Every year, fall semester at Kent State Geauga starts just days before the Great Geauga County Fair gets underway. The sweltering week in mid-August is a flurry of activity for students, faculty, staff, and administrators who bring their best efforts to both. They are dually committed to world-class higher education and the rich agricultural heritage of this region.
The Great Geauga County Fair in Burton is Ohio's oldest continuous county fair and one of the oldest existing agricultural fairs in the nation. All area residents are invited to prepare exhibit projects to compete for prizes at the fair. Most of the individuals featured below accepted that invitation and went on to win several categories of competition.
Now that autumn is upon us, we find ourselves looking back to the golden days of summer. Let’s celebrate the involvement and achievements of our campus community at the Great Geauga County Fair.
KNOW & GROW
On a broader scale, Kent State Geauga partners with the Ohio Farm Bureau to manage Know and Grow Day annually at the fair. This outreach program for sixth-graders at West Geauga, Kenston, and St. Anselm schools takes them on a field trip to the fair to learn about agriculture, wildlife, Geauga history, and bats. Students also tour the livestock barns.
Four staff volunteers from Kent State Geauga helped facilitate the educational tour at the 2024 fair. They included Career Advisor Stacey Tiburski and Associate Director of External Relations Rebecca Gierman, who informed students about Careers in Agriculture. Outreach and Community Relations Manager Valerie Gonzalez and Special Assistant to the Dean Miranda Skitzki were group leaders who led students from station to station. More than 350 sixth graders participated, separated into six groups.
Tiburski and Gierman led the interactive station on careers in agriculture, where they encouraged students to consider agricultural jobs beyond a farmer’s role. Considering that one in three jobs worldwide is in agriculture, students were reminded that college degrees in science, math, technology, engineering, business, and education can be applied to agricultural careers.
“Regardless of major, students can begin their college journey to prepare for a career in agriculture at Kent State Geauga,” Gierman says.
Associate degrees offered for potential ag careers are in Applied Business, Business Management Technology, and Information Technology. An Associates of Arts degree in Science and Individualized Programs offer flexible coursework for specialized studies that can be applied to a Bachelor’s Degree for ag careers in Business Administration, Business Management, Information Technology, Integrative Studies, and Technical and Applied Studies.
A certificate in Business Management Technology is also offered. Relevant minors include Business, Management for Non-Business Majors, Marketing, Professional and Technical Writing, and Software Development. Click HERE for more information on majors and degrees at Kent State Geauga.
FAIR WINNERS
Below, we feature four Kent State Geauga fair winners who competed among more than 15,000 exhibits: one administrator (Dean Angela Spalsbury), two staff members (Dean's Assistant Miranda Skitzki and Business Officer Rae Ann Byers), and one student (Lila Urban).
Angela Spalsbury, Dean of Campus
MY PROJECT:
I submitted a quilt under the "sewing category" and was thrilled to receive a first-place blue ribbon in quilting. I honestly have no idea how long it took to make my quilt, as I usually work on multiple projects at the same time. I like to joke that if I actually kept track of the hours, I’d probably never start one! While I don’t participate in shows with the goal of being judged, it’s always an honor to be recognized. My true motivation for entering is the joy of seeing the work of others and being part of a community that shares my passion for quilting!
MY HOBBY:
I’ve been quilting for about 15 years and absolutely love it. I make it a point to quilt or sew every day, even if it's just for 15 minutes. While I enjoy all of the “domestic arts,” quilting has remained my favorite because it continually challenges me, and I find myself improving with each project. The geometric aspect of quilting speaks to my mathematical side, and I often revise patterns to make them more efficient and technically sound. This is the third year I’ve entered a quilt in the fair. Last year, I not only earned a blue ribbon but also received "Best of Show," which made me especially proud.
THE FAIR:
I first became involved with the Great Geauga County Fair in 2018 when I became Dean at Kent State Geauga, where we staff a booth every year. I’ve also had the privilege of serving as a judge in various categories (though not in the Domestic Arts Buildings).
This year was especially exciting because my son participated in 4-H, raising market ducks for the fair. 4-H is such a wonderful program for children—it teaches them responsibility, leadership, and the value of hard work while allowing them to learn through hands-on experiences. My son gained so much from raising the ducks, from daily care to understanding the business aspects of selling livestock at the fair. It was a meaningful and rewarding experience for him, and he’s already making big plans to raise more animals next year!
THE KENT STATE GEAUGA CONNECTION:
The Geauga Campus of Kent State University enriches the local community by offering educational programs, cultural events, and workforce development, providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. In turn, the fairgrounds celebrate the region’s agricultural roots and offer a platform for community members of all ages to showcase their skills, whether in farming, crafting, or animal husbandry. Together, these institutions create a well-rounded environment that blends academic excellence with deep community involvement. Both contribute to the rich cultural and economic vitality of Geauga County.
Miranda Skitzki, Dean’s Special Assistant
MY PROJECT:
I entered a teal beaded fold-over clutch in the Domestic Arts Sewing category, a purple leather belt bag in the Fine Arts Adult Crafts category, and a painted felt and bead necklace in the Fine Arts Jewelry category. The teal clutch had about five in the category and I won second place. The leather bag had about 10 in the category and I got second place. The necklace had about five in the category and I won third place. I am very happy that all three items won a ribbon, as they all took a lot of work to complete.
MY HOBBY:
I have always been a creative person and I love crafting with my hands. I earned my BFA in Fashion Design from Kent State in 2018. I enjoy painting and sculpting, textiles, needle arts, and sewing. My mom taught me to sew when I was 5 years old and took many trips to the craft store for my creative endeavors. I find joy in creating beautiful things.
