For many Kent State University students, the beginning of a new academic year means a new address — and, for some, a new level of independence.
But moving into a house or apartment off campus doesn’t mean moving away from Kent State.
On Wednesday, Kent State officials took that message directly to students’ doorsteps, visiting four streets where many students live — East College Avenue, University Drive, Summit Street and East Main Street — to welcome them to the new academic year and remind them that the university’s support and resources remain available wherever they live.
Senior Vice President for Student Life Eboni Pringle joined Associate Dean of Students for Conduct and Community Engagement Todd Kamenash, members of the Kent Police Department, the Kent City Health Department and Kent State Student Legal Services for the neighborhood visits.
“We're taking time today to talk with our students who live off campus and have the opportunity to join a community in the city of Kent,” Pringle said. “We want to be able to remind our students that we are still here as a university to support them, that we still care about them, want to be able to provide them with resources and just put a face with the name for them so that they can be reminded that they're still a member of our Kent State community.”
The visits offered an opportunity for university and community partners to connect with students in a more informal setting — while also helping students understand the resources available to them as they navigate life beyond the residence halls.
“Student Legal Services is a big partner with us,” Pringle said. “They work to serve students, particularly with tenant and landlord questions that our students might have, but also just navigating being in a home because that comes with a lot of things that our students are probably unfamiliar with, things that their family probably managed.”
The Kent City Health Department also participated, connecting students with health resources available in the community.
"We just want to remind them those resources are still available to them,” Pringle said.
Kamenash, who oversees student conduct and works with the university’s surrounding community, participated in the visits, as did Kent State’s new chief of police, Gary D. Stone, a Kent State graduate.
The goal of the home visits wasn't simply to provide students with information. It was to establish relationships and reinforce the idea that students, the university and the city are partners in creating a positive off-campus experience.
“We are here to support them," Pringle said. "We're not here to monitor their behavior or to keep them from being able to enjoy college because that's what we want them to do.”
At the same time, Pringle said, students can enjoy their college experience while making use of the people and resources available to them.
“We just want them to be reminded that we're here to support and whatever kind of support they need, that we're going to be able to work with them and help them to do so.”
For students living off campus, that message is simple: Your Kent State community doesn't end at the edge of campus.
Whether a student has a question about a lease, needs help navigating a challenge, wants to connect with campus or is simply looking for resources in the Kent community, the university remains a partner throughout the college experience.
And sometimes, that partnership starts with simply knocking on the door.
