Note: This is part two of a four-day series highlighting the pillars within the Division of Student Affairs and how they benefit the students at . Today we are focusing on the Student Engagement and Services pillar, which includes Residence Services, University Dining Services, Kent Student Center and Involvement, University Bookstores, and Flashcard.
As students settle into their college journey at , many variables play a role in ensuring a smooth process each day.
The Student Engagement and Services pillar within the Division of Student Affairs aims to make that process much more manageable.
One of the more critical parts is that of Dining Services, and the program is currently in the midst of a significant transformation.
“While all areas [in this pillar] are important, this is getting the most attention this spring and summer as we go live July 1 and are positioning ourselves for a smooth start for the fall semester,” said Assistant Vice President for Student Services, Gary Goldberg. “A well-orchestrated, self-operated dining program provides for innovation, authenticity, student involvement, and student development.”
Goldberg also pointed out that each entity within the pillar is of utmost importance and is up to the task of supporting it.
“Essential to our success from the outset are the committees we have put together that include students at all levels of planning including search teams for key leadership roles,” he said.
While student satisfaction remains the number one goal, the potential exists for a relationship between local businesses.
“This is something we hope to grow from the standpoint of providing campus opportunities for food trucks or ‘pop-up’ concepts in the student center [and] we do this in the spirit of
Another important aspect within Student Engagement and Services that play a crucial role in day-to-day life is Residence Services.
As the decades have gone on, residence halls on college campuses, and more specifically Kent State, have become more than just a place to live. If a student opts to live on-campus, close to 90% of a student's time is spent outside of the classroom, and much of it is spent in the residence halls. The environment lends itself to programs offered and designed with the student in mind to aid in the maturation of independence, clarifying their values, contributing to the community, experiencing multiculturalism, challenging their ideas, and navigating conflict in healthy ways.
The number one mission of Residence Services is to create a safe and inclusive community that fosters success for each student. Goldberg said having Residence Services and housing within the Student Engagement Services pillar gives students a lot to look forward to during their college experience at Kent State.
The Kent Student Center is another department within this pillar. It often resembles Grand Central Station when school is in session and is considered the main hub at the University. It lends itself to plenty of space for activities and events, along with being home to the campus bookstore. A lower-level lounge provides study space, and even billiards tables or board games as entertainment options. Other features include a second-floor computer lab, a PNC Bank, and United States Postal Service, along with a food court with plenty of selection.
“We can take advantage of living, learning, and dining synergy in the student experience,” he said. “This also manifests itself at the Kent Student Center, the intended Hub of the community, involvement and sustenance/services.”
Another part of the college experience is participating in the many clubs and organizations. The Center for Student Involvement supports nearly 400 student organizations, plus it hosts countless numbers of programs, activities, and on-campus events. Its mantra is to foster student engagement through various involvement opportunities while providing fun and diverse programming, and dedication to leadership development through student organizations, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and Undergraduate Student Government.
As an added bonus, students can also earn Flashperks by attending events on-campus, and just by showing FLASHcard, can earn points towards different reward options.
For more on Student Engagement and Services Pillar, please visit /studentaffairs/student-engagement-services
For information on the Center for Student Involvement, please visit /csi
For more on ’s Dining Services, please visit /dining
For information on the FLASHcard, please visit /flashcard
For information on the Kent Student Center, please visit /kentstudentcenter
For information about Residence Services, please visit /housing
For information on University Bookstores, please visit