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Meet The Man Who Leads Kent State

Kent Patch profiles Kent State President Lester Lefton

Editor's Note: The following story was a profile written by Kent Patch Editor Matt Fredmonsky on Kent State University President Lester Lefton. Lefton also oversees . This is only a portion of the full story, .

Dr. Lester Lefton is running late.

For this journalist, it's the first time in five years of covering Kent that the usually punctual 11th president of Kent State University has been late for an interview.

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It turns out he had a good excuse. At the time of our interview, in early September, Lefton was awaiting word on the birth of his fourth grandchild — a boy — to one of his two daughters living in California.

"When I came to Kent State a little over five years ago, I had no grandchildren," Lefton said.

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The overdue baby boy (since born happy and healthy) at the time was of such concern to the expectant grandfather that when someone's phone buzzed in the room he immediately reached for his pocket.

Lefton's wife, Linda, made the trip to California for the birth of their grandchild last month. Her three and-a-half week stay — they were expecting the boy to follow suit with his two siblings and be born early — marked the longest period of separation for the couple.

"We've never been apart for two days." He paused. "Well, that's not true. Maybe five days. I've gotten a lot of work done."

Those are the types of personal stories Lefton's executive assistant, Debra Drake, wishes people heard more often.

"That’s the thing I wish people did understand more about him," Drake said. "They see Lester Lefton the president, but he’s a father and a husband and a brother and grandfather, and he’s a friend, too."

. It's definitely worth a read.


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