Fellows Institute

Student Life Fellows Program 2026-2027

Kasandra Christner
Senior Secretary
Office of Student Conduct

Kasandra (she/her) is the Senior Secretary at the Office of Student Conduct. She started her journey at Kent State in July of 2024 as an Administrative Clerk at Counseling and Psychological Services. In May of 2024, she earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Cleveland State University. She is also a proud alum of Heidelberg University, earning her BA in English in 2019.

Prior to her career at Kent State, she worked as a writing tutor, a copyeditor, and within her local public library to connect her community members with free access to information. Additionally, since 2022, she has served as the Department of Ohio President of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Auxiliary, a service organization dedicated to supporting veterans and their families. Outside of her career, Kasandra enjoys reading and writing poetry, playing video games, solving jigsaw puzzles, and scrapbooking.

Ben Collopy serves as a Residence Hall Director within the Department of University Housing at Kent State University, where he oversees Centennial Court E & F and supports the holistic development of residential students. A proud Golden Flash, Ben earned his Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies from Kent State University and more recently completed his Master of Education in Higher Education & Student Affairs at Ohio University. Ben's passion for higher education was first developed through his involvement in Fraternity & Sorority Life as an undergraduate, where he found a deep appreciation for student leadership, belonging, and personal development. His professional experiences in higher education include serving as the Coordinator for Fraternity & Sorority Life at The University of Akron, where he advised student leaders and promoted meaningful student engagement. He also remains actively involved as a Chapter Advisor for his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, mentoring undergraduate members and supporting organizational success. Throughout his career, Ben has been committed to empowering students through intentional mentorship, leadership development, and authentic relationship-building. He believes in a transparent and values-driven approach to leadership that fosters trust, growth, and community. As a member of the 7th Cohort of the Student Life Fellows Institute, Ben is eager to expand his leadership capacity, deepen his understanding of student affairs practice, and collaborate with colleagues across the Division of Student Life to advance student success and institutional excellence.

Caleb Crum currently works at Rosie’s Diner as a Manager. One of his greatest strengths is his ability to build meaningful connections with student workers, helping them feel safe, supported, and heard when they bring forward concerns related to work and, at times, personal matters. He oversees more than 100 student employees and strives to cultivate a workplace environment grounded in open communication, transparency, respect, understanding, and empathy. Throughout his time in this role, Caleb has been committed to expanding his student workers’ skill sets by helping them develop leadership abilities, interpersonal and communication skills, self-confidence, and effective training and coaching techniques. He is always willing to listen and provide support to those in need, and he remains dedicated to helping others grow and succeed both now and in the future.

Stephanie serves as the Special Assistant for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where she supports the daily operations of the department, supervises the front desk, and contributes as a member of the CAPS Leadership Team. Since joining CAPS on Halloween 2016, she has been passionate about helping students connect with the resources and support they need to thrive. She is also an active member of both the CAPS and DSL Engagement Committees. Outside of work, Stephanie is a wife, mother, stepmother, and grandmother who enjoys glamping, relaxing around the campground firepit, and spending time with her family.

Ren Hackley (they/she) is soon to celebrate their one-year anniversary with Kent State, and they are absolutely loving being a Golden Flash! Ren attended The Ohio State University from 2020-2024 where she got undergraduate degrees in both Social Work and Psychology and worked as an Intern with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Prevention Team at Ohio State's Student Wellness Center. This began Ren's love and experience with higher education programming. After graduating from OSU, Ren returned to the Northeast Ohio area where she officially earned her license to practice social work (LSW) and began to pursue her Master of Social Work degree at The University of Akron. While at The University of Akron, Ren had a graduate assistantship with ZipAssist as their Mental Health Intern, worked as a Graduate Assistant for the College of Social Work, and worked to establish the Ohio Program for Campus Safety and Mental Health at NeoMed as their Collegiate Mental Health Intern. After graduating from their MSW program in 2025, Ren then worked as a therapist for a few months in the Canton area, before realizing she missed higher education greatly, and returning to the field in November 2025. Ren is very excited to continue their professional development journey both by joining the Student Life Fellows and by enrolling in the Master of Education for Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration here at Kent State! Ren is most excited to see the joy, community, and excitement the upcoming academic year brings!

Alex Harper, M.Ed. (he/they) serves as the Coordinator of Student Governance where his responsibilities include, co-advising the Undergraduate Student Government, serving as the primary advisor to USG Allocations processes, overseeing USG's finance operations in collaboration of CSI's finance team, and supporting Center for Student Involvement during large-scale events. Alex is also a recent alumnus of Kent State, earning his Master of Education in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs, and an alumnus of KSU's sister school, Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Psychology and Bachelor of German.

Jessica is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who has spent the past seven years supporting students in higher education. She earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and communication, as well as a Master of Arts in Education, from The University of Akron. Jessica joined CAPS in 2023, where she provides mental health support to students and is passionate about advocating for and empowering those in her care.

In addition to her work in higher education, Jessica has experience in community mental health and private practice, where she has worked with individuals, groups, and families.

Outside of work, Jessica enjoys embarking on new home projects, planning her next camping adventure with her husband and son, thrifting, reading, writing, and crafting.

Carl Mackey
Residence Hall Director
University Housing

Educator, artist, and activist, Carl has worked with students at all educational levels and focuses his energies on restorative justice issues such as access and closing achievement gaps, highlighting issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity in educational spaces.

