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Kent State University Honors College 
Parents & Friends Newsletter
March 25, 2022
Photo Above: Kent State students enjoying the outdoors as the weather starts to show signs of spring.
A Message from the Dean
Spring 2022


Dear Parents and Friends,

This month marks our second anniversary of the covid pandemic, and I am glad to say that we appear to be turning the corner. Masks are now optional except in classrooms, labs and studios, and if you follow our university’s 
Covid Dashboard, you know that cases are dramatically down on campus. It is wonderful to see our Honors library occupied by students again (it is no longer serving as a giant classroom!). Our students have been resilient and have moved ahead through these trying semesters, and we are very proud of them.

After a remarkably snowy winter in northeast Ohio, at long last Spring has officially arrived, and this Saturday our students will begin a well-earned Spring Break. Soon you will be hearing about new accomplishments and plans for the summer and next steps. 

This past winter brought some very big snowstorms - which led to a few days of university closures and lots of sledding opportunities on the hills on our campuses. But now, the lilacs are leafing out and the grass is greening up, and I can see students out on the playing fields with frisbees, and our oaks and pines are sporting hammocks.  

All that sounds quite idyllic, but there is also the fact that stress and anxiety build increasingly towards the end of Spring semester among all students, and perhaps especially among Honors students. The effects of perfectionism and strong reluctance to ask for any help are factors here. Although I have mentioned this in previous newsletters sent out at Spring Break, it's worth repeating! Please be sure to ask how your student is doing, and listen carefully to their responses. 

I am sending along some links about the drivers of stress and anxiety with suggestions on how to manage them. Please read them and consider how these suggestions might be useful to your student.

Managing stress, asking for help:


Perfectionism - how to let go of that!


Meanwhile, in the Honors College, we are continuing with our Peer-to-Peer Support Program (described in the Fall newsletter, see below for details) and we will be welcoming a Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor to our staff in early April. The university has a wide array of support services which have been expanded so that students can get appointments and help right away. See below for links to these services.

Once our students return from Spring Break, the race is on to the end of the semester, and for our seniors, a race to graduation and next steps. The weeks between April 4 and May 4 will be full of events: Phi Beta Kappa, Senior Awards Luncheon, Undergraduate Research Symposium, Honors Research Symposium, just to name a few. We will be providing opportunities to relieve the stress through our on-campus programs and events.  

Until then, enjoy your student’s time at home with you!


With best regards,


Alison J. Smith, Ph.D.
Honors College, Dean
Kent State University
Kent State Student Resources
Spring 2022


Here are some services the university offers, and that you may want to remind your students about:

First and foremost: Staying healthy - mentally, physically, financially, environmentally. Where can students find assistance with…


Where can I find Health and Wellness Resources?






Don’t forget about that flu shot! Students call 330-672-2322 to schedule an on-campus flu shot or visit the website for more information at University Health Services webpage.



How about Residence Hall Questions or Issues?




What about Commuter Students? 

Kent State has a Commuter Student Organization entitled “COSO”, which stands for Commuter & Off-Campus Student Organization; view more information at www.kent.edu/coso.



Where do I go for Financial Aid Questions?
 



Where can I find information about Kent State's coronavirus safety principles and the Flashes Safe Eight?
 
Photo Above: Annika Dudik Honors College junior, majoring in geology and minoring in biology.
May 4 Scholarship Recipient
Student Scholarship Spotlight: Annika Dudik

Annika Dudik, a third year Honors College student from Geneva, Ohio, continues to excel and grow throughout her time and experiences at Kent State. And if it were not for the May 4 Scholarship Award she received as an incoming freshman in the Honors College, her story may have turned out quite differently. As the case is with many college students, Annika's decision of attending college was based on her family's financial assistance, which was already stretched supporting Annika's older sibling, who was already attending college.

Annika says that as a high school senior deciding on college, many other Ohio-based universities, such as Bowling Green and Wright State, were also on her list of potential universities to attend, along with Kent State. Annika explains that her college decision was made based on the financial support she received, and Kent State checked all the boxes.

As a recipient of the May 4 Scholarship, the pressure of supporting two college students at one time was lifted from Annika's family. As a result of this financial assistance, Annika made the decision to attend Kent State and is glad she did, stating, "I love the environment here!" Annika has resided in the Honors College Living-Learning Community all three years she has attended. She says that, "Honors is home," and that she is very grateful to all of the generous donors who have made her college experience possible.

With financial challenges no longer a concern, Annika was able to begin her freshman year at Kent State and was accepted into the Honors Leadership Academy, a program for first-year students in the Honors College. She notes that this allowed her to meet classmates and transition to college life, along with developing skills and experiences needed for a role she later took on as a Supplemental Instruction leader, trainer and mentor for her General Chemistry I course. She is now doing the same for an Elements of Genetics course, along with mentoring and training new SI Leaders.

She has also become involved with Scientista, a Kent State chapter dedicated to providing female students at Kent who are interested in STEM fields with the opportunity to receive campus-related advice, news, articles and more.

