Kent State University's dedication to ensuring access for all students and families took center stage in an unexpected way during a June Destination Kent State (DKS) session.
Julia Keahey, video and digital marketing coordinator for University Housing and Culinary Services, recounted the moment as she shared a touching story on LinkedIn about "an interaction with a parent that will forever stay with me."
Her post tells it best.
"Last week, I pressed play on our primary video, and a parent in the second row immediately walked over to where I was standing on the side of the stage," Keahey wrote. "She asked if I could turn the closed captions on and explained that she has an auditory processing issue.
"I looked at the screen and asked her if the 'open' captions were okay for her. She looked at the screen, shocked. She apologized and said none of the prior videos had captioning, so when she heard us announce the video, she just automatically stood from her seat to ask.
"I told her, 'No worries, open captioning is our default.'
"She gave me a fist bump and said, "I appreciate you." I smiled and said, "I got you," and she placed her hands over her heart and walked back to her seat next to her two daughters. ❤️"
This interaction underscores the importance of accessible content in fostering inclusive experiences. For this parent, the captions meant full participation in her daughter's significant life event – a sentiment that resonates with Kent State's values.
"We had an incredibly tight turnaround to finish our Destination Kent State (Kent's new student orientation) videos—going from conception to completion in about 10 days," Keahey wrote on LinkedIn. "We could have done it even faster if it weren't for our open captions.
"Captions have always been a must for us to increase the accessibility of our content, but this past year we made the switch from closed to open captions because we wanted more control over the visual aspects and were dealing with different platforms' various ways of editing the closed captions.
"Once we made that change, we found that open captions on videos led to longer watch times and higher engagement rates. The results were clear: open captions were here to stay."
The decision to use open captions also serves practical purposes. In case of audio issues during presentations, the videos retain their informational value. Moreover, the captions help maintain engagement and improve information retention for all viewers, especially crucial for content about campus living and dining.
The extra hours and attention to detail clearly paid off for the DKS audience, and Keahey was quick to share credit.
"While I produced the video and help direct, our student videographer, Agnel Alvin Gahamanyi, shoots and edits the video, ensuring all captions were correct," Keahey said. “Now, as an international student and having worked in the UHCS Marketing office for three years, he brings a unique perspective and experience to all of the projects he works on.” (View the video below.)
As Kent State continues to prioritize accessibility and engagement, stories like these remind us of the profound impact seemingly small changes can have on the university experience for students and their families.
Kent State University remains committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all members of our community can thrive and fully participate in campus life – a commitment Keahey said was perfectly timed to support incoming students, parents and families.
"This is a parent who wants to be active in this huge milestone in her daughter's life, like every other parent we see almost daily in the ballroom," Keahey wrote. "With a simple addition of captioning, she isn't as limited in enjoying that experience. This experience reinforces why accessibility and engagement are at the heart of what we do."