On March 22, the day after “Fake Paddy’s Day,” more than 90 Kent State University student volunteers traveled through the neighborhoods of Kent cleaning up litter left behind after the celebration, along with any other trash they found.
Individual students as well as members of student organizations participated in the cleanup. Andrew Miller, a junior from Rochester, New York, studying political science at Kent State, said, “The cleanup was a great way to bring students together and do something positive for the community. I will definitely be participating next year as well.”
‘We Care About the Community We’re a Part of’
The event was organized by Kent State Undergraduate Student Government in collaboration with the Civic and Community Engagement team in the university’s Center for Student Involvement.
Craig Berger, associate director for civic and community engagement in Kent State’s Center for Student Involvement, said “We want students to enjoy Kent while also contributing to our community.” He noted that this cleanup attracted student volunteers, including leaders in student government, student-athletes and fraternity and sorority members united in demonstrating care for the city and making a positive impact in the neighborhoods surrounding campus.
“Fake Paddy’s Day is a well-known tradition among Kent State students, and this cleanup gave us an opportunity to show that we care about the community we’re a part of,” said Briel Sojourner, director of student advancement in Undergraduate Student Government.
‘I’ve Truly Found a Home Here and Feel a Strong Responsibility to Give Back’
This is the third year for the post-Fake Paddy’s Day cleanup and Berger said that the activity continues to grow in both participation and impact. This year’s cleanup collected 105 bags of trash from the neighborhoods around Kent.
In past surveys of university students, a sentiment that respondents have repeated is “Kent State feels like home.” Activities like the cleanup reinforce a shared sense of responsibility among students and strengthen the “town-gown” relationship between the university and the broader Kent community.
Kannon-Simon Payne is a senior fashion design major from Chicago. “Coming from the ‘Windy City’ of Chicago, I grew up understanding the importance of looking for and caring for one’s community,” she said. “I’ve always believed that if you don’t take the time to support and uplift your own community, no one else will. That’s why participating in the cleanup was meaningful to me.”
Payne said, “I’ve truly found a home here and feel a strong responsibility to keep it clean and strong.”
WRITTEN BY: Phil B. Soencksen
PHOTO CREDIT: Kent State University Center for Student Involvement