The City of Kent's Evolution

Distinguished Professor of Human Evolutionary Studies Owen Lovejoy came to Kent State University as a temporary professor in 1968. Originally from Kentucky, he has seen the Tree City evolve from just a small town to an entertainment destination.

What kept you here for 50 years?

OL: I stayed for various reasons, one of which was a dog. I interviewed at Johns Hopkins, and at the time, I always took my dog to the lab at night. They said you can’t do that, so I didn’t take the job. Bowser kept me in Kent.

How has the city changed since you’ve been here?

OL: I was here for the 1970 event. There was a town-gown conflict, [but] there wasn’t much of a town. An old hotel across from the Kent Stage was abandoned. When a developer started to restore it, the town went through a transformation. Now Kent’s a local entertainment spot. If you go downtown, you have an immediate choice of 10 to 15 restaurants of all levels.

What’s one of your favorite things about the city?

OL: What Kent has as a community is a walking downtown with lots of entertainment possibilities. It’s one of the nicest college towns I’ve been to.

What sets Kent apart from other college towns?

OL: It’s a fun town. The Kent Stage has a lot of interesting acts you won’t find in other college towns like Athens. We have the same small college town atmosphere but not as isolated; that makes it ideal.

How have the university students evolved throughout your tenure?

OL: The student body has become increasingly metropolitan over the years.

Do you have a favorite class?

OL: Every class is different from every previous class. Picking a particular era would be impossible.

What’s your “next chapter” look like?

OL: I’m starting a new phase of my career. My area of interest has expanded. I started out as a gross anatomist, but became increasingly interested in developmental biology. Now I’ve gotten interested in neural biology because of its role in pair bonding and mate selection in human evolution.