The Office of Student Success Programs presents a series of programs throughout the year for students to adjust to college living and learning.

The Student Success Series provides workshops, speakers and presentations that teach students how to use campus resources, resolve issues and make good use of their time at Kent. There are approximately 100 workshops offered each year with more in the fall than in the spring semester.

Since June 2009 Meghan Cisar, coordinator for Student Success Programs, has managed the success series, which originally dealt with health-related issues. For the past five years, though, the series has included more academic and social programs, according to Cisar.

“We offer a variety of topics that can be helpful to any student’s needs, so ranging from academic issues like how to take a college test or how to read a college text to health issues, such as ‘How do I get help with stress or anxiety?’” she said. “So we really try to provide presentations that can help students with their transition to college.”

Anyone can attend the programs, which usually last about an hour, according to Cisar. Most of the presentations are geared toward freshmen to help them make the shift to college life more easily.

She also said that some of the most popular programs students attended included a lecture from Michael Vaughn, a speaker from Destination Kent State who discussed technology and social media in a presentation called “I Share, Therefore I Am,” and a movie called “Fire in the Heartland” about the events that surround the shootings on May 4, 1970.

Tyler Powell, freshman visual communication design major, registered for “Fire in the Heartland” as a requirement for her F.Y.E. class, but she said she thinks it will be interesting.

“I just feel like it will be [interesting] because someone who went to Kent made it, and it’s about the May 4,” Powell said. “I don’t know a lot about that even though everyone talks about it.”

Miranda Kelly, freshman exploratory major, also registered for some of the programs offered by the Student Success Series, including a sexual assault course because she said she wants to learn more about protecting herself.

“I think the sexual assault course will help college students everywhere because it will better prepare them for real-life situations,” Kelly said. “Unfortunately that’s what happens on college campuses, and it will give them a better understanding about what happens and what to do if it does unfortunately happen.”

Kelly also said the programs in general are really important for students to attend because of the opportunities they present.

“It’s just a chance to go to something you enjoy, get out of your room and explore things,” Kelly said. “Also, you can learn more about what you’re interested in.”

Contact Alicia Balog at [email protected].