Most Ohio universities also offer living and learning communities, making Kent State part of a growing trend.

Ohio University, The University of Akron, The Ohio State University and Bowling Green State University all have residence hall communities grouped by major or theme.

Joe Bynum

Senior Living and Learning Community Coordinator Joel Bynum said Kent State began its first community eight years ago for first-year students interested in wellness. “My impression is that we wanted to try some things out,” Bynum said.

“Anyone with an idea for a community put in a proposal, and a committee decided which proposals had merit.”

Bynum said he believes that Kent State’s living-learning communities are more progressive than ones at other universities.

Motivating and connecting students

“There’s an emphasis on how we can support those freshmen and sophomores making the transition into college,” Bynum said. “We’re saying, ‘We’re not just going to turn our backs on you.’

“You go into a hall and you have the R.D. and standard programming,” Bynum said. “But in addition to that, you have a group of faculty members putting on traditional programming to make you a better student but also make it fun.”

Mary La Vine, adjunct faculty, School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport and Coordinator of the Physical Education Professional Community (PEPC), said this combination helps improve students’ confidence.

“Personally, I think they get to have an ownership—not so much in their program— but they get to take pride in what that do,” La Vine said.