Kent Alumni and Success After College

By Machingo

This project in the Trumbull Satellite is based on Kent Alumni who have succeeded and have grown on to be famous in their careers post-college experiences. Often as college students, it is easy to panic and worry about our futures, and to worry about failures. I decided to write about people who have succeeded in their fields with great success, both to recognize that succeeding is possible, and to also celebrate their successes. We often forget to take the victories we can in life, and to appreciate great things.

Joe Walsh

Joe Walsh is widely considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He is the lead guitarist in the widely successful band the Eagles and a member of the James Gang, another famous band. Walsh grew up all around the Midwest and east-coast, before settling into college life here at Kent State. He was a student during the Kent State shooting in 1970, and partially would leave due to realizing that his life may be more than college. He would then kickstart his musical career, and would go on to help create some of the most famous pieces of music of all time.

Life’s Been Good

A life in the fast lane is never easy

From Columbus to Chicago to New York and Jersey

My musical talents lead me around

While I hoped to find some solid ground

Led to Kent

It felt heaven sent

But when there was a massacre

Music became a fastener

For my own degree

Was not a priority

I went through many bands

While the strings touched my hands

Fast and fluid I played

But the bands could not have stayed

Until I found my gang

And our fame sprang

Then I started to fly as an Eagle

My skill was considered regal

No longer stuck in a creative cell

And out of a band hotel

I blossomed into a superstar

Life’s been good to me so far.

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton is a critically acclaimed academy award nominated, and golden globe winning actor. He is from Pennsylvania, would attend Kent State, and would grow fond of his time here. He would return to Pittsburgh, and work for the hit children’s show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. He would go onto start his acting career, initially playing many comedic parts, such as Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously, before finding a collaborator, Tim Burton, who would use him for both comedic roles such as the titular Beetlejuice but also giving him his first serious starring role as Batman. Keaton would springboard this role into a long and successful career, finding future roles in critically acclaimed films such as Birdman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Spider-Man Homecoming. Keaton would also return to give the Kent State commencement speech in 2018.

The Birds

Growing up in PA

My life would give me a lot to say

My home in a neighborhood

Where I would witness plenty of good

Comedy paid a price for me

After I did not get my degree

Starting out in comedic pictures

Giving quotable lines to be taken as scripture

Say my name three times

And I would break my confines

My first avian role

A character that was a lost soul

A new career high

With a light in the sky

I quickly outgrew the spot

The character I was not

Playing an actor is one thing

A new light it would bring

A career rejuvenated

A character hallucinated

A new ground is broken

And a commencement to be spoken

Playing a multitude of roles

Accomplishing many goals

I leave you with a few words

I love to play the birds.