Kevin Karas, The University of Akron

Kevin J. Karas will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Motivations with a 3.84 GPA, a minor in Conflict Management and a Certificate in Leadership Advancement. He has been highly engaged in helping students be successful in and out of the classroom, as well as working in research and teaching, leadership and community service. According to Vice President for Student Success/Vice Provost Candace Campbell Jackson, who has worked closely with Kevin, he is a charismatic, passionate and motivated young man who is mindful about finding ways to better the community. Kevin’s involvement in civic and service learning activities include Alternate Spring Break, Make a Difference Day and World Change Coalition. As a Student Engagement Coordinator in the division of student success, he helped lead students on a project for the Knight Cities Challenge, an opportunity to promote civic engagement and attract and retain talent in our region. His interdisciplinary major provides him with a structure for understanding the needs and issues of our society, and trying to get to the heart of what is important and how we can add value to our work.  
-Scott Scarborough, President

Gandhi believed that behind all struggle lies a deeper conflict between two perspectives which both hold some measure of truth. Every social issue is really a fight between different perspectives “illuminating the same truth.” This summary from page 3 of “Gandhi’s Way” is an awareness all must hold when approaching finding a solution to social issues. In order to come to a shared vision, it is the role of the great societal leaders to mindfully approach conflicts with empathy and an open mind to understand the deepest of depths in social issues. Societal leaders must compassionately address these conflicts and engage our community in the holism of the struggles of these conflicts. By fully understanding these issues, sharing them with our community and offering guidance to the community of a community-model of solving these conflicts, then society may work symbiotically to solve these advanced issues. It is my deep commitment to stop at nothing to solve our society’s deepest struggles and I am taking all the necessary steps to do this including pursuing higher education in a private/public administration graduate degree, as well as pursuing as many volunteer and work experiences in the community to better our community.
-Kevin Karas