University College
Kent State Receives 2015 Institutional Excellence for Students in Transition Award
Kent State University is the recipient of the 2015 Institutional Excellence for Students in Transition Award by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. The center is committed to setting the standard for excellence in supporting students at critical junctures in the educational pipeline, and it seeks to promote intentional and integrative connections within and across institutions and educational sectors to enhance the student transition experience.
Kent State’s Exploratory Program Receives National Recognition
Kent State University’s Exploratory Program in University College has been awarded two prestigious national awards for its work with exploratory students.
Kent State’s I Am First Week Helps First-Generation Students Find Their Place
Kent State’s I Am First Week runs Nov. 2-6, 2026, with events for first-generation students, who make up about 40% of the university's student body.
Kick-Starting Careers at the Kent State Student Employment Fair
More than 400 students attended Kent State University’s Student Employment Fair to meet with employers and put their networking skills into action.
DC CAP Scholars Graduate Ready to Lead
At Kent State University’s University College, the CommUNITY Lab serves as a space where connection, growth and opportunity intersect, especially for graduating seniors like Ronshai Jones, Ariana Wallace and Yeshe Mulugeta. For these three, the journey to graduation has been defined by leadership, resilience, and the unwavering support of the DC College Access Program.
Exploratory Students Break New Ground with Distinctive Florence Education-Abroad Experience
First-year student Johan Kristoff will be among nine Kent State University students who will embark on a groundbreaking spring break journey to Florence, Italy, marking the first international experience designed specifically for students to discover their academic path.
POV: 'We Will Support Them Every Step of the Way'
POV shares insights from the Kent State University community on important topics. Liz Piatt, interim dean of University College, shares her journey as a first-generation college student and how faculty mentorship helped her discover a career path she didn't know existed — one that now allows her to support other first-generation students as they navigate their own transformative college experiences.
Unsung Heroes Abound at Kent State University
Perhaps the best word to sum up Brianna Benson’s role at Kent State University is “caretaker.”
Exploring Her Options Led to the Perfect Career
When Kent State University alumna Aysia Kemp declared her major in the first semester of her sophomore year, she felt confident in her chosen path. However, things didn’t quite start off that way. Kemp credits her experiences in the Exploratory Program for leading her to her ideal career.
Provost Leadership Academy Produces Ideas for Improving Life at Kent State
First-year students in the Provost Leadership Academy are asked to look at Kent State through a critical lens, with an eye toward how they would change or improve some aspect of university life. Here are some of the ideas being considered.
