������

With the general election right around the corner, members of Kent State’s United Greek Council (UGC) held a voters registration event on the "K" at Risman Plaza on Tuesday to provide voter education and registration information to the campus community in preparation for the Nov. 5 election.

The event gave Aiyanna Johnson, a first-year student from Columbus, the opportunity to check her voter registration.

“I came over to make sure I was able to vote,” Johnson told Kent State Today. “It will be good to vote, especially now. It is such a coincidence that now that I am 18, I can vote when all these important issues exist. I can use my voice to vote.”

The United Greek Council leads six National Pan-Hellenic Council chapters and two chapters from the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organization. The council is responsible for enriching the members’ experiences by leading with respect and promoting the values and traditions of the chapters. In January 2024, the United Greek Council officially unveiled its new name and logo. Previously the council was called the Integrated Greek Council, but with new members, new faculty and big ideas the name was changed after several months of deliberation. 

Members of the UGC who belong to Black faternities and sororities also known as the ‘Divine 9,’ presented a non-partisan opportunity to provide education, the opportunity to register to vote and to doubl-check existing registrations. 

“We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone and having a great turnout,” said Dylan Henson, UGC  president and a member of   “The UGC decided to organize this event because we feel it’s incredibly important to encourage as many people as possible to get out and vote. Beyond that, we want to make sure people are well informed about the Ohio ballot and the significant impact this election could have.”

Members of the , a graduate chapter based in Cleveland, came to Kent State to collaborate with UGC, bringing with them voter registration forms and information about the registration process.

UGC invited all Black sorority and fraternity members who serve on Kent State's faculty and staff to come to the registration event at 3 p.m. for a group picture. Eboni Pringle, Ph.D., interim senior vice president of Student Life, Versie Johnson-Mallard, dean in the College of Nursing; and Lashonda Taylor, Ed.D., associate chief of staff for the President's office, were among the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., who participated in the group picture. Michael Daniels, Ph.D., assistant professor and former director of the Student Multicultural Center and a member of , also participated in the photo.

Henson said there is a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation during this election season.

There's a lot riding on this election, and it's clear that students on both sides of the political spectrum are feeling that,”  Henson said. “You can sense the tension, but also a strong drive for civic engagement. This makes our role in providing information and encouraging participation all the more critical. We hope this event will help alleviate some of that uncertainty by giving people the tools they need to make informed decisions when they head to the polls." 

Click here to learn more about voter registration