As an activist and champion of LGBTQA issues, he has been involved in queer youth development, HIV prevention education, and mental health issues for Queer people of color both in and out of educational contexts for over two decades.  As a certified peer counselor, he facilitated the men’s groups Harambe Jahard and Imani Umoja for the Illinois Cook County Health Department. He served as the president of OutEd, an organization for Queer graduate students in Education at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Carl earned a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Computer Science and Sociology from Northeastern Illinois University and a Master of Science in Education focusing on Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania.

Carl has worked in the Higher Education field, in both academic and student affairs, as an academic advisor, resident director, instructor, and administrator. During this time, he has worked diligently to inform, support, challenge, and motivate students. In each role, his goal is to help students be the best they can be at this point in their lives.

Rosey Romick serves as a Residence Hall Director at Kent State University, overseeing two residence halls. Currently in the sixth year within Residence Education and Housing, Rosey has developed expertise in conflict management, crisis response, operations, and student education. Passionate about supporting student growth and development, Rosey is dedicated to helping students build skills and create meaningful experiences that will serve them well beyond their university years. Rosey holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Higher Education Administration.

Tessie Shipley serves as the Assistant Director of the Kent Student Center, where she primarily oversees University Events. Her work focuses on event coordination, student engagement, operational strategy, and building collaborative partnerships across campus to create meaningful experiences for students and guests. She is particularly passionate about leadership development, training, and creating systems that empower both students and staff to succeed.

Outside of her professional role, Tessie enjoys architecture, journaling, reading classic literature, attending music events and concerts, and exploring various creative and artistic pursuits. She recently purchased her first home in Aurora, where she has been dedicating time to gardening and home improvement projects. Tessie has a strong interest in the connection between leadership, personal growth, and creating intentional experiences for others. This passion is what inspired her to participate in the Student Life Fellows Institute.

Kerry is a Textbook Supervisor for the University Bookstore. She has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and two master’s degrees and is working on a third in Library and Information Science through Kent State. Kerry has a diverse professional background working with all ages, from childcare to working another university’s bookstore before Kent State.

Kerry values continuous professional and personal development to better understand both herself and her colleagues. She feels lucky to work with a close-knit group that supports and listens to each other.

While Kerry has an eclectic set of interests, and a lifelong learner, her ideal is spending a day in bed with her dogs; Smokey, Bear and Zeus and takes every chance she gets to do this. 

Veronica Tomasko
Title IX Administrative Coordinator
Office of Gender Equity and Title IX

Veronica serves as the Title IX Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX at Kent State University. The Office of Gender Equity & Title IX is dedicated to fostering student, faculty, and staff success by cultivating a safe, inclusive, and holistic environment that ensures equal access to educational programs and activities free from unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex. Additionally, in this role, Veronica administers the accommodation process for students, faculty, and staff who are pregnant or experiencing related conditions, ensuring they receive reasonable accommodations that support equal access to educational and employment opportunities.

Veronica serves as the Title IX Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Gender Equity & Title IX at Kent State University. The Office of Gender Equity & Title IX is dedicated to fostering student, faculty, and staff success by cultivating a safe, inclusive, and holistic environment that ensures equal access to educational programs and activities free from unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex. In this role, Veronica administers the accommodation process for students, faculty, and staff who are pregnant or experiencing related conditions, ensuring they receive reasonable accommodations that support equal access to educational and employment opportunities.

Kerry serves as the Senior Business Manager for the Kent Student Center & Involvement and University Events and Conference Services. In her role, she oversees the business, financial, and budgetary aspects of the department and its many constituents (student organizations, internal and external vendors and customers) . She also serves as the financial advisor for Graduate Student Senate. 

As a First Gen, Kerry graduated from Kent State University in 1996 and is literally a Forever Flash. She is pursuing her 30th year as a proud full-time staff member at Kent State University. Prior to her full-time status, she was a student employee at the Bursar’s Office where she was hired as a full-time Student Loan Specialist in April 1998. In August of 2000, she advanced to Accounting Specialist. She joined the Office of the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (now Division of Student Life) in September 2007 as Administrative Assistant and after completion of the Institute for Excellence was elevated to Special Assistant in July 2012. In May 2015, Kerry was promoted to her current role as Senior Business Manager, and in June 2017 joined the Kent Student Center & Involvement team where she continues her career in hopes of many more years to come.

A life-long Portage County resident, Kerry grew up in Shalersville Township, and now resides in Ravenna along with her husband, Shawn, and her high school senior son, Kaleb. She enjoys volunteering, listening to music, singing, and binge-watching old shows. But most of all, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones. 

Kerry serves as the Senior Business Manager for the Kent Student Center & Involvement and University Events and Conference Services. In her role, she oversees the business, financial, and budgetary aspects of the department and its many constituents (student organizations, internal and external vendors and customers) . She also serves as the financial advisor for the Graduate Student Senate.

Myriah is a Residence Hall Director at Kent State University. This is Myriah’s 9^th year in the RHD position at Kent State and her 11^th year working in higher education full time. Myriah has held many positions in her time working in higher education including, Resident Assistant, Graduate Residence Hall Director, RHD, Assistant Director for Curriculum and Training for Residential Education, and Assistant Director for Continuing Education. When Myriah came back to Kent State University in 2022, she enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters program and just graduated this summer with her degree! At work and in general, Myriah is a creative, people-oriented employee. She loves working in high education because she gets to mentor students and change lives!