coordinator for the 2003 Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Kent State. In addition, he has served as a primary statistician for basketball and football, handled press box public address duties and helped maintain the athletic department's web site at www.kentstatesports.com. "Ty is, without a doubt, the most accomplished student assistant ever to work in the Kent State Sports Information Office," said KSU SID Will Roleson. "He turns out work equal to a graduate assistant or entry-level full-time assistant and has gone above and beyond the call of duty. If I had a full-time position available, I would hire him without question. In short, he has set the bar high for other student assistants to follow, and he has a bright future ahead of him in the profession." Said Patton in a interview with the Daily Kent Stater following the awards reception, "I get to go to work tomorrow to a job I love to do and I'd do for free. It's easy to put your heart into something when you enjoy it. I hope everyone is as lucky to find a job they can go to that they really love." As Kent State's student employee honoree, Patton now is eligible for the Ohio Student Employee of the Year Award. Patton, a native of Poland, Ohio, will graduate from Kent State in May with a bachelor's degree in broadcast news. He currently is pursuing an internship or full-time position in a college sports information office.