Choosing a career path at age 18 can be overwhelming for some students. As a part of Kent State's University College’s Exploratory Program, Flash Connections are enhanced sections of the required First Year Experience course created especially for Exploratory students. The Flash Connections program is designed to help students considering multiple majors find a community while discovering their major. This program’s exemplary work with undecided students was recently recognized, receiving awards from the Global Community for Academic Advising.

When Megan Burnett enrolled at Kent State University in 2019, she knew she wanted to major in a field which would give her the opportunity to help people. The university’s Exploratory Program in University College has given her a blueprint to help her reach her dreams. Now Burnett will be entering her junior year as a Human Development and Family Studies major. She will be joining other students, staff and faculty for a robust fall 2021 semester fully back on campus following a year of mostly-remote learning during the pandemic.

Kent State University’s Exploratory Program in University College has been awarded two prestigious national awards for its work with exploratory students.
NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) has selected Kent State’s Exploration Plan – Major Action Plan program as the 2021 NASPA Excellence Bronze Award winner for the Academic Advising, Careers, Graduate Professional Category.

Recently, Kent State University has received two honors recognizing the university’s commitment to student success. Both awards involve the University College and its Exploration Plan Program, which helps exploratory students shift to a degree-granting program and encourages student success.

Kent State University is the recipient of the 2015 Institutional Excellence for Students in Transition Award by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. The center is committed to setting the standard for excellence in supporting students at critical junctures in the educational pipeline, and it seeks to promote intentional and integrative connections within and across institutions and educational sectors to enhance the student transition experience.