Transfer students find their home at Kent State, feel supported and graduate as Golden Flashes with the help of Barb Miller-Harris who has been awarded the Tom Vandermeulen Award. Her contributions have enhanced relationships among people of diverse cultures, ethnic groups, first-generation students and students with special needs.

Kent State Exploratory students experience award-winning advising with the Major Action Plan (MAP): Start to Finish Program. This program, which recently received the NASPA Region IV-East Innovative Program Award, uses innovative advising strategies to assist students in declaring their major.

Students have endless volunteer opportunities with University College's Campus Kitchen. The Campus Kitchen, in collaboration with the Office of Sustainability, won the 2021 Campus Race to Zero Waste case study competition in the “Summary of Waste Reduction Efforts” category.

Students at Kent State are provided amazing Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leaders in various courses. Our SI Leaders Mark Abunda, Torrance Gaskins, and Ben Rininger from the Academic Success Center recently led a Fresh Perspectives Webinar Series Session entitled "Using SI Techniques to Develop Fellow SI Leaders", hosted by the International Center for Supplemental Instruction. At the session, facilitated collaborative discussion and activities across institutions to develop SI Leaders' and SI Mentors' skills.

Exploratory students receive unparalleled support through the Flash Connections program. Flash Connections are enhanced sections of the Exploratory First Year Experience course that include an exclusive out-of-class and overnight experience either before the start of the semester or during the semester. Students are supported by a collaboration of the college and campus partners including Community Engagement Learning, Career Exploration and Development, Student Success Programs, University College Dean’s Office, the Department of Recreation Services and more!

Exploratory Program students are given amazing opportunities via the Flash Connections Program which has been recognized as a NASPA Excellence Award - Gold recipient. Students participating in Flash Connections have the opportunity to create a sense of belonging and purposeful learning around career exploration, community engagement, and personal development.

Kent State Flash Connections program is recognized for the support students receive in innovative learning through the assessment, enhancement of student life on campus through collaboration, adaptability at other institutions, and more! It is the cross-campus collaboration that has been instrumental to the success of the Flash Connections program. The Innovative Program Award is presented to an outstanding innovative program within the Region IV-East.

Congratulations to Julie Paskiet as she receives The Marshall Award from the American Association for Employment in Education. AAEE provides resources and networking opportunities for students, employers, and career services professionals in the field of education. 

Melanie Jones attended and presented at the NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education (SSHE), which convened June 26-29 in Baltimore, MD. Attendance at the conference was part of the First-Gen Forward designation program, which Kent State earned in 2020.

Congratulations to Melanie Jones, Director of Academic Diversity Outreach. She was recently accepted into the NASPA Ujima Institute. Melanie had to complete a competitive application process for this Institute. Congratulations, Melanie!