THE FAIR:
My fair involvement started when I was in the Huntsburg Jr. Grange as a child. I also entered in the youth Fine Arts and Domestic Arts categories. It continued when I joined Sew Sew Sweet in high school, one of the Geauga County sewing 4-H clubs.
I’m now an advisor for Giggles ‘n Stitches, another of the sewing 4-H clubs, and I have been for the past five years. Our club has a booth in the Jr. Fair building to display all of the members’ sewing projects each year. The members also participate in the Jr. Fair Style Show that takes place on Monday of the fair. I love working with our members throughout the year. It is so inspiring to see what they create and watch them develop the same love I have for sewing and textile arts.
THE KENT STATE GEAUGA CONNECTION:
The fair is something that we plan for, starting at the beginning of summer. It is built into our August schedules and plans for the start of the semester. Being so close to the fairgrounds, we get to see everything happen. The fair serves as a great transition from the end of the summer to the beginning of the fall semester.
Rae Ann Byers, Business Officer
MY PROJECT:
I entered the honey category and won second place in 2023. When I entered the fair in 2023, it was the first time I entered the category by myself. This was previously a family project. My parents have both passed away. I kept my father’s love for bees alive by continuing with this hobby, which I enjoy. The 2023 ribbon wasn’t the top honor I earned with my bees but it is special because I did it myself.
MY HOBBY:
I have been doing bees for 50 years. I started beekeeping in 4-H. My mom had heard that the local honey would help with our allergies. So, my family purchased a hive, and it became something my family did together.
Since I started in beekeeping, I have always had a teaspoon of honey in my morning tea. Learning about the bees is quite fascinating and my love for this hobby has grown. I started just liking the honey, but today I treat the bees as my pets just like my dog and other animals.
THE FAIR:
The fair has special meaning to me. I was hooked after the first one. In 4-H, I went on to enter other clubs like sewing. I had rabbits for a while. It helped me to develop other interests like gardening. I did not enter those items, but my sister used the fruits of my labor to enter categories of canning. As an adult, I have only entered in the honey.
I worked at the fair when I attended college. At that time, it almost covered the cost of my books for the semester. I plan on attending the fair every year. There is always something new at the fair and my favorite part is still the Band-o-Rama.
THE KENT STATE GEAUGA CONNECTION:
When I started going to the fair, Kent State University-Geauga wasn’t even there. The campus sprang up and I remember times when it was very active at the fair. I am proud that Dean Spalsbury supports our involvement in the fair.
Lila Urban, Nursing Student
MY BACKGROUND:
My hometown is Burton, and I have just recently moved to Chardon. My major at Kent State Geauga is Nursing;I am currently working on getting accepted into the BSN program, which I expect to complete in 2027.
MY PROJECTS:
I entered a market hog (Teddy) and a market heifer (Georgie) at this year's fair. I got Georgie in October of 2023, and her finishing weight was 1347 pounds. I got Teddy in April of 2024, and her finishing weight was 258 pounds.
I showed Georgie in six classes which included Market (6th), Novice Showmanship (1st), Hereford (3rd), Open (-), Clover Buds (-), and Open Hereford (1st). Teddy was entered in three classes: Market (7th), Novice Showmanship (2nd), and Clover Buds (-).
I took the opportunity to enter Open Classes and Clover Buds so that my cousins could practice showing my animals since they are too young to have their own right now. The Clover Bud classes allowed the kids to receive participation trophies without placements for showing so they can all feel included and proud for taking on such large animals. These classes made me feel really accomplished in my animals because they are a lot bigger than the kids and they performed with them just as well as they did with me.
The Novice Showmanship class consists of people who are entering 4-H above the age of 9 and showing for the first time. It's basically a beginner class for older kids. I won my Novice Showmanship class with Georgie, and I am so proud of this because it was my first and last year participating in 4-H because of the age cut-off at 18, so I believe that winning proved that I put in the needed work to show that I was serious about participating and completing this journey. I didn’t win any classes with Teddy, but I did receive 2nd place with her in the Novice Showmanship class, which I am proud of considering how short of a time I had with her compared to Georgie.
MY HOBBY:
My interest in 4-H began almost five years ago when I met my boyfriend because he had been a member of 4-H since he was about 5 years old, and I had never really known about it before I met him. I always enjoyed going to his house because he had steers year-round and pigs in the spring, which was new and interesting for me. I also helped feed and walk the animals whenever I could because I found it fun to be around them.
I had never had the resources to house or take care of my own animals until last fall and I jumped on the opportunity when it was available. I am very thankful for all of the people around me who have helped me accomplish this achievement. I was extremely grateful to receive the 2024 Chuck Mausling Memorial Award trophy, which was awarded to me for being an outstanding member in my 4-H club. I loved doing this because it gave me the opportunity to learn a lot of new things.
THE FAIR:
At the Geauga County Fair in previous years, I would walk around all day with friends and ride the rides. Having my own animals was definitely a new experience becauseI never realized how much work they were until I had the responsibility to take care of them every day.
I enjoyed this experience because I got to feel a new sense of community with the other members of the Breeders and Feeders 4-H club. This club has helped me better myself, not only in animal care but in my academics as well, by teaching me about responsibility, community, and time management.
THE KENT STATE GEAUGA CONNECTION:
I had my heifer all throughout last school year and never ran into any problems with my classes because my schedule was only a few days a week. I still had plenty of time to fit in room for my animals. This year, I only had one class that interfered with show times, and I was able to get permission to miss class for the show. I really appreciated my professor’s understanding of the situation. She was able to relate to the schedule crunch because she had also participated in 4-H when she was younger.
Even though fair days are behind us until next year, it’s not too early to start preparing for the 2025 Great Geauga County Fair. Let these Kent State Geauga folks inspire you to get involved in this enduring community tradition.