Getting Connected to Kent State University

Getting Connected to Kent State University

Membership in the Parents & Families Association is an excellent way for parents and families to get connected to the university, learn about many of the resources that are available to their student and to them, and keep apprised of important dates and upcoming events.

To join and/or to find out more information about this resource, please see the Parents & Families Association website at:

Parents & Families Association

Helpful Tips When Your Student Experiences Difficulty

Thank you for entrusting your student to Kent State University as they pursue their educational ambitions with us! We are truly humbled by your trust, and we value your partnership in working to ensure that your student is as successful as they can be here.  

We understand that being the parent or family member of a college student isn’t always easy. While we encourage parents’ and families’ support of their students, we also strongly advocate for the independence of those students as maturing adults.

If/when your student encounters a difficult situation, a conflict, a disappointing grade, a sense of frustration with a process or a person, your best course of action is to encourage them to first handle it on their own.  We realize it may be challenging to watch them struggle with these frustrating or disappointing situations, but we can’t stress enough how critical it is that the student attempts resolution, at least initially, on their own.        

In your role as a parent or family member, we encourage you to support your student by brainstorming with them how best to resolve the issue, who they may need to contact, and how to approach the person or situation they are confronting. Students’ ownership of the issue and figuring out how best to manage it, however, is part of their college experience and maturational development. If you, as a parent or family member, would like to consult with someone at the university as to how you can best be supportive of your student when a conflict arises, you are welcome to contact the Student Ombuds for suggestions.