From pizza parties to professional programming, first-year CCI Commons students enjoy their experiences in the community.

For first-year students, the college experience is nothing if not overwhelming, and seeking out the friendship of fellow students can be intimidating.

Many freshmen students in the CCI Commons program say that because of this, they joined the community as a means of meeting students with similar majors.

By offering students an array of activities, from social events such as pizza parties and scavenger hunts, to

Ciofani

skill-building sessions with career professionals, CCI Commons allows students to network with students and faculty within their college. “The CCI Commons creates an environment in which students can interact with other students in their major without having to really go out

of their comfort zone,” said Gabz Ciofani, freshman journalism and mass communications major.

Trae Ruscin, freshman photojournalism major, said the Commons have given him the chance to build a network of friends in every CCI major.

Ruscin

“I chose to be in the CCI Commons because I thought it would be a good way to stay in touch with people that are going into communications and even into my major, even if they aren’t in any of my classes,” he said. Ciofani, who got a job as a

DJ for Black Squirrel radio her first semester at Kent State, credits part of her success to being a member of CCI Commons.

“Anything that is offered to me that could potentially help me further understand the working world of journalism, even if I don’t get class credit for it, I’m going to grab a hold of,” she said.

Third-year communications studies major Nathan Selinsky transferred to the main campus after two years at Kent State Stark.

Selinsky

Although he said he signed up for CCI Commons because it was “just something to join,” he said he’s enjoyed the programming, especially the opportunity to speak with former ESPN2 personality and Kent State alum, Dave Holmes. Selinsky said he would recommend CCI

Commons to any eligible student. “If they’re communications majors, it’d be a great way to get to know people in the field,” he said. “They introduce you to some pretty interesting people.”

Although Selinsky, Ruscin and many other CCI Commons members live in Verder Hall, the community’s “home base,” many members do not.

Ciofani said she chose not to live in Verder because although she wanted the opportunity to meet other journalism majors, she wanted to remain open to meeting people outside the College of Communication and Information, as well.

“Being in the CCI Commons and living somewhere else, in my opinion, is the best of both worlds,” she said.

Another freshman visual communication design major, who did not wish to be identified, lives in another hall and agreed.

“I chose to be a part of CCI Commons because I wanted to get more involved with my major and learn more about it,” she said. “I decided not to live in Verder because I wanted to meet a variety of people, not just people with the same type of major as myself.”

--Kate Bigam