A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Student Green at Kent State University was held Oct. 18. The event celebrated Kent State’s commitment to provide outdoor programming space to student organizations on campus. The event, which was free and open to the public, took place at the new space in the Kent Student Center area, located at the heart of the campus.
Kent State President Lester A. Lefton delivered remarks at the event, in addition to comments from three student representatives: Undergraduate Student Government Director of Programming Elizabeth Holton; Kent Interhall Council President Andy Sokolich; and Undergraduate Student Government Executive Director Evan Gildenblatt. In addition, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Greg Jarvie invited participants to share in the ribbon-cutting event. The program also included musical entertainment and refreshments.
The Student Green project with the expanded lawn area creates an attractive, student-centered space at a major “front door” to campus. The new Student Green extends from the recently renovated Risman Plaza to the lawn area south, creating a contiguous green space from the current student center plaza to Summit Street. It includes a performance stage that is intended to support student use. The stage projects back into the main campus with the new Student Green area and student center plaza serving as a backdrop.
Students, faculty, staff and community members were invited to attend this ceremony to see the continual growth and progress of making Kent State’s campus an institution of the 21st century.