Kent State students and their little siblings filled Kent’s campus this past weekend for the annual Lil’ Sibs Weekend 2015 hosted by Kent Interhall Council.

One of the main focuses of the weekend was to encourage students to spend time with their little siblings and to showcase all of what Kent State has to offer.

“I think it’s important just to show kids what college is like,” said Emily Nighswander, vice president of programming and development for KIC. “It’s just a fun weekend for students to bring their sibs to bond, spend time together and it shows the sibs how awesome our campus is.”

Nighswander planned and oversaw the programming and technicalities of Lil’ Sibs Weekend. She worked with a committee and all of the hall councils to create and plan events in each residence hall and around campus.

The KIC-sponsored weekend included several events to entertain sibs of all ages, corresponding with the weekend’s theme, Kentcation: A Sibs Getaway.

Some of the events included Crafting with KIC, where big and little sibs decorated their own paper leis, and a dive-in movie that showed the film “Lilo and Stitch.”

Sophomore nursing major Mikayla Smith attended Lil’ Sibs Weekend with her sister Tanner and soon-to-be stepsisters Myaih and Khloe.

“Tonight (Friday night), we are going ice-skating and to the dive-in movie,” Smith said. “Tomorrow (Saturday) we are doing the spa day in Eastway and to the softball game.”

For some siblings, distance is a big factor and can take a toll on their relationship.

Freshman criminal justice major Megan Downey brought her 15-year-old sister from Cincinnati to spend the weekend with her. The sisters attended the residence hall events, including The Boardwalk, a spa day and the petting zoo.

“We’re really looking forward to the Penguins movie (during Real Late Reels) because we saw it together over Christmas break and so we are excited because it’s like a reunion,” Downey said.

Along with KIC, volunteers signed up to help organize and supervise the weekend’s events.

Kelli Brinkman, a senior integrated mathematics major, was one of many students to volunteer for the weekend. Brinkman has been involved with KIC since her freshman year and has volunteered for the weekend for the past two years.

“It’s a great opportunity for the lil’ sibs to get to have that bonding experience with their older siblings, as well as seeing our campus here at Kent State,” Brinkman said.

Contact Lauren Biertempfel at [email protected].