Students prepare for life at Kent State University

Kent State University welcomed approximately 4,040 incoming freshmen this summer through the Destination Kent State program. Students and parents could participate in the overnight or one-day programs to register for classes, meet fellow students and learn more about the overall Kent State experience.

The overnight program, which served 3,700 incoming freshmen throughout June and July, is a one and a half day program for students and families that includes an overnight experience in a residence hall. Parents and students spend time exploring important college topics such as financial aid and college life, as well as meet one-on-one with an advisor to create an academic plan for the students' time at Kent State.

Associate Director of Student Success Randi Schneider says the goal of the overnight program was two-fold. "We want students to make connections with each other and with the university," she says. "And we want parents to understand how to navigate the university so that they can rest assured knowing that their student is our priority."

Schneider says the feedback from both parents and students for the program has been outstanding. So far, 97 percent of students say that their expectations for advising were either met or exceeded at Destination Kent State. Additionally, the ratings for individual Destination Kent State sessions were high.

The Destination Kent State program wrapped up with Welcome Weekend Aug. 26-29. The three-day program began with residence hall move-in and ended with the traditional "Blast-Off" celebration. In between, students had time to attend a wide range of social activities, as well as explore the campus through college-specific programming to help transition into college life.

To help freshmen throughout their first semester as a college student, each will be part of a First-Year Experience class. "The course provides a foundational experience," Schneider says. "It connects students with their college, faculty, upper-division students and fellow classmates."

Schneider says the success of the Destination Kent State program is partly due to the involvement of faculty and staff all across the university. "I'm proud of how our university pulls together to create the Destination Kent State experience," Schneider concludes.

By Katie Young