During Black History Month, the Daily Kent Stater will feature leaders in Kent State’s African-American community. These people will describe their involvement in the African-American community on campus, how the community has changed over time and who will be its leading voices in the future.

Black History Month Highlight: Roslynn Porch, senior communication studies major and president of Black United Students

Roslynn Porch is a senior communication studies major and president of Black United Students, a campus organization that seeks to unify African-American students and identify issues within the Kent State community.

She is also a resident assistant in Lake Hall, where she said she enjoys creating a sense of community within her hall and providing positive leadership for her residents.

Her interest in Black United Students, or BUS, was sparked at Blast-Off her freshman year when she spoke with members of the organization.

During her sophomore year, Porch became an active member in BUS, and by her junior year was elected the group’s director of community affairs.

As community affairs director, she managed BUS’s promotion and collaborated on an outreach program to Cleveland schools with African-American fraternity Phi Beta Sigma.

Her time as community affairs director inspired her to want to grow BUS, so she ran and was elected as the organization’s president last spring.

She said her goal is to act as a voice for those on campus who otherwise might not be heard.

Porch has received a certificate of appreciation from the Department of Undergraduate Studies for her consistent leadership, as well as an Ebony Achievement Award through BUS.

She said her goal is to act as a voice for those on campus who otherwise might not be heard.

Since you started working at Kent State, how have you seen the African-American presence and involvement on this campus evolve?

“African-American involvement was decent in my eyes, but now that I’m a student leader for the African-American community, I feel as if our involvement and presence could be a lot higher. Knowing our community numbers are very low compared to the campus at large, showing we are involved and have a positive presence is important to making a positive and lasting impact within the African-American community and Kent State community.”

Who among your peers are the upcoming African-American leaders are on this campus?

“To be honest, there are a lot of African-American leaders, students and faculty on campus who accomplish things on a daily basis. They are setting up networks and connections to make our community stronger. They are spread out in their own departments and organizations and are continuing to work so that our community will stay united….My board members…are student leaders working hard on a daily basis to strengthen, empower and encourage our community academically and socially….Monique Menefee, a trustee for Kent State University [and] Marvin Logan, who sits on Undergraduate Student Government as director of programming…are just two of many people in the African community who make sure we are represented in different areas of Kent State.”

How do you see the African American student body evolving on this campus in the future?

“I can see the African-American community continuing to progress as it already has been doing. My hope is that the leaders in our community are pruning and molding other students into leaders so when they leave Kent State, our community will be left in good hands. I will also be working on making sure that my constituents are well prepared for the position in which they will soon lead. I want our community to evolve and progress in every aspect of the college experience, whether that be academically, spiritually or socially. As Booker T. Washington once said, ‘In all things that are purely social, we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.’”

Contact Michael Lopick at [email protected].