This spring 2022 semester, Annika has begun working in Dr. Jefferson's lab, as she assists a graduate student with running water tank flume experiments to test how different objects move down streams. Through her experience of compiling data in the lab, she decided to research a similar project for the Undergraduate Research Symposium, and just recently submitted her abstract proposal.

As an Honors College student, Annika explains that her semesterly meetings with her Honors College advisor are very helpful to plan future class schedules, check in on job opportunities and discuss options for graduate school.

As graduation approaches in 2023, Annika looks forward to completing her final courses and becoming part of the Kent State Legacies, as both of her parents are proud graduates of Kent State as well.
Undergraduate Student Government
USG Honors Senator Spotlight: Meghan Williamson
Pictured Above: Honors College student and Undergraduate Student Government Honors Senator Meghan Williamson (far right, front row) poses for a photo with Kent State thirteenth president, Todd Diacon, along with other Kent State student tour guides.
Currently a fourth year Speech Language Pathology and Audiology and English double major, Meghan Williamson (She/Her) makes it her duty to represent the students of the Honors College. Meghan serves as a liaison between the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and the Honors College, curating events and meeting with different involved representatives. Her passion for a change to benefit other honors students drove her to run for this position in the 2021 USG elections and won her a spot in the senate.

Read more about Meghan's story and her initiatives and impact on the Honors College experience.
Honors College
Priority Registration!

Honors College students, both commuters and on-campus residents, had the opportunity to attend 'Cookies & Registration' on March 10, the evening before Priority Registration began on March 11 for Honors College students.

Honors students benefit from having access to priority registration, where they have the ability to select their courses before most other Kent State students. This allows flexibility when constructing class schedules for the upcoming semester and provides peace of mind for the honors student.

Photo: Honors College students gather in the Honors College lobby and enjoy Insomnia Cookies before registration begins.
Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society
2022 Induction Includes 358 New Members!

Kent State’s chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) honored students earlier this semester during their induction ceremony on January 29, 2022. Current officers were tasked to make it the largest induction group ever and they did just that. The official ceremony was held both in-person and virtually via Instagram Live. The academic honors society invites all first-year students who have received a 3.5 GPA or higher to join the organization. Once initiated, they are made an honorary member for life and can receive scholarships, network, and expand on leadership and professional skills.

Read the full story on the Alpha Lambda Delta Induction Ceremony and the events that the society has been involved with this academic year.
 
Pictured Above: Alpha Lambda Delta officers pose for a photo during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Meet the Students and Advisor
Behind BrainChild
Experiences Working with the Honors College Literary Magazine

BrainChild was born and raised in the Honors College at Kent State University. As a literary magazine, BrainChild offers undergraduate honors students in the Mid-East Honors Association (MEHA) an opportunity to share their art with others around the region. The different features include pieces such as art, creative writing, and photography.

When discussing BrainChild, Charlie Malone (He/Him), who is the current advisor for the publication of the magazine, highlights the project and the need to feature the multitude of creators. On the subject of who is included in the magazine, Malone says, “We’re able to celebrate people’s creativity who may not be Art majors or English majors. You may be a Pre-Med student who loves to write, or a Psychology student who is really interested in photography!” 

View the entire BrainChild article, as well as other Honors College news updates, at www.kent.edu/honors.

Photo Above: Members of BrainChild Magazine staff working on printing techniques in the classroom.
Division of Research &
Sponsored Programs
Understanding Impacts on LGBTQIA+ Communities
from the Covid-19 Pandemic

Moira Armstrong (they/them), Honors College student and undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a research assistant on the Queer Pandemic Project. They collaborate with Molly Merryman, Ph.D. (she/they), associate professor in the School of Peace and Conflict Studies, to compile digital, video-based oral interviews for the Queer Pandemic Project in a partnership between Kent State University, Goldsmith’s University of London and Queer Britain. These interviews feature people in queer communities across the United Kingdom, discussing the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has impacted their lives as queer people.

Read the rest of Moira's story by visiting the Division of Research & Sponsored Programs website.

Photo Above: Photos of interviewees from Moira Armstrong's work as a research assistant on the Queer Pandemic Project.
Click the image above, scan the QR code or visit this link for more information!
Frequently Asked Questions about the new
Honors Peer-to-Peer Support Program:

  • Are the students in this program counseling other students?
No. Their role is to be an accessible, listening peer that can direct a
student to the appropriate campus professional help.

  • How do the students in this program know how to do this?
Training and Mentoring. These students receive training (how to be a
good listener, how to know where to direct students) and year-long
mentoring from licensed counselors in the College of Education, Health
& Human Services.

  • Where are these students deployed?
They are on the Kent Campus in Honors Living-Learning Communities
(LLC), and also in other parts of campus to be available for commuter
students.

  • How can my student find out about this program?
They have received announcements in their eNews and in the Living-Learning Communities, there are posters up with a QR code for them to